LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3056, 12 May 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Waipa County Council meets at Ohaupo on Monday. To-morrow is Mother’s Day. It is the custom on this day for every man and boy to wear a white flower in honour of his mother.

David Chalmers Anderson, a Scottish minister’s son, on a charge of uttering forged documents involving £,">0,000, was sentenced to five years’ penal scr vi tilde, says a London cable.

A serious dislocation of the electricity supply in Auckland City on Thursday afternoon resulted in the cutting off of the lighting current in some districts and the suspension of portion of the tramway services.

The Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, lias advised the Mayor of Te Awamutu that he will be able to visit that town on May 30ih to unveil the war memor ial there.

The sterling exchange reached 4 dollars GO coals on Wednesday, the lowest for the year. It is thought that the reason is placing of dollar credits for the payment of interest on the British war debt.

The service at Fencourt Methodist Church on Sunday afternoon will be conducted by Miss Jessie Graham, of the Legions Beyond Mission, India, who is at present in Cambridge on furlough.

A London cable states that Sir James Allen, High Commissioner for New Zealand, announced on Wednesday that the New Zealand loan of £4,000,000 was fully subscribed on the first day. Wnen it closed the amount of subscriptions was between £0,000,000 and £8,000,000.

Thirteen men were burned to death by the explosion of a newly-sunk oil well at Kerens, Texas, states a message from New York. By a worker attempting to close the well when the oil began to gush, the friction ignited gas 'from the oil, resulting in a vast pillar of flame 100 feet high.

It is gratifying to know that the boxing classes in connection with the the Cambridge Y.M.C.A. gymnasium (under the able supervision of Mr W. ,Sharkey) arc being well patronised, and the pupils are making excellent progress. At the last evening class the instructor had a fine muster of between thirty and forty members, the majority being juniors. Mr Sharkey is now anxious to get. about a dozen more pupils for the senior class —the heavyweight division, in particular, in which there arc few members. Wednesday night next will bo an open, night tor fresh pupils, aad those v/feo would care to see the lads, h\. action are cordially invited to be present.

Hoarseness and eor© throat iudreate germ Naxcl free-ljw gives Quickest relief.

A branch of the Blanket, Nursing So eicty is- to be formed at Pacroa.

A Scotsman saw a sixpence lying in the road. Disregarding the traffic he rushed forth to secure it. He was run over and killed. The jury brought in a verdict of “Death from natural causes! ’’

A poll taken at Otorolianga on Thursday to decide the question of the adoption of the system of rating on unimproved values resulted iu a majority of 239 in favour of the proposal, the voting being: For, 278; against, 39.

‘‘ Wo should be quite proud of the advance this Dominion lias made in the last three years,’’ remarked the president of the Wellington Industrial Association the other day, “and I do not think we should allow any other impression to get abroad.”

A ready response has been made to the request by the Hamilton Beautifying Society for donations of bulbs for planting at Ferry Bank Memorial Park and the other reserves in and about Hamilton. Already nearly 5000 bulbs have been received. >

Prospecting for gold is being carried out on the Taupo Timber Company’s land near the Waikato River at Ongv roto (reports an exchange). It is understood that the prospector has already found traces of the precious metal, which are encouraging him to continue the search with zest.

At the Magistrate’s Court, Timaru, fines and costs amounting to £147 were inflicted by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in a case in which James Lewis Baxter, an hotelkeeper, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to furnish an income tax return, and to three charges of furnishing false returns.

We would remind our readers of the Sunday School anniversary services at the Methodist Church to-morrow, when there will be special singing by the scholars. Rev. W. Ready, of Hamilton, will be the preacher in the morning and afternoon, and Rev. J. D. McArthur in the evening. Dr and Mrs Bickersteth met with an unfortunate accident during their stay in Cambridge this week, while motoring between Frankton and Cambridge. Mr Willis was driving them in his car, when a breakage occurred in some part of the car’s mechanism, with the result that it overturned and landed on the hood, which, fortunately, saved the occupants, who escaped without a scratch. Dr Stapler and Mr Couper, who were returning from Hamilton, came along shortly after, arid brought the visitors on to Cambridge. Unfortunately Mr Willis’ car was badly damaged.

It is understood (says the Wairarapa Age) that the Department, of Agriculture intends to take strong action against rabbit trappers causing deaths of any of the protected enemies of the rabbit. It is a common thing for both cats and hawks to get caught, in the traps, and many rabbiters appear not to understand the liability they incur thereby.

“Wanganui is the black spot in the North Island just now,” remarked an underwriter, in referring to pillage of cargo. An instance was given of 25 cases of whisky sent from Wellington to that port, only 22 arriving or being delivered to the consignees. Particulars were given of claims made for pillage of drapery sent to Wanganui firms. It was noticed that since insurance companies had suspended the arrangement by which they made claimants for loss by pillage or theft carry 25 per cent oi the loss there has been a slight increase iu the number of claims, suggesting carelessness as to packing goods.

The population of the Dominion on March 31 is estimated by the Government Statistician at 1.271,750. Inis number comprises 048,558 males and (523,192 females. Compared with the estimate at March 31, 1922, the present figures show increases of 11,584 in the number of males and 11.950 in the number of females, the total increase during the year having been 23,504. The increase in the March quarter was 0187. These figures are exclusive of the Maori population 53,400, population of the Cook Islands and Niue, 13,3o0; and population of the mandated iciiitory of Western Samoa, 38,300.

A prominent man in an up-country town was asked for information regarding a local gentleman who was desirous of obtaining a certain position. He wrote: “I believe Mr to be an excellent, man. He is a grandson of General , be is a cousin of C B S , related to H G N ; and has had an excellent, bringing up in every way.” The following reply was received from the fiuu inquiring: “Dear Mr , Thank yon very much for your letter in regard to Mj/ . vVe would say, however, that we do not want the man for breeding purposes, but for clerical work. FREE SEAT MOVIE COMPETITION 'Who Wrote This, and Where ? “For Sa,fein finds some mischief sfcUi, For idle hands to do.” Two. seats fimJsy correct, gnsvjer received.--See Picture Ad?L

’s big competitions prize-winners’ concert at Hamilton, the chairman of the executive (Mr J. McKinnon) stared that a few gentle- i men had guaranteed a sum of £7OO to carry through the competitions, but it was anticipated, owing to the hearty support accorded by the public, that these gentlemen would not have to pay a penny out of their pockets.

The s.s. Mamiwai arrived at Cambridge on Thursday afternoon last with a cargo consisting of 400 cases of benzine and a big consignment of coal. Orders for the latter are being booked in such large numbers just at present that it has been found necessary to make a special trip to fulfil orders in hand. The s.s. Arapapa will leave Onehunga for. Cambridge on the 15th, with a general consignment of goods, transhipping to the Mnnuvvai, the latter loading coal at the company’s mine for delivery. Mr J. It. Mitchell, of Leamington, is the local representative.

‘‘The office of Mayor is a very important one,” said Mr J, A, Nash, M.J.\ at the installation ceremony of the Mayor (Mr i\ J. Nathan) last week, reports the Manawatu Times. ‘‘lt was first instituted in the reign of Henry 11. The first Mayor of London was Henry Fitz-Alwyn, appointed in 1189. He held the office for twenty-four years. In those days Mayors were chosen for life. . . . to-day it is a matter of fighting for the position every two years.”

Overheard at the last sitting of the Patou Magistrate's Court and reported in the local press. Counsel (to witness): ‘‘Now, sir, did you or did you not on the date in question, or at any other time, say to the defendant or anyone else, that the statement imputed to you and denied by the plaintiff was a matter of no moment or otherwise answer me, yes or no ?’ ’ Bewildered witness: “Yes or no, what?”