LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2389, 28 October 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After the finish of the Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase at To Rapa yesterday. Mr Wynn Brown, chairman of the Racing Committee, presented Miss Windsor with a silver cup which went with the stake for the above race.

Out Green Island way tho other day a cow was seen standing quietly whilst being milked by a half-bred bulldog (states the Dunedin Star). Cow and dog seemed to perfectly understand each pthcr, thougli they do not belong to the same house nor to one owner, and so far as is known were strangers. .

“I»ve kept two pots of honey for thirty years'and it hasn't deteriorated in appearance or taste,” declared Mr A. Ireland at a beekeepers' meeting at Christchurch, “and I’ve read of a pot of good honey 2000 years old, being dug up from the ruins of Pompeii.” Mr J. Rentoul, the lecturer, seemed to be rather scpetical about such keeping qualities, saying he found by experience that honey began to fail in quality and appearance after two years.

A debtor who came before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Auckland Court, stated that lie borrowed £2O in September from a Christchurrn money-lender, and the latter was now claiming to be paid £SO in interest and capital. ‘‘His wife had been sick, and he borrowed the money to pay tho doctor,” explained the man's solicitor. “First time 1 ever heard of a man borrowing money to pay the doctor,” commented t.he magistrate.

Replying to Mr Holland in Parliament the Prime Minister said that he intended to give the House an opportunity to discuss the report of the Imperial Conference, hut lie thought it wise to hold the matter back until the British election was over as otherwise opinions might bo expressed, and cabled to England which might, get some members into trouble. Subsequently' he would see if if was possible to circulate a precis of the report before the discussion took place.

During the course of his speech at the Farmers’ Union c'mi.er cm Thursday evening last Mr Mervyn Wells caused much merriment be remarking that the “Dairy Industry” was hardly the name for it. It was more like perpetual motion. (.Laughter} . He had only had about three weeks of n. which was enough for the speaker. (More laughter.) 1

A Palmerston North man interested in native plant lit*-, 'when speaking with a Manawatu Times reporter, said that New Zealand lias a genuine c-otton plant, which grows frt *dy near the sea in the far north. It is known to the natives as kahakahn (to be styong) and to botanists as ast die >oli,iu.!rii. Placed upon a mantle-piece. a well-grown pod has been known to open with the heat and throw out silky white threads sff long. Possibly if cultivated u.nd improved the Forestry Department might produce something of commercial value, from it.

Acting on behalf of the Auckland District Law Society, Mr li. F. von Ha.ast applied to the Court of Appeal at Wellington on Tlui’sday last to have the name of John Hanna, solicitor, Paeroa, struck off the roll for certain irregularities in a trust account. Application was made to b ve the case adjourned till the next sitting of the Court of Appeal, pending the completion of audit of the accounts, and that, in the. meantime, an ovdi r suspending the solicitor be made. They adjourned consideration of the case t 11 to-day.

On November 1, 8 and 35, all the men of II Company, Waikato Regiment, will journey to Cambridge, where they will fire the instructional portions of the musketry courses. A machine-gun platoon under their own officers will proceed lo the Hamilton East R-ifle Range to carry out machine gun practice. Undo- the Defence Regulations these musketry courses ..re compulsory, and tlio Officer Commanding the. Regiment (Colonel Closev, M.C.) is desirous of and hopes the employers will co-oper-ate with the authorities in allowing their employees facilities to attend these musketry parades.

Air Laurence Andrews, London qualitied eyesight specialist, associate of Air 11. Groeott, of Hamilton, will visit Cambridge on Friday, October 3,lst. may be consulted at the old Bank Chambers, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. An unusual and jnT.ful accident befel a boy aged 12, tamed Robert Guy, son of Air Matthew Guy, farmer, of Hairini, on Thursday last. The lad was playing in the co\vsb«:l and had a piece of binding twine wound round liis thumb, with one end dangling loosely down. This caught in the shafting of the milking plant, and ripped the poor child’s thumb completely off. He was admitted to the Waikato Hospital, where favourable progress is reported.

A second set of Morse instruments has been installed in the Putaruru post office to eope with the increased telegraphic work, and two members of tho staff’ can now be engaged at the one time sending and receiving telegrams. A new telegraph line is at present being erected from Cambridge to Taupo via Putaruru and Wuotu, while the poles have also arrived at Putaruru railway station for the re-erection of the Putaruru-Puketurua-Arapuni line

Replying to the Hon. D. Buddo in the House of Representatives last week the Minister for Customs said that ftte position of the woollen mills in the country some of which were working short time, had been brought to his notice. The chief cause of the difficulty appeared to be the introduction o»’ shoddy goods. He was having enquiries made to see if it was possible to get a definition of shoddy tightened up so as to conserve the interests of the mills. As to the suggested increase in tar riff to protect local manufacturers, that was a matter bristling with difficulties, and he did not think Parliament would sanction any addition to the tariff rates.

The loving care with which the graves of New Zealanders buried in France are tendered was mentioned by Air. .John Douglas, of London, in an address to members of the Auckland Rotary Club. Some time age. said Air Douglas, he took a party of (530 Scotsmen across France for a week-end visi. to the battle area, where many of their relatives lay buried. The party was distributed over 130 cemeteries and many graves of New Zealanders were seen. The long rows of headstones made a sad but impressive sight; there was beauty in it, too, for loving hands had a little garden of flowers in front of every headstone. .Europe had claimed much front New Zealanders, but there would be forever a part of Europe that was New Zealand.

It is a common-place circumstance to be awakened by tin- noise of cats fighting, or to rise from one’s bed a*t the clarion call of chanticleer and one thinks nothing, except evil thoughts, of being disturbed in the hours of slumber by the barking of a ib g ( remarks the Napier “Telegraph”). It was left, however, to a resident .*f Napier to be awakened by a 'possum. A lady, to quote, her own statement, was peacefully dreaming when she felt something wet and cold on her face. Hurriedly arising, she procured a light, to discover one of these qualm animals regarding her curiously fion* the root of the bed. An effort; to catch the animal failed, and as the la W was sleeping on the verandah at the l ime, its i scape was -easily effected.

A meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last week deckled to urge tin* Government to revalue the borough. It was pointed out that five years had elapsed since the last valuation, and that in the meantime >ver £2,000,000 worth of improvements had been added. The present burden of rates, it was asserted, was borne bv main street business people. The fire rates in Hamilton are amng the highest in the Dominion, despite the fact that its fire-fighting equipment is now amongst the most modern. It has two engines, a peiiuunent staff and a perfect system of alarms while the water pressure has been considerably improved. In view of this the Chamber decided t< urge the Underwriters’ Association to consider lowering the premiums.

Few people are probably aware that tobacco was at one time extensively cultivated in England. AVinchcombe, in Gloucestershire, claims the honour of being the first place in the Old Country 1u grow the weed. The dried and cured leaf was comparatively expensive at first, but by the time of James IT. the “best Virginia” was sold at 2/ per lb, and was in great demand. It would be interesting to compare, if that were possible, rhe tobacco of that day with that of our own day. Modern methods of manufacture have of course worked wonders. Some of the purest tobaccos now on the market arc grown in New Zealand, and tliev owe their tine flavour largely to the fact that, they are all toasted a new departure. Owing to their containing swell a trifling amount, of nicotine these brands may be smoked all day without unpleasant or injurious consequences: “Rivorhoad Gold” is a tint? aromatic tobacco, “Toasted Navy Out” (Bulldog label} medium, and “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bull’s Head) full-flavoured. They are meeting with a big sale. For Influenza, take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

At tin' Auckland Show Mr A. M. Samuel’s Kl A risk was adjudged the champion hunter. This fine horse also won the big hunters’ competition.

At the conclusion of the sculling championship race on Saturday A rust, interviewed, said even though he had not got into the willows Hannon would have beat him, and that was his last race. The Commissioner of Taxes draws the attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day’s issue that tho due date of payment of land-tax for the current year is on Friday, the 7tli day of November,' 1924, and that the demands will be posted on or about the 3.lst day of October.

A valuable endowment of 100 acres of land was years ago set; aside in the Waimatc Plains, Taranaki, for holders of " the New Zealand military Cross. This was subsequently handed over to some other purpose. As only .five survivors each draw £lO per annum, and these- are all over 70, the once-coveted distinction is not a strain upon the resources of a grateful country.

“It seems as though you’ve got a dead set on me, and the only work you’ve got to do is to^ watch me,” declared Elizabeth Wilson, in the MagCourt, at Wellington. “The way you speak about no would make one think I was the worst woman in Wellington. I might have been once, I admit, but I’m not now. Why, I have not had a conviction since January.” The magistrate sentenced her to six months’ imprisonm *nt for being drunk, idle and disorderly.

Owing probably to the high prices that have ruled for chaff for some time back, many farmers i r ’ the Putaruru district saved an oat crop ’ast autumn, and in nearly every e .sc these are at present look very well. The autumnsown crop in the Putaruru district almost always gives a greater yield than lie spring-sown crop. dlgoviai and Ruakura oats are the kinds most, favoured. —Record.

Extended telephone hours do not. appeal to every person as. an unmixed blessing. Speaking on the subject at a meeting of the Matamata Chamber of Commerce the Pres’dent ylr B. C. Taylor) said he had met only one man who did not want an all-night service, and that was a farmer. “If the hours are extended,” the farmer said, “the boys and girls will be talking all night and I’ll get no sleep.”

During the stonewall in Parliament on the Gaming Bill Mr A. Harris (Waitemata) made a calculation of the cost to the country of the time wasted over the bill, and quoted figures. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East), speaking later, said it was scandalous how much time had been wasted by the Minister in charge of the bill (Mr R. F. Bollard). (Loud laughter). A Labour member: “He’s had about tuppence worth. ’ ’ (Laughter.)

In the dairy section exhibits at the •Auckland Show last week Cambridge Co-op. Dairy Co. was fifth on the list for butter out of 21 entrants, with a total of i)oi points. Kaitaia were the winners with 93A points. In the cheese exhibits the Bruntwood factory (Mr L. M'areeau) did particularly well, securing second place with 93 points, half a point below the winner, Toatoa Co-op. Co. Cambridge (Grioodalo) secured 91 points.

Some idea of the orgy of words indulged in during the two day’s discussion on the Gaming Bill may. be gleaned from a statistical return showing the number of speeches and the time occupied bv members with the cost to tlio Dominion, :(.'t the rate of £2 per minute (says the Dominion) Prom 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday until 9 30 on Thursday, the number of speeches were 120, a total length of .1.100 minutes, and cost the country £2332. Labour talk cost £I3BB, Reform £389, Lib-Lab. £134- and Independent £230.

The other day Mr Fred Mack, of Leamington, had a narrow escape from what might have proved a serious encounter with a bull. Mr Mack was crossing a paddock when the bull which had at previous times shown bad feeling towards his master, made a desperate charge at him. Fortunately Mr Mack had a pitchfork in his hand at the time, and in self-defence he struck the animal with the fork. This had the desired effect, the enraged animal making oil with the fork still sticking in his hide. Mr Mack was enabled to get to safe quarters quite unharmed.

His name was Horn, or Hen are, and he was very curious concerning his weight. Amidst the chaff of his three lady friends —although the third thought the occasion t worthy of removing her pipe from her mouth—the Maori aproaelied a weighing machine a! the station, and, fishing in his pocket inserted a copper in the slot. I 1 he hands of the machine jerked round to Iti stone Ho mire —orllone —was: visibly staggered, w’hile one of his ladv friends shook visibly as she voiced some, remonstrance about mutton bird:- Suddenly Henare revolved awkwardly in the narrow confines of the scales, nisi said: <4 I pet you I norm so much wit ’my coat off, ’ ? and thereupon removed liis overcoat. But he placed it over his srm, and again surveyed the dial of the machine. “Tat ’s ferry funny,” he ruminated. “I still weigh the same.! 1 ’

An important meeting of the Cambridge branch of the N.Z.F.U. will be held on Friday next at 1.30 p.m.

Messrs J. H. S. Bamforth, B. P. Do Lautour, W. L. De Lautour, A. S. Grey and R. Hannon have been elected members of the Maungnkawa Babbit Board unopposed.

Considerable interest is being taken in the Cambridge Choral Society’s concert, 1o be held on Tuesday, 11th. inst. The box plan is now open at Congalton \s.