LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1282, 17 August 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt in Te Awamutu on Sunday morning at atoout 12.15 o'clock.

The iNe'w Zealand railways last year made a net return of 1.07 per cent on their capital cost. The death., occurred on Tuesday of Mr A. G. Milne, formerly a well-known farmer on the Hamilton-Ohaupo Road. He is survived toy a, daughter, 'Mrs E. J. McGregor, junr., of Hamilton. ' Mrs L. Bach, a well-iknown vocalist, has consented to lead and conduct the community sing to be held in the Town Hall on Monday next. It is Worthy of note that this will ibe the first -occasion on which a lady has conducted such gatherings in New Zealand, but there is no doutot Mrs Bach possesses in a marked degree the personality and ability needed to make such functions a .pronounced success.

The Waikato Farmers' Union Herdtesting Association (has "been formed at Hamilton. A scheme 'will be set in motion immediately. 'Already upward of 1500 cows have toeem signed up for in the Te Kowhai district, and in view of the interest manifested there a similar development is expected in other districts. The scheme Will he in operation in full time for the coming season, and already about forty applications have been received for .positions as herd-testers.

■At a meeting of the Waitomo County Council it was explained by the clerk that members of' the K?awhia Pounty Council had met menVbers of the Waitomo body in a £ -request for the support of/an application to the JVfinister of Pu'blic Works in regard to the completion and maintenance Ot the Mangapohue .Roact. It had Jieen suggested that the Kawhia settlers were prepared *to raise a loan jn regard to the completion of the road. It was decided, as requested, to make the request for a subsidy of £2 for £1) subsidy on £SOOO for the purpose.

Tn the House the other evening Mr W. T. Jennings claimed that the Waitomo Caves were the only resort Which 'was paying its way, and was probably the best of its kind in the world. He suggested that the Caves would be improved by the use of electric lights, urging that this would add wonderfully to the charm pf these beautiful caves. He also spoke of the attractions of the Wajiganui River. 'Some memlbers urged the Government to adequately advertise the attractions of New Zealand jn the United States, but the Minister replied Chat until the finances of the country improved it would be impossible to make any progressive move in this direction.

Trade union circles in Wellington are perturbed toy the news that a union secretary has made away with over £IOOO of his union's funds.

'At the end of January last there were 1,1>28,979 dairy cows in New Ze'a- ; land, an increase of aibout 12'4,000 over the total of the previous year. ■u ; The Vice-'Regals Company 'will re- , visit Te Awauiutu on Ist September, I when the company, will give one of j its .delightful entertainments in the Em'pire Theatre. ! A We must have a system. The pub- j lie. calls it red tape, tout we Call it sys- # j tern," said a Wanganui Government official when discussing administration | matters there. g The funeral of the late John John- I son took place this morning, toeing at- j tended toy a large numtoer of personal I friends. The ReV A. M. Ni'block conducted an impressive service at the graveside.

During the year ended 30th April last there were 8,565,410 carcases of mutton and lamb exported from New Zealand. That this rate of export cannot be maintained is evident from the fact that the number of sheep and lambs in the Dominion showed a reduction of 1,039,558 in the same period. In connection with the community sing to toe held at the Town Hall on CVTanday night, the booklets containing the words of nearly a hundred songs •have 'been printed, and will toe on sale at sixpence per copy. 'No sheets, such as used on the last occasion, will toe issued.

As illustrating the susceptibility of the 'New Zealand markets to foreign influences, it is interesting to ngte that the recent decline in the value of rabbit skins is attributable to the American ibuyers ceasing to operate in consequence of the industrial upheaval now taking place in the United iStates.

The weekly meeting of the Crilbtoage Club was held ,on Tuesday evening, when play took the form of a fourhanded contest for a trophy-'kindly presented by Mr J. Browning. Each player took part in eleven games, the chief scorers being Messrs H. H. Hutt and D. Hagerty (8 games), Mr G. O. Jourdain (7 games), and Messrs C. Biggs, K. Hinton, F. 'Harris, and W. Ingham (6 games). In the play-off Mr Hutt iproved successful.

Mrs Cox, of Bank Street,, Te Awamultu, is in receipt of a unique memento of the Royal wedding. Her niece in London practises as a ladies' hairdresser, and her professional services were requisitioned for Princess Maud on the occasion of the marriage of Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles.' In recognition of the services rendered on that occasion the itonsorial artist was. presented by the 'Princess Royal with a spray from the wedding 1 cake, Which has in turn been sent to New Zealand. Needless to add, Mrs Cox 'prizes highly the interesting memento of the historic occasion.

Referring, in the course of an interview with a newspaper representative the other day, to the fear expressed in some quarters that an increase jin the numtoer of ,pigs*eared' would .bring aibout a slump in prices, Mr Gorr'inge, of the Department of Agriculture, clared that there was no need for any alarm on that point. The Department, he said, was not only looking after the "growing" end, but also after the marketing end of the 'business. In places such as Marltoorough, with a freezing works at the seaboard, there was nothing to stop producers shipping their pigs to overseas markets either as frozen meat or in the frozen or chilled beef state. Cufers at Home could smoke and cure the last-men-tioned and put them on the market as bacon.

The mortal remains of Agnes, the dearly beloved wife of Mr Benjamin McGechie, 'were laid to rest in the Te Awamutu Cemetery yesterday afternoon. The cortege was an extremely lengthy one, hearing testimony to the esteem and restpect in which the deceased had been held. People were present from parts as distant as Auckland to pay their last tribute to a splendid Christian woman, Whose many acts of kindess and charity and devotion to Church duties will, keep her imemory ever-green. At the 'graveside an impressive service 'was conducted toy the Rev. S. Henderson, who was assisted toy the Rev. F. A. Thomipson and Commandant Sanson, of the Salvation Army, Hamilton, the latter having been a friend of the .family for/ many years. At the conclusion of the service, a large number of flpiral wreaths- and immortelles were placed on the bier, testifying to the universal regret experienced at the passing of such a hne lady and marking in a tangible manner the sincere sympathy felt for the sorrowing husband and son.