LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1301, 7 October 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Then came the slump," Mr G. R. Sykes, speaking at Masterton. "And then the cut!" interjected one of the audience, amid laughter. The School Committee has decided to meet once monthly in future, instead of fortnightly as in the past, the second Wednesday in the month being the night chosen. Tenders which closed yesterday for the erection of new offices for the Waipa County Council at Te Awamutu will be considered by the Council at the monthly' meeting on Monday next.

The reports of destitution amongst Maoris in the Wanganui district are borne out by the fact that during the past few days several native women have been canvassing the suburban portions of the town with a tale of dire misfortune and begging for old clothes.

A bank manager told a Dunedin Star reporter that all the banks vere j using Bank of New Zealand notes and i only a very small fraction of their own 'notes. This had been going on since about middle of the war period, which accounts for Bank of New Zealand notes being much worn New Zealand elects' a Parliament and pays its members £4OO per annum in the 'hope of receiving something better than the following, which occurred in the House yesterday: "If the honourable gentleman doesn't stop I'll give him a nasty look. ... I forgot—he's got one already." Such twaddle may contribute to good government —it may ! That kiwis are not so scarce as some people imagine is shown in the fact that a kiwi was recently accidentally killed within 30 miles of Napier and handed to the secretary of the Hawke v '.s Bay Acclimatisation Society. These birds are particularly protected, and the society has now received from the Government a special permit to have this bird stuffed and mounted.

After a period of enforced reconstruction, the Te Awamutu Municipal Band gave its first public performance this year in Alexandra Street last night. The Band received a cordial reception from the public, though its playing was not in keeping with the usual standard attained, but it evidenced the progress that is being made to re-establish the band on a proper footing again. "Time was," said Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) in the course of the debate on the Railway Estimates, "when Parliament ran the civile service, but now the civil service runs Parliament; and the proof of this was to be found in the fact that a member of Parliament with a knighthood to his name, thanked a civil servant for condescending to give consideration to his representations."—(Laughter). The Department of Internal Affairs has declined to grant permission to the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society to liberate 50 pairs of opossums in the Alford Forest between the Rakaia and Ashburton rivers. The department has decided not to authorise the capture or liberation of opossums in any locality pending further inquiries as to the injury committed, or likely to be committed, to property by these animals. .There is evidently not the same scarcity of sheep in Australia as in New Zealand. A recent issue of the Queenslander has an illustration which gives a clear idea of the careless way sheep are handled in transport on the Queensland railways. The sheep were evidently being removed from one drought stricken area to another, and through not being looked after on the journey, had died in hundreds and were dumped in the wayside station. Reference to the Saturday halfholiday question is contained in the annual report of the New Zealand Operative Butchers' Federation. "The securing of this reform by Act of Parliament seems hopeless," says the report, "but we are pleased to be able to report that in at least the following towns Saturday is being observed —viz., Dunedin, Auckland, and Masterton. A fair number of employers in other towns are also closing on Saturdays, so that steady progress is being made towards the ultimate goal—Saturday half-holiday." A strong easterly wind yesterday, carrying with it clouds of dust, gave rise to the time honoured demand oi business people at Te Awamutu to the Borough Council for the services of the watering cart to be brought into I requisition. Reeently a levy of £1 was made on each shopkeeper so that the general borough funds should not stand the full cost of street watering in a limited area, and whether this levy has been paid or not, the desired relief was given yesterday. It was certainly warranted and welcome.

The weekly meeting of the Cribbage Club was held on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance to decide the final for a trophy kindly presented by Mr E. G. Humphrey. During the evening there were some very close games, and when the scores were counted it was found that Mr J. Blackburn proved to be the winner with Messrs H. Htutt and F. H. Vile a dead heat for second, but in the play off Mr H. Hutt proved successful and took the second prize, leaving Mr F. H. Vile with the trophy for third place. Early application should be made for this week's issue of the N.Z. /Sporting and Dramatic Review, The New Zealand ladies' golf championship at Wanganui is the subject of a specially attractive series, while the Otaki Racing Club's meeting is depicted in an excellent selection of snapshots, and the concluding day at Avondale is also represented. The centre pages are devoted to striking photographs relating to notable inventions and industrial achievements overseas, while there are other items from abroad. The ChristchurchTimaru road race occupies an important position with graphic snaps of competitors. Other photographs include Wellington musical and elocutionary competitions, the Tuakau carnival, Auckland v. Christchurch Tramways Rugby teams, New Zealand motor trades convention, and many others that will make a local and general appeal.