LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1577, 22 November 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Press Association message states that at Kakiriki, East Coast, to-day a little native boy was fatally kicked by a horse.

The N.Z. Doan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., Hamilton, have received the following cablegram from their London House under date 19th inst.: Butter, choicest salted, 202 s to 206 s per cwt. Cheese, 90s to 92s per cwt. The market is slow, but steady. At the Te Awamutu Power Board meeting on Friday it was stated by Mr J. G. Sutherland that the demand for milking plants was steadily increasing; it now exceeds 300, and he was sure there were several other dairymen who would soon also link up. ■< A message received from the postmaster at the Chatham Islands states that the small steamer ' Rama was abandoned early on Fridy morning. The crew are all safe. The wind has now changed to south west and seas are breaking over the vessel, which appears to be a. total loss. It was stated at yesterday’s meeting of the Te Awamutu Power Board that the revenue for the monthly period up to September 30th, for lighting, heat and power totalled £1338 6s 4d, as against £1244 for the same period last year. The £1330 was, however, not the full total, for owing to the altered system of meter reading about £2OO worth of power supplied had not been included, whereas the £1244 in September, 1924, was for a full reading. The figures for September, 1924, were: General lighting £367 17s 4d, heating £ll3 9s Bd, power £757 0s Id, penalties £22 15s, meter rents £33 4s 3d, approximate street lighting £33; total (part) reading £1330 6s 4d. So great was the run on Australian apples at Wembley that at one time it was feared the supply would fail. On one of his visits Mr Murdoch, M.L.C., New South Wales, having heard complaints that some of the apples were bad, casually mentioned it to the official in charge of the Australian pavilion. That gentleman hotly denied the allegation. “Come with me,” he said to the Colonel, and calling one of the girls who was . busy “bagging” the apples, he said to her: “What were my instructions about these apples?” Without a moment’s hesitation the girl replied: “Not to put more than two bad ones in a bag.” Mr Murdoch has often wondered since what happened to that girl.

, The. jubilqf, of the. borough of .Napier’; will be celebrated -next week, commencing oh Monday.. .. Five, days’ programme has been arranged, a reunion of old Hawke’s Bay ’identities being cine, of the principal features.

A; local gentleman who is noted for his joking propensities stopped a district farmer this .morning and, after mentioning the wool sales, asked had he heard the news that the local dried milk factory was shortly to be converted into a fellmongery, to thus participate in the big prices ruling for wool. The farmer cleared his throat audibly to prepare for a heart-to-heart 'talk, but the joker had fled. •The Philatelic Congress at Christchurch passed the following resolution:. “This congress regrets, that it cannot see its way to accede to a request put forward by the Returned Soldiers’ Association that, the New. Zealand. Government should issue a set of stamps to commemorate the deeds of New Zealand soldiers in the great war.” A committee of four returned soldiers was appointed to draw up reasons for the refusal. .

Possibly the rarest wild plant in the world is a curious small tree (pittosporum obcordatum) which was discovered by the' famous naturalist Raoul, in 1/840, when he visited Akaroa as a botanist to the French expedition in that year. The peculiar thing about this plant (says a southern exchange) is that consequent efforts to find any on Banks Peninsula failed, and it was thought to be extinct. In recent years it was discovered, however, at Kaitaia, North Auckland. Most of the trees in this district had been destroyed, and there are very few left.<As far as is known this is the only place in the world where it grows.

In view of the fact that the Te Awamutu Swimming Baths Committee has been granted an extension to the 16th December for the drawing of its Art Union, the Committee has decided to advance the closing. date for selling tickets and on which all butts are to be handed in to the 10th December. As a result of this alteration in the closing date Mr ,L. G. Armstrong s offer of' a Petorie, Bathing Suit and a season’s ticket to the baths to the person disposing of the most Art Union .tickets .will be extended to the 10th December in’ lieu of 24th November as previously announced. The . commission investigating the problem of the deterioration of, the hill country of the Taranaki hitnerland and the King Country held a .short - sitting at Stratford and pTOr ceeded to Whangamomona, .where evidence is now being taken. A number of. properties was visited . and evidence, was heard as to general values, access to holdings, flood damage to roads, reduction of rents, and the question of Government assist-, ance in regard to the purchase of seeds and manure. ■ The committee will proceed to - Ohura, thence to, Taumarunui and, Te Kuiti, reaching' it,he latter town on 28th November, : Pio ; Pio on Ist December, and Otorohanga on sth December.

A remarkably fine portrait of Canon P. T.i Williams, in hood and gown, is to be presented to the reverend Canon on his retirement as warden of St. John’s College, Auckland, bv old students. The por trait is considered a remarkably good likeness, and it is interesting to note that it is the work of a Te Awamutu lady, Mrs G. T. Robson, wife of the vicar of Te Awamutu -parish. Mrs Robson, we learn, has spe if several years at art schools in the Old Country, and is thoroughly conversant with painting, both in oils and water colours, besides modelling and portrait painting and pencil sketching. Several local and district residents have asked Mrs Robson to take sketching classes, and this she intends to do, commencing next week, the class being restricted to a limited number.

We understand that as a' result of his win at the Waikato A. and P. Show Mr A. -H. Storey, of Te Rahu, becomes the holder (for one year) of the handsome O’Rorke Memorial Cup, donated by the Auckland Country Racing Clubs’ Breeders’ Association for competition in a class for best yearling colt, filly or gelding sired by either of the Association’s imported sires, Day Comet (by St. Frusquin) or Archiestown (by Sir Archibald). The conditions of the competition are that a win twice in succession or three times at intervals entitles the-breeder to win the cup outright. It should he mentioned that Te Awamutu district had a previous success in this keenly-con-tested class, Mr S. C. Macky, of Paterangi, winning two years ago with Town Bank (Arehiestown —Lilybank), a gelding that recently achieved classic honours on the turf.

It is pleasing to note that several Te Awamutu district settlers got on the winning list with their exhibits at the Waikato A. and P. show this week. In the thoroughbred horse section Mr A. H. Storey’s (Te Rahu) Tailstar (Day Comet —Oison) was placed' first in the class for yearling colt, filly or gelding; and also in the class for yearling sired by either Arch'iestown or Day Comet. In the draught horse section, Mr W. G. Park, of “Panehakua,” Puahue, was remarkably successful, scoring six firsts, five seconds and one third. In the cattle section Mr Park and Taylor Bros, of “Greenhill,” Te Awamutu, both figured prominently with pedigree Shorthorns, scoring all the honours between them, Mr Park getting two firsts (including a championship), while Taylor Bros, got six firsts and three seconds.

As the result of representations made recently to the Defence Department by several businessmen of Te Awamutu to have ia parade of Territorials and Cadets held on Saturdays as well as Wednesdays, the Department has acceded to the request. That the new regulation will seriously handicap some local institutions is exemplified by a letter received from the secretary of the Te Awamutu ' Municipal Band by the secretary of the Swimming Baths Committee in response to a request for the Band’s services on Saturday next, 29th inst. The letter states:—“Re the Band turning out next Saturday week, November 29th, to assist the sale of art Union tickets, I have to inform you that owing to the alteration in the drill day from Wednesday to Saturday, it will be impossible for the Band to parade as drill day falls on the 29th November, and takes away five of our players.”

Over sixty applications; were receiv? ed for the position of secretary to the Tauranga Power Board. After con-, sideratjon the -Board;:-appointed Mr R. L. Thomas. The appointment of an engineer, was deferred. • .r • .• The manager of the Empire Theatre advises that he has just completed arrangements for screening that superb production,. “The ; Hunchback of Notre Da-me,” locally on . Saturday of next week. c , ,

A party of six Samoan chiefs' will visit the Waikato early next month. They desire to inspect one or two dairy factories, and the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co. has been asked to assist in this direction. The chiefs wlil also visit Rotorua and the Waitomo Caves.

A bride of two months was charged at the Police Court at Gisborne yesterday with making a false declaration of age for the purpose of obtaining a marriage certificate, her proper age being nineteen years and nine months. She pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence. A Press message from Morrinsville yesterday stated that Robert Smith, aged 24, fell thirty feet from a tree on to the frame of a. dray and sustained serious injury. He was admitted to the hospital in an unconscious condition with concussion of the brain and) fracture of the hone of the face and lacerations to the face and eye. The Public Works Department has accepted the following tenders in connection with the Horahora hydroelectric extensions: Sluice gate, Richardson, McCabe and Co., manufactur ed by Glenfield and Kennedy, £2089 c.i.f.; rising gate, Boning and _ Co., £llOO c.i.f.; falling gate, National Electrical Engineering Co., manufactured by Ransomes and Napier, £ll6O c.i.f.

In connection with the Order-in-Council recently gazetted giving the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board limited control of the export of butter and cheese, Mr T. C. Brash, secretary of the Board, states that this limited control applies for marine insurance purposes only. It may not be generally known that rabbits were first introduced to New Zealand by Mr Charles B. Carter, a gentleman whose name is perpetuated in’a Wairarapa township (states aii exchange). For the first few years it was regarded as a very serious offence to destroy a rabbit on Mr Carter’s property. In ten years, however, the whole district was infested with rabbits, and it cost settlers .Of the Wairarapa an enormous sum to rid themselves Of the pest.

The Union Steamship Company has ordered the construction of an oil tanker to replace the Orowaiti, wrecked on the Californian coast. The new vessel will have a, carrying capacity of 10,000 tons, and will be driven, by Diesel engines. She will be able to load and discharge oil at the rate of between 700 and 800 tons an hour, and will have the latest ideas. in oil tankers. Another vessel has also been ordered to replace thes Armagh, wrecked at Liverpool on December 16, 1923. This order calls for a motor vessel of 12,000 tons, and will also be one with all the latest ideas for handling cargo with rapidity. “Something will have to be done in the matter of heavy freights on the roads,” said a county official to a Dominion reporter. “The railways are canvassing for the big loads, and already we see a big difference in the long distance carriage of wool and benzine. If the local authorities would assist the Railway Department by prohibiting an axle load of over ten tons, or at the most twelve tons we would he removing the chief cause of the excessive maintenance with which we are being faced now, and would assist the railways to secure the class of freight without which they cannot pay.” The All Blacks retained their unbeaten record by defeating Oxford by 33 points to 15. For the victors tries were scored by White, Cooke, Brownlee, Steel (2), Robilliard; Nicholls converted the six tries and potted two goals from -the field. The detailed scores as given above make the All Blacks’ aggregate 38 points, hut the result was cabled in two instances as 33—15. The Oxford score was made up of tries by Jacobs, Macpherson, and Wallace, Berkeley converting all three. Oxford had a brilliant season last year, and lost only two matches, a marked improvement on 1922-23, when 13 games were lost out of 27. Cambridge has always been famous for its forwards and Oxford for its backs, so the latter was hardly expected to do better than Cambridge did.