LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1690, 24 November 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is not anticipated that the backward spring experienced this year will affect the hay crops. Paddocks closed are looking particularly well especially where farmers went to the trouble of top-dressing the pasture. The beautifully-attired bride doll given by Mrs G. M. Aliier to the Beautifying Society, and competed for at the Rose £hdw last week, fell to Mr >W. Jeffery, who was one of four who guessed the bridegroom’s name, “Roger.”

“'How much do you think the railway finance for the South Island is behind - for the last period alone?” asked the Prime Minister of a deputation at Dunedin. He answered his own question by mentioning that finance was £455,000 behind for the period referred to.

The unexpected frost at the beginning of the month cut back thousands of tomato plants in commercial orchards in Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay districts. Growers report, however, that in many cases the plants are sending out new heads and practically the only loss will be that caused through a delayed crop. That geese are profitable birds on a farm where there is a fair supply of water available is evidenced from the fact that a farmer in Manawatu nets at least £SO each year from the sale of young birds at Christmas time. The geese need no attention if allowed their freedom, and live mostly on grass. The theory that they spoil the pasture for stock is said to be without foundation.

Owen Ward, aged 45, employed on the railway tunnel construction near St. Helier’s Bay by the Public Works Department, was killed at 12.30 (midnight) by a fall of. earth in the tunnel. Ward was got out quickly by his mates and a doctor was summoned, who pronounced life to be extinct. A visitor to Wanganui was trying the other morning to write a telegram at the post office. The point of the nib was well worn, and the writer was making slow progress. “ Excuse me,” said a sweet voice in the next partition, “how do you spell ‘ Palmerston?’ ” “It does not much matter how you spell it, madam, with these pens,” replied the visitor. A Bible marathon contest was held by members of the Adventist Temple of Chicago. At 9 a.m. the Rev. Robert S. Fries, the pastor, started to read aloud the first words of the first chapter of Genesis. Twenty-five members of the church were in the relay team, relieving each other every fifteen minutes, and continuing day and night until the entire Bible had been read. It took from Monday to Thursday to finish the task.

Sir Arthur Keith, in lecturing before the Royal Society of Medicine, said that most people needed spectacles at the age of 45 years. Some eminent scientists placed the life of a man at one hundred years. Personally, Sir/ Arthur believed that Nature worked on the basis that the mean life-tenure of forty-'five years should be the limit, and had decided to run the human army on the short-service system. Itwas a moot point whether it would be advantageous for civilisation that all should live to be centenarians. A district resident who has had the good fortune to be visiting Dunedin lately reports having attended the New Zealand exhibition. He considers that the displays made there are excellent, though some of them are not yet completed. IHe was especially struck with the dioramas and models, which he declares are superb. Another very attractive feature is the regimental band of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which is positively wonderful—- “ and the conductor is more wonderful.” Auckland’s provincial court is “ the missing link ” in the display of attractions, for while all the southern courts are very fine, Auckland’s is scarcely commenced. “ I will be in Auckland on Thursday night,” said a newspaper man to a Daily Times reporter -when he was about to board the 11.30 a.m. express for the north., Asked how such a feat was to be accomplished in such a shoit time, the Aucklander stated that he hoped to connect with the daylight limited express from Wellington that morning. On making inquiry from the railway officials • later the reporter learned that this express leaves Wellington at 7.55 a.m. and arrives at Auckland at 11.1 pun. the same day. The limited is despatched every morning, Sundays excepted. It is. therefore, now possible to travel from Dunedin to Auckland without a break in the journey of 351 hours. —'Otago Daily Times.

The engineer reported to the Borough Council last evening that he had conferred with Messrs Bauer, Campbell and Hall-J'ones, of tne P.W.D. during their recent visit to Te Awamutii, on the question ,of what requirements the Council would have to comply with to secure the Main Highways Board subsidy for maintaining that portion of the Kihikibi Road within the Borough. He gathered that the Highways Board had not laid down a definite specification, but the Council could secure about £IOO per mile provided the. Waipa County Council also receives that amount as subsidy on maintaining the tl reo miles of County road adjoining the borough. It costs more to circularise 10,000 people than it does to place a fullpage advertisement in a newspaper with the 9ame circulation, and the latter has usually the greater influence. That (says a Sydney paper) is the considered opinion of Mr Frank Goldberg, governing director of the Goldberg Advertising Agency Ltd., of Wellington (New Zealand), who arrived by the Tahiti. Through the medium of the newspaper, he considers, the advertiser’s message can reach far more people than can be reached by the same amount of money invested in any other publicity method. Mr Goldberg is at the time in Sydney organising a new office there, so that the Australian newspaper field may be covered effectively.

The need for a larger water main to serve the residences and properties in Laurie Street was stressed as a result of the recent fire there. It is of interest to note that the Borough Council has confirmed its Works Committee’s recommendation to replace the present 1 inch main with a 4 inch main. The larger main shorn!d prove quite adequate for all requirements for several years to come. When tae matter was before the Borough Council last evening the Mayor remarked that an injustice, probably unintentional, had been done the Council in the press when referring to the fire, for it had omitted to state that the Council had foreseen the need for a larger pipe line and actually had the 4 inch steel pipes at the railway station ready for installation as soon as the necessary labour was available.

An idea that might with advantage be adopted here is the donation of a trophy by one of the southern agricultural and pastoral, associations to t'he member who enrols the most new members by the end of the year. It is chronicled that there is keen competition, and the membership of the association has already almost doubled. The Te Awamutu Agricultural, Pastoral, and Horticultural Association holds its annual show in February, and it could do with a considerable accession of new members. There are in the district very many people who would become members if approached, and some suc'h competition as referred to seems to be a very satisfactory way of securing them. 'Most people, farmers and town residents alike, concede that an agricultural and pastoral show is of considerable benefit to the district, but the present membership of the local association is far smaller than it really should be.

It was reported to the Borough Council last evening that Foreman L. Marsh has. resigned from the local fire brigade and Fireman T. Narby has been promoted to the vacancy. The Borough Council last night confirmed the Works Committee’s recommendation to dispose of certain road-making plant that was not required, having been replaced with more suitable equipment. The tender of Mr A. C. Cruickshank, at £l6, was accepted by the Borough Council last evening for a telephone cabinet for the taxi stand opposite the Post Office in Arawata Street. F'or certain trenching work for water mains in Goodfellow street, the Borough Council last evening considered two tenders and accepted that of Mr Les. Armstrong at 17s 6d per chain.

At the Waikato A. and P. Show last week several Kihikihi school .children competed in the industrial section. Cecil Crook (standard 2) obtained a second prize for writing, Rosie Eustege (standard 1) being highly commended and Bob Tarrant (standard 1) commended in the came section.

It would seem, from a recommendation to the Borough Council last evening, that that body is prepared to assist ratepayers to improve their motor garage' floors, garden paths, and backyards by retailing a few gallons of .bitumen at a cost and in quantities that should be appreciated by residents.

F ags« were displayed locally last Saturday, when word came through that the Queen Mother had passed away. At the bowling green, where an inter-club match was played, the president of the Te Awamutu Club referred to the national sorrow, and asked aii present to stand reverently in silence for a few moments as a mark of sympathy with the bereaved Royal Family.

An appeal to the Racing Conference by Henry Barr, trainer of Te Awamutu, for the removal of the disqualification of the ho-rse Regent will be heard at Palmerston North on December 1. Regent was purchased by I-I. Barr from E. E. Lees, who was subsequently disqualified for life, and the horse having been owned by aim at the time of the offence for which this punishment was inflicted, was necessarily disqualified under the rules.