LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1785, 22 July 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A 30-cwt truck belonging 'to Messrs Innes and Company, brew ere, was destroyed by fire in Hamilton on Tuesday. It is understood that 'the truck was insured.

“It costs £ISOO to paint the Makohine viaduct on tile Main Trunk line,” Mr W. A. Waters, chief engineer of the Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board informed that body, when the painting of some steel towerls to he erected in the bed of the Manawatu River wa s under discussion.

No fewer than 2362 entries, a record for New Zealand, have been .received for ‘tihe Wellington musical and elocutionary competitionls. “You ought to arrange to.put your notices in tbe football columns,” remarked Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., to a defence officer who took .proceedings against a number of military delinquents at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court. Several youths pleaded ignorance of the provisions of the Defence Act, which requires them to register at once after they leave school, whether or not they reside in non-effective areas.

iFor many years past New Zealand, bee-keepers have had to contend with a bacterial disease knowh asi foul brood. The trouble was introduced into Ne'w Zealand from Italy with an imported hive, but, thanks to efforts made by the Government and the beekeepers themselves, the disease is in a fair way to being stamped out. In fact, lin many districts the trouble should he entirely eliminated in the course of the next two yearls. In conversation with a Mataura Ensign representative, a visitor from the north remarked that he had travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand, yet never in all his experience had She seen men so discourteous as to smoke in a ballroom. “It seems to me quite a common practice l in southern towns,” he said, “and one which shoujld he eliminated as soon as possible. There should be some regard for the comfort of the ladies presient.” During the Wanganui fire inquiry on Friday a witness apologised for being compelled to use profanity during the course of his evidence. The coroner (Mr J. S. Barton, SjM.) explained that the witness had not broken any of the rules of the- court. There are four swear words in the court language, he said, “ two nouns and two adjectives; end most unfortunately this hook of mine (referring to the magisterial note book) ils full of those four words.”

That the “wig-wag” railway crossing warnings may not always be relied upon was realised by a Wanganui motorist one night last week when he was about to pass over the crossing at Liverpool Street extension. The signal wa s not functioning, and the motorist was going ahead blithely when a train .suddenly appeared- Fortunately the driver was able to stop in time, but Ire will trust his own faculties, in preference to mechanical signals in future.

A New Plymouth resident was annoyed by the presence of ..rats in his house, especially in the roof. As the house was nearly new and had a concrete foundation he was puzzled to know ho wthey had gained access. He was 'enlightened early one evening when he noticed something moving on the roof, and then saw a rat leap from the roof to the frond of a punga close by, and continue itis journey from frond to frond of the fern. The trees/ were trimmed, and the rats gave no more trouble.

An exchange chronicles the fact that in a little cliff cave in the Arapuni district faint drawings which may (belong to a remote period of Maori history have been discovered by Mr Lush, of the engineering staff of Sir William Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company. One dra'wing, about a foot long, is of a canoe, the prow of which does not conform to the ordinary Maori style, but sweeps up in a curve, and. appears to have carved decorations. In the bow two figures of plumes are distinctly outlined. The drawings have not yet been examined by an authqri'ty, but there is hardly any doubt that, they are important to ethnologists.

“We are losing both general and special rates from these ,soldier settlers who are walking off Crown land farms, and the position is becoming serious,” said Mr W. Morrison, chairman of the Waitotara County Council, at its monthly meeting at Wanganui recently (says the Chronicle). This statement arose out of a reply to the Council in which the commissioner of Crown !and,s stated that he regretted very much that the position of various soldier settlers’ accounts did not allow of an advance in alleviation of the rates. Mr Morrison said that, so far as the Council was concerned, the position was very serioufs. When things became too tight the soldier settlers simply walked/ off the land and left the Council with no chance of recovering either general or special rates. The finances were being upset year ‘after year.

The death occurred on Tuesday last at Pukerimu of Mr William Gray, aged 66 years. Mr Gray was one of the best-known and most highly-esteemed farmers of the Cambridge district. He was a son of the late Mr William Gray, of Papatoetoe, and came to the Cam-, bridge district over thirty years ago, when he took up property at what has been known for many years as Gray’s corner, Pukerimu. He was< a good pettier and-a straightforward and kindly man. For some time past Mr Gray had resided! in Auckland, but recently, while on a visit to one of his daughters at Pukerimu, took ill. He gradually sank, despite every attention. Deceased leaves a widow and three daughters (Mesdames Harvey, of Hastings, Wright, of Pukerimu, and Miss Gray, of Auckland). The only son fell in the war. The funeral will take place to-day. In view of the approaching marriage -: on;e of their mexst popular members the United Football Club’s active play>ers and several officials foregathered at Mr G. W. Mairs’ residence last Tuesday evening to express their good wishes for his future happiness. A very pleasant evening was spent with musical and elocutionary items, and it fell to Mr Mairs, on behalf of the company, to present Mr McGhie with a beautiful oak tray with gallery, bearing the inscription: “From members of the United Football Club.” Mr Mairs apologised . for the unavoidable absence of Messirs J. T. Johnson, C. Parish, and A. (Bryant, who joined with those present in the expressions of goodwill. 'He hoped Mr McGhie would always retain his interest in the United Football Club, and that he would enjoy very many years of happy married life.' After cheers for the recipient had been given, and complimentary brief speeches delivered by Messrs W. Whitton, H. Phillips, and the club captain (Mr L. Shepherd). Mr McGhie fittingly acknowledged the gift and the good wishes accompanying it.

It has been decided! to hold the next National Dairy Association conference at Ro'torua.

The consumption of honey in New Zealand has increased two-fold during the last ten years.

In resigning his membership a wellknown Master-ton business man wrote to a meeting of the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association the other day (says the Wairarapa Daily Times) stating that he had no desire to make another donation to what might be termed a “ side-showmen’s benefit society.” It is to be regretted, that, instead of complete unity among all parties concerned in the national question of providing full employment for every potential worker. In time the British philosophy that “if the worst happens the State must feed the unemployed ” will gain students in New Zealand (says the Christchurch Sun). What is required is a system of relief wo.rkfs in which the worker shall he paid fully at standard rates only if he performs the standard amount of work, which, unfortunately, is not too high in ordinary conditions.

A Temuka resident had a surprise visit paid to his kitchen the other day by a Jersey cow (states the Leader). Whether it was the aroma of rolled oats that enticed the animal cannot be definitely stated, butthe cow found her way through the narrow door, had a look through the window, and gazed as if in doubt for some time at the heavily-laden breakfast , table Apparently the comestibles were not to her liking, so she carefully backed out the way she had come, and probably decided that turnips and hay were after all more to her taste.

“ The public do not realise the sacrifice involved in the gaining of these honours” remarked Inspector T. T. 'Hugo, when presenting decorations at the fire brigade reunion at Palmerston North this week. “We Hear people remark that they wouldn’t turn out of bed in the middle of the night,” he added; “but, apart from that aspect of the work, there is the time a fireman has to spend at drill and in train ing. There are not many men who will get up early before work, making themselves efficient fire-fighters. There is very little recognition of those services.”

When discussing the position of New Zealand’s dairy produce at Home, Mr W. J. Poison said he was alarmed at the tone of s ome merchants in regard to control. Quite a number of merchants had admitted that they were determined not to submit to dictation from New Zealand, and had! consequently placed their orderls elsewhere. Mr Poison said, he had done his best to inform these people that New Zealand .had no intention of attempting to dictate to them, and that that was the last thing the members of the Dairy Control Board had in their minds.

If opportunity offers this session the Hon. R. P. Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, will- amend the Local Elections Act to eliminate the confusing .system of two methods of voting. He informed the Counties’ Conference of his proposal, and stated! that the system of voting by means of a cross would be abolished and ’the Parliamentary method of striking out the name of the councillor or the issue which is opposed would be made. A general provision would also be made for voting by declaration where a voter’s name hats been inadvertently omitted from the roll. Interesting remarks on dairy factory managers and) applied science were made at a meeting of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers’ Association (Taranaki province) by Mr W. Dempster, a Government dairy instructor in Waikato (states the Hawera Star). The New Zealand managers, said Mr Dempster, compared very favourbaly with those of other countries. If anything, they were lacking in science, but they frequently made more practical usie of the science developed in other countries than was made of it in .those countries themselves. They should use science as a servant, and not allow it to become a. master, as it bad done in some countries. It was well recognised that the buyers at Home took liberties with New Zealand butter, which they coulld not do with the produce of other countries. The DominTSn’s butter was made to last well.

Mr E. Douglas Taylor, the recentlyappointed and first director of music in the schools of New Zealand,, has recently given the public and the teachers a chance to weigh his ability against the magnitude of the 'task ■he hais undertaken (says the Christchurch Press). Mr Taylor will not be assisted by an overflow of compliment, or by the expression of immoderate hopes; but it is no more than his due to say< that, though all who are interested in the matter recognise the imjmense difficulties which .past apathy, neglect, and ignorance have accumulated, in his way, few who heard him speak on either occasion can have done so without a feeling of quiet satisfaction. The Department is quite certain to expect Mr Taylor to make bricks with an Egyptian allowance of straw; and before the teachers can teach they will many of them have ■to be taught. Still, “ the readiness iis all.”

The suggestion brought before the Matamata County Council at its meeting last week by C.r C. J. Bruce, of Karapiro, with regard to securing metal supplies for country roads, is one that is deserving of more than passing notice. Mr Bruceis proposal is that settlers be asked to deliver metal at the road-side for use on the roads of the county, they to be paid a set price by the Council. The plan, as expounded by Mr Bru'ee, was favourably received by the Council and the county engineer, and was left to the engineer >to go fully into price and details, when he will report to the Council. We have (says the Independent) seen this scheme in operation in other counties, in the Wellington district, where i( has worked satisfactorily to the,mutual advantage of both supplier and ratepayer, end we see no reason why it should not be put into operation in this district with equal success. In any case, it is well worth a trial.