Local and General.

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3274, 19 March 1931, Page 4

Local and General.

The regular meeting of the Awamutu Electric Power Board takes place to-morrow.

The twentieth annual meeting _ of shareholders in the Waipa Post Printing and Publishing Co., Ltd., takes place this evening.

Next Sunday evening the Ven. G. Gordon Bell, M.A., Archdeacon o± Waikato, will be the last Lenten visiting preachers at St. John s Parish Church, Te Awamutu.

The drought still continues throughout Central Hawke’s Bay with no immediate signs of breaking (says the Napier Telegraph). All through the Waipukurau district can be seen willow trees that have been chopped down to give fodder for cattle. Old settlers predict that the drought will not break before the Easter full moon.

“Referring to the arrears of land tax amounting to Is 9d owing by you, says a letter posted by the Land and Income Tax Department to a Hastings' business man a fortnight after the earthquake, “ I have now to advise you that a charge will be registered against the title . ■ • unless an immediate settlement is made.’

“ Superstitions are responsible for many strange beliefs. In the year 1000 it was believed that the end of the world had come. Even in these enlightened days we hear the most peculiar prophecies about things that do not come to pass,” said Mr F. A. Shurrock, of the School of Art, m a Lenten address at St. Michael s Church, Christchurch, recently.

A healthier tone is stated by Messrs A. C. Rowson. of London, to obtain on the English butter market. Messrs Leonard and Son, of Auckland, have been advised that cheese was quoted at 56s and 57s for white and 58s and 59s for coloured. The demand is improving and the market steadier. For first grade butter the market quotation was 118 s, and for finest 119 s. The market, according to Messrs Rowson’s advice, dated March 13th. looks better with more inquiry and a firmer tone.

The last Wairoa (Hawke’s Bay) stock sale was easily the worst in the history of the district, marking decisively the slump in stock. For sound-mouth ewes the prices ranged from 6d each to 2s sd. Good 2-tooth wethers brought 3s, and small 2-tooths Is lid. Good station lambs sold at Is per head. The Maoris took advantage of the low prices, and for some time there will be plenty of mutton in the native villages.

An example of the way in which a farmer and his wife endeavoured to avoid an appearance in the Bankruptcy Court was mentioned by a creditor at a bankruptcy meeting in Ashburton recently. He said it was not often that one saw a farmer working a drill in a paddock while his wife drove a tractor in another part of the farm, but that had been the case on the farm under discussion. This had been done by bankrupt and his wife to avoid the expense of labour.

Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd., made 117- tons of butter in February, compared with 118 tons for the same month last year. _ The output for the season to date is 367 tons, compared with an output of 823 tons for the same period last year. The scarcity of rain is seriously affecting production in Te Awamutu district, and a number of dairymen have already commenced to feed out ensilage. The company is making a cash advance payment of lid a lb. butter-fat for finest quality cream supplied in February, shareholders being credited with an additional id per lb.

The new sundial from Mr James Stewart, of Invercargill, to replace the one which had been wantonly damaged in St. John’s churchyard, has been delivered to Te Awamutu. Mr Bockett. town clerk, has undertaken to arrange for its erection, the actual work being under the direction of Mr W. D. R. McCurdie, borough engineer. Mr McCurdie says the dial is a splendid sample of Mr Stewart’s craft, and it should become a treasured possession of the people. It was originally presented to the town by the late Mr W. F. Stewart, who for a number of years was postmaster here.

Last Sunday harvest festival services were held in St. John’s Church, which had been beautifully decorated by members of the congregation. There was a record number of communicants at the morning service, and a packed church at night, when Canon Gillespie was the preacher. Following the usual procedure the fruit and vegetables were sent to the Waikato Hospital, and this year’s contribution made up a record consignment. At Paterangi the harvest festival service was well attended. The hall was beautifully decorated by the ladies, and there was an unusually fine assortment of fruit and vegetables, which was afterwards sold. The children’s egg and flower service was also very well attended, and everything given at this service—money, eggs, flowers, vegetables, jams, etc., were despatched to the childrens’ ward at Waikato Hospital.