LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3354, 29 September 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The local bowling, croquet and tennis clubs formally open their season on Saturday afternoon next.

A reminder is given of the annual general meeting of the Te Awamutu Boy Scouts this evening. All interested are invited to attend.

The annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Cricket Club is to be held this evening. '••-','.,!'i:i' iTii: i<!i'<i<|:|i||i||||!ij||i|||||||||iiinn|!>

Refusing a leave the Kahouri bridge in Taranaki, a bull held up a line of motorists. It was some time before the animal could be persuaded to move and let the fifteen motor cars that accumulated pass.

A special family service for the Anglicans of Pirongia, Te Rore and Puketotara districts is being arranged for next Sunday evening in St. Saviour's Church, Pirongia, when > the vicar of Te Awamutu will officiate, and the choir of St. John's will assist.

Some time ago children at Matau, Taranaki, found a cave which had a small entrance,' but was roomy inside. They used it as a playground until an elder brother crawled in and found that the ceiling and top walls were covered with wetas, or New Zealand scorpions, which are reputed to have a poisonous bite.

New Zealand's trade balance has improved considerably in the past 12 months. Whereas for the year ending June 30, 1930, there was excess of imports of £1,239,864, in the year ending June 1931, exports are greater by £3,517,301. The value of the exports was £36,499,977, and of imports £33,373,676.

The advantage of a farmer keeping an exact record of his income and expenditure is obvious at any time, but more important when it is difficult to keep f expenditure within income. The ability to produce a certified statement of one's financial position is valuable when finance is required; and now that income tax returns are necessary a reliable financial statement is essential. To meet the situation in Te Awamutu district a Farm Accounting Association has been formed, based on lines approved by the Canterbury Agricultural College and members are being enrolled by Mr J. G. Wynyard, the secretary.

Speaking at a meeting in Wanganui Mr M'Farlane said every penny less that the general price of wool fell meant £1,000,000 less for the farmers of New Zealand (states the Chronicle). Thus when wool fell from 16d to 6d per pound it meant that there would be £10,000,000 less coming into the country. One of the most hopeful signs was that the war reparation debts might be cancelled If that were done it would be the beginning of prosperity coming again. The recent cold weather and shortage of feed in the Wanganui and Taranaki districts has been responsible for considerable mortality among dairy herds in Taranaki. The conditions also affected the milk supply. It was notable that many experienced farmers were cauld without sufficient stored feed to tide theim over the cold spell, which was unexpected at this timie of the year. The recent days of sunshine and warm weather have done much to develop the growth of the grass and have enabled the herds to pick up condition again.

Reference to the price that New Zealand butter was selling for on the London market was made by Mr W. J. Gilberd at the meeting ot the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. He pointed out that the wholesale price of our butter was something like threepence less than Danish butter; both were selling at the same price on the retail market. Mr A. S. Burgess said the matter had been discussed before, land it was difficult to know what to do, as the Danish butter landed in London every week and was regarded as fresh.

An interesting parallel to the report of the arrival of bell birds and cuckoos in Wanganui gafaens last week is the return of the shining cuckoo to New Plymouth gardens, during the week-end. The cuckoo every year comes not only to the same garden but to the same tree. And nearly always the bird returns on the same day every year. In one garden in New Plymouth a bird goes to the same tree on September 4. This year the bird was late, and did not arrive until the 19th. It is interesting to recall that it was from the habits of the shining cuckoo that the Polynesian navigators Kupe and Ngahue deduced that, land lay to the south of Tahiti. This led to the Maori migration of 1350. The cuckoo spends the others parts of the year in Northern India, \China, and Siberia.

A visit to the Waikeria Borstal Institute is to be paid by their Excellencies, the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe this afternoon, before returning to Waitomo.

The commencement of summer time on the morning of Sunday, October 11, will mark the fifth season in which daylight saving has been followed in New Zealand. Their Excellencies _the GovernorGeneral and Lady Bledisloe return to Waitomo Caves Hostel this afternoon, and to-morrow evening they leave on their return to Wellington.

After the reception at Te Awamutu to-day their Excellencies the Gover-nor-General and Lady Bledisloe intend to visit the site of the Battle of Orakau, and there they will meet representatives of the Maori race.

Mr W. J. Broadfoot M.P., and Mrs Broadfoot are visiting Te Awamutu to-day in connection with the public reception being accorded to their Excellencies, the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe.

A proposal that superannuated men should be prevented from competing on the labour market came before the monthly meeting of the Southland Executive of the Farmers' Union, but after a brief discussion was rejected.

Ohaupo Tennis Club held their official opening of the 1931-32 season last Saturday afternoon in delightful weather. Among the large assembly of players from neighbouring club was a representation party from Te Awamutu Club.

A rusty machine gun, the second that the police have secured during the past fortnight in Christchurch, was removed from the yard of the home of J. Edwards, a member of the Christchurch Communist Party, on Friday afternoon. The first machine gun belonging to a schoolboy.

In the vice-Regal party visiting Te Awamutu to-day are Lady Norah Jellicoe, daughter of a former Gov-ernor-General, and Sir John Hanham Bart. Lady Norah Jellicoe, it will be recalled, accompanied her parents on their last visit to Te Awamutu about six years ago when Admiral Lord Jellicoe unveiled the local War Memorial.

Detected shooting native pigeons at Moana, 23 miles south-east of Greymouth, on September 6, Percy Fearey was prosecuted in the Greymouth Poilce Court yesterday. He was convicted and fined £2, with costs, on a charge of killing pigeons, and £2 on a further charge of being in possession of them. He was ordered to pay the expenses to the Acclimatisation Society .

A banner with the word tf . Welcome " emblazoned thereon in large letters is stretched across the Great South Road from an archway of greenery at the southern boundary of the borough to-day as one of the many evidences of a cordial welcome to the Governor-General and his party on their official visit to Te Awamutu and district.

Opinion that steps should be taken by the Education Department to encourage afforestation in the schools was expressed by Mr H. R. Renall at a meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union. Mr A. MacGregor observed that what was wanted was a better knowledge of the suitability of various (trees for various lands. A~complaint was made that local nurserymen were not growing.the type of tree suitable for the district.

The recent warm weather in the West Coast districts is regarded as as the forerunner of summer, and its effect is noticeable on grass already. At midday during the past few days the weather was the warmest that has been experienced in Wanganui or Taranaki since last autumn. Some doctors are of the opinion that the bright sunshine that was experienced during the week-end and on Monday and Tuesday had a greater influence in destroying influenza germs than all the medicines in the world.

Those interested in the professional wrestling contest at the Empire Theatre next Monday evening between King Elliott and Alex Lundyn, noted with interest that at Dunedin last Saturday evening Stanley Buresh (13st. 31b.) beat King Elliott (13st. 31b.) after a hard exhibition of clean, scientific wrestling, the contest ending in the fifth round. Elliott secured a submission fall in the second round. With a crucifix in the fourth round, following a complicated cradlehold with his legs, Buresh forced Elliott to the mat, and in the next round a severe reverse toe-hold compelled Elliott to concede the deciding fall.

In the United States the defenders of the slogan that high wages means greater purchasing power and therefore better trade have received a rude shock by the announcement of wages cuts in the steel, motor, rubber and copper industries. This is a significant development, for it implies, so far as the steel industries are concerned at any rate, a definite admission that the slogan is fundamentally unsound. As recently ago as May last, both Mr J. A. Farrell, president of the United States Steel Corporation, and Mr Charles M. Schwab, president of the American Iron and Steel Institute, in speeches at the annual meeting of the Institute, condemned wages reductions on top of part-time employment. At that time the steel works operatives were working on part-time at least three days a week, and the argument used by the speakers aforesaid was that it would be better to raise the price of steel than to reduce wages, especially as steel products were selling at less than delivery costs. In the ensuing months, however, steel prices continued to fall as the purchasing power of the users diminished. It has now become a question of cutting production costs to avoid crippling losses. Hence the wages cuts. Thus is demonstrated the irresistible powof economic forces over social theories.

Stormy -weather at sea continues to delay the New Zealand Shipping Company's motor-liner Rangitiki, which is en route from London and Southampton to Auckland with passengers, mail and cai'go for New Zealand. A wireless report from the vessel stated that she was delayed by the rough conditions, but was expected to reach Auckland to-morrow evening. A further message received yesterday afternoon, however, stated that owing to the storm the time of the vessel's arrival was doubtful.

The Earl of Orford, who has been a resident in New Zealand for three years, died at Manurewa on Sunday afternoon. He had come out to the Dominion in 1928 for he benefit of his health and had recently been an invalid. His condition took a serious turn on Friday. Arrangements have been made for the interment to take place at Wolterton Park, the family seat, near Norwich, and the body will therefore be embalmed and taken to England.

The Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, and Lady Bledisloe, accompanied by Lady Nora Jellicoe and Sir John Hanham, visited Te Kuiti yesterday afternoon and a civic reception was held at the public _ school. Addresses of welcome were given by Mr W. J. Broadfoot, Mayor of Te Kuiti, and Mohena Patupatu, on behalf of the native residents. Lord Bledisloe addressed the residents and the children, and members of local bodies met Their Excellencies afterwards at tea. Before leaving for Waitomo Their Excellencies visited the public hospital and talked with the patients.

Te Awamutu-trained horses gained some prominence at the Avondale races. On Saturday Mr Geo. Paul's Marechal won the Maiden Plate, Biddy's Boy (trained by Mr A. Cook) was only beaten by Curie in the Champion Hack Plate, and Mr A. Rowan's Protomint won the Swanson Hack Handicap. Mr A. J. McGovern's Supremacy ran fourth in the Flying Stakes and Mr L. W. Spence's Sea Ruler ran fourth in the Avondale Stakes. On Monday Tankard (formerly known as Teazan), trained by Mr Cook, won the Nursery Handicap, and Taurua (a stablemate) won the New Lynn Handicap, with Protomint third.

Arrangements for financing the paving of the Great South Road from Papakura to Mercer were unanimously agreed to by the Franklin County Council yesterday, the council accepting a new offer from the Main Highway Board, dated September 23. The offer from the board was set out as follows: " The board will undertake the metalling of the Bombay Hills deviation at its own cost and grant a subsidy of £3 for £1 toward the cost of constructing a concrete pavement from Papakura to the Pukekohe Road turn-off at Runciman, and a bitumen-penetration pavement from this turn-off to the remainder of the road to the northern boundary of the the Mercer town district, the council's contribution not to exceed £23,000."

One of the pleasing features in connection with the visit of the ViceRegal party to Te Awamutu was an assembly at the bandroom last evening of many former members of the Municipal Band (which went into recess a few months ago owing to lack of interest) for a practice, in preparation for participation in to-day's ceremony. It may be noted that the new borough foi'eman, Mr R. H. Close, is an enthusiastic and experienced bandmaster and instrumentalist, and maybe as a result of efforts by that gentleman and others the Band will again become an active organisation in the community.

The danger of using firearms of inferior quality was emphasised by Mr P. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, at the inquest yesterday afternoon concerning the death of Warrick James Ingham, aged 16," son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Ingham, of Albany, who was fatally shot by a friend while they were on a shooting expedition in the Albany district on September 12. Constable Wood, who represented the police, said that from inquiries he had made he was quite satisfied that the occurrence was an accident. In returning a verdict of accidental death the coroner pointed out to the boy Gill that he was at fault in carrying the gun across his body instead of in an upright position. He recommended that the gun should not be used again, and also that the police should take steps to see that the dealer concerned did not sell other weapons of the same manufacture without first thoroughly testing them.

Speaking at the Hamilton Orphans' Club social last Saturday evening, of the appointment of Bro. J. A. Young to the Ministry, Bro. A. J. Sinclair (Te Awamutu Club's president) ex-pi-essed the appreciation felt by all Orphans that so prominent a member of the Hamilton Club as Bro. Guardian J. A. Young M.P., had been selected as one of the leaders of the Government at the present time. Mr Sinclair said he felt he was speaking for all Orphandom, and irrespective of party politics, when he 'expressed the hope that the efforts of Bro. Guardian J. A. Young and his copilots would be successful in steering the ship of State through the present storm so that, in the near future, the country would see her gliding steadily along once more, under full canvas, in a calm sea. Admittedly there were rocks ahead, he remarked, but with a combination of the best men on both sides co-operating at the helm, and charting the route, it should be possible to locate the rocks, and ' —what was more important—to avoid them. "We all hope," he added, " that their efforts will not resemble those of an Irish captain of a small coastal boat who was being pestered one night by a nervous old lady concerning some rock which the vessel was then passing. ' Hould yer wisht about them rocks,' said the captain, ' sure I know every wan between Onehunga and New Plymouth.' At that moment there was a sickening thud. 'And, begorra,' he added. ' That's wan uv them.'" (Laughter.)