LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18019, 6 November 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrs C. J. Sharpe, Gonville, and A. E. Halligan, Aramoho, have been appointed Justices of the Peace. A Sydney cable states that the strike of watersiders against overtime has been declared off for the whole of the Commonwealth.

The man, Stephen Harris, who was admitted to the Public Hospital last Sunday with his windpipe severed, has not been progressing so favourably during the past couple of days, but it is believed that he will recover from his injuries. 1

Yesterday was Guy Fawkes Day, an annual event much anticipated by the younger generation. Last evening fireworks and bonfires .were few 7 and far between, and it was evident that November sth was not celebrated with as much enthusiasm as in former years. We have been asked to remind our readers of the public meeting called for Monday evening (in the Druids’ Hall at 8 o’clock) for the purpose of enabling the citizens to discuss the why and wherefore of the unsatisfactory state of the tramway service. The conveners urgently appeal to all citizens to attend.

The wholesale soft goods houses in Sydney are reducing prices by from 15 to 20 per cent- in Manchester goods, cotton and woollen. It is explained that owing to the falling off in the demand holders are anxious to reduce stocks. —Press cablegram.

- A Waikato farmer reports that he wrote to Mr Clement Wragge a few days ago asking his prediction as to weather conditions for the next few months. Mr Wragge has replied that there will be one frost between now and the middle of November, and light rains during the same period. After that there will be a drought for the summer, but there will be a good autumn. In his reference to the Bank of New 7 Zealand legislation the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) said “the intention was to democratise the bank by making it what the Government thought it ought to be—a small man’s bank. The capital transferred would be much more easily handled in the form of working capital than in the form of reserve.”

J. H. Kirkwood, the open golf champion of Australia and New Zealand, ’has been engaged by the Wanganui Golf Club to play two exhibition matches at the Belmont links to-day. In the morning the young Australian, who is considered by many to be one of the very finest players in the world, will play the best ball of G, Saunders (the local champion) and J. Harold, while in the afternoon J. Goss and Dr. U. Williams will be pitted against the golfing wonder.

Two pupils from the Auckland Grammar School had a bath in the warm lake at the top of Mount Ruapehu some time ago, remarked Professor ALgie, in a lecture at Auckland. They undressed on the snow w'hich reaches the water’s edge, and ■were enjoying themselves immensely when a piece of the ice cliff broke off and splashed into the water, making a huge wave, which in the thermal region looked ominous until its cause was observed. Mr Hine, ex-member for Stratford, and for some time,Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr James Begg, of Dunedin, who was a candidate for the recent vacancy in the Bruce electorate, and Mr W. Ferguson, the well-know'n civil engineer, have been appointed a commission to inquire into and ascertain the best route for the North Auckland Main Trunk railway from Te Tio northwards, and the connecting line from the Kaihu Valley to the North Auckland Main Trunk railway.

Ou Wednesday evening at Hawern, during a thunderstorm, a flash of lightning ran down the water tower, lighting up the whole place. Apparently it then went across through the pipe connection to the fire station, for Superintendent Pettett and .some of his men who were in the front station suddenly saw a blue flash on the mercury gauge, followed by a report as of a rifle shot. The effect of,the light was, says Mr Pettett, quite blinding for a few moments. This flash went right through the station, and, as may be imagined, created something of a consternation among the inmates. Close examination, however, reveals the fact that no damage has been done. The experience) however, was somewhat terrifying.

A fighting parson met his Waterloo a few nights ago at the Toowoomba (Queensland) Town Hall, the Rev. Chas. Dunn, curate of St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Toowoomba, being defeated in a boxing contest for the featherweight championship of the Downs by William Holmes, a young returned soldier. The contest was in aid of the ambulance. The weight of each contestant was announced at Bst 31b. Holmes looked more rugged and was willing to rough it, wlille Dunn was more of a boxer. The first three rounds were fairly even, but in the fourth the parson was considerably punished. He weakened, and half way through the police stepped in and stopped the fight.

The secretary of the R.S.A. reports that the general meeting for' the election ol officers will take place on Monday, November 15th, and not on Thursday,.as previously stated.

The hemp cargo aboard the Kennedy, which is stranded on the Foxton bar, is being removed, and no damage in this connection has been done. It is hoped to get the vessel off on the spring tides. The recent flood in the river has increased the current on the south side of the river entrance. This, together with the south-west gale, drove the vessel on to the beach.

The presence of the dreaded fire blight in the Tauranga orchards has assumed a most serious aspect, and it is practically certain that all pear trees will have to come out in two commercial orchards, totalling about 1 4 acres of pears. The crop will be entirely ruined, and, if prompt action is not taken, it may mean that apples and quinces will have to follow. The most serious menace in the spreading of the disease is reported to be haw-thorn hedges. With the trade New Zealand is already doing with America in lamb, mutton, wool, etc., and the splendid prospects that exist of establishing a firm market for all our products, Mr Bernard Tripp, of Timaru (who has just returned from a world tour) believes that the New Zealand Government would be perfectly justified in appointing a High Commissioner in the United States, to be resident in New York. Such a mar., provided he had the necessary commercial knowledge, would save his salary over and over again, Mr Tripp considers. As living is abnormally high in New York, and the salary of a High Commissioner would have to be a good one, Mr Tripp makes the suggestion that the New Zealand Farmers’ Union might offer to subsidise such a position, and contends that, it would pay to do so. The appointment of a High Commissioner in the United States was recently urged by the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, the matter being brought forward by Mr A. Harris.