LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18232, 18 July 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Masterton resident advertised for a man to do a few days' digging. There were over thirty applicants for the job. More than 26 tons of coal per week are consumed at the Waikato Hospital. The water consumption runs into 15,500 gallons per day. “Advertising,” says Lord Beaverbrook, “is a tonic to industry, and is slowly and surely taking its place as one of the great industrial forces of the age.

It was stated in a Court case at Auckland that the house in dispute had been sold four times in nine months, the prices being £750, £950, £l3OO, and £l4OO. Only two Europeans are stated to have survived the Hindu competition in the sale of fruit from barrows in the Wellington streets, and they have a special arrangement with the City Council. For the four weeks ended June 23 the revenue of the Napier Tramways was £1291 17s 5d and the working expenses £993 18s. For the sanie period of 1920, the figures were revenued £1226 18s Bd, working expenses £933 18s. A strong criticism of the action of the Australian postal authorities in putting a mail of 17 bags for New Zealand on board the steamer Canastota was made to an Auckland reporter by a business man. He said it was very reprehensible to put mails on a steamer carrying benzine..

The Telegraph Department has been advised as follows: —“Eastern route restored, resume United Kingdom traffic that route.” A London cable states that Captain Storkey, an Australian holder of the Victoria Cross, was co-respondent in a case in which divorce was granted to Francis Gordon, a dentist. A Masterton firm is reported to have received an offer of good quality Java sugar, to be delivered within four months, at £2O per ton, c.i.f., Wellington. Referring to Melbourne reports stating that negotiations are proceeding in England for the sale of the whole of the Commonwealth steamers, Mr Hughes states emphatically (says a London cable) that there is no truth in the statement. The number of motor-cars registered in Hamilton (over 200) means a motor car for every six persons. Practically every means of transport in the Waikato is done by motor car, truck, motor-bike or push-bike. The horse has been put to one side. The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. Nosworthy) visited Waimate on Saturday as the guest of Mr J. Bitcher, M.P. He was welcomed also by the Mayor, Mr Nash. He inspected New Zealand’s first modern electrically-worked silos and congratulated the management on their enterprise. ’Bus-driving apparently looks good to many people as a means of earning a livelihood (says the Manawatu Times). When applications closed with the Palmerston North borough engineer for eight drivers for the borough ’buses, no fewer than 125 men had applied. "It’s not the wealth of a country that makes the country great,” said Mr. G. W. Forbes, M.P., at the annual re-union of the Christchurch High School Old Boys’ Association. “A country’s greatness lies in the spirit of it’s people, and what better place could you have for instilling that spirit than the public schools of the Empire?” The air compressor loaned to the Wanganui Council last August has been returned to Napier minus several parts and with the L.P. piston and connecting rod aceetone welded, they having been broken and repaired. The borough electrical engineer has communited with Wanganui on the matter but to date no reply has been received.—“Hawke’s Bay Herald.” The keenest interest is being displayed in the forthcoming City Council elections in Sydney. Both sides are strenuouslj' preparing—the Labourites to retain office, and the an-t:-Labourites to recapture control. Revision of the rolls is causing much heart-burning. Thousands of objections have already been lodged, including over 3000 to leaseholders, property-owners and occupiers. A Wairarapa visitor to Palmerston North told a “Manawatu Times" representative that he was both pleased and surprised to notice, in a tour round the district, that a large number of dairy cows are being rugged in the winter. He thinks that if farmers generally were to treat their herds better in the winter they would be handsomely repaid by the increased yields of milk in the early spring. Mr. Massey has attended every meeting of the Imperial Conference. His attitude has been to approach all questions from the, point of view of Empire Unity, with full consideration for New Zealand’s interests. He expressed himself as pleased with the progress made, th frankness and candour of the discussions, and the willingness on the part of the British Government to place all its cards on the table and give the overseas Prime Ministers the fullest information on every subject. An Official report has been issued on defence, but rigid secrecy is preserved. —Special to Press Association. “I doubt very much whether you would find in New Zealand one adult foot that is the shape nature designed it to be,” said Dr. G. J. Blackmore in a lecture in Christchurch. “It seems impossible to get in New Zealand boots of the nature that fit the natural shape of the child’s foot. We are contemptuous of the Chinese because of the way they deform their children’s feet, but there is more deformation in New Zealand in proportion to the population. The foot is a most beautiful piece of mechanism, and we often do our best to destroy that mechanism, and often succeed admirably.” The Defence authorities have informed us that there are some facts which should be stated in regard to the recent prosecution of a local Territorial, concerning whose case “Omar” made some comments on Saturday. Our oontribur tor suggested, as physical culture was the most important part of the training of a soldier that the Defence Department and the sports bodies should work hand in hand. The Territorial in question, we learn, did not attend a parade on May 14 (when there was no football match on) and though he gave no excuse he was not prosecuted. It was necessary for him to attend on May 28 in order that he might complete his musketry course for the year. He did not do so, but five of his mates attended the parade that day, did the necessary musketry, and then played football. We are informed that the young man has been twice previously prosecuted, but there can be no suggestion that he has been persecuted. Presence of mind on the part of a railway guard saved a crowded Great Northern Railway express train from disaster a few weeks ago. But for his prompt action another calamitous railway smash would doubtless have figured in our cable news. The train left London at 1.40 p.m. Shortly before the time it was scheduled to pass Corby, Lincolnshire, an engine attached to the train of a permanent way gang working there fouled the points and overturned when crossing from the down line to the up main lines. The guard of this train was thrown violently from one side of his van to the other, momentarily stunned, and severely bruised. He had no sooner recovered than he realised that the express train was almost due to pass the spot, and looking out, saw that it was signalled. He seized his red flag, and ran as fast as he was able. A few moments later the driver of the express train had seen the warning of peril, and the train was pulled up within two or three hundred yards of the obstruction. Seventy-flve minutes elapsed before the express train was on its way to the north again.