LOCAL & GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 December 1927, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL.

The butchers in Masterton will observe their half-holiday this week on Thursday.

The winners of the competitions in connection with the shop day held in Carterton in aid of St. Mary’s Church building fund were:—Cake, Mrs. Groube (No. 7S); ham, E. Chapman (No. 217); and dinner, Mrs W. Chew (No. IS). In spite of inclement weather, the annual breaking-up ceremony of the Ihuraua School and the Christmas tree were held at Ihuraua Hall on Friday evening and was a most enjoyable function. Visitors attended from a wide radius. Father Christmas, Mr A, Weston, assisted by a committee of willing helpers, kept the gathering amused and every child and scholar present received a prize. A song given by Cliff. Watkins was much appreciated. A dainty supper was provided. Dancing was indulged in until the small hours of the morning. Mr E. S. Mattson was a capable M.C.

The sneak thief is abroad in Masterton. A Masterton business man had goods to the value of about 20/- stolen off his counter yesterday.

A Hobart cable says that a terrific thunderstorm was experienced there, and a number of houses were Hooded, some to a depth of four feet. The services of the fire brigade had to be requisitioned to pump the water cut. There were several narrow escapes.

During last night’s meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, the Mayor (Mr W. T. Strand) informed the councillors that for the month of October the value of buildings erected and registered in the Hutt was higher than that of any other town, city, or borough in New Zealand, the sum totalling £218,000. ,

An inquest on Nelson Jackson, a farm labourer, aged 25, who met his death in a head-on motor cycle collision with Eric Storey was concluded yesterday at Hamilton. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to injuries accidentally sustained in a collision.

The Fernridgc School annual picnic was held at the school on Friday last', the arrangement to hold it at the Solway Showgrounds being abandoned, on account of wet weather. A programme of sports was carried out, the championships being won as follows: Girls, Lona Shaw; boys, Erl Gorringe and Jack Peters, tie. Mr Justice Adams gave judgment at Christchurch yesterday in a case, the City Council v. Dyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., an action for rates alleged to be due on a portion of llagley Park leased by the firm from the Domains Board for grazing of sheep. The decision was that Pync, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., were not liable for rates.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Waitemata Electric Power Board, Mr E. G. Skeates, Mayor of Northcote, was of the opinion that there were too many conferences in New Zealand, and that, the Dominion had gone conference mad. He had never known any good to come of one yet. The matter before tire meeting was the application of the acting-secretary to attend the conference of power board secretaries at Wellington in February. Although another prominent member objected to the official going, permission was eventually granted by the board.

The Carterton Gun Club held its opening meeting on .Saturday afternoon in unfavourable weather. A ninebird sweepstake, open to members who had not before taken part in a clay bird match, was won by J. Stevens, with eight breaks, D. L. Taverner being second with seven breaks. W. Jordan and G. N. Smith shot well, socuring six breaks. Twenty competed in the IS-bird event, the leading scores being:—K. Ingloy, 16yds, IS; D. McL'achlan, I9yds, 16; E. A. Buiek, 19yds, 16; E. Heagertv, 14yds, 15; G. Laing, 16yds 14; S. Teal, 12vds, 14. In the shoot-off for second place, D. Me Lachlan defeated R. A. Buiek.

Scholars of the Masterton Congregational Sunday School were entertained in the -School Hall last evening by the Superintendent (Mr G. Masters) and the teachers. The children assembled in good force and games and competitions, in which there were small prizes for the winners, afforded plenty of pleasant entertainment as the evening ran its course. Refreshments were served by the members of the teaching st;;}ff. Before the party broke up, the whole school extended enthusiastic Christmas greetings to the Rev. E. Weymouth and [Mrs Weymouth. At Mr Weymouth "s call, the children joined as heartily in wishing Mr and Mrs Masters, and the teachers a Merry Christmas.

“The depression may last a little longer, but there are better times ahuad,” said Mr Coates at the opening of the Mokau Bridge on Saturday. “Wool prices are good, lambs are doing well, and the dairy produce is all right. We have got to keep our heads up and stick to it, and if every man keeps to his task wc will pull through. We have been told that the Dominion is going back ten millions sterling a year, but answering that in the politest terms possible, I say such a statement is contrary to fact. We could not do what we have done without money, but in the past few years we have managed to reduce our borrowing from eleven and a half millions a year to six and a half millions a year, and in addition we have paid dead-weight war debts since 1922 to the extent of nearly eight and a half millions. New Zealand’s credit stands higher than does that of any other overseas Dominion.”

“The spirit of Christmas is essentially a consideration for those less fortunate than ourselves,” said the Rev. W. Bullock in an address yestcr-f day to members of the Masterton Rotary Club. Mr Bullock observed that prasent day conditions as far as the Christmas spirit was concerned differed considerably from those ruling a century and a quarter ago. In that dark period of English life social caste made impossible the observance of the true Christmas spirit. Mr Bullock referred to the life work of Dickens in endeavouring to resuscitate the Christmas spirit by depicting such characters as Scrooge, who had eventually awakened to the blessing of helping the poor. Though the caste barriers of one hundred years ago were not now so apparent, there were still obstacles to the proper observance of the Christmas spirit, mainly in the pressing urgency of work and business. Competition was so great, so enthralling and so gripping, that modern mail found it difficult to get away from it for one moment. The speaker believed, however, that the Christmas spirit would still prevail and he thought that Rotary, with its motto of service and its high aspirations, would do much to revive this spirit and encourage people to spare a few of their busy moments to give consideration to their less fortunate friends.

A big majority of the Masterton shopkeepers have decided to remain open on both -Saturdays, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, till 10 p.m.

At Wellington yesterday Mr Justice MacGregor reduced the maintenance ■which Harry Tait is ordered to pay his wife, Aroada Thurza Tait, from £5 12s per week to £2 10s weekly. A Sydney cable states that four hundred more coal miners in the Northern New South Wales coalfields have been dismissed, the reason given being slackness of trade. In the New Zealand University examinations held recently the following Masterton candidates passed in the subjects indicated: H. 11. Dyer, contract, torts, criminal law; X. Miller, property, company law; 11. M. Ward, torts, criminal law and evidence.

A six-year-old child, Joan Clarkin, the daughter of Mr W. Clarkin, of Eureka, Waikato, while playing with a lawn mower caught her right hand in the knives of the machine. Part of one finger was severed and another finger was badly lacerated. The amputation of a fractured left leg was necessary in the case of Hoy •Sullivan, aged 20, who was involved in a collision between his motor-cycle and a motor-car driven by Joseph E. Neale at the intersection of Barbadoes Street and Ferry Road, Christchurch, on Sunday. Sullivan’s condition is reported to be satisfactory.

A fire which raged for three days over a wide area of heavy fern country at Pirongia, Waikato, burnt fences wherever settlers had neglected to cut back the heavy growth. The fire reached the western bank of the Waipa, close to the bridge, after sweeping over a length of four or five miles. The origin is a mystery. One settler-saved his growth of fern, which he has kept free of fire for four years to burn and plough this autumn, by patrolling and counter-burning during the fire.

“Drink was my downfall,” said George Armitage, a labourer, 33 years of age, when appearing before the Chief Justice at Wellington yesterday for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering and theft at Hastings. “You have been convicted six times for theft, twice for breaking, entering and theft, and once for vagrancy,” said Sir Charles Skcrrett to the prisoner. “The crime which you committed was a senseless crime, and one from which no sane man would expect to make anything. It has been suggested to me that your object was to get back into gaol, where you have been pretty constantly of late. However, in your own interest you should be subjected to discipline. You will be imprisoned with hard labour for a term of two years.”

“This is not by any means your first offence,” said the Chief Justice (Sir Charles Skerrett) yesterday in the -Supreme Court when George Lester Rolfe, a labourer, aged 23, appeared for sentence for breaking and entering. “It is true that this dwelling-house at Blenheim, concerning which you are charged, was unoccupied at the time you entered it, but you did not know that and there can be no doubt that V-ou entered it for some improper purpose. I am afraid that you are the type of man who will never make a serious effort at reformation. If I thought it was any use giving you another chance I should do so, but I am afraid that it would be wasted effort. Y'ou will be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour.”

Literally the Aga Khan, fabulously wealthy Indian potentate, receives as an annual salary an amount that equals his own weight in gold. The Prince is spiritual chief of the Ismailise ct Mohammedans, with about 5,000,000 followers, and he is also one of the world’s leading race track devotees. The payment of his annual salary, or tribute, is done in a curious way. At the end of the Mohammedan solar year a committee of elders come from India to Paris, where the Prince resides, and weigh the Aga Khan very solemnly—he now tips the beam at about 2201 b over the exact amount in gold bullion, thank him profusely for his services, on behalf of the sect, and then humbly beg him for several barrels of the water in which ho has bathed. The members of the Ismaili sect believe that the water :n which their leader bathes is holy, and that a single drop of it will drive a-.vay illness c-r evil spirits.

Gent’s bicycle for sale. Chevrolet car for sale. Brick dwelling for sale. Oak washstaml for sale. 1.0.8. meeting to-night. Smart, pushing man wanted. Bungalow at Lyall Bay to let. Bach at Waikanae Beach to let. Pedigree Pekinese puppy for sale. Mr J. E. .Jenkins, Aard service proprietor, advertises his car service arrangements. Messrs Watson and Co., drapers, advertise special lines suitable for Christmas gifts for sale. On the front page Masterton Hardware, Ltd., advises the shop will be closed between Xmas and Xew Year, re-opening on January 4th, The Masterton Auctioneering Co. advertise a special sale of Xmas poultry and W.L. pullets at their Mart at 2 p.m. to-morrow. Attention is drawn to the collection of original oil paintings, water-colours, and original etchings now showing in the Brill Hall. The exhibition will be open to the public all day to-morrow Wednesday, and Thursday. Admission is free and inspection invited. What else is of any importance to children at Christmas except toys. And how exciting it is to see them displayed in multitudes wherever you go, for without those delicious thrills of anticipation, half the fun of Christmas is missed. McLeod and Y oung are making a tremendous showing of toys this year at very low prices.