LOCAL & GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 24 December 1927, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL.

A poll, taken in the fEketahuna district on Thursday on a proposal of the Eketahuna County Council to raise a loan of £2300 for metalling of Main Highway No. 15, was carried. ' The voting was: For 122, against 66, informal 1. In the Nautical Almanac, for this year December 23 (yesterday) is given as the longest day. We are already past the day of the earliest rising sun, which took place on December 10, when the sun rose at 5.20 a.m., but the sun goes on setting later until January 5.

The Ulimaroa sailed from Sydney at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon. The Salvation .Army Silver Band will render carols in Mastcrton tomorrow morning.

Commandant Glanville has been appointed to take charge of the Salvation Army corps at Blenheim. Commandant Simpson, of Feilding, has been appointed to Mastcrton.

After protracted negotiations in connection with the Masterton-Timii-Cas-tlepoint mail service, the tender of Messrs Fly and Young, Ltd., has been accepted by the Postal Department. No doubt the settlers in those districts will bo pleased to know that their recent protest made against the proposed alteration from a morning service to an afternoon one has been .successful as the new tender provides for a morning service. The new service provides for a daily delivery to Tinui and Castlepoint, returning to Master ton the-same day.

A woman combined the multifarious duties of captain, cook, mate and deckhand in the motor outboard race which was held by the Victoria Cruising Club the other afternoon off St. -Mary’s Bay, the feminine invasion in this particular branch of acquatic sport being regarded with keen interest (reports the Auckland Star). Die particular type of light craft, which have a speed up to about 25 knots, are operated by one person. The? feminine skipper’s charge was more or less appropriately named “The Dam box. ’ ’

“New Zealand is now getting old enough to grow out of the idea that the political State has a ‘divine right ’ to dominate the whole arena of education,” said Canon 11. K. Archdall, headmaster of King’s College (Auckland), at the prize-giving ceremony recently, when stressing the need for freedom in education. “State socialistic methods may be a temporary ‘nursing mother’ to a young country, but sooner or later the element of freedom and individuality must become expressed. Too much centralisation will only end first in standardising and then in killing real culture.”

The final committee meeting in connection with the Oddfellows’ l’icnic to be held at the Memorial Park, Greytown, on Boxing Day, was held at Greytown on Thursday, there being a fair attendance. It was reported that trophies had been donated for the whole of the 14 adult races, and it was decided to allot £7 for children’s events. Bro. W. Davis was appointed to take charge of the lamb guessing competition, and sisters are to be asked to arrange for the two guessing competitions for cakes. Bro. Loasbv was appointed starter for .the adult races. It was resolved to have a man in charge for parking cars. The body found in Auckland Harbour on Thursday has been identified as that of Edith Alston Hammond, aged 47, single, who lias been missing from her home at Birkenhead since December 15. An overcoat and umbrella, considered to be those of the deceased, were found on a Devonport ferry boat that day. At the inquest yesterday evidence was given that deceased was subject to bilious attacks and giddiness and the theory was advanced that she had been leaning over the side of the boat to vomit and overbalanced. A verdict of found drowned was returned.

At the inquest concerning the death of Donald Gunn Poison, who was accidentally shot on Tuesday evening at Mangawliero, it was disclosed that the deceased lad was accompanied by a little boy named Neagle, nine years old, and was observed by farm hands some 200 yards away crossing a hawthorn fence situated on a sod bank, at the same time directing a dog. He either put the stock of the gun downwards in crossing the fence or used the stock to prod the dog, and the gun was simultaneously discharged. The deceased received the full charge under the right arm and expired within a few minutes. The verdict was that the deceased was accidentally shot by the discharge of a gun he was using at the time of the mishap.

A story of one of the mothers of the early days was related by an old settler who attended the celebration of the jubilee of the Ashburton County. Near the site of the function there stood in the very early days a store conducted bv Mr Donald Williamson, the first storekeeper in Ashburton, and nearby were the stock yards. During the great flood of 1368, the water swept over the flat country beside the bridge and the store was inundated, threatening death to the inmates. Mrs Williamson tied her children to the stockyards at the height of the flood to prevent their being swept away, while she attended to other duties. There they remained till they were rescued by a !Mr Robert Miller, "who was mounted on a horse.

The strange campaign of the Mayor of Chicago recalls the interesting beginnings of the magnificent municipal library of Chicago, a story honourable to Doth countries, and one which, as it happens, can be told entirely from official Chicago publications. The library owes its origin to the work of Thomas Hughes, the Tom Hughes of “Tom Brown's Schooldays.” The terrible destruction of the lire of October, 1871, filled Hughes with anxiety to do something to help the re-making of the city, and he set to work to persuade his friends to contribute books and to interest the highest circles in the plan. The English Government contributed a remarkable collection of State Papers. The University of Oxford sent 234 volumes, “which,-' said the earliest report of the library, ‘‘apart from the literary merit of the works sent, arc in style of binding and ttypographical execution and -workmanship of a value, which for the same number of books could scarcely be replaced in case of loss.” Cambridge sent a smaller collection.

“Do you really believe, ’’ asked an interrupter of the Bishop of London at a recent- meeting', “that Jonah livid three days and three nights in the belly of a whale"” “When I get to ]leaven I’ll ask him,” replied the Bishop. “And suppose you don’t find Jonah in Heaven,” pursued his tormentor. “Then you can ask him.” (Loud laughter.) The largest continuous stretch of concrete roadway in the world has just been completed in America. This road is IX7 miles long and passes through i!!) towns and villages. It is estimated that the new road will save thousands of pounds annually, since prior to its being constructed it was costing as much as £730 a mile to maintain as a gravel surfaced road.

Germany always comes into prominence in New Zealand at Christmas time anil Wanganui is no exception, says | lie Herald. .Most of the local toy shops slock a large percentage of Germanmade toys, and many of the greeting cards purchased are of German manufacture. It is rather ironical that Christmas cards bearing paintings of Xew Zealand’s native flora and fauna should be made by a German firm, and even leather kiwis and tikis, which arc purchased for despatch to friends in England.

A man in -Rochester, Xew York, listens to broadcast music with his fingers. Ever since an illness at the age of six, he has been deaf and dumb. I Lis receiver is home-made and comprises a unique cone-type loud speaker, with an addition of an invention of ids own that is connected to the undersized cone parchment. This man hears by feeling the vibrations on the parchment and is able to distinguish talking from music. He can pick out the various instruments the orchestra play, and depends entirely on his wireless receiver for his enjoyment.

‘Californian newspaper writers have a breezy descriptive touch at times. One of these occasions was the arrival of the British cruiser Colombo at San Francisco recently. Emphasising the fact that, though the Colombo was small, she was a fighter, the reporter said: “The British take their Xavy seriously and their rum daily, and fine old rum it is. Every man-Jack gets iiis 'gill and three’ as sure as the dawn rolls over the chart-house. It’s a gill of rum and three of water, or 2LI if a man wants a bit of copper instead; and more’s the wonder a lot of men pass on the grog and take the money just like an American prohibitionist,” Appearing at Stockton Bankruptcy Court at Cockfield, Durham, a coalminer, James Dickinson, attributed his failure to the fact that his income from unemployed benefit was not sufficient to maintain his position as an overseer and chairman of the parish council. He admitted having taken money from the funds of a working men’s club, of which he was treasurer. A deficit of £196 was found, but as he promised to pay the money back by instalments the club refrained from taking criminal proceedings. Official Receiver: Why did you steal? Dickinson: To maintain my position in public life of which I was proud. Official Receiver: I call it swank.

.'Films measuring 200,000 miles are made in Hollywood each year, pleasured in feet, the last four years’ pro-illie-lion reaches the figure of 150,000,000,000. A single studio has 1000 acres with 1,500,000 square feet of floor space, while another company requires twenty-tTTree buildings with several hundred thousand square feet of stage space and miles of paved streets. Obviously, it’s a big business in which Hollywood is engaged. One company has a stock of costumes valued well up in the millions, which it has taken them twelve years to collect. They occupy a modern sky-scraper, from basement to roof, and have over 200,000 square feet of space crammed with every conceivable variety of clothing from the days of our antediluvian .ancestors right down to the latest Parisian stuff. The Zoo, founded by Colonel Selig twenty years ago, covers twenty-live acres and contains nearly every known type of wild animal. There are in Hollywood a number of agencies whose business is research and technical direction. If you want a London embassy ball, they can not only give you all trie information regarding procedure, but can supply an Englishman who will supervise the scene for you, and see to it that it is letter-perfect down to the smallest detail. Experts are available for almost every conceivable type of event. Five-roomed house to let at 22/(3 a week. Child’s lost leather purse is advertised for. Reward. Star Assembly, Arcade Ilall to-night commencing at 9 o’clock. Miss Lane’s dressmaking room will be closed until 38th January. Messrs F. P. Welch and Son advertise for sale a sound house, cheap. Mr 1). Allen, Macara Street, advertises tomatoes, plums, etc., for sale. The Associated Shopkeepers insert a notice in our wanted columns re shops open Xew Year’s Jive. Messrs Fly and Young’s buses will run to the trots on Monday and Tuesday. Ring 1 ]26 for seats. As will be noticed by our advertising columns the service at Wesley Church’ to-morrow evening will be largely musical. Solos will bo given by some of the best local talent and the choir will render the anthem ‘‘O Come All Ye Faithful.” ]n to-day’s issue will be found the .Railway Department’s advertisement giving train arrangements for the Xew Year holidays. Visitors to the sports at Dannevirke and Masterton on 2nd January are suitably catered for. Special facilities are also provided to Featherston and back on both race days. Xew Year gift suggestions for late shoppers. Time’s slipping by quickly now, and for those who haven’t yet decided ‘‘what to give,” the W.F.C.A., Ltd., submits a list, all at their famous low prices.

At Castlepoint beach the bathing shed for ladies has been completed.

Alasterton businessmen report that the Christmas trade has been excellent this year, an indication that the slump period has passed. Young Mastcrton husband (reading newspaper): “I’m glad the short skirt looks like going out at last.” Wife: “Yes, darling; and I’m going with it. You can look after baby until I get back.” At the conclusion of the inquest on John Dunnett, who was found dead at the front door of a house at 146 Peterborough Street, Christchurch, on December 7, the Coroner (Mr 11. I’. Lawry, S.M.) returned a verdict of suicide by taking strychnine. Joseph Foster, who was arrested in Xew Zealand on the charge of being concerned in a mail robbery, but was acquitted, is appealing to the Home Secretary for redress, including a passage to Xew Zealand.

The contractor has completed the metalling of the last piece of bad road to Mount lJoldsworth, and there is now a good summer road right to the bush. The Mount Holdsworth Club will provide hot water free to visitors during the Christmas and Xew Year holidays.

“Can you see without your glasses?” inquired counsel in the Blenheim Sib premc Court the other morning in handing a document for perusal to a witness 93 years of age. “1 don’t need glasses, thank you,” replied witness, to the surprise of the court.

The Xiagara has landed at San Francisco fourteen of the crew of the ship Doris Cranz. which was burned at sea with a cargo of copra while on route from Fanning Island to San Francisco. The crew fought the flames for a day, and then took to the boats. The Xiagara sighted the burning vessel, hastened to give help, and after a search picked up the boats. Dalmatian quarry workers work extraordinary long hours, according to evidence given at an Auckland C-ity Council inquiry this week. One stonecutter said that the Dalmatians in a quarry close to his were always at work when he arrived and were still working when lie left in the evening. A Dalmatian later gave evidence that his regular hours were from 6 a.m. until dark, including Saturdays, while a compatriot gave his hours as 6 a.m. to 7 pan. on six days a week. Foot-bridges in .Morocco used for heavy traffic have been the subject of much concern to engineers, Elm planks oh oak string-pieces were employed, but these wore so rapdily that a return to the old style was proposed. This consisted of cables made from the fibre of the aloe. These cables are plaited and twisted from fibre, and are nearly two inches thick and'"eight and one-half inches wide. They are saturated with tar and firmly nailed to oak planking. The cables make admirable footpaths, and are very durable.