LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13340, 31 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The many friends of Mr Andrew Bell, formerly connected with the fellmongery at Castlecliff, and who took a keen interest in that suburb’s welfare, will regret to hear of his death, which occurred at Dannevirke on the 28th inst.

The valuer in Auckland reported a few weeks ago that the rateable value of property for the ensuing year showed the substantial increase of over .£68,000. It would appear, however, that a good many of the ratepayers do not see eye to eye with the valuer on this point, for no fewer than 218 objections have been lodged against his estimates. An extraordinary accident happened to Mr Robert Shiverick, son of an American millionaire, at Hamilton, Ontario, last month, during a performance by the Imperial Russian ballet dancers. Mr Sh<verick was sitting in the second row from the footlights, watching the soldiers in a dancing and fencing scene, when the sword blade of M. Nordick, a leading dancer, became loosened and flew off, penetrating Mr Shiverick’s skull. Several ladies fainted, and it was necessary for one man to hold Mr Shiverick aside while another wrenched out the blade. The accident made the dancers nervous, one upsetting a jar of burning incense and causing a fire behind the scen'es. Fortunately a panic was averted. Mr Shiverick was very seriously injured.

Tlioro was a clean sheet a I the S.M. Court this morning. four hundred plaints have liven issued in the local S.M. Court tor the, IJuve months completed to-day. The Weather Bureau reports as follows: Northerly winds moderate to strong; expect warm and humid conditions; increasing haziness; glass fall slowly; tides moderate; sea moderate. Wo regret having lo record the death of Mr tleorgc Edward Groombridge, of (lire gow Street, who passed away this morning alter a long illness. The deceased, who was formerly in business as a baker at Taylorville, was well .and favourably known to many, who will unite in extending their sympathy to the bereaved re’a lives.

The Hon. Tims. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, will airivc in Wanganui at 12.4'J to morrow from the North, ami at 4 p.ni. will perform the ceremony in connection with the opening of the new additions to ihe Cosmopolitan Club. At 5 o’clock the new buildings will be thrown open to the public for inspection, at 7 p.m. a banquet will he held at Chavannc.s’ Hotel, followed by a smoke concert in the club’s social ball. On Sunday an up-rivor excursion will take place, the steamer reluming in lime for those on hoard to attend church.

A novel divorce case is reported from Minneaiiolie. - In granting a divorce .to Mrs Nettie Weekly, the wife of a member of the fire brigade, the judge laid it down that a man- may mend his own trousers and darn his own socks, hut he has not the right to do this on the front lawn, and call the attention of the neighbours to the fact that, his wife has overlooked such tasks. Such conduct constitutes cruelty within the meaning of the Act. Darning on the lawn has become quite a popular hobby with a large number of married men.

The Wanganui Automobile Association bold its opening social run yesterday afternoon. Wavcrlcy was the objective, and some 32 members made the journey, which proved thoroughly enjoyable, those who were present agreeing that the members and motor car owners who had not been able to take part had missed a very pleasurable outing. It is hoped that tho next run will ace a larger number of cars taking part. On arrival at "Wavcrlcy, the parly proceeded to the Recreation Ground whovc they wove photographed. Tea was then taken at the Commercial Hotel, after which the return journey was started, town being reached about 6 o’clock. It was freely stated at the Dairymen's Association’s meeting on Saturday night that owing to tho abnormally dry spell of weather that has been experienced in Southland during the past few months the milk supply had fallen off to a very largo extent. The shortage of feed had caused most of the dairymen to encroach already on their winter supply, and the outlook was not by any means a promising one. Some suppliers have experienced a difficulty in supplying their regular customers, and to do this have hud to purchase milk from other suppliers. The foregoing information was elicited during a discussion on the advisablencss of raising the price of milk.

Says a Melbourne exchange:—“ There is no disputing the fact that ‘Why Mon Love Women' is causing more; arguments than many dramas of its kind. The piece at the Princess's sets out to answer the question, and succeeds in one particular—it gives one reason. But the man in the street can give a hundred, and although Conway Winfield's reason for loving Francos Boss, may bo quite satisfactory, one may find 99 others which would answer equally well. ‘Why Mon Love Women’— well, as Bret Harto said, ‘Does her' Which opens up a new phase of the matter, one worthy of argument in the future. Also it is a big question whether the harem skirts won by some of the ladies in the first act are quite what Mrs Grundy would like her daughters to wear.”

lii last week’s Gazette regulations under the Factories Acts arc gazetted. Among tlie provisions is the following; —“ The space to he. reserved tor the use of each person working in a factory shall ho not less than 250 cubic feet of air space where persons are employed during the hours between G o’clock in the morning and 6 o'clock in the evening, and not less than 400 cubic feet of air space where persons arc employed between 6 o’clock in the evening and (5 o'clock in the morning, by a written permit the inspector may allow persons to he employed in a factory where there arc less than 400 cubic feet of air space for cadi person employed between G o’clock in the evening and (i o’clock in the morning, provided such factory is lighted by electricity, and by no other artificial light, at all times during such hours as artificial light is needed while persons arc employed therein.

Old sealers who followed the industry in tho good old days of Southland .when skins wore both plentiful and valuable are watching with interest the movements of the Government in connection with the lender of an English syndicate to work the sealing islands next season. Seals have become fairly plentiful upon all tho old groups, particularly the Auckland,}, and, under ordinary circumstances, it would pay a local syndicate to renew the industry, but tho Government has placed such prohibitive royalties upon the skins that sealing would not pay at present. The main condition which ' tho Department stipulates is a royalty of 10s per skin, which sealers regard as exorbitant and prohibitive. They think that the English syndicate is in for a bad lime it they intend to traffic in green skins, and that the only possibility of success would lx, if the syndicate came to satisfactory terms with a dressing firm—dressed skins offering much better profits than green skins.

There is an old saying', “(live a lie an hour’s start, and the truth will not overtake it.” We hope that this may not prove true in the case of Mr E. F. Hfone. who for some considerable time was connected with the distributing department of the “Herald,” whore he gave entire satisfaction. Owing to ill-health, brought about by fish-poisoning, Mr Stone left the employ of the “Herald,” and since then has quite recovered his health and has been employed on a milk “round.” False statements, however, have been industriously circulated to the effect that Mr Stone is suffering from consumption, and quite naturally householders taking milk on his “round” became alarmed, with the result that Mr Stone finds himself without a billet. We sympathise with Mr Stone, and for the benefit of those most eoncorned publish the following copy of a medical certificate:—“Wanganui Hospital, 293 —11. I. hereby certify that I have this day seen and examined F. E. Slone, of Mackay Street, Easthrook, and that the said F. E. Slone has no trace of consumption or other tubercular disease about him.—James llcid, M.A., M.8., Ch.B., Medical Superintendent.”,