LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 188, 17 August 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dance at Porangahau The Mangaorapa branch of the Women’s Institute is to hold its annual dance in the Porangahau Hall on Friday night. The Ritz Orchestra is to provide the music for the occasion. Traffic Through Manawatu Gorge Some indication of the volume of traffic normally proceeding through the Manawatu Gorge, which is now impassable, is given by the fact that between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. one day this week no fewer than 240 vehicles passed over the Pahiatua Track. Phenomena at Taradale Few people have seen a trout with two heads, or two bodies, or a hen pheasant which after moulting has completely changed its sex and become a cock pheasant, complete with all the glorious plumage which nature has given to the male of the species. Yet these phenomena are to be seen tb-day at the hatcheries and game farm at Taradale of the Hawke’s Bay Acclimatisation Society. Te Kura Ladies’ Social Circle The monthly meeting of the Te Kura Ladies’ Social Circle was held at the residence of Mrs Thomas. Two interesting and novel competitions were held, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Germain proving the winners. A large parcel of garments made by the members was sent to the District Nurse at Hastings, to be distributed to those in need. A dainty afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mrs Davies and Miss Black, and a pleasant half hour was spent in. social chat.

Railway Week-End Excursion The Railway Department announces that the next of their attractive weekend excursions is to Auckland for the football match, Hawke’s Bay v. Auckland on August 31. The excursion train leaves Napier at 5.45 p;m. on Friday (30th) and arrives in Auckland on Saturday morning. The return train leaves Auckland at 3.50 p.m. on Sunday, iSeptember 1, and arrives in Napier at 8.20 a.m. on Monday. The fares are less than Id per mile, with free reservation of seats. Sterilisation Urged and Opposed A recommendation calling for legislation for the sterilisation of the mentally unfit was carried at a meeting of the Middlesex County Council. Judge Cusack moved that the matter be adjourned sine die. The committee were openly defying tneir expert, he said. One of the ablest judges he had ever practised before had among his family one mental defective, while the rest were above the average. To suggest sterilisation in such a case wins absurd. Judge Cusack’s motion was defeated and the recommendation carried. Record Number of Golf Clubs The report to be presented to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Golf Association records a record number of new clubs, 26 having joined. One club resigned owing to loss of links, but hoped to rejoin later on. The revenue was £16.16 7/4, expenditure £1223 7s. The surplus was added to the accumulated fund. Excellent work has been done by the greens research committee. Standard scratch scores were allotted 202 affiliated clubs. Hard on the Judiciary “You sometimes hear a lot of nonsense from magistrates, especially when they get pontifical—and from judges, too; they think they can talk about anything on earth, and they do not always know their law,” said the Mayor of Wellington, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, during a discussion at the Wellington City Council meeting on Thursday on the prosecution of motorists for breaches of city by-laws. Chamois and Thar The ravages of chamois and thar on mountain flora were referred to by Professor Arnold Wall in the course of a lecture at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on “Alpine Plants of New Zealand.” These animals had spread to such an extent near Mount Cook, said the professor, that not one Species of the great buttercup could now be found. A lantern slide showing an area of Mount Cook illustrated how chamois and thar had depleted the vegetation.