LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14257, 7 January 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Is your world a small one made unendurable by a thousand petty cares? — Marsh Reed. The Martynside employees attended a "memorial service to Captain C. B. Howell and Sergt.. Fraser, who were killed on the flight to Australia. The New Zealand, chess, championship tournament, held at Wellington, was won by Mason, who. won li games, drew one and lost one, scoring 11J out of 13 points. .•- ..; ~■ •:<; The, shortage of carpenters is causing some concern to the builders of Hamilton, where there are' several big town contracts'under way. "You can't buy them,'' remarked a leading builder to a Times reporter this morning. The rainfall at Tirau for. December 1919, as recorded by Mt Shannon, was I.Blin on nine days, the. maximum fall being .68 on the 13th. The rainfall for December, 1918, yras 3.14 in. The total fall for the year ending December 31st was 39.03 in. as against 50.83ih in 1918. The hutiwai, known also by the Native names piripiri, whetau, and kaikaia, is becoming .a.pest to the sheep farmer throughout the Manawatu district. Shearing must be completed a month earlier than advisable owing to cold snaps, because the barbed seeds of this creeping plant depreciate the wol by 25 per cent. It is" a pity the Government does not erect a carbonising plant to clean this seedy wool, says the Manawatu Times. .._.-

The Coronial inquiry at Wanganui respecting the recent drowning fatality at Gastlecliff revealed some rather extraordinary features. In the first place an eye-witness said that there were no ropes nor anything on the punt that could be thrown to help Westbrook. In the second place he declared that of eight men working on the punt not one could swim. The Coroner commented on this fact, and said it was extraordinary that with such facilities as'were provided for.learning swimming men on the waterfront should not avail themselves of the opportunity of becoming expert. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

A safe robbery is reported from Otahuhu, the premises of Messrs Gavin Wallace and Co., grocers, having been entered on Saturday night or Sunday morning. The thieves' haul was a comparatively light one, some £3O in cash being secured. Search had been made for other valuables, but apparently they had contented themselves with the cash. A substantial charge must have been used, for the force of the explosion had not only forced the safe, but had wrecked a partition in the shop and had played havoc amongst a number of cases of tea. A visitor from Waihi informed a Times representative yesterday that the prospects of the mining centre are brighter now than they hav<? been for a long time past. The mining companies contemplate development work on a large scale, and are making active preparation In connection therewith, though they are considerably hampered by the dearth of suitable labour; 'but, nevertheless, our informant predicts that the output of gold at Waihi will show a substantial increase in the near future. In addition to gold mining the farming industry is also making good progress, being now well established, and it should assume considerable proportions as the possibilities of the district as 'an agricultural centre become more widely known.

A Hamilton resident who has just returned from a visit to America, Holland and England, in conversation with a Times rejjresentative. said that the accommodation in the latter country was taxed to its utmost' since the war ceased. Owing to the lack of adequate shipping facilities very large numbers of people who were awaiting their opportunity to get out of England, could not do so. As instancing the great demand on accommodation in London, the New Zealander, on his arrival there, had to call at no fewer than twentysix hotels before he could procure lodgings. Of course there may be several reasons to assign for the congestion, but a salient fact that has to be remembered is that during the war period building of this nature was practically non<-cst in the Big Metropolis. Through locfi! Agency the New Zealander had the very best of opportunity for securing attention if it were available in this direction, but even tiiat failed to in any way minimise the difficulty that obtainel in securing hotel accommodation.

Extensive displays of all holiday apparel and Christmas gifts are now being made at Hooker and Kingston's. Specially good values are showing this season in fancy handkerchiefs, nicely bpxed, which form a suitable and serviceable gift for all. Take the opportunity of shopping early, and get the very best attention and pick of the goods.—Hooker and Kingston, Ltd., '"'The House of Satisfaction," where you get the cash discount of 3d back in ss, '3d discount in :10s v 9d in 15s, and so on.*

A committee has been set up with headquarters at Taupiri, to furtner the interests of a hydro-electric scheme |for that district, Mr H. Powell, of Taupirij has been elected chairman, and Mr P. P. Byron-Powell secretary. Of the men yet to return to New Zealand the next draft will come by the Kigorha, which ia expected at Wellington about Monday next. At the end of the month the last ship, the Euapehu, is also due at Wellington.

The conference of the- N.Z. Educational Institute adopted a remil, that,, in view of the value of moving pictures as an educative factor, the Government be urged to establish a film bureau for supplying suitable materialfor use in schools. Speaking at Fremantle recently with regard to the qualities of the Australian soldier, General Monash said:—When the llnal scenes were being enacted the Australian soldier was the finest lighting machine on the battlefield, and the longer he stopped there the better he was becoming. His morale and spirit were undimmishable, and he (General Monash) was proud of being an Australian in the company of Australians. The living in England to-day is a •very expensive matter, as a well-known local resident, who was in the Homeland a short time ago, and who reached Hamilton this weea, found from experience. Second-class hotel accommodation at the very minimum in Eondon worked out at no less than £l4 a week. At that high figure the traveller found that the food and living accommodation did not nearly touch the similar standard of hotels in this country. The reported scarcity of several of the leading commodities in England was confirmed by the experience of a Hamilton resident, who was in the Homeland a short time back. The rationing system, sucu as was in vogue during Hie later years of the war still obtained. Sugar and butter are two lines that are very scarce throughout the country, and the allowance oi each at a meal gets down practically to vanishing ppint. In fact, it was that way witn the visitor that he did not bother looking for butter at all curing his stay in England. There have been recent further rises in some of the leading materials for builders’ requirements. A town contractor informed a Times representative to-day that bricks had advanced a further 9s a 1000, which worked out at the figure of about £5 10s to land here. Cement had also taken a financial jump of another 9s q ton. Great difiiculty was being experienced in obtaining joinery, and doors were practically unprocurable. There had also been .a big advance in the cost of these building necessities. For instance, a liin door, which cost 23s twelve months ago was now up to 425. “Even at that you can’t get them,” the builder commented.

Another or tnose highly popular dance-socials under the auspices of St. Mary's Catholic Club, will be held in the Hamilton Town Hall on Anniversary night, January 29. There will be a specially selected programme of music, and as the night will probably be warm, tennis or neglige dress may be worn. Special efforts . are being made io ensure thorough enjoyment, and as all similar functions in the past have proved very successful, St. Mary's Dramatic Society, in aid of whose funds the dance is being held, should benefit very materially. The sensational advance; in the price of rabbit-skins at the London fur sales recently recorded still continues, and the rise has ranged from 50 per cent to--100 per cent at a jump. Purs for making hats jumped from 18s to .'tis; per pound, and very little can be obtained at that price. A prominent hatter's furrier states that he spent the most harrassing and disastrous week of his career at the recent London salts. New Zealand skins, which were at one time 7d per pound and at the last sales 200 d, were quoted at 300 d, or 50s per dozen skins. It is said that some New Zealand catchers and exporters have made thousands of pounds during the last year.

A feat has just been accomplished by a Yorkshire firm of steeplejacks, who have straightened a stone chimney 100 feet high, which was leaning 2ft 9in. It threatened t-o collapse over a mill. A hole was made in the Opposite side, and 14 jacks, capable of bearing 300 tons, were inserted. The stones below the jacks were then removed, and the stack began gradually to right itself. The movement occupied five days. The stack has now been reported plumb,, and thp aperture will be built up. It is stated that the feat has never been: accomplished before in the case of a ston e chimney. This one is 100 yearaold.