LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15283, 9 July 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It Is officially announced that the Otira tunnel will bo opened on August

The Now Zealand bowlers defeated Sandgatc by 218 to 122.

It is said that Mr W. R. Fox lias booked JOn seals for his pupils and orchestra for the Gerardy concert on Thursday night.

Two of the four prisoners who escaped from the. Mount Eden prison quarry on Friday morning were still at liberty at a late hour last night. The weather in Hamilton during the week-end was delightful, severe frosts in the mornings being followed by brilliant sunshine, which was much appreciated after weeks of wot weather.

Auckland tea merchants have decided lo reduce the price of tea by 4d a pound. This follows upon the reduction of 3d a pound in duty anr nounccd in the Budget last week. The report of the Commission inquiring into the loss of the Douglas Mawson says that the vessel went to sea without a barometer or wireless apparatus, hut was in a seaworthy condition with competent officers and an efficient crew. The report recommends that vessels trading in Gulf waters should be equipped with wireless. No evidence was available as to the fate of the vessel. Problems of the telephones, past and future, were described by Dr. J. A. Fleming, the inventor of the wireless valve, at the Institution of Electrical Engineers on the occasion of his giving the Kelvin memorial lecture. He gave a glimpse of the future by dascribing the giant valves with which enormous power will be dealt with in long-distance telephones. At the Magistrate's Court, Te Awamutu, several settlers were fined for exposing lice-infected sheep in the Te Awamutu saleyards, and others for failing to eradicate noxious weeds or rabbits. Mr Platts, S.M., in imposing comparatively small lines, said that the Justice Department had issued instructions that heavy fines should not bo indicted upon backblock farmers at'the present juncture, as there were many cases of hardship as a result of the abnormally wet season.

Bidding each other a friendly goodbye, at Paddington station thirtyseven years ago, Ambrose Knight and his wife did not meet again until the other day, when Mrs Knight applied for a separation order. She said that her husband in 1886 persuaded her to visit friends at Oxford. When she returned she found that her home had been sold up, and she never heard of her husband again until March, when she learned that ho was still alive, and had been living at Belfast. Knight was ordered to pay his wife 10s a week. At Auckland last week an elderly retired contractor, named James Jackson, of "Whangarei, was lined £25 with costs for failing to give answers to Customs ofuoials regarding his baggage landed from the R.M.S. Rotorua. Defendant paid duly on some goods, but a locked trunk which he did not desire to have opened was found to contain dutiable goods. The collector remarked that it was defendant's third trip to the Old Country. "If people have got the time and the money to go to England, the least they can do on returning is to make a proper declaration."

With a view to making more widely known the potentialities for future development of Te Kuiti and the surrounding district, a pamphlet has been issued, a copy of which is to hand. The publication, which was produced under the auspices of the Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, is profusely illustrated and attractively got up. It sots out in convincing fashion the developmental possibilities and residential advantages of the town and district, and will be read with interest by everyone it reaches. To Kuiti is to bo congratulated upon the enterprise of its Chamber of Commerce in thus bringing under more general notice the marked progress already made and to be expected in the near future by this centre of the King Country. American files reveal a crescendo of anxiety about the enormous toll of life taken in the country by the motor. Statistics have been prepared to show that one person in 10,000 is killed each year, or, put differently, that one of every thousand motorists is a homicide every twelve months. In Britain motoring is infinitely safer than in the United States. This is undoubtedly due to the combined effect of simple regulations sanely administered, and of the consistent propaganda of the Automobile Association. It is not due to any wonderful system of competency examinations for drivers, for no such tests have over been required. The British driver applies for and sets ( a license, which ranks as merely an identification ticket. For the rest he must behave himself or go off the roads. In America, on the other hand, official examinations arc compulsory, and, moreover, the roads swarm with special police and other "direct action" instruments of the law. The police, for all their pug-nacily, fail to maintain safely on the highways. Despite the very prominent part played in the lale war by representatives or the Commonwealth, and the great publicity given to Australia on that account, the amount of ignorance still displayed in regard to Australia by many residents in English-speaking communities is remarkable, says the Melbourne," Age' Writing of his ex- , pcriences at the Yale University, a Victorian student (Mr Carter), states that " it is no exaggeration to say that the American knows very little about Australia. I did not meet one who knew how many Australian States there are. To them Australia is a small place, mostly desert, with many kangaroos; a place of advanced and cft'ten experimental legislation, situated in the southern seas near the antipodes. An extreme case was the man who wanted to know "who was King there now!" In regard to the "colour" question, the writer declared that many thoughtful Americans regarded the colour question of the soulh witli consternation. There were over ten million negroes who had so far received but the rudiments of education, the temperament of the negro at present reflected his recent emancipation; but what would lime do? Ho (Mr Carter) had met many men of several nations, and had learned to Hunk colour was not everything. At the same time he remained " thoroughly sound for the white Australia."

Men ! You can bo as dry as a bone 10-day by wearing- one of those, waterproof Army Service capes, obtainable at Hooker and Kingston's at 8s ild. This linn has sold hundreds during the last few days—they arc ideal fur cycling, driving, walking and children going to school, as they will resist Hie heaviest downpour of rain. Only a few loft; secure yours 10-day. if posted, include one shilling extra. — Hooker and Kingston, 1.U!., the Big Busy Drapers of Hamilton.* Progandra Quickly cures Corns. Is (id. Barraelough's Magic Ner v (ne cures Toothache. Is 6d«

Woollen articles that have shrunk cen be improved by being washed in soapsuds and rinsed in clean soapsuds instead of clean water. Repeated washing in this way restores them lo their original size and fluffmess.

The basket ball results on Saturday wore:--Senior Grade, Convent ISO v. High School B 7; Old Girls 8 v. Technical A 0; High School A M v. Technical J! 0. Junior grade: Convent 32 v. Sonnmg B 1; Sonning A 18 v. High School 2.

An agreement has been reached between Sydney and Victorian artists. A writ to restrain Sydney artists from despatching Victorian exhibits was withdrawn. It is understood that while some Victorian pictures will remain in Australia, others of smaller dimensions will he included in the selection for the London Exhibition. A serious accident occurred on the ftaynor's Road level crossing, lluntly. Just as the Rotorua express was due, an employee of Mr G.-Knight was riding .along Raynor's Road, and not observing the approaching train, rode right on to the metals in front of the engine. Having no time to do anything else ho threw himself off the horse, -and escaped personal injury, but the horse was caught by the engine and instantly killed.

An unusual method or quelling a Belfast riot was described by Lieutenant Mills in the course of his address at the Otago Officers' Club. A party of loyalists at one end of a street was "exchanging compliments" with a party of Sinn Feiners at the other end, and in the middle was a patrol, the duty of which was to prevent a clash between the rival parties. The officer in charge of the patrol approached the Loyalist party, and offered to give it a Sinn Fein flag which he possessed if the members would go quietly home. This was eventually agreed upon, and the party, after burning the flag in view of its opponents, dispersed. Fashion usually moves in circles, but at times indulges in curiously sudden regressions or diversions. A short tmio ago the London shops were full of dresses and trimming with an Sg-'i)-tian "flavour," and such a label as "Luxor" was a potent aid to business. The death of Lord Carnarvon had an immediate effect, states the London correspondent of the Australasian. Just as many foolish people had an uneasy suspicion that the death of the Earl was in some way traceable to his archaeological discoveries, so they came to the conclusion that Egyptian fashions were unlucky. To-day London shopkeepers say that women will not have Egyptian trimmings at any price. Tutankhamen is strong in death as in life.

Going his rounds one morning - - . trapper discovered a hawk caught by the foot, and as he approached to release it the bird flew up dragging the trap with it. Handicapped by the weight of the trap its flight was low and short, and the trapper gave chase but, being handicapped by a war product in the shape of a stiff leg, his best efforts just failed to grab the trap. Unseen by him a bull had fallen into line, and was following up closely, checking when the procession checked and quickening his pace if the chase was renewed, to the amusement of the trapper's mate, who finally called: " Charley, look behind." Charley looked, and his subsequent sprint to the nearest fence was guaranteed to have caught the hawk at the first attempt.

A countryman of Mr Lloyd George had an experience recently that would test the average man (remarks the Grey River Argus), lie was a passenger by the 4 p.m. train from Yv'cstport to Ngakawau, and was taking with him as excess luggage a bag of cement. Approaching an official of the Railway Department he inquired the cost of the parcel. " Sixpence," said the official. Later he met another official, and proffered the 6d. " That will be one and nineponce," said the other. Feeling that all was not right, the Welshman decided to get the payment over as soon as possible, and sought the counter to pay. "That will be two and cigbtponce!" said the official at the counter, and 2s 8d it was. But Lloyd George himself could not have been more loquacious than his countryman in explaining the incident to his fellowpassengers.