LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15312, 13 August 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

His -Worship the Mayor acknowledges receipt of 5s from "A.G." for the Necessitous Persons' Relief Fund. The Waikato-West Coast RailwayBoard, which is to be elected on October 4, will comprise nine members. The line has already been trimmed for some three miles beyond Waihi, and it is anticipated that the section will bo completed and ready for traffic well before the close of the coming year. Proceedings in connection with a loan of £llOO, proposed 'to be raised by the Hunga Hunga Drainage Board, are validated by an Order-in-Gouncil appearing in, the current Gazette.

Mr. Richard Bottes, a member of the Dover Rowing Club, has performed the feat of rowing across the Channel in a 51b. Ford folding-boat, in order to win a prize of £IOO offered by the makers. He landed at "Wissant, after a voyage of 8.5 hours.

With the improvement in the weather conditions good progress is being made with the formation work on the Rangiriri deviation, on which there are 55 men employed. The metalling of the new section will be commenced next monah, and should bo completed in time to take the traffic next winter. Cattle buyers are operating in the Wanganul district, and it is reported that a line of bullocks are being sold for Auckland at £l4 per head. This is the highest price paid for beef cattle locally since the slump three years ago, and is an indication that the rates are on the advance.

A successful rabbit poisoning venture is reported from a Manawatu locality. Tiie method employed was to spread carrots for three days and then set out further quantities of the vegetable impregnated with poison on the fourth day. The result of one night's operations was the demise of 90 rabbits Civilians first wore spats after accounts reached England of the gallant fight put up by the Highland regiments at Lucknow. "We were all anxious to imitate them in some manner," writes an authority on the history of dress. "The kilt was palpably impossible in our English towns and cities, and in a scrutiny of the Highland dress there was nothing so suitable for adoption as the spat; so the spat we look. For a lime it was quite the rage in London. Every man and every youth made his display of spats; and even when the novelty and the remembrance of ils origin died away the wearing of the spat continued." An interesting discovery of tin lias been reported from the Northern Territory. 'The Commonwealth Minister for Home and Territories has received advice from the Administrator of the Northern Territory that the locality of the new llnd is on the west side of the King River, and 10 miles north of the crossing on the main road, between Katherine anil ftlaranboy. King River is about 20 miles from the Katherine telegraph station. Six inches of clean tin ore specimens, which have been sent to Darwin, are slated to be practically clean tin, and to carry about PS per cent, of metal.

Now is the time to furnish before Hooker and Kingston's sale ends, for all floorcoverings and curtains are marked down to the very lowest. For Instance heavy Axminslcr carpetrunner 27 inches wide is now 12s ltd usuallv lis lid, best English linoleums'from 7s 7(1 running yard. Real mohair door slips in all colours 6s 6d, tapestry slipmats 3s 7id, bordered casement cloth 11 Jd. These will give you some Idea of the money that can bo saved by furnishing at Hooker and Kingston's before the sale eatls.*

Christchurch folks arc inclined to complain about the weather (remarks the "Press"). An exception is a Christchurch business man who has returned from eight weeks' visit to Auckland. During that period, he slates, there were only two showers —one lasting three weeks and the other five weeks. The main difficulties in connection with brodge work at the Waihi end of the East Coast railway have now been overcome, and it is expected that in the course of three of four months it will be possible to push forward the laying of the permanent way of the WaihiAthcnrce section of the line without interruption. The address of a letter received at the office of the Westport Times from Lahore, India, gave a very crude idea as to the whereabouts of "Westport and the dominions. The letter was addressed: Messrs Tyrsell and Co. (office of West Port and Evening Star), Westport (Buller), near Timaru, Australasia, New Zealand.

Members of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council were entertained on Saturday by Mr. J. A. Young, the Chairman of Committees of the House. During the gathering highly complimentary references were made to Mr. Young and to his fitness for the important office to which he has attained. Mr. Young also entertained the members of the Parliamentary press gallery. A rather good record has been put up by the Eketahuna Post Office this week, says the "Express." Of an original staff of eight, six were totally incapacitated by influenza. One relieving man was obtained from Masterton, and with a scratch staff drawn from the telephone construction the business of the office has been kept going. The service has been amazingly good in the circumstances.

The old six-roomed homestead of Mr J. P. Robinson, of Hautapu, was completely destroyed by fire on Friday night. The occupants were all asleep at the time of the fire, and had a narrow escape, getting out only in their night attire. Nothing was saved. The house was insured in the National Insurance Company for £4OO, and there was £IOO on the piano. There was also another policy on the house. The annual report of the Lands Department on scenery preservation states that although financial considerations prevented the purchase of much land for scenic purposes during the year, it was found practicable to proclaim no less than 64>000 acres of land, of Which, however, 60,000 acres was comprised in one reserve taken out of the West Coast Sounds.

A district player who received a slight kick at football about three weeks ago, has been in a private hospital in Palmerston (reports' the Manawatu Times) for the past week, suffering from a peculiar affection which caused his head to rest on right shoulder. The latest report says it is hoped that he may recover in a few weeks.

A somewhat interesting point in connection with a judgment summons was mentioned in a case in Hawera (relates the Hawera Star). His Worship said that a debtor had no right to be paying old debts voluntarily and neglecting an order of the Court in another debt. But he added that if a man was pressed to pay any debts the fact of a judgment summons would be accepted as a reasonable excuse for not paying them.