LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15314, 15 August 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day is the ninth anniversary of the departure of the Samoan Advance Guard from Now Zealand. This force consisted of 55 officers and 1304 men.

The planet Mercury will be very favourably placed for observation during the next three weeks, altnougii it is usually difficult to see, owing to its proximity to the sun.

The Kawatiri arrived at Lyttelton yesterday from Newcastle with 4000 ions of coal, said to be the first m:n?d since the strike. "Our road access to Orini is a lobster salad nightmare," was the "delicious" phrase used by three petitioners when writing to the Waikato County Council yesterday asking that their properties be transferred from an adjoining local authority to the county.

Cleansing, ventilation, sanitation and disinfection are hygienic features to which prominent attention will be given by the regulations which arc to come into force on October 1, dealing with theatres, picture halls and concert rooms. The owner of a hall must provide a minimum of 4 1-3 square feet of floor space area as seating space per occupant, exclusive of aisles and passageways. ■Mr. C. Parker, one nf (he candidates for a seat on the directorate of the New Zealand Co-operative Dair? Company, addressed a meeting of suppliers at Koroma! ua on Monday. There was a large attendance, considerable interest being shown. The candidate spoke on lines already reported, and at the conclusion answered a number of questions satisfactorily. He was accorded n vote of confidence. When the regulations dealing with cattle salcyards, under the Health Act of 1920, were before the Waikato County Council yesterday it was shown that some fairly stringent terms were comprised in them. Efficient drainage is essential, while pens, passageways and yards must be paved. An adequate water supply is another important stipulation, while the appointments require to be cleaned out within 24 hours of the termination of a sale.

It is worth while ladies visiting Hooker and Kingston's this week, for prior to closing their winter sale on Saturday next they have been busy the last few days cleaning up all oddments and other lines by further sacrificing the sale price. To-morrow they are selling three beautiful ladies' veleur coats for 59/6 which cost originally £6 15s. They arc smart, stylish coats, and this season's newest. Navy doctor flannel at 2/3 yard, double bed ticking 2/1, are items worth noting- Remember this is the last week to see these bargain, for the sale at Hooker and Kingston's positively ends on Saturday next. For underclothing:, iferm-laden liandkercliiers, etc., ".XO RUBBING" Laundry Help nas no equal. Gadd's Stores. 12 '

A petition, bearing 3761 signatures, has been presented to the House of Representatives, asking that the Wanganui racecourse he not allowed to be taken for commercial or railway purposes. The land was part of a public utility grant in 1861. The man, John >rcKenzle, who was found dead in a cowshed at Pukeatua on Sunday, was about 55 years of age, sft -tin in height, or medium build, wiWi grey hair and moustache, thin features, while his head was bald in front. The police are anxious to identify the man, and to get in touch with any relatives he may have. He is believed to have a brother-in-law or son-in-law in the Hamilton district.

The petition of Thomas Harle Giles; of Auckland, for compensation for deprivation of oOice as conciliation commissioner at Auckland, was reported to the House of Representatives by the Petitions Committee, with a recommendation that it be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The recommendation of the committee was adopted. The net profit of the State coalmines account for the year was £10,686, making a total from the inception of £,101,448. The gross capital expenditure on the whole undertaking is £539,102, and the total depreciation written off to date amounts to £276,927, equal to 51 per cent, on the gross capital expenditure.

*A commencement has been made with the formation of a farm school for youths at the lluakura Experimental Farm, and 20 students, whose ages range from 10 to 20 years, are being enrolled. Mr P. W. Smallfield, who has held the position of assistant instructor in agriculture in the Auckland district has been appointed to take charge of the instructional work. The Morrinsvillo school is suffering from the effects of the epidemic, ninety children, out of a roll number of 410, being absent, but it is thought many parents are keeping children home as a precautionary measure. Three children attending the infants* school aro reported to be suffering from diphtheria, and the school has been fumigated by the district health inspector.

The directors' life on the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Company's directorate is not altogether spent in a bed of roses. Just now the position has an added interest, in that Mr A. A. Rrook has served a Supreme Court writ on the company, to obtain payment of what is known as "that iSAd."* As the sum involved to all suppliers exceeds £25,0.00, the action ranks as an important one to the whole community.

Fifty-five men are employed on the Raugiriri deviation, and the metalling of the new section should be completed next month. To make the main road between Auckland and Hamilton reasonably negotiable during the coming summer the old rood running parallel with the deviation needs attention. This, it is suggested, could be done at comparatively low cost, following the work that .vus carried out last year. The Auckland Automobile Association is in touch with the Whanganiarino Road Board in this connection.

At a gathering in Perth, Australia, Dr. S. K. Datta, who is visiting New Zealand early in September, stated: "I looked beyond, and I saw our great Anglo-Saxon peoples fighting for centuries the' batlle for freedom. Even yet, though I have travelled much, England is the Mother of Freedom, the greatest free country I have ever known—England. Yes, she gave to the world a conception of freedom. Then there is the great democracy on the other side of the Atlantic which specialises in equality. Equality is its passion; Old England's is freedom. And fraternity and brotherhood? There is only one thing that has a passion for that, and that is the Kingdom of God."