LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17076, 13 April 1927, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Another 20 Chinese arrived at Auckland yesterday from Sydney by the Marama. Thirteen arrived the day before by the Niagara.

An unusual penning at Frank ton on Tuesday consisted of a billy goat and three nannies. The quartette found a new owner at live shillings apiece. A single man, Charles Montague Mann, was ordered by Mr Wyvcrn Wilson, S.M., at the Hamilton Police Court to-day to pay 15s a week for maintenance of his child.

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Rotorua District High School was performed yesterday by the Minister of Education, Hon. R. A. Wright.

For failing to attend drill Raymond Trevor Child, aged 17 years, was fined 5s and ccsts 10s, by Mr Wyvern Wil - son, S.M., at the Hamilton Police Court this morning. It was stated that Child had attended only six parades out of 27.

A potential purchaser of sheep* was -in a pen “mouthing” some of the occupants as they were being put up at Frankton on Tuesday. “That’s right,” said the auctioneer encouragingly, “show off their teeth; beautiful ivory.” The opening bid for a pen of cattle at Frankton had been well below what the auctioneer declared was their value. “All right then; when you can buy a sovereign for ten bob, that’s the lime to get in,” he added by way of encouraging others. Advice was received from Wairakei yesterday that the condition of Mr G. It. Moorcroft, the motor-cyclist who was injured in the reliability trial from Hamilton to Taupo on Sunday, was slightly improved. Mr Moorcroft is suffering from concussion and a bruise over the heart.

At the annual meeting of the Waikato Hockey Association the introduction of the game into the schools was mentioned and a recommendation was sent forward to the incoming executive to consider this matter fully. The sum of £4O was set aside for this purpose. The stock auctioneer has expressions peculiar to that business, as for instance "I’vo got it downstairs,” to indicate to a bidder on the rails that another standing on tho ground has mado u similar offer. “Broad as the pen" was another expressive description applied to a well-finished beast at Frankton on Tuesday.

“All the speculators are here and they won’t offer me five bob for her,”

remarked an auctioneer at Frankton as he endeavoured to elicit a bid for a very lame cow, which had advertised her plight by lying down in the pen, "She’s only got a sore foot, and would enjoy a ride in the ambulance.” Eventually someone came to light with a “dollar” bid and got her.

An American visitor, Mr C. Dumars, cannot understand why New Zealanders have to pay 2s a gallon for petrol, against 7d on East Coast of the Paciilc. The freighters bringing oil, he says, must bo better paying propositions than mai.l boats. Freighters load at Los Angeles for Eastern Ports of America through the Panama- Canal, a journey as long as that across the Pacific, yet the price on the Eastern coast of America is only lOd.