LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18805, 29 November 1932, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Weight of Pedestrians. —According to a Wellington City Council traffic tally received by 'the Eastbourne Borough Council fifteen pedestrians make a ton.

Whisky Found Tn a Hedge.—While they were playing cricket in a paddock at Queenstown Road, Mount Roskill, Auckland, some boys found 12 •bottles of whisky hidden in a hedge. It is believed to he stolen property. Matson Line.—The United States Government will help the new Matson liners. They will continue to receive a subsidy and cheap Government loans. Each outward voyage means £35,700 in mail subsidy, and the interest on loans will be 2J per cent at most. Workers’ Motion Rescinded. —The Te Kuiti Unemployed Workers’ Association has decided to rescind its recent •resolution declaring camps in the Waitomo County “black." The association also passed a resolution breaking away from the Auckland Association of Unemployed. Phenomenal Onions. —Onions of a phenomenal size have been grown near Narrabri (New South Wales) in the sandy loam of Hie Pilliga scrub country. One onion weighed 211 b. and was almost 2ft. in circumference. Three smaller ones weighed 51b. each and had a girth of li inches. The same farm produced water melons 501 b. in weight.

Rooord Wool Clip.—A record wool clip for weight of fleece is predicted in Hawke’s Bay this season (states the Tribune). A line of 600 wethers shorn at the end of October yielded 22 bales of wool, the average weight of fleece per sheep being 1341 b. Another sheep farmer’s flock of ewes, wethers and hoggets yielded an average- of 121 b. of wool. These are not Isolated instances. Fire In Small Shop. Noticing smoke issuing from a small fruit shop occupied by Mrs Webber, on the corner of Commerce Street and Norton Road, Frankton Junction, about 8.15 last evening, a passer-by summoned' the Hamilton Fire Brigade, which arrived promptly on the scene. The outbreak was confined to rubbish underneath the shop counter. The shop contents were covered in the New Zealand Insurance Office for £SO. Little damage -was done. Devonport Ferry Company.—An interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum is announced by the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, Limited, for the half-year ended October 31. Last year an interim dividend at the rate of 6* per cent, per annum was paid, but the dividend for the year was 5 per cent. For-several years prior to 1931 the dividend was 7J per cent. Southwell School and Opera.— “ Ruddigore," presented at the Civic Theatre last night, is the eleventh production of Gilbert and Sullivan opera by the hoys of Southwell School. The series commenced with “li.'M.S. Pinafore,” in 1922, followed by “The Mikado," in 1923, “The Yeomen of Hie Guard” in 1924, “11.M.5. Pinafore" in 1925, “The Gondoliers" in 1926, Princess Ida" In 1 927, "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1928, “The Sorcerer" in 1929, “The Yeomen of the Guard” in 1930, and “The Mountebanks’’ last year. Gilbert and Sullivan opera is becoming one of the traditions of the school.

Mr Dalllmore's Statement Denied The accuracy of a statement made by Mr A. H. Dalllmore during his address at Auckland on Sunday evening was challenged yesterday by the Rev. W. Lawson Marsh, chairman of the committee of inquiry set up by the ministers of religion and the members of the medical profession. “ With reference to the statement that a man with a split skull, who had been cured at the revival lire mission had come before the committee of inquiry and they put him ‘to the third degree and worse,' I beg to state that no such man has ever been before our committee, ’’ said Mr Marsh. Traders' Finance. —A profit of jjoqqo, before making provision for income ta\ and directors’ fees, is slmwn in the eighth annual report of the Traders’ Finance Corporation. Limited, Auckland, for the year ended September .’ld. With £OOO brought forward, £3270 is available for distribution. After deducting preference dividend for the year, absorbing So, directors’ honoraria, £250, and providing i’fHnl for income tax, I lie directors recommend that the balance of £ •> 7should be carried forward As in I lie previous year, no ordinary dividend is recommended.

Purchase of Steamer. —The steamer Waitemata. which was purchased from the Union Steam Ship 'Company by the William Crosby Proprietary of Melbourne. is to be ’used to trade from Australian ports to the Levant, to Beirut, Alexandria and Tripoli.

Mishap to Scow. —A preliminary inquiry into the mishap to the scow Echo, which struck the rocks near Pencarrow Heart on Saturday night, capsized and was later lowed to Wellington, was held at Wellington ypsterday. The evidence will be considered by the Marine Department, which will decide whether a further inquiry is necessary. Fire at New Plymouth.—Prompt action prevented a serious outbreak of fire in the floor of the Farmers' Co-operative Society’s garage in New Plymouth. When Mr R. Rothery returned to the garage he found the building full of smoke. He jumped into the pit as the flames appeared and soon had them smothered. Journalists’ Prizes —ln the annual competition’ in journalism conducted by the New Zealand Journalists’ Association the first prize was won by Mr A. N. Rutledge, of the staff of the Christchurch Times and Christchurch Star. The second prize was won by Mr C. H. Williams, of the Christchurch Press, and the third prize by Mr G. Burns, of the Christchurch Times. Motor-Cyollst Injured. —Mr Louis Sherson, single, aged 25 years, was admitted to the Huntly Hospital yesterday suffering from a severe injury to his right foot sustained when he collided oil his motor-cycle with another motor-cyclist. Sherson, who is a share-milker, of Waiterimu, was riding from Waiterimu to Ohinewai.

Speedy Dlvoroe tn America. —The Hon. F. S. Ahvard, attorney-at-law in the State of Nevada and a member of the Nevada State Legislature, arrived at Auckland by the Aorangi from Vancouver yesterday on his way to Sydney. Reno is being rapidly displaced by the city of Las Vegas, in Nevada, as the the centre of easy and speedy divorce, according to Mr Alward. He said that under the Nevada law a person could file a divorce, have it granted the following day, and before the ink was dry on the pen that signed the decree, the Judge could remarry the person in his. chambers.

King Frost Overcome. —A Northumberland chemist, Mr J. Halbert, has discovered a remarkablo chemical which he claims can clear a street of snow within 15 minutes, and thaw a football field or racecourse in a morning, so that it does' not freeze again for a week. An exhaustive test of the new chemical was carried out on two sods of turf, one of which had been treated with the chemical, which were placed in a refrigerator for 24 hours. The sod that had been treated was perfectly soft when taken from the ice chamber, while the other was as hard as marble, but thawed within three hours after treatment. Need for Peace. —“We must either make peace by uniting into one world State, adopting one system of money, a universal police force, one speech, and one brotherhod, or live in fear and- danger of death,” said Mr H. G. Wells, in a broadcast, speech on recent developments in communications. Where formerly there was wide dispersal, said Mr Wells, now there is bunching up. There ought to be preparation for the consequences, but, instead of that, the position as he saw it prompted the question, “Will there be no foresight until the bombs begin to descend?” Adventure with Bulls.-— A horseman had a narrow escape from serious injury on the Tiraumea road, Turn kina Valley recently (reports a Maslerton correspondent of tho Marlborough Express), when he was charged by an infuriated hull. Mr K. Reynolds, in company with Mr J. McGregor, was driving three Hereford bulls along the road when the beasts suddenly went

“ on the prod ” and started fighting among themselves. Mr Reynolds was about to ride up in an attempt to intervene, when one of the bulls whipped round and charged straight at him. Mr Reynolds immediately wheeled his horse, but was too late to avoid the impact, and the horse and rider went over a steep bank with the enraged bull after them. The rider fell clear and managed to scramble away unhurt, but the horse was badly ripped and had to be destroyed. In the meantime the bull bad quietened down and submitted to being driven away. Escapees Still at Largo. —The two prisoners, Arthur Albert Clayton, aged 20, and Graham Wilfred Morton, aged 21, who escaped from the Borstal Institution at Waikeria on Saturday, had not been recaptured yesterday. During yesterday morning, a flve-seater Chrysler touring car, with the registered number 50-770, was stolen from Okoroire. It was the property of Mr F. Goodwin. Shortly after the theft of the car was reported to tiie police, the Chevrolet motor van, owned by the Cambridge ElectricPower Board, which had been stolen from Leamington in the early hours of Sunday, was- found abandoned near Okoroire. It was believed that the escaped prisoners had stolen the van and the theory now is that they have exchanged it for a more powerful car.

Mansion for Five Shillings. —After taking shelter from the rain in an auction room in Glasgow to-day, Mrs Mary Reid, a widow, became the owner of a mansion and an acre and a-half of ground for ss. The property formerly belonged to the late Mr W. H. Coats, millionaire cotton manufacturer, and he lived in it when he was married. Mrs Reid heard the auctioneer ask for a bid of £SOO. Finally, in despair, he asked for ss, and Mrs Reid bid that sum. There being no oilier bid, she secured the property to the surprise of the crowd. The auctioneer explained that he had no option, there being no reserve. The place, which is untenanted and dilapidated, has no ascertainable values, but the rates, assessed on rental value, come to £9O a year, and the ground rent Is £4O. The price is un-prece dented, but Lord Trent’s mansion at Nottingham, wh.icb cost £OOOO, was sold recently for £7.

A Courageous Policy. —“ Politically a Coalition Government of the United and Reform Parties is in power in Now Zealand, with Labour in Opposition.’’ says Mr L. A. Paish, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner in Now Zealand, in his latest report to the Department of Overseas Trade in Britain. “The Government's policy is |o balance its Budget and pay its way without having recourse to large loans or inflation. The carrying oul ot this policy has entailed legislation imposing reductions of salaries, rents, ami interest; these reductions, whilst supported as necessary evils by some, are blllorly opposed by others. II is a matter for mugratula lion that, whatever he the relative merits of the two opposing views, those in power have the courage to bring forward far-reaching measures which they believe to he necessary for the rehabilitation of the country, even though those measures lie unpopular with many.’’

Wellington Theatre. —Accounts of Wellington Queen's Theatre Company. Limited, for tho year ended October 31, disclose a net profit of £1203. compared with £1529 last year. The directors have deferred the question of a dividend payment until the annual meeting.

Cheap Stock. —Anyone with a shilling in liis pocket might have been tempted to undertake a mild speculation at the Lorneville stock sale this week, as a cow changed hands for a shilling. A farmer sent a bull call' to one of the Invercargill auction rooms last week. Ho paid the carrier Is to take the animal down, the auctioneer received 3d in commission, the net return to the former being 9d. — Southland Times. Vice-Regal Residence of Christohuroh.—“When I was Mayor ol Christchurch," said Dr. H. T. Thacker at a meeting of tho Port Christchurch League, "I tried to get a Governor’s residence in this city, tout there was nothing suitable. Now we have something suitable In Mrs A. Morten’s residence at Mount Pleasant, .standing in four acres and a-half and possessing every facility for a Vice-Regal residence." Several Parliamentary Bills Ready. —Among the bills which it is understood the Government is anxious to introduce before the end of the session are the Fire Brigade Amendment Bill, relating chiefly to the creation of one large tire board for the Auckland Metropolitan area; the Local Body Officers-’ Bill, which It Is believed relates to the establishment of standard qualifying examinations for local bodyofficers; and minor amendments to the Post and Telegraph, Public Works, Education and Copyright Acts.

Vigilant Police An amusing incident occurred at about 3 o’clock one morning recently which demonstrates Iho increased vigilance of the local police as a result of the recent, bombing episodes (says the Greymouth Star). After leaving several pals, with whom he had spent the evening, a young man, resident of Alexander Street, began to run home. lie had not gone far, however, when he was "headed off” by two constables on bicycles. He was not a little surprised at being accosted, but the constables went further than that —they searched him. Finding nothing incriminating, they allowed him to proceed.