LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18808, 2 December 1932, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Frost This Morning. —A very late frost was experienced in Hamilton this morning, when 2.5 degrees (grass temperature) were registered at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction. Gold Found at Takapuna. —'Fine grains of gold have been found in the sand on one of the beaches along the Takapuna foreshore. Application lias been made for a prospecting licence, kins and D. E. Mallns. Magisterial Inquiry. —A magisterial inquiry will be held concerning the mishap of the scow Echo shortly. Tho dale and the names of the assessors have not been announced. Fluctuations In Gold. —Gold on Thursday was quoted in London at £6 7s Sid, ’as against Wednesday’s price of £6 10s Sd.

Settlement Roached. —A settlement has been reached at New Plymouth in the sawmills and timberyards’ dispute In a conciliation council, but the new award will cover only mills in Taranaki towns, country districts being deleted. A reduction in wages of about 20 per cent, is involved and the overtime rate is reduced from time and-half for the first four hours and double lime after that to time and a-quartcr and lime and a-half respectively.

Motor-Cyclist Without Lights.— William .1 olm Linuncr, charged before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court this morning with riding tiis motor-cycle on the Ilamillon-Ngaruawahia Road without, a head or tail light was lined 20s, with costs 10s, on a charge of having no head light and ordered to pay costs on the other.

London Times Batanco Sheet. —The Times Publishing Company has just issued its report Mr the year 1931-32, showing profits of £3153. The figure for the previous year was £134,343, and for the one before that £230,373. The drop is, of course, fully explained by Hie fall in advertising, for many firms have fell compelled Ha contract their expenditure, on this head, though others, more couragroiis and perhaps more wise, have decided that there is greater need for advertising Ilian ever. Hut one highly remunerative class of advertisement, the company prospectus, from which papers of the type "l I lie I'imes always benefit most., has gone- into eclipse altogether though in recent weeks Hito'e have been signs of a ro- \ iv-iL

Bankruptcies In New Plymouth.— Three bankruptcies were recorded in the New' Plymouth district in November as against Iwo in November, 1931.

Art Union Drawing. —The drawing of “My Lucky Day" art union will commence at 9 a.m. to-morrow, (Salurday), December 3, in the concert chamber, Town Hall, Wellington.

Grand Opera Not Returning.— Information has been received that the proposed return season of the Williamson Grand Opera Company at Auckland has been cancelled.

Cambridge Vital Statistics. —Vital statistics for the Cambridge district for November are as follows, with the figures for November, 1931, in parentheses: Births 9 (7), deaths nil (nil), marriages 3 (3).

Taxation on Beer. —The chairman of Tooth’s Brewery, Sydney, in addressing the annual meeting, remarked that excise and other forms of Taxation hgd absorbed 70 per cent, of the selling price of beer. No other industry was carrying such a burden of taxation.

Awards Cancelled. —Notice that further awards are to be cancelled was given in last night’s Gazette. The list includes the Northern District Tailoresses’ Award, which will be cancelled on December 19, and the New Zealand Typographers’ Award, which will he cancelled on December 28.

Te Aroha Pupil’s Flight, —The first pupil of the Te Aroha Aero Club to make a solo flight, Mr Fraser Jones, took one of the Auckland Aero Club's Moth machines for a short trip yesterday. Te Aroha pupils are trained by Flight-Lieutenant D. M. Allan, the Auckland club’s instructor. Mr Jones had seven hours’ dual instruction prior to his first solo trip.

Local Body Officers’ Examinations. —The Local Government Officers Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday. The object ol the bill Is to make provision for the granting of, certificates and diplomas in local government, and for that purpose to constitute a Local Government Examination Board. The bill was read a second lime pro forma to enable it to be referred to the Local Bills Committee.

Rates Paid at Thames. —Since the commissioner, Mr C. L. Grange, assumed control of the Thames borough finances, a system of payment of rates in half-yearly instalments has been instituted and the response on the peart of ratepayers has been very gratifying. A considerable amount has already been collected, and payments are being received at present to a very satisfactory extent considering the difficult limes.

Bessemer Steel. —The new Bessemer steel works at Corby, Northamptonshire, are to be erected by Stewart, Lloyd, Ltd. Bessemer steel was originally manufactured in Britain, which is now' dependent upon America and other foreign producers. It Is hoped that Stewart, Lloyds enterprise will enable Britain (to (regain her independence. As a result of the Ottaw’a Conference, an American company, operating in Canada, has ordered 1,000,000 boxes of tin plates.

Goes Out of Existence. —After a life of practically twenty years the Tc Awamutu Club went out of existence this week, when its property in Bank Street was disposed of to the Te Awamutu Borough Council for use as a library. A general meeting of the members on Tuesday confirmed the sale, and took (he necessary steps for the winding up. Then the members entertained a number of guests to a progressive euchre tournament. The tournament was won by Mr J. IL Hutchinson, with Mr A. S. Wallace second.

Kindness to Animals. —The annua! report of tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, at Auckland, states that in addition to a number of successful prosecutions, tiie officers of the society investigated no fewer than 205 complaints regarding cruelty to animals, 81 animals injured in streets accidents were dealt with, 88 animals were given first aid, 77 animals were found homes, and 741 animals were humanely destroyed, including 165 dogs and 558 cals.

Carnival at Hastings. —The Hastings carnival entered upon Its third day without the slightest sign of abatement of public interest. The principal feature of the festivities has been the wonderful procession in the evening, comprising about 500 entries. These include nearly 300 vehicles, carrying trade, decorative and humorous exhibits. The half-holiday yesterday was celebrated with a spectacular fete at the racecourse, which was attended by over 20,000 people. Another notable attraction has been daring “stunt" flying day and night by Flying-Officer Gerrand.

Tobacoo Company's Profit of £43,411.—The annual report of the directors of the National Tobacco Company, Limited, states that cash in hand and at bankers amounts to £70,315. After deducting all charges and allowing £22,000 for income lax there is a balance of £43,411 net profit for the year. To this must be added the balance of £1709 brought forward last year, making a total of £45,210. The directors recommend again the distribution of a dividend of 15 per cent, on ordinary shares and 8 per cent, on preference shares. A net profit of £33,451 was shown by the company last year. A dividend of 15 per cent, lias been paid on ordinary shares for several years.

New Slaughtering Methods.—The new system of slaughtering sheep and lambs, which involves an extended use of the principle of division oi labour, is being widely used throughout. the Nor-11l island. Many freezing works have adopted the idea, inelu ling Westfield, Southdown, Moerewi, Iloroliu, Tomoana, Whakatu, Long burn, Ngahauranga, Imlay (Wanganui, and Wilding. Instead of each slaughlerman carrying out the complete operations of killing, skinning and dressing the animals, the new syslem involves separate duties being performed by different men.

Metalling Great South Road.—An Order-in-Councll conscnllng to tin: raising of a loan of £23.000 by Hie Franklin County Council was "a/.elled lasi evening. The loan is for meeting the council's share of the ro S | of realignmenl. reeonslrueiion ami permanent surfacing of the isoim-t-il's secllnn of Hie Great South Hoad main highway, including Hie Bombay Hills devialion. hill excluding ilia! .seelion of Ihe present liighvvay over Hi,. Ua/.orbaek belwej’n liie ends of Die deviation, 'l'lie loan is also lo cover Ihe emmed's share of liie cos! of Ihe land plan survey and legislation of Ihe devialion. com pensa I ion for Hie land lo hr I a hen and liie fencing a.id removal of power and telephone Ii:i• s involved in the work.

An Overloaded Lorry. —Because he carried a greater load than lie was licensed to carry on a road at Rukuhia, Ruben Gordon, a Hamilton carrier, was lined -ids, with costs 10s, by Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court tins morning. On a further charge of ■operating Ids vehicle with a greater load than the road classification permitted defendant was ordered to pay costs 10s. ,

Lorry Exceeds Speed Limit. —A fine of 40s, with costs 12s, was imposed on Eric Bowen (Mr A. E. Webb) by Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court this morning, when he was charged with exceeding the speed limit in a lorry on the Hamilton-Ngaruawahia Road. Traffic Inspector R. Metcalf told the Bench that Bowen was travelling at 38 miles an hour along the Te Rapa stretch.

Allegation of Theft. —Charged with the theft of a purse containing £2 13s, the property of Edna Evelina Snookcs, and sundry articles valued at £2 13s, the property of Helen Sara Belhune, Francis Ilalligan, aged 35 years, who was arrested by Constables G. E. Callaghan and F. N. Aplin in Hamilton last evening, was remanded until Wednesdav, when he appeared before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court this morning. Mr W. J. King’s application for bail was refused. The money and artiolcs enumerated in the information were alleged to have been taken from a dwelling-house.

An Ancient Coin. —When digging in his garden recently a Wellington police constable unearthed a copper coin which was handed to an Evening Post reporter for identification. .The coin was ;referred to the president of tire Numismatic Society, the Rev. D. G. Rates, who states that it was struck in the reign of Louis XYI of France, and is apparently dated 1780, which is seven years prior to the outbreak of the French Revolution, when the King was decapitated and many refugees were driven to England. “If the coin could tell us its history,” continues Mr Bates, “ it might have a story of its association with one of thd refugees, or it may have been a trophy of a soldier or sailor in the Napoleonic wars, it may then have been brought to New Zealand by one of our pioneers, and in the days when coin was scarce would have been freely circulated. Later, when regarded as ‘ bad ’ money, or a curiosity, it may have been given to a child as a plaything and lost in a Wellington garden.”