LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18875, 20 February 1933, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Marooned. — A party of four mountaineers reached the Franz Josef Hostel on Saturday after being for 11 days on the Southern Alps. For 10 days they were marooned on Pioneer Ridge by storms.

A Narrow Escape. —Mr and Mrs Stark had a startling experience during a storm at Mokai. Lightning struck a telephone in the room in which they were sitting, and drove it across the room.

Cow Killed By Lightning. —During a spectacular thunderstorm at Olorohanga on Saturday a valuable pedigree cow was killed by lightning, which also tore down half a chain of fencing, splitting the posts and battens supporting it. The animal was owned by Mr P. 11. Rowe, of Kio Ivio.

Deep Sea Fishing. —Mr If. B. Watson, of Walton, fishing at Whangaroa, landed a swordfish of 2101 b., which, although comparatively light, provided him with remarkably good sport, leaping continuously until brought to the gaff.

Gold Dredging Material Exempt from Tax. —Material for gold dredging is exempt from the operations of the sales tax, according to an announcement made by the Minister of Finance, Mr J. G. Coates.

Price of Sugar Raised. —An increase of 10s a ton in the wholesale price of sugar is announced by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, Limited. All grades of raw and refined sugars, golden syrup and treacle are affected by the alteration, hut the prices of tablet and icing sguar remain unchanged.

Independents Wanted. —“lf we could sack the whole personnel of the present Parliament and replace them by independents we might get some sort of statesmanship in New Zealand.” — Mr W. Riddell speaking at a meeting of Gordonton settlers on Saturday Evening.

' Cathedral Festival. —The harvest festival, which opened at St. Peter’s Cathedral on Thursday was concluded yesterday when appropriate hymns and anthems were sung. The Bishop of Waikato preached at a Sung Eucharist in the morning and the sermon at evensong was preached by Canon Grant-Cowan, Vicar of St. Matthews’, Auckland City.

Rating for Hamilton Bridge.— "When the new’ Hamilton traffic bridge is built will our rates go up?” asked a county settler of Mr T. H. Henderson, riding member of the Waikato County Council, at a meeting at Gordonton on Saturday evening. “Yes,” replied Mr Henderson “but it will be by less than seven-eighths of a penny spread over the whole county." “Well, we won’t pay it," declared a woman listener emphatically.

Reliance on God. —"We have got so extraordinarily clever in so many directions these days that there doesn’t seem to be much chance for God to come in,” stated the Bishop of Waikato preaching at St. Peter's Cathedral yesterday morning. “As science progresses and our knowledge advances I can easily realise that it is difficult to understand just where God does come in. The harvest festival helps us to direct our thoughts on tilings upon which we are dependent in spite of our rapid advancement. We rely on God for everything we are and have."

Maori Member's Voluble Protest.— Exasperated at the long Labour stonewall in the House of Representatives, Mr Taite le Tomo (Government — Western Maori) gave vent to his feelings. Speaking in voluble Maori he appealed to the chairman and the Minister in charge of the hill to end the debate. "This is necessary in the interests of our health," he declared. “I have observed from the actions of some members that they are on the point of being unbalanced and I fear lest they should be reduced to a condition which one associates with an institution at Porirua.”

They Like Auckland Best. —At tho conclusion of Dame Sybil Thorndike’s successful season, at Auckland on Saturday night, loud applause brought the curtain up time and again, in a charming and sincere speech, on behalf of herself and the players, Dame Sybil thanked her Auckland audiences for their appreciation, stating that it had been a joy and a delight to appear before them. Dame Sybil’s husband, Mr Lewis Casson, also expressed Ids appreciation of the reception given the company in Auckland. Actors, he said, were often asked which town they liked the best, and lie and the other members of the company had no hesitation in putting Auckland at the top of the list.

Tourists Return. —A party of 50 tourists from the Cunard liner Carinthia, who have been visiting Rotorua, returned to Auckland last evening. They were enthusiastic regarding the thermal attractions of the district, and commented on the fact that the Maoris were of superior type to South Sea Island natives. .On the journey from Auckland the train arrived at Mamaku during the progress of the Mamaku sports. The final of the 1 Ain. standing chop contest was about to take place, and at Hie tourists’ request the train was delayed to enable them to witness the event. The Maori bushman who won the contest greatly impressed the American visitors with his prowess. Tho Carinlhia will sail at seven o’clock this evening for Wellington.

The Southern Cross. —it is practically certain that the Southern Cross will he down hack to Australia from New Zealand, Mr Wilfrid Kingsford Smith, business manager for Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's tour, said in Christchurch, but a decision will not lie made till a final report lias boon made by Dr. E. Kidson about Hie weather prospects for an ocean flight late in March. Four New Zealanders want lo ilv the Tasman on this trip, if il is made, and one of them is a woman. Mr ,1. Hereivai, who came over in the machine, lias, however, die first option of a seat for Hie return trip. “ Everything depends on Urn weather," lie said. “‘ It is rarely reliable round about Ihal lime. We want to 11 y back, but if the weather report is against us the old bus will be rraletl up and shipped back. My brother will not lake a risk."

New season’s Knitting Wools at last season’s prices. All landed in our store her.ire the increased charges. Now is the lime lo buy for the slocks are fresh and contain Hie new wanted siiades all going oil sale al. Sale Brices. \ capable lady demonstrator is in atimitlauee daily in our wool department to help you and give advice in ail classes of knitting. Nothing is nicer tlia'ii hand knitted woollen garments, so let us help you to make your spare time profitable. Learn to knit at Hooker and Kingstons, the Big Busy Drapers.* *

Civic Theatre Programme. —ln addition to the programme announced elsewhere, “ Men Wanted,” starring popular Kay Francis, will he screened at tiie Civic Theatre to-night. Band Concert. —The Waikato Regimental and Hamilton Municipal Band under the baton of Lieut. A. E. Savage, rendered a programme to a large and enthusiastic audience at Ferry Bank last evening. Sneak Thieves in Hamilton. —Sneak thieves were' busy in Victoria Street last night, about a dozen photographs of members of the Sybil Thorndike Dramatic Company being removed from a hoarding at the entrance to the Theatre Royal.

Mr J. J. Bailey, who has been accountant at the local branch of the Commercial Bank' of Australia, Ltd., lias been promoted to a similar position at tiie Palmerston North branch. Mr George Gillon, of the Wanganui branch, lias been appointed to succeed Mr Bailey.

Production on the Deoline. —The peak of the dairying production in the Otorohanga district has evidently been passed for the 1932-33 season, and there is now a slight but steadilyincreasing fall in the volume of cream being received at the central depots.

Difference In Pastures. —A Hamiltonian who returned from a holiday tour this morning states that the pastures In the Waikato and King Country are very green compared with those seen in the Wellington and Wairarapa districts. In tiie latter areas the fields present a very parched appearance.

Cambridge Unemployed. —The number of unemployed men enrolled in the Cambridge district totals 107. The men are engaged in cutting ragwort on Crown Lands, drainage work, and general labour for local bodies. The rate of pay is from 7s 9d to Ss a day for three days of the week, for married men.

Trade With Japan. —A resident of Hamilton, when on holiday in Wellington was impressed by the manner in which trade with Japan is growing. A Japanese vessel brought a record shipment to New Zealand, and on (he return voyage, took a record cargo, including thousands of bales of wool.

The Turnip Fly Several settlers whose turnip crops have been badly ravaged by the turnip fly, have taken advantage of the suitable weather conditions by harrowing and re-sow-ing the badly affected areas, hoping for a good late crop.

The Ragwort Monaco. —Despite the extraordinary efforts made this season to combat the ragwort menace, says an Otorohanga correspondent, there is abundant evidence that numberless plants are still seeding unchecked, to again re-sow cleared areas, and to seriously threaten the existence of the great dairying industry. The losses in Northern King Country from this cause are startling.

Teohnloai Old Pupils. —A most enjoyable day’s outing in Auckland was experienced by about 40 old pupils of the Hamilton Technical High School yesterday. Travelling by the excursion train, the party held a picnic on Cheltenham Beach, and later most of them went on board the Carinthia and thoroughly inspected the big luxury liner. The weather was perfect.

Record Attendance at Baths. —The attendance at the Hamilton municipal baths on Saturday afternoon was the best In four years. From 1.30 p.m. to 2.45 p.m., 327 people paid for admission, and the pool became so congested that the sale of tickets had to be suspended for an hour, until tiie 4 o’clock session.

Special Orchard Tax. —lt is gazetted that in addition to the general orchard-tax payable under section 3 of the Orchard Tax Act, the occupier of every orchard within the Te Kauwhata commercial fruitgrowing district shall in each year be liable to pay a special orchard-lax calculated at the rale of five shillings for every acre or part of an acre comprised in his orchard.