LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19762, 18 December 1935, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Kingsford Smith Fund. —A Sydney paper states that the Kingsford Smith Fund has reached £IB9B 3s.

Rowing Club for Blind. —A rowing club has been formed for Inmates ol the Auckland Social Club for the Blind. British War Loan. British war loan, 3J per cent., sold in London yesterday at £lO5 10s, compared with £lO6 3s 9d on December 12. Gold Shares in London. —Bulolo gold shares sold in London yesterday at £6 15s, compared with £6 9s Sid on Friday; New Guinea, 4s 9d, as compared with 4s 6 7-Bd. Currency In London. —Gold in London was quoted yesterday at £7 Is lid per oz., the dollar at 4.923, and the franc at 74£, the same as the previous day. Community Services. —To-night the Wanganui Rotary Club has arranged an evening for the purpose of stressing community service. It is intended to pay tribute to those who play important parts in the' city’s welfare. Preferred Gaol to Wife. —A prison sentence- " so I can escape my wife ” is the request which has been -made to a Los Angeles judge by a man charged with forging cheques worth £7/ “If I don’t get away from her,’ 1 he declared, “ I am going to drink myself to death.” Little Time For Parties.— Mrs H. W. Melrose, mother of the aviator, on arrival at Fremantle recently, said that her son is so keen on aviation that he has very little time for late nights, parties, or even smoking. Mrs Melrose thinks he is a born aviator, and says he is very like her brother, Mr Pemberton Billing, the English aviator.

Milk in Britain. —The great increase in milk production in Britain was commented on by Mr J. 11. Maggs, chairman of directors, at the annual ( meeting of United Dairies, Limited, In London. ' Following increases in the company’s purchases of milk of 4,000,000 gallons in 1933 and 5,000,000 gallons in 1934, the figure rose by a further 12,500,000 gallons in 1935, lie said.

IWamaku Hills Road.— A request is made to motorists to travel slowly over the newly-laid bitumen from the top of the Mamaku Hills Road to Ngongotaha during the next few days. The road has received only a light coat of tar, and efforts are being made to complete the relaying of the road before Christmas, without taking the step of closing the road to traffic altogether.

Work For V.M.C.A. At a social gathering of the Hamilton Rotary Club last evening opportunity was taken by the president, Dr. 11. E. Annett, to express the -club’s regret at the impending departure of Mr C. L. Cato from Hamilton. Dr. Annett, in making reference to the work that Mr Cato had carried out for the Y.M.G.A. during his residence in Hamilton, stated that in this regard he would be missed by both Y.M.C.A. and Rotary Club members..

Hamilton Writer’s Suooess. —The winning story in the New Zealand Women Writers and Artists’ Society’s competition, written by Mrs E. Morton (Ngaire Andrews), a daughter of Mr Lawrence Andrews, of Hamilton, is given prominence in the December issue of the New Zealand Railways Magazine. In a Christmas setting, the story unfolds a simple but intriguing plot expressed in a pleasant, straightforward style.

Imperturbable Dog. —lndifferent to the busy shopping -crowds parading past him, a setter, -sprawled out on -the pavement -of Victoria Street, caused some amusement this morning. A little boy trailing behind liis mother -accidently trod on liis tail but the dog only raised bis head lazily, yawned and resumed his slumber. The dog remained there, oblivious apparently to the noise and bustld, for most of the morning.

Fast Shearing. —A total of 950 sheep for a nine-hour day comprised the work -of three shearers at Mrs W. J. Bremner’s farm at Ruanui near Taihape recently. The -sheep shorn were heavy Romney ewes and the individual figures were as follows: W. Yendall, 308; IL Ilegh, 329; G. Andrew, 313. Yendcll was the champion at tlie shearing contest which was held in Taihape about 12 months ago. Ilegh and Andrew also competed at this contest. It is not known whether these shearers have established a shed record at Ruanui.

Value of Judge’s Time. —An item of Gs was among others mentioned in a claim for more than £SOO made concerning a house-building -contract in the Supreme Court in Wellington. “Look here,” -said Mr Justice Blair, when the item was being discussed bycounsel, "if you think I am going to listen all day to argument and evidence about 6s you are mistaken. I will not do it. Frankly, I would -sooner pay the money myself. My time is wortli considerably more than 6s a day."

Judge and Billiards. Questions about the difference made to a billiard room in a house by having it Bft. high instead of 9ft. Gin. were asked in a case in the Supreme Court in Wellington. “What damage have the owners suffered because the room is not as high as they now want it?” counsel asked a witness. "It is not much use asking him that," remarked Mr Justice Blair. “I know it doesn't make much difference. 1 can miss the shots 1 always miss just as well in an eight-foot room as I can in a nine-foot one.”