LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20125, 22 February 1937, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Technical School Students. —One hundred and thirteen students were enrolled for the evening classes at the Palmerston North Technical School on Thursday evening.

Well-paid Professions. —A Hamilton resident, on a recent visit to Australia, was impressed by the high salaries paid in the professions. In his own line he found the standard rate of pay more than twice, as much as in New Zealand and the hours worked about half.

Fog In Hamilton. —The heaviest fog this year enveloped Hamilton last night and this morning. Last evening the temperature was much lower than usual although yesterday was line and warm. Many Hamilton residents took advantage of the ideal conditions on Sunday to visit the beaches and other holiday resorts.

Heavy Train Traffic —Two special excursion trains for the picnic at Motuihi Island, organised by Hamilton friendly societies, and the exceptionally heavy traffic on the limited express resulted in the staff at Frankton Junction Railway Station being kept very busy yesterday. Over 700 passengers travelled on" the special excursion trains, while the limited consisted of 14 oars, six more than usual.

Local Bodies and Housing. —Adverse oriticism at the attitude of the Borough Council In not availing itself of the Government’s housing scheme has been voiced at Dargaville, where there is an acute' shortage of houses. One land agent said he knew of 20 prospective tenants after one house. "What have the local bodies done?” asked the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates when the question was referred to him. “The Borough Council knows all about it, because it has discussed it. It is for the council In make a survey and ascertain the cost.”

Prayer Neglected. —The unimportance with which prayer was viewed was deplored by the Rev. J. H. Jefferson, of Te Awamutu, in an address at the Methodist Conference in Auckland. Some ministers and laymen, he said, were working without Christ and failed to obtain Divine power for the driving of church machinery. The most poorly attended gatherings of the church were to be found in prayer meetings and the people did not seem to realise the necessity for assembling for corporate prayer. The future possessed great possibilities if they were sincere and faithful.

“Sell Your Scenery.” —“Sell America your scenery.” was the advice given by Mr T. L. Hall, vice-president and as-sistant-general manager of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Manila, who arrived at Bluff yesterday by the Marama. “You want America to buy from you,” he said in an interview*. “Very well, then, sell her your scenery. She has her own wool and dairy Industries, but her people are only too willing to travel to see good scenery. Japan has been ‘sold’ to America, and by high-pressure salesmanship. Films should be made to show off the Dominion’s beauty spots. They could entertain as well as educate people overseas in the natural beauties of the country.

Elimination of Danger Points. —The elimination of all danger points on the Auckland-Hamilton main highway has nearly been completed and by the end of this year this road should be the safest in the Dominion. The old wooden bridge just north of Mercer, the scene of many fatal accidents, has been replaced by a modern wide concrete structure' and the bends on the deviation are still being eliminated. One of the greatest improvements will he the completion of the new overhead bridge just south of Pokeno. At present the narrow wooden bridge has two very bad approaches but a new fcrro-con-eretc structure in line with the roadway is under construction. Work on the" elimination of the level crossing at llopu Hopu is proceeding steadily.

Alliance of Labour. —The dispute in the New Zealand Alliance of Labour over the election of the workers’ nominee for the International Labour Conference was the subject of a statement by Mr A. Cook, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, who replied to a statement made on Tuesday by Mr E. P. Walsh, president of the Seamen’s Union, and vice-president of the Alliance. Mr Cook denied that a secret meeting had been held during the 193 G annual conference of the alliance of Labour as stated by Mr Walsh. Mr Cook contended that the vote to select Mr F. G. Young as the workers’ nominee for Geneva was never submitted lo the rank and tile membership of the trade unions and that Mr Young did not represent, the real Alliance of Labour, but a breakaway section of it.

Many odd sizes, incomplete colour etc!* have accumulated during Hooker and Kingston’s Summer Sale. These have now* been further reduced to make a complete clearance. Cortecelii pure silk hose, usually 6/1! to clear. 3/1 I pr. Luxitc Silk and art silk hose to clear 2s 9d pr. Fabric gloves usu.ily -1 /6. To clear 1/6 pr. Lace Gauntlet gloves usuallv i/6 to clear t/ll pr. Good quality skin gloves usually 12/11 to clear 5/It pr. Art silk gloves ivilli fancy gauntlets, usually 7/11. To clear 3/11. Children's Tennis Sox White and Fancy lops. To clear 7Jd pr. Ladies are silk tennis sox. Usually t /«. To clear 9 Ad. This is a splendid opportunity to secure a real bargain, at. Hooker and Kingston's. “The store for better value always.” **

British War Loan. —British War loan, 3i per cent, was quoted in London on Saturday at £lOl i7s 6d, compared with £lO2 on Friday.

British Treasury Bills. —The total amount applied for last week in tenders for £40,000,000 worth of British Treasury bills was £73,690,000. The average rate per cent for bills at three months was 11s 3.'65d, against 10s 4.70 d a week ago.

Band Concert —An e'njoyable programme was provided by the Waikato Regimental and Hamilton Municipal Band at Parana Park yesterday afternoon. There was a large crowd and favourable comment was made on the playing of the contest music.

Greymouth Air Port. —There was perfect weather for the opening of the ICarori air port, Greymouth, on Saturday with the arrival of the first Cook Strait Airways machines, which were welcomed by over 2000 people. The company’s tri-weekly service commences to-morrow.

Embargo on Livestock. —At a meeting of the Wellington central executive of the Farmers’ Union it was reported that at the Dominion executive meeting in Wellington to-morrow something would be done about the question of the embargo on the importation of livestock into the Dominion.

Home Grown Mushroom. —An enterprising New Plymouth man has been eating mushrooms grown in his own garden for the' last three months. The mushrooms, which are cultivated in a specially prepared bed, are considerably larger than the uncultivated sort. One of the largest weighed half a pound.

Mercer Tunnel Demolished. — After serving a useful purpose for nearly 63 years, the short tunnel on the main trunk railway just south of Mercer Station has been demolished and replaced by a cutting. About 27,000 yards of spoil have come from the cutting and good use lias been made of it in widening the track where it crosses swamp land near Mercer.

D©ath of Late King’s Valet. —Having never fully recovered from the shock of the death of King George V., Richard Ilowlett, valet and keeper of.the wardrobe to the late King, died in hospital in London on Saturday. Howlett’s duties included the preparation of the King’s uniforms and robes and he was reputed never to have placed an order or a medal wrongly.

Eolipse of* the Sun.— The United States Navy, in co-operation With the National Geographical Society, is to send an expedition to the Phoenix Islands to witness the eclipse of the sun on June 8. A party of New Zealand astronomers, under the leadership of Mr C. B. Miehie, of Kaitaia, will also visit the Phoenix Islands to conduct observations of the eclipse.

Lord Nuffleld’B “Shout” Cost £ll7. Just before the Orion reached Adelaide, Lord Nuffield shouted for the first-class passengers and the crew. It cost him £ll7. First-class passengers were asked to name their choice. Champagne wav. immensely popular, £95. And then shouted the crew. The crew of the Orion numbers about 400. That lot cost him £22. Aboard the Orion, Lord Nuffield is voted a sport.