LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20691, 29 December 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Waikato Times There will be no publication of the Waikato Times on Monday, which will be observed as New Year's Day. The Orford in Sydney The steamer Orford arrived in Sydney to-day from a New Zealand cruise. Hel.o for Refugees A cable message from London states that Earl Baldwin's fund for the relief of refugees exceeds £250,000. Currency in London Fine gold was quoted in London yesterday at £7 0s an ounce (the same as last quotation), the dollar at 4.6-6 5-8 (4.664) and the franc at 177 3-16 (177 1-16). Hawke’s Bay Shearing Shearing in Hawke’s Bay has been delayed by unpropitious weather. Whereas the sheds in the district are usually cut out by Christmas it is probable that operations this year will extend well into January. The clips are reported to be coming off the sheep in excellent condition. Geyser at Te Aroha The new soda-water geyser at Te Aroha is proving a great attraction to visitors and each day hundreds have assembled to see it play at regularly spaced periods of approximately 12 minutes. The water has been bottled and artificially flavoured and is meeting with a ready sale. Prospector Missing Mr John Hudson (63), a gold prospector, who has been for three years near Preservation Inlet, has been missing for 22 days, states an Invercargill message. A party is to leave Puysegur Point lighthouse, south-western Southland, at daylight to-morrow to search for him. Paper Mill Commences Associated Pulp and Paper Mills, Limited, brought its pulp mill at Burnie, Tasmania, into operation recently, and has produced its first paper made entirely from eucalyptus pulp. No trouble was experienced in running the paper over the machine at high speed. The whole of the Burnie mill is now in operation. Auckland Centenarian A resident of New Zealand for nearly 60 years, Mrs Jane Beaver, of Auckland, will celebrate her 100th birthday next Wednesday. Until she suffered a severe illness about six years ago Mrs Beaver was extremely active and spent much time in her garden. Although she 'is now bedridden, she still retains an interest in her home. Diphtheria Precaution As a precaution against the spread of diphtheria the men’s and children's surgical wards in the New Plymouth Hospital have been quarantined against visitors, and only urgent cases for treatment are being admitted. Three patients in each ward are under observation and four nurses have been ordered to bed. British Post Office Surplus The British Post Office net surplus for the year ended March 31, 1938, was £10,169,524. Receipts totalled £88,374,289, made up of net receipts £86,552,475, less net receipts from wireless receiving licenses £655,585, plus value of work done by the Post Office without payment for other Government departments, £2,477,399. Expenditure amounted to £78,204,765. £SOO Reward Offered A notice was posted at the Police Station, Hamilton, to-day indicating that the Department of Health and Home Affairs, Queensland, is offering £SOO reward for information leading to the discovery of Marjorie Rose Norval (30), a stenographer, of Brisbane, who has been missing since November 11. It is believed she was last seen at the Central Railway Station, Brisbane. Cambridge Business There was no record business in the early part of Christmas week in Cambridge, due no doubt to the bad weather. However, a last-minute rush set in and on Friday evening, which was late night, the business people reported even better conditions than for the corresponding day last year. Kelp-meal from Canada Canadian kelp-meal was included in an assorted shipment of Canadian goods which was dispatched from Halifax recently to New Zealand. The kelp-meal was to be used for medicinal purposes. Seaweed or kelp contains a heavy percentage of mineral salts, notably iodine. The raw kelp is cut up, dried and then pulverised, approximately 5001 b. being necessary to produce 1001 b. of meal.

Motor-car Theft from Garage The holiday plans of a Feilding family were interrupted yesterday when they were told that their recently purchased motor-car had been stolen from the garage of Hooper, Lowe and Company, Limited, of Feilding. The car had been in the garage overnight and when the premises were opened in the morning it was found to be missing. It was recovered in the afternoon in a damage condition at Takapau, 57 miles south of Napier.

J. C. Williamson, Limited At special meetings in Sydney of J. C. Williamson. Limited, a new set of articles of association was adopted in order that the ordinary shares could be listed on the Stock Exchange. Pref-

erence shareholders agreed to ordinary shareholders fixing directors’ remunerations subject to the provision that a managing director should not receive more than £54 a week, and an ordinary director more than £SOO a year. The remuneration of the chairman is £350 a year, and other directors £250 a year from June 11.

Forest Fire Menace A representative of the Forest and Bird Protection Society reports that some tourists are ignoring the regulations regarding- fires in forests. He states that while in the Waipoua Forest, North Auckland, he came upon a group of four women, who had kindled a fairly large fire in a cutting right under a group of kauri trees on the road. He added: “A spark from a tire at this place carried by occasional gusts of wind in t.* the dry pukaha at the foot of tlie kauris might have caused what would have been a national catastrophe.” A man also started a fire at tlie foot of a big tree, a short distance from a proper fireplace. New Year's Eve at Hooker and Kingston's: Gay jostling crowds of people, arms heaped with packages, jolly old Father Time in his Magic Cave, interesting both young interesting displays uf novel, serviceable. useful things in profusion, wonderful New Year gifts expressive of l indly thought—sure to brinu happiness. For better values in N- w Year holiday requirements—be sure to shop at Hooker and Kingston's.**