LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 16 December 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

College Honours This year's dux of Horowhenua College is R. R. Lycette, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Lycette, York Street, Levin. This was announced by the principal, Mr. N. A. Byrne, during the prize giving ceremony held in the assembly hall of the college on Thursday afternoon. Second in merit was Leonie Barkla, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Barkla, Beach Road, Manakau. Both students were recipients of prizes donated by Mr. C. F. Atmore, of Otaki. Unfounded Rumour "I don't know where this unfounded rumour originated. I was never fitter in my life," said Hon. R. Semple when referring to a rumour that he was in hospital dying from the effects of a stroke. The rumour, he added, might be a bit of wishful thinking on the part of some political opponents. It was |a gross exaggeration as during the |holidays he proposed to do some I deerstalking and that was not the jkind of thing a dying man thought about undertaking.

' Flood of Divorces | Many undefended divorce petii tions usually accumulate to be Iheard at the end of the Supreme | Court year, byut the numbers at ! Auckland this year are believed to pass all previous records (says the jHerald). Some 60 petitioneiis for l divorce or for restitution of con-* fjugal rights were dealt with bv Mr. I Justice Callan and Mr. Justice Finilay on Wednesday; a similar num- ; ber was set down for hearing on j Thursday, and a further 60 awaitj | ed hearing on Friday. • Recruits for Navy | That the Navy was having diffijculty in finding recruits, was flatly j quashed by Commodore G. H, jFaulkner, Chief of Naval Staff, jwhen spcaking at a returned ser,vices function. The Navy was getting as many recruits as it could 'absorb, he said, even though for ! medical and educational reasons, only 25 per cent. of those offering were entering the service. There ihad been a lot of talk about a jshortage of manpower and the genjeral public seemed to think that ; meant lack of recruits. That was j complete and utter nonsense. ;Fatal Fire • * Tragic circumstances followed a fire in Hastings when an old wooden building used as a garage I and storage shed in Robert Holt and Sons' timber yards, in King Street, was gutted and an employee, living in the buildings, suffered I from effects of smoke and shock, land subsequently died. He'was'Mr. IRichard Burns, aged 49, a married |man, with two children. Mr. Burns made attempts to save his personal effects in the burning building. He iwas given first aid treatment and subsequently was found near the building dead. Apart from the building two motor lorries were destroyed by the fire. Another Popular Dance Saturday night saw another popular dance held by the Horowhenua Marching Association, when 250 couples were present. With the presentation of prizes at intervals during the evening, excitement was kept at a high pitch, which reached its climax when the winners of the mystery prizes were announced. The lucky ! lady received a satin pyjama set, while the man's mystery prize was a chromium plated smoker's stand., Extras were played during the evening by Father Christmas, while the Horowhenua Highland Pipe Band provided the music for an extra Gay Gordons, which was really gay, and added variety to a most successful function. Extraction Rate From Flour When the present emergency conditions in Britain have passed, will the flour extraction rate remain at 80 or 85 per cent., or return to the pre-war rate? This question, asked at a'Trieeting of the Wheat Research Institute, drew a comment from Mr. E. W. Hullett that the suggestion has been made that an advertising agent should be appointed to test public opinion in New Zealand on how the new flour in this country is favoured. Some members said that both bakers and the public would favour a return to the pre-war rate of extraction, but Mr. Hullett said that he thought nutrition authorities in Britain would prefer the present extraction rate to continue, and millers and bakers would oppose it.