LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 621, 5 April 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“A bungalow bouse is one in which you sacrifice comfort for appearance, is it not ?” asked Mr Justice Hosking of a witness, an architect, in a house case at Hamilton. Witness: “In many cases, your Honor.”

“What fools you English are!” was the remark of a well-known American on his return to London fiom Germany recently. “The Germans,”' he added, “are grinning all over their faces at your unemployment 'and your trade slump, while they are getting busy at your, expense” ■ . .

An interesting remark which conveyed a lot of meaning was passed at Wellington when the police were searching 1 the Rualiine (says ,the Post). “What are you Looking for, sir?” enquired one of the firemen of a detective. “For stowaways,” was the reply. “Anyone stowing away from a country like this at the. present t : me deserves his head read,” commented the fireman. “This is not a time for stowaways.”

We have been informed that Pukekobe can get a continuous telephone service at any time by complying with the regulation on the matter, which states that if two-thirds of the present number of subscribers sign a petition and are willing to pay an extra pound (approximately) per year, the Department will grant the request. This should be done, as it will raise the status of the Borough very considerably, and prove of great vaLue to the community.

Elfin Bay, near the head of Lake Wakatipu, is a favourite resort for trippers, who leave Queenstown in launches to spend a day there and enjoy the walk to Rere Lake and the Greenstone. A recent visitor informs a Mataura Ensign reporte that a party last week left by the launch, taking with them lunch baskets provided by their hosts at the Queenstown boarding houses. They “planted” their baskets and while they were away enjoying the scenic feast an enterprising r>ig was enjoying an unexpected al fresco lunch. He cleared every basket, and the party on its return had to content itself with a frugal meal of biscuits, fortunately had on board.

A few remarks about what it feels like to be Finance Minister in a time of stress were made to the House by Mr Massey. “I can remember,” he said, “one Minister of Finance who controlled the finances through, a slump—a very bad slump—but it killed him. Eighteen months ago a gentleman who was for many yems a Minister of the Crown, and who knew the position of the finances of this country, said : “It does not tnatter who takes the finances of this country, five years of it will kill mm.’ T don’t think it will kill me. At least, I hope not. But I begin to realise the difficulties of the position, and I tell .you, Mr Speaker, that I would not do the work I am doing row for £IO,OOO a year, but for the fact that I am in it, and am going to see it through. All that I am anxious to do is the best I can for the country to which I belong, and the public affairs of which we are privileged to manage.” -

The Journal of Health states that the Dominion’s record of cases of infectious disease last year was a good one. A most satisfactory feature was the continuing decrease of scarlet fever and diptheria. Tn 1916 there were 4287 cases of scarlet fever reported, but last year the total had fallen to 1248, and while the cases of diptheria notified in 1918 totalled 5539, last year they fell to 2442. Both diseases, the Journal states, were of a relatively mild nature last year, and caused comparatively few deaths. It is pleasing to note that there has been a steady decline in the number of enteric fever and cerebro-spinaL meningitis cases. Whereas in 1916 there were 80(5 cases of enteric fever, last year there were only 389, and all told there were only 79 cases of cerebrospinal meningitis in the Dominion in 1920. There nas been an increase in the number of tuberculoss cases, and this is put down to “the adverse pandemic wave during a breakdown in the health of susceptible individuals.” The outstanding feature of the public health last year was the prevalence of whooping cough, mumps, and measles.

The Imperial authorities are doing everything possible to establish the identity of soldiers whose bodies have been buried on the battlefields of Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Belgium, Palestine, and elsewhere including Great Britain. The remains are being concentrated in cemeteries, set apart for that special purpose, but there are outstanding instances where, identification proofs are lacking. Recently the N.Z.E.F. Graves’ Committee received a communication from the High Commissioner in London stating that as the result of a special exhumation of No. 9 row XL plot 4, Strand military cemetery, Ploegsteert Wood, the body of an unknown soldier; a sergeant, was removed. The deceased was wearing a one-wound stripe and also a disc, inscribed, “12th Nelson Regiment.” In the absence of a regimental number, or name, it was impossible to identify the deceased n.c.0., and it was considered probable that the clergyman who Officiated at the graveside, or other soldiers who may have oeen present when the burial took place, and who have since returned to the Dominion, might help the authorities- in the matter.

Members of the Pukekohe Football Club had a most enjoyable practitce game on Saturday last, about 30 players turning out. The prospects for a successful season appear very bright indeed.

All farmers in the Franklin district are keen or should be keen on pedigree stock. The Farmers’ Auctioneering Company advertise the second anrual sale of pedigree stock at the Ruakura Farm. Every farmer should read this carefully and then attend the sale.

Mrs Louis B. Tapper, of Tuakau, announces that she has opened up a high-class millinery business in Deeble’s Buildings, Tuakau. Mrs Tapper was for a number of years milliner at Messrs Milne and Choyce’s (Limited), Queen Street, Auckland, and being now entirely on her own account will take a keen interest in the individual requirements of her patrons.. In addition to millinery, the latest and best in lingerie, baby’s clothes, and all ladies’ apparel will be stocked.

Admiral Viscount Jellieoe, Gover-nor-General of New Zealand, is l man of action as well as a man of resource. At Heretaunga recently the scrub on the railway reserve was being burned off. The flames got a bit out of control, and the post office buildings became endangered. It was a case of “man the pumps.” But there were no pumps. Lord Jellieoe and his personal staff were equal to the occasion. Off went their coats, and at once there came into action a most efficient bucket brigade. The fire was down and out in next to no time.

There is no busier man in the Dominion than the Prime Minister, every morning he is to be found in his office at a quarter to nine, ready for the day’s business with piles of correspondence awaiting his attention and caller after caller desiring to see him, including his colleagues of the Ministry, who invariably consult him on the more important matters connected with their respective departments. His days are always fully occupied, and it is only occasionally that he is able to relax a little from his official duties to attend a cricket or football match, or an occasional racemeeting. But, with it all, Mr Massey has a keen love of clean, wholesome sport, and on the occasion of the first test cricket match between the visiting Australian team and one representing the whole of New Zealand, he managed to find time to visit the Basin Reserve in Wellington, and to show his hearty sympathy with the old English game and to say a few words at the luncheon on the intimate relationship chip existing between sport and the national character. Such games as cricket and football, in Mr Massey’s estimation, have a great deal to do with the building- up of a sturdy nation, and be recalled the fact that one of the conditions of the Rhodes Scholarships was that candidates must be fond of and proficient in both games. Good sports, Mr Massey says, make good citizens and worthy patriots, and he hopes, therefore, that the friendly rivalry such matches offered may Long continue and lead to more intimate relationships between Great Britain and the Dominions, and especially between Australia and New Zealand. Mr Massey went further and expressed the hope that at no distant date it might be found possible to send a team of cricketers from New Zealand to the Motherland to play in test cricket there.