LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 638, 3 June 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The five oldest members of the Palmerston North Fire Brigade have a record for service which it would ire difficult to beat. Their aggregate service totals 114 years, and the service of individual members of tliep arty ranges from 12 years tc 28 years five months.

Farmers should note the half page advt. of Brosnahan’s Pharmacy dealing with the now famous “ 8.H."

drenches. These drenches arc now accepted as suitable for the district and are most effectitve for their purpose. They are made locally and are worthy of all support.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, interviewed at Home, had many nice things to sa\ about New Zealand. He said he saw no reason. why New Zealand should not carry a population of over thirty millions. Personally he thought that of all the towns Auckland placed advantageously as it was, would come to be one of the great cities of the world, with a population of millions.

The' drink bill of New Zealand has risen from less than four and a-half millions two years ago to over seven ai;d a half millions last year. Commenting on this, the Otago Daily Times says that the expenditure in a country of the size of New Zealand of over seven and a half millions, a year upon alcohol furnishes an evidence of “economic madness,"

That New Zealand has one of the highest death rates in the world in maternity cases is the statement made by an American authority. The Dominion’s rate of mortality is such cases is stated to be over six per 1000, while the Italian rate, for example, is in the neighbourhood of two per 1000. The Minister of Health (Hon. C,. J. Parr) has asked the officers of his department to investigate, this American statement, and inform him of the facts.

Two petty officers of H.SVI.S. Chatham, who were on a private visit to Hastings a few days ago, said that this was their first experience of New Zealand and her people, and the principal thing that impressed them was that the population here was being rapidly Americanised, “I would not be surprised to see the people completely Americanised in a few years,” said one of the officers. “This I noticed especially in Wellington, where one heard Yankee slang on all sides.”

On one of the chief British railways nearly all the locomotives are fitted with an automatic device to warn the driver when the “home” or “distant” signals are against him. A crank is placed between the two sets of rails, and when the signals are not down it comes into contact with a lever on the engine sounding whistle and opening a small cock on the train pipe, thus putting on the brake. This mechanism is expected to raise still higher the standard of safety achieved in British railway operation. There is a common saying tfzat the “safest place in the world is inside a British express passenger train.”

The chairman was addressing a meeting at a teachers’ congress. “My friends,” he said, “the schoolwark is the bullhouse of civilisation; that is to say, the bullhouse is the sthoolwark of civ— —" The audience smiled. “The warkhouse is the bullschool of I mean, of course, the schoolbul is the housewark ” The smile was by this time a broad grin. “The scow-school ” He was now getting wild. So wore his hearers. He mopped Ids brow and made a fresh effort. “Tire schoolhouso, my friends ” A sigh cf re'ief word up. He had. found his feet at last. The light of triumphant self-oofi dcnce was enthroned upon his brow “Fa the wulbark— And that was nil.

The deaths from consumption in the United Kingdom in 1918 were over 58,000 and in 1919 over 77,000 fresh cases were notified.

“ That the Government be urged to abolish the clause in the Arbitration Act giving preference to unionists,” is one of the remits to be submitted at the approaching provincial conference of the Farmers’ Union.

To-day is King’s Birthday. A close holiday is being observed in the town. At the public school the higher standards marched past and saluted the Union Jack.

Messrs Brown and Perkins secured first prize in a potato class at the Hamilton Show against over thirty competitors. The gentlemen named are keen sports and enthusiastic supporters of all A. and P. shows.

The removal of the subsidy on butter in order to relieve the Government of the expense is suggested in a remit which will be submitted at the provincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union which will be held in Auckland shortly. At the last meeting of the Fukekohe Borough Council a deputation of ladies urged the Council’s support of the Franklin Plunket Society by granting a donation. The Council unanimously agreed to donate vfO to the Society.

Cr. Kennedy urged the appointment of a borough ranger at the last meeting of the Borough Council. He stated that cattle were being permitted to wander at large about the streets. The Council decided to proceed with the appointment of a ranger at an early date.

Does advertising pay? Well, a Pukekohe business man, who placed a half page with us in the red supplement which was published at Show time voluntarily*-stated that as a result of that one advertisement he received 26 orders the next day. He got his money back promptly, enough.

Thei’e is now a big probability of the Pukekohe telephone service beiing brough into line with other progressive towns by being made a continuous system. The Chamber of Commerce has the matter in hand and it is expected that the district will be canvassed at an early date. This is a move in keeping with the progress of the Franklin district.

To-night the first real big picture production produced in New Zealand with New Zealand characters and scenery will appear at the Strand Theatre entitled “The Betrayer.” The picture is said to possess extraordinary interest and fascination and a packed house should result. Patrons should attend as early as possible as a bumper house is expected.

Don’t buy a new hat. Send your old one to Cox, the hatter, Karangahape Road, Auckland, He will give it a new lease of life. His charge is very reasonable, too. All you need to do is to post the old hat to Cox, tne hatter, Karangahape Road, Auckland. He will do the rest and you’ll be well pleased with the result. Cox puts through thousands of hats in the course of the year, See his adyt, on front page and try him.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Routly) is an extremely busy man, but he has proved that his duties as Mayor of the borough shall not suffer on that account. He has attended to quite a volume of Council business during the past week, and those who imagined he would only be in Pukekohe once weekly are forced to admit that they were wide of the mark. Mr Routly was in Pukekohe again yesterday on Council business—about Lis seventh trip in the fortnight. “The present depression is probably one of the best things that could happen to New Zealand at the present time,” said Mr B. F. Bollard, M.P., speaking at the opening of the Raglan Wintr Show. The country, he added, had lost its self-reliance, and had been leaning on the Government for every little thing it needed. The people were now being forced by necessity to help themselves, and the sooner they were made to stand 021 their own responsibilities the better for everybody concerned, and the sooner "would normal conditions be restored. Mr Bollard commented that one effect of the depression was noticeable in the bigger attendances at chui’ch services, which showed that in time of trouble the people appealed to Somebody Higher, but when prosperous felt that they could do without any spiritual assistance. With all the depression, he believed there was no country in the world more prosperous than New Zealand at the present time. “Facts alor.e are wanted.” —Dickens Facts alone prove the unrivalled worth of the sterHrg cough and cold remedy—Baxter’s Lung Preserver. FOl fiftv-five years it has been ministerial; aid whenever needed. Thousands of healthy New Zealanders testify to its efficacy. A sore throat or chronic cough canno?, long withstand Baxter’s Lung Preserver. It gives p’easant relief with ti e first soothing dose. A shmu course of “?»•• xtcr’s” and all troub’e '!■> gome. Strengthens lungs—vita'ise l constitution. Large bottle 2s 6d. Chemists and stores.