LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 675, 14 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A special general meeting of the Pukekohe Produce Growers’ Association will be held on Tuesday, 18th.

The winding-up dance of the season in connection with the M.U., 1.0.0jF., takes place on Thursday, October 20th, in the Pukekohe Oddfellows’ Hall.

The. Engineer of the Manukau County Council (Mr W. J. Lopdell) reported at last meeting that during September building permits, amounting to £4610, had been issued.

On Sunday last 'two photos of prominent artisjts were taken from the lobby of the Premier Hall. The management would like these returned immediately to save further trouble.

Shooters are reminded! by the Waiuku Gun Club that a shoot for two trophies will be held on Thursday next, also sweepstakes. No nomination money. Shooting at 1.30 puff, Don’t forget the £SO shoot on November 2. 726 A consignment of 7000 of a certain species of ladybird has been received in Taranaki from California by Dr Tilyard, biologist to the Cawthorn Institute, for liberation in aphis-infected districts. Some have been set free in the neighbourhood of New Plymouth.

The New Zealand I<oan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limited, advertise for sale, on the ground, WaiukuKohekohe Road, on Saturday, October 22nd at 1.30 p.m„ a splendid property of 270 acres, subdivided into 18 farmlets. This sale will be something in the nature of a golden opportunity for property-seekers. “How many people were there ?“ a witness was asked at the local Court last week during them ofcor car collision case. “A lot,” came the reply. “How many ?” asked counsel. “Were there four or moro ?”. The wit- v ness retorted: “By a lot I mean a few.” The Magistrate interjected, ;and told the witness to think first and answer afterwards. At the Borough Council meeting on Monday evening, when the letter from the Health Department re a rat killing campaign came up. Councillor Patterson moved that it be referred to the Works Committee to deal with. Cr Daysh, however, thought it more of a matter for the Electric Committee, as that body could electrocute the rats. The Council received the letter. On Saturday last, in spite of the unfavourable weather conditions, the Municipal Band rendered an excellent programme of musical items at the Bowling Green, on the occasion of the official opening of the bowling season. On Sunday a good muster of bandsmen (twenty-one in all) journeyed to Tuakau and rendered an excellent programme there. At both places the music was greatly appreciated by large audiences. Collections wore taken up and the band’s funds were considerably augmented therebv.

A witness in a case before the local Court last week gave his evidence, during his examination in chief very explicitly, but when it came to cross-examination it was the case of the boot on the other foot, The S.M. soon realised the position and retorted : “Think, man, think well, think ! ' Don’t be like the ladies, who answer first and think afterwards.” It was reported at Monday’s meeting of the Papakura Town Bqard by the medical officer for the district that a case of diptheria had been found at Papakura.

A “doctor” factory which qualifies applicants for diplomas in medicine, surgery and dentistry in less than five minutes for £IOO has been discovered in America. The 'diplomas bear the name of the Oriental University of Washing]ton, and are stated _ to be good for use in South America and Britain. A detective told a magistrate in New York that he had bought one for £IOO. He had but said that he wished to extract teeth, but had no time to study the subject, and preferred to learn by experience.

Attention is drawn elsewhere to a general meeting of /the Beautifying Association, to be held in the Masonic Hall at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 18th October 1 , Reports of the Planting and Publicity Committees are to be received, and it is intended to get going with the garden competitions. Tuesday night has been chosen as the night of the meeting so as to give the public the opportunity cf being present, and a full meeting is expected. The following matters will be discussed: Publicity jCam*. paign, garden competitions, and any suggestions that may be brought forward.

The current Issue of the Sporting and Dramatic Review is abundantly interspersed with high grade illustrations representing sport in nil its phases and topical happenings of cosmopolitan interest. The pictorial section depicts Cupidon’s brilliant victory in the Australian Jockey Ciub’s Derby, the Australian Jockey Club’s spring campaign at Randwick, yacht .racing at Cowes and Plymouth regattas, American and French stars at tennis, Jockey and Boxers’ League football match in Auckland, members of local Amateur Operatic Society in “A Country Girl,” and a miscellaneous selection of other attractive subjects.

In spite of ,the fact that there has been a considerable reduction in some building materials, the cost of building is very high in some quarters, in fact there appears to be a rising tendency instead of a fall. This contention is borne oujt by the experience of the Manukau County Council, Recently this local authority solicited tenders for /the erection of a sixroomed residence in the Mangere Riding, and about half a dozen were received. The lowest tender for the erection in wood was £1174, and in concrete £1430, while the others ranged upwardis to over £2OOO. “It is out of all reason,” said a member. No (tender was accepted. The attention of our readers is called \to a beautiful photographic display in the window of Cannell’s Bookery. The pictures are from the Lafayette Studio, Auckland, and are the portraits of the performers in Miss Burmester’s pantomime “The Babes in the Wood,” (to be produced in Pukekohe next Wednesday, October 19th. There is also an interesting collection of several of our little local dancers, taken by Miss Laing, and on view in the window of her studio. If one may judge by appearances, the pantomime should be a most artistic performance, and Miss Burmester assures us that among the singers will be found some of Auckland’s finest artistes.

According to an Australian paper, a new grass named Mocatto, which thrives well in swampy land, was recently ' introduced into England from Africa, and made splendid progress, and has become regarded as a firstclass grazing and fodder grass. From England it as brought to Victoria, where it has established a splendid reputation. As hay it has produced lup to four tons to the acre, and for I grazing purposes, it is very popular. It grows densely arid is considered to be a reclaimer of useless swamps. It propagates very slowly from seed, but- grows quickly from roots. Two New South Wales land-owners have secured a supply of roots, and are going to give the grass a chance in some of the swamp lands in their

locality. I A man with a keen sense of the humour of American bus,tle is responsible for the following :—-“The best time achieved for assembling a car complete is forty seconds. The latest development of time-saving methods at one factory is for a customer to pass his cheque infto a slot machine in the counting-house and press' a button, whereupon ho is whisked along on a travelling pathway at thirty miles ari hour to the delivery end of . the factory, threequarters of a mile away. There he finds his car ready, with the engine running, all built during the short intervel occupied in getting to the exit- As he passes through the gates a mechanical hand shoots out and hands him a cigar, whilst a concealed gramaplione wishes him “good day and good luck.” » On his return from England some months back, Mr J. A. Mitchell, of Ixmgburn, had a lamb from his farm killed and sent in cold storage to a friend in London. Acknowledging the gift the recipient' wrote as follows to Mr Mitchell The lamb was 'delivered in perfect condition, and we had our butcher round to cut it up, He said he had never put his knife through ,a better carcase. It was eaual to the best English and he could not have sold it at less than Is 8d per lb. After it was cooked it was like a chicken. The fajt was so sweet, even better than some butter.” From the foregoing, says the Standard, it would appear that New Zealand meat, if unloaded smartly at its destination, and pu,t on the market at once, can compete with the best English.

It will be somewhat of a shock to many belonging to the Anglican Church to learn that amongst the hymns to be left out of the new hymnal now in course of compilation for the Church of England are “The Church’s One Foundation” and Dr Bickersteth’s “Peace, Perfect Peace.” The latter was objected to on account of the line “The blood: of Jesus whispers.” “The Church’s One Foundation” was omitted because it contains mixed metaphors.

The proposal of the New -Zealand Counties Association to urge upon the Government to impose a tax on motor tyres, as a contribution towards main road maintenance, was subjected td criticism- at Tuesday’s meeting of the Manukau County Council. Cr Browne pointed' out that it was an unfair proposition to expect motor car owners, who resided in the back-blocks, and on* rough roads, to pay the same tax as motor owners who resided in cities, on paved .roads or streets. He claimed that <the car owners on the backblocks road would Cut out more tyres than the man living in the city. The latter man, no doubt, favoured (the proposal, because he had good roads to use. A man) say at Coromandel, who paid the tax, may never see the road to which he was contributing to the upkeep.

A Wairarapa paper says: It is an open secret that recently many hundreds of cows have been sold to dairy farmers which were never intended as dairy cattle, which have no milking blood in them, and which until a few months ago were everyday, unblushing stores. The dairyfarmers of to-day would be wise to take an interest in the cow-testing movement which is being advocated by the. officers of the dairy division. Inefficiency is unpardonble in a dairy herd to-day. We can take it for granted that many dairymen are giving feed and 1 shelter to a certain number of cows which are sheer “robbers.” No dairyman can afford: (to do this in present circumstances. The sooner he takes stock and asks each cow what she has to say for herself in terms of butter-fat the better for his pocket No cow at all is better than the robber, which is consuming feed the good ones can do better with.