LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 September 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Although the defendant cannot find money to settle this , debt -I am told he can put £5 on at a time at the races,” said a solicitor at the Auckland' Magistrate’s Court (reports the Star).' Mr Hunt, S.M.: “You want to show he put £2B through the tote.” ~ “It would take three or four dinners ’ was the somewhat novel way in which a . witness at the Nelson Magistrate s Court estimated the number of days it would take to do a certain iob (states the Mail).

The Minister for Justice (the Hon. Jv Parr) announced in the House that he contemplates, using some 10,000 acres of light Crown lands in the North Island for a new Borstal institution.—'Press Assn.-

A man who recently arrived in South Taranaki as an emigrant brought with him £IOOO, but so that he might learn something of the conditions here has decided, before investing the amount to get a job on the railways. ’

In conversation with a Timaru Post reporter, a Mackenzie Country farmer stated that rabbits were not so plenticu - ? y ea * owing to the prevalence or iiawks. Haros, however, were very plentiful; in fact, there were three hares to every rabbit. ~A S r hoeful tribute in recognition of his 1 arliamentary services was paid to Mr. Q. J. Hawken, M.P., by Mr. R. Masters, M.P., when responding, together with the former, • at the luncheon which followed the official opening of the Lowgarth Dairy Co”s new factory;. Though one of his opponents m party politics, Mr. Masters •said he could - assure Mr. Hawken s constituents: that they had a, representative who : rendered a faithful stewaidship and was one- of the most indefatigable .workers in the House.

• An accident; - .waere’oy W. Bradley, one of the Public W.orks Department employees, sustained a, fractured leg occurred at the Kanuni railway siding on . Friday morning. Whilst he was •assisting to lead a. truck with some lengths-- of heavy timber, the skids over which it was being levered collapsed,- and his leg was lammed by a fading beam. Messrs & Keeley and P. btvmge,r rendered first aid, the iiilured irirtn being subsequently conveyed bv ambulance to th£ Hawera Hospital Un : inquiries being made a.t the Hospi■lr th's morning' it: was- stated that Mr Bradley was doing well.

The pensions .bill of the Dominion, as disclosed by tfie annual report of -the Pensions Department for the year end.ed. March 31, sulimited to Parliament last- week, totalled £2.325,603, as against £2,459,391 for the previous yen-r. The number of pensions in force as at March 31, 1024.,. was 50,025,; eomnared with 53,0Rv for the previous period. War pensions represented £1,213,126 (last year £1,349,857), old age £780.664 (£770.2951, widows £209.739 (£195,747). Maori War"£2B,B6l 0632,781), miners £36,634 (£33,826), epidemic £25,886 (£43,120). Boer War £3IOO (£3173). sundry pensions and annuities £7891 (£7638), ' and ’ Civil Service Act. 1908/ £19,702 (£22,954). The cost per head of population 'in 1923-24 Was £1 17s-4d, as against £2 0s 9d in the previous year.

Sneak thieves are.-reported to have lately paid nocturnal visits to backyards within the township of' Kaponga ami to have removed selected articles of apparel and household linen left on clothes lines overnight. One definite ease has already been reported to the proper authority, and it is understood that the particular householder is not the only one who has-been victimised Such petty thefts are particularly despicable, as if the perpetrators are really in such reduced circumstances a canvass of the town would probably result in, the articles being honestly acquired as. gifts -without incurring the displeasure of the benefactors and the risk of detention for a criminal offence. Depredatory visits .should, however, prove fruitless in the future as householders will be warned bv the losses already experienced.

“I think the spirit of the New Zealaiid troops, whether on Gallipoli or in Egypt, Mesopotamia, or France, was a magnificent one.” said-Major-General C. \V. Melvill, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Defence horces, when unveiling the local war memorial at Sandon. “I am not a New Zealander, hut I had the privilege of commanding New Zealand men;” he added, continuing to state that on the held ana off it he had found their actions very fine. ‘‘They never talked about what they did, and in France earned the name of ‘the silent division. .They did their job and came out never saying a word,” stated Genera! jYl<?lvill. Even when they were oid that hostilities would cease at a certain hoty- they passed no remark, he added. When General Russell was honoured, the order from army headquarters stated that he had' led to countless victories men whose record had not been equalled and the report of whose advent inspired such confidence in the citizens of beleaguered towns that thev ceased to evacuate them. “By us their deeds and names will never he forgotten, hut we mustmake an appeal to the young generation to keep their memory clear,” he stated. That the eld. spirit of Empire was .still alive was shown by the fact that during the time of threatened trouble with Turkev after the war, 15.000 registered their names for service in. three days.

The Melbourne Ltd.’s stock of men’s suits comprises new lines in Bannockburns, English and colonial worsteds. Kerry tweeds, indigo coatings, and colonial tweeds. There are no “shoddy” tweeds in stock. Every suit is a model of perfect fitting and construction; sizes are so adjusted that almost any figure can be fitted, and the prices are strictly competitive. Nothing but pure wool fabrics in Melbourne ready-to-wear suits.—Advt

Mortgages registered in Tara&aki during July totalled £217;246. The total for the four months April to July was £620,000. A total of 146 men were working at the east end of the Stratford-Main Trunk railway during July, and there were none at the west end. Two hundred men were employed on the Opunake railway. The euchre party and dance which is to be held in aid of the Manaia town queen on Wednesday night promises to be a big success. Good prizes will be given -for the ladies’ and gent’s euchre tournament.

At an early hour on Saturday morning the Minister in charge of Tourist Resorts (Hon. "W. Nosworthy) stated in the House of Representatives that he. believed Egmont Park would be the subject of legislation creating it a National park on lines similar to Torigariro:

The regular fortnightly meeting of the Loyal. Manaia Lodge of Oddfellows (Manchester Unity) was held on Tuesday night, N.G. Bro. H. Svmmans presiding over a fair attendance. P.G. Bro. S. J. Bennett- read a report of the business transacted at the District Management Committee meeting recently held at Stratford. The district officers will lie visiting Manaia lodge at the next quarterly meeting, when it is hoped to have- a large attendance of brothers.

Mr A. Hooker, chairman of the committee of the newv-formed band at New Plymouth, has informed the Taranaki Herald that he has been approached by Major Cox, of the Defence Department, through Captain Andrew, to see if the band will accept the position of regimental band to the Ist Battalion Taranaki Regiment. The committee has instructed. Mr Hooker to accept the offer of Major Cox, and the instillments will he taken over at an early date.

The index number for the three food groups in New Zealand at July 15 was 1090, a decrease of 14 points as compared with that for June (1604), and an increase of 48.60 per cent, as compared with that for July, 1914. The fall of 7 points in the groceries group is due mainly to a fall in the price of sugar in several towns. Considerable decreases in the price of eggs in the various towns have caused a decline of 48 points in the dairy products group. Meat prices have been practically stationary during July

Two motor-cars, one driven by Mr C. Crabtree, of Eltham, and travelling west towards Opunake, and the orher driven by Mr S. Turner, and travelling towards the? mountain, collided in the middle of the township -of Kaponga at the intersection of the Eltham and Manaia roads yesterday morning. Meeting at right angles, the buffer of one c-e.’ struck the rear mudguard of the other with a glancing blow, but both cars cleared without serious damage. Fortunately no one was injured, but the occupants of both cars may be credited with a- lucky escape. The intersection is considered a dangerous one, and the accident further emphasises the necessity tor motorists approaching it using the utmost vigilance.