Local and General

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 November 1912, Page 2

Local and General

A start was made to-day to dismantle, tho Otaki Town Hall with a view to enlarging tho building.— Mail.

A ceremony which is regarded with much interest in Maori circles will take place in Wanganui to-day, when a valuable greenstone- mere, which was presented us a peace offering by the Late Major Kemp, to the Ngapuhi, a Bay of Islands tribe,, after the tribal wars, will be handed over to the Wanganui people, tho Ngatiraukawa.--New Zealand Times

A destructive grub lias been unearthed in the Waihuka district (says a Gisborne correspondent.) It is a white grub, which attacks the roots of vegetation, and on one station a bed of strawberries lias been destroyed. When matured the grub is transformed into a small brown-ish-black beetle which 'emerges from tho earth at nightfall, and sets to work on the loaves of rose trees and other shrubs, which are quickly stripped.

A telegram from Carlerton received yesterday afternoon stated that the death bad occurred, by drowning, of William Burch, of G-rey-tou-'ii. The deceased young man was returning to Oreytown from Mastorton, through Gladstone, and at the back of Pawawai it was necessary for him to cross Rnamahunga. River, which was swollen. His companions urged him not to go, but deceased ventured and was drowned. The body is not yet recovered. I'm the matter of railway fares the Trans-Siberian puts all other linos to shame. For iir.st-cla.ss ahe charges are about two-thirds of a penny per mile; second (only a little inferior), less than a-halfpenny for the same distance, while if you oare to risk a third-class journey you can get four miles for a penny. Even this is the height of extortion when compared with the emigrant rate. This works out at something like a shilling for a hundred miles, and if the emigrant does not possess the shilling the Government will lend it to him. A further petition from tho general tradesmen of Stratford, excepting the grocery trade (says the Post), has been signed by 50 shopkeepers, who request the Minister for Labour to gazette the following hours for the opening and closing of shops in Stratford tho whole year round from January 1 to December 31: On Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the hours to h<-

from 8 fl.in. to 5.30 p.m., oil Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.. on Saturday 8 a.m. to 0 p.m. The only exception allowed to the ahovo will be that durinp: the week precedim: Christmas Eve- fancy Rood dealers mny clow at their own option. The petitioners desire to in-

olndo tho whole of the shops in Stratford with the. exception of tobacconists and hairdressers, who hare social hours gazetted. Those l.ovin Territorials who arc lax in their attendance at drills—and in notifying their oflicors of any extenuating circunistane-es— should lake note of what Captain Powell. Adjutant of the (ith (Manawatu) j Mounted Rifles, told Mr A. D. Thomson. S.M., at the Pahner.ston ■Magistrate's Court on Monday. He said that there wero a nmnher of Territorials inclined to laxity, and the Department wished to make a ease before the Magistrate as an example, for them. This particular defendant had sent in a letter stating that he was living seven miles out of town, that he wa.s engaged in driving horses and had difficiilty in reaching Palmerston in time for parade. In the wise of those living an hour's .journey distant tlio Department made an exception. The defendant's explanation had not eonio to hand until after proceedings wero taken. A salutary fine was inflicted by the bench. Save your roses and other plants ;, ;■■■>"''"% them with "Circngol" •■' ■'. k :nys green fly and var- ■••'/. / pests. Non-poisonous •■ < •.' (•'ffectiro. A shilling tube ; ' ■ 20 gallons in a few min'btainablo from C. S. Kesrlharmacy.—Advt.