LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4413, 12 May 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An election to fill a vaeanCy on tjie Paeroa Borough Council is taking place to-day, Mr J. W. Silcock and Mr D. Leach being the candidates. e Captain Fowler and Lieut. L. S. Tatton are taking passengers for trios in the 100-h.p. Avo biplane during this week end. The machine i s stationed in Mr T. P. Vuglar’s paddock.

The Lands Department is now putting all the Piako Riyer wharves in first-class repair. The wharves are being strutted and Sender piles are being put in..

Persons addicted to “lemoving”. metal, shell, sand, clay, or other materials from the Hauraki Plains County roads are warned by advertisement that they are liable to prosecution.

In the course ofj an address in Dunedin on “Law and Practice/’ Mr Saul Solomon, K.C., said that his opinions as to the jury system generally could be best summed up by the reflection that a counsel who hjid a good case was always anxious to have it tried before the Judge alone. —“Dunedin- Star;.”

The extraordinary fact was mentioned. at the unveiling ceremony at Meremere last ,week (states the Wanganui “Chronicle”) that a bugle used by a soldier from tliat district who fell on active service, and sent to his people, was found to have a bullet hole right through it Apparently tjhe soldier was, shot while in the act of sounding his bugle.

Community singing, which is, at present greatly in vogue in the Dominion, is to be introduced, to New Plymouth, where a three . nights’ “sing” will beheld at a local theatre in connection with the usual picture programme. The management has engaged a well-known professional singer and an experienced conductor for the occasion.

The executive committee of ‘he Otago Expansion League has received a wonderfully variegated collection a* town pennants as used in a number of; American cities upon festive occasions, It was suggested that Dunedin might be induced to alsp adopt a distinctive pennant, but it was thought that it might be better that some such body like the Motor Association be asked to take up the project.

A young man employed by a Palmerston North firm was explaining at a social gathering how his first start as a commercial traveller influenced his life (states the Manawatu Daily Times).- On his first trip he wrote <?he firm to say that a rival traveller had preceded him, and this would account for his small returns. The reply was an urgent telegram, which he took to hear, “Explanations won’t pay your postage. We .want results only.”

Hard times make criminals of men who would otherwise be fairly poor, but maintain a reputation for .honesty (remarks the Wanganui “Chronicle”). Comments have been made from the Magisterial and Supreme Court benches regarding the' crime wave which is strong in New Zealand just now. Speaking to a “Chronicle” representative, Senior-Sergeant Lopdell referred to the remarks made by. Mr Cptten, S.M Xs to the present moral standard. “He expressed the position exactly,” said the sergeant. “We notice the same thing' here. Judging from reports which come in from the Wanganui district, the thefts committed are very barefaced, showing that men are getting on to their uppers.” “It is hard for the every-day person to imagine himself down and out,” said the sergeant “but 'just consider for a moment Unless -such a man has been brought up in very good surroundings', there is a mighty big temptation to slip back. Even the man who has been brought up well has .hard work to keep .to the straight road, so you can imagine where the other fellow, who has no moral stand-, ard, soon gets to.”

A Castlecliff boy, who lost a suit some time ago, is getting it back from the hands of the police. At the t’me the suit went missing (states the Wanganui “Chronicle”) some, unknown person entered the boy’s room, took off his own clothes and left them in a corner, while he walked out in new garments. On being searched, these clothes were found to have a mark which was later identified by the Weraroa Reformatory School; Traced by the police, the boy has once more taken* up his residence at the Government’s institution, and the much-travelled clothes have been sent back to their rightful owner.

“These people are vermin and should die as vermin ” declared a returned soldier member of the audience at a meeting of the Canterbury College students in connection with studen: relief work in Central European countries (reports the “Lyttelton Times”). The speaker disflavoured the. effort to relieve in late enemy countries, and urged that charity should begin at home., “The trouble is,” said Professor Conddiffe, in reply, “that they; don’t die.” Dr. Truby King some years ago had pointed out the fact that men and women whose physique had broken down and who were physically wrecked lived on in the physical disabilities of their descendants. Professor Condliffe hedd that this was the great danger to civilisation if the appeal from Central Europe was disregarded.

Of superlative excellence is the current issue of the “Sporting and Dramatic Review.” It is profusely studded with illustrations covering interesting events of local and overseas interest. Included are photographs depicting the Liverpool Grand National, a. gold mine strike at Johannesburg, the Australian Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, snow scenes on the Continent, the Passion Play at Los Angeles, view of historic places, athletic phases in England, art life abroad, etc. A double-page of distinctive fashion modes from America is . a specially attractive feature, while photographs of stage and movie •stars-further enhance the value of the publication.