LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4521, 31 January 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Parliament will open on February 7. The lowest tender, that o,f Mr W. Marshall, Paeroa, lias been- accepted by Mr E. E. Gillipan, architect, for the erection of a residence near Ngatea for which tenders were recently called. At a meeting of farmers held at Waitakaruru on Monday a proposal to form a local co-operative dairy company was discussed. It was ultimately decided to ask the New Zealand Dairy Company to erect a factory there. Misb- Jessie Melvin, who ha-s for the past two years achieved singular success in Thames and other districts in the teaching of singing and voice production, intends to take pupils at Paeora if sufficient inducement offers. A notice will shortly be inserted stating where Miss Melvin may be interviewed. The news of the accident on the Waihi beach yesterday morning, whereby two men, Frank J. Quintal and H. A. Pipe, of Waihi, were injured by an explosion of gelignite, reached Paeroa soon after the occurrence, considerable sympathy being felt for the injured men, as Quintal's injuries are very serious. On the Waihi beach last evening a concert was held in aid of the injured men, a sum of £2O being raised thereby. There was a very small attendance at the Central Theatre on Friday evening to .greet Daisy Jejiome, the gifted and 'versatile vaudeville and pantomime artist, who appeared in conjunction with the pictures. There is no doubt as to the capabilities of Miss Jerome as an entertainer. She has an extensive variety of songs', ranging from the decidedly comic to the more serious side of life, exemplified by her rendering of “Mother,” for .which she was vociferously encored. In “Daisies” and “Row, Row, Row” Miss Jerome demonstrated her great ability as a comedienne. The dresses worn by the artist wet’e striking. T,he lightning changes' made by her played a prominent part in the enjoyable programme.

Fanners of a certain district on the Plains are laughing at the lesson taught, a man who allowed his pigs -to wander at will and become a nuisance to neighbours. A purebred Berkshire boar was- in the habit of visiting a skim-milk barrel on a neaq-by Nairin and helping himself to the contents. One evening recently .the owner of the barrel noticed :<■ pig’s tail on the surface of the milk, and investigation proved that the boar was beneath. The neighbour was sent for and requested to remove the carcase, but .the attachment to the barrel was still apparent, and < horse and a block and tackle werenecessary to induce them to part company.

This wool season is seeing the railways losing very heavily owing to motor lorry competition, says the ‘ Wanganui Chronicle.” Lorries now bring wool from farms in all parts,.of the district right into Wanganui. Lorries have been right into the backblocks up the Waitotara river, and brought the wool into town., Previously wool carted up ifrom that river has been l.oaded on to the trucks at Waitotara. railway station, but the lorries can .now compete with the .train. Lorries, too, take full loads of benzine to Taihape for less than the railway freights and bring back loacfe of wool. Leaky tarpaulins and claims for damage to wool are points ■which, tell against the Railway Department.

The lack of wireless is a serious handicap .to ocean-going vessels in these modern days. This fact wsa brought home to those on board the Pukaki, winch arrived at New Plymouth from Walpole Island last week Csays the “Taranaki News”). The ship spent the week-end tossing round Cape Maria van Diemen, having been intercepted en route by a fla.g-signal. The vessel was obliged to remain near the Cape from Saturday .to Monday to .await instructions’, being then diverted to New Plymouth. Had the vessel had a wireless equipment this delay in a heavy running sea would not have been necessary, as the desired message could have been communicated direct.