LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 17 July 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Farmers' Union monthly sale will be held next Tuesday.' On the 15th inst., the Dominion meteorologist notified east to southeast gale with heavy rain and rivers rising. At the Hastings poultry show Mr. J. Walker, of Auckland, secured over fifty prizes, also two bantam cups and several specials. Messrs Laidlaw Leeds, Wholesale ■Merchants, have a replace advertisement on the front page of this issue, which is worth perusal. We call attention to a replace advertisement from Mr LeEoy, Tent and Cover Maker, Auckland, calling attention to the benefit of good horse and cows covers for the coming cold nights. The Aandß Football match did not come off on Saturday owing to the weather conditions being unfavourable and there-being only a small muster. i The owner of purse containing money found on Babylon Road can recovjer same bypaying expenses, on application to Mr C. G. Sandin, Chemist, Helensville. • | The Auckland Hospital Board is not very complimentary to our JSTew Zealand nurses. It has decided to invite applications in England for a matron for the institution under its charge. Tho matron of the Hospital informs us that Mr A, Becroft, who had the misfortune to fracture his leg during the late Prime Minister's (Mr Mackenzie) visit to Helensville, is doing splendidly and is in good spirits, everything going on satisfactorily. The drainage work has made slow progress during the past week owing to the wet -weather and shortage of sand. The latter difficulty has now been got over, a good supply of sand being tc hand, and when the weather takes up the work will proceed at a better advantage. Messrs Stewart Bios,, Ltd., in a replace advertisement on our front page, announce that their annual stock-taking sale is now on. Everyone is invited to inspect. Goods are absolutely at the lowest prices during the sale time, and those requiring any article from a yard of lace to the everyday milk bucket,, should not miss calling.

Special Bale It eductions in Men's wear. 2s lid flannels, now Is lid; Men's working'£tro users, 2s 6d; allwool sox, three pairs for 2s Gd.—Carriage must be added during sale Write for special Sale List. Messrs Fry and Pottbk, The Strand Arcade, Auckland.—Advt.

At the half-yearly meeting of share* holders of the Union Bank of Australia, Ltd, held in London on 10th inst. (as per cable of that date) a dividend of 10 per cent and a bonus of 2 per cent on shares was declared absorbing £105,000 for the half year. A bonus of 10 per cent, absorbing £23, 000, is to be paid to the staff, £ 10,000 is applied to the premises account, £30,000 to be reserve fund, and £42,----746 is carried forward.

At the Town Board on Monday some discussion re weeds on Bowling green, did not bring to light who sanctioned the weedy soil, but all agreed it was costing a lot to remove the weeds. Both the Chairman and Mr Jas.JMcLeod seemed anxious to get the ground in playing order, evidently with the idea of getting some practice, in view of the challenge issued and accepted for early in November. Wo hope the Public Library will got it 3 quota of the stakes.

The Helensville Ladies' leap year ball takes place to-morrow night, and a large attendance is a-nhcipated provided the weather is favourable. The energetic committee are bvsy decorating the hall and preparing the floor, and a, successful evening should be the result. The Helensville ladies, we hear, are going a step further, than has been the case at previous leap year balls, inasmuch as they will have the privilege of making engagements the whole evening instead of only during the first half.

Hclensville Hot Spiings are becoming better known throughout the Colony, and wo have had several communications lately from &outh by people wishing to know more about our thermal waters, and enquiring of the possibilities of procuring- houses and situations. As far as houses are concerned, there are a number required for present needs, the few being built at present being taken before the ground is cleared. "We think that those having vacant sections could to their advantage erect dwellings which would be, snapped up at fair rentals. Now is the time to build as the drainage and water schemes will employ a number of hands and if houses are to be had, married men will bring their families to the town and settle, which would benefit the district and enlarge our school attendance, etc.

Wliile sentencing for thoft a man who had been engaged as a cleaner in the Post Office at Wanganui, the Chief Justice (i?ir Robert Stout) said, apropos© of a plea on the accused's bes half that he had opened certain letters oaly in order to obtain racing news : " This shows the need of the regulation of the late Postmaster-General ihat any gentleman in the service who engaged in gambling would Toe disrn'ssed. I think it is a very proper regulation. This case shows the want, of such a regulation. This-is not—tile' first time you have been stealing front the Postal Department. It is''qu"i.} clear that that department, which partakes of the nature • -of- a public trust, cannot be efficient if those employed in it are allowed to drink and gamble." "''"" * ""' '

A bay pony mare is advertised for sale, _ Advertiser wants small contracts of ti-tree cutting. Farmeis' Union Dairy Stock sale, Maungaturoto, Saturday, July 20th. Mr. J. (J. Kimuier, land agent, etc, advertises small. houses and sections for sale also farm of 342 acres. A social in' aid of St Matthew's Church will be held in the Foresters' Hall on Friday, July 26th, at 8 p.m. A good musical programme has been arranged, which will be followed by refreshments and dancing. Mr J. Aitken, working with the railway gang on the bridge near Pipi* tiwai, had the misfortune to fall from the structure yesterday, receiving a severe shaking and a wetting. j Messrs Bates & Matheson notify in another column that they are starting a saw mill next the Kaipara Dairy Factory, Helensville, and will be pre* pared to supply timber at lowest rates. Fruit boxes mane to order. Two mighty warships were launched on May 22—one in England for the Japanese Government; and one in America for the United States. Each will contain the 14 inch guns. The American vessel has discarded turbines and gone back to the old type of engines. The following comparisons of the two are interesting:—British built --27,500 tons, 70,000 h.p., 28 knots, 0 14 in. guns. American built— 28,367 tons, 27,000 h.p., 21 knots, 10 14in. guns. ; Communications received by (the Town Board from the Post and Telegraph Department stated that there were only three connections on the telephone wire—HelensviJle, Henderson and Auckland — and there was ample room for all work done. That may be so, but if Helensville .had a wire of its own there would probably be a deal more work go through both from Helensville and Henderson, and we still maintain that each place should have a separate wire. The Antartic exploring ship Aurora returned to New Zealand from her winter cruise on Thursday, and reported al! well. The vessel is under the command of Captain J. K. Davis, and carries on board Messrs Ed gar R. Waite (curator), and E. J. Haynes (taxidermist of the Canterbury Museum, Cbnstchurch), and also R. Primmer (cinematographistj; representing the Gaumont Company, The Aurora is sailing in the interests of Dr. Mawson's Australasian Antartic expedition, and not being required uutil Novem^ ber next, when she will return to the ice to bring the leader and his party back to Australia, she was fitted up to conduct scientific investigations in sub-Autartic seas. The vessel sailed from Sydney on May 17, and proceeded by way of Bass Strait to the 140 th meridian, which was leached 10 days later.

Varying opinions were expressed by witnesses before the Education Commission last week regarding the question of co-education. Some have de* clared that from the age of ten onwards boys and girls shauld he educated separately. This view was upheld by a doctor, who made a statement to the Commission and contended that mixing the sexes in schools and play grounds was most inadvisable. Later the Commission had before it Professor W. T. Mills, whose opinion' on the question was sought by Mr F. Pirani. •' We were lold bj a doctor," said Mr Pirani, " of the awful effects which follow the mixing vi .boys and girls at school after the age of ten years. What do you think about it." The Professor's reply was brief, but pointed. " Well,"" he said, "they ought not to be born in the same-fam-ilies then." ■ '■' ■

At the sitting of the Native Appellate Court at GKsborne last week, Chief Judge Palmer referrei feelingly to the death of Major Mair. He paid a high tribute to the memory of the deceased, and alluded in terms of praise to the excellent work he had done as a judge of the Native Land Court Colonel Porter said that he was associated with Major Mair during the Maori War, and for some considerable time was under his command. He recalled also the important part Major Mair took in connection with the Britise onslaught on the famous Orakau Pa. It was at Orakau, he 'said, that the nativps refused to surrender or to' send ouc of the pa their women and children when it was surrounded by General Cameron and his troops. Major Mair, remarked Colonel Porter, was interpreter in the matter. When the nature of the request Avas made to the great fighting chief Rewa he duly consuLted Ins people, and the result is now an historical saying. The women and children' Major Mair wao told to inform the general, would piQ^er to die with the: men Then it was that liewa mounted the parapet and also annouxiced thn decision m those words : •' Whawhi Whawhi Ake ! Ake ! Alee ! Touim." ("We will fight for ever and ever and ever "}: