LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 December 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"We dra-w particular attention of our i readers to the alteration in the ' time aud place of steamers leaving for Shelly Beach to-morrow.—See Advt on this page. We understand that the Prime Minister will visit the district about the middle of Janhary, going up the Wairoa to inspect the Waipoua forest. A strong youth is required for the blacksmithing. Good opportunity for a willing yonth, Apply at once to Mr J. F. Lambert. A.t the "Wellington wool-sales on the 6th December the clip irom the Komney flock of the Weraroa Expert imental Farm sold as follows : Ewes, 13d.; hoggets, 12£ d.; pieces, 9|d, Soultaria, one of the best known rasing mares in New Zealand, has been sold for 975 guineas to Mr H. Conlan, a well-known Syauey owner and trainer. Soultaria, it will be remembered, proved a turf sensation recently, when stolen from her stable at Papakura. The complaint of Australian merchants just voiced by the " Sydney Morning Herald "that Australian goods are being shouldered out of the Canadian maikets by New • Zealand is certainly a high compliment to us. At the same time it is a striking, testimony to the value of the Vancouver service sudsidy, and the advantages secured through the rebate allowedto our goods under our agreement with Canada. Mr W. A. Laird, Jeweller, Helens* ville, is holding a clearing out sale of the balance of his Xmas stock, to make room for the new season's goods. All articles are marked at low prices, and no reasonable offer will be refused. There is a fairly large stock of Electroplate ware, jewellery, watches, etc., to select from, and an early call gets the first bargains. An inquiry was held at Te Kopuru on Saturday, 21st inst,, before Mr Thos. Webb, District Coroner, under instructions from the Marine Department into the loss of Khoddy McGregor from the s.s. Tangihua on the night of 4th December.' After evidence had been taken the Coroner found that McGregor had been accidently lost overboard, there being no evidence to show how the accident occured. No tiace has been found of the body. The population of New Zealand was increased by 544 persons last Wednesday, that being the number of third-class passengers brought by the Shaw-Savill liner Mamari. They are described as being an especially desirable lot, and with the exception of eight young people who are down with measles they all arrived in good health. Early yesterday morning over 400 left by special train for Lyttelton to join the Mararoa enruote for various northern destinations. Tho new arrivals have been distributed throughout the Dominion. Six ducks have established a world's recorl in the egg-laying competition at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Now South Wales. For the eight and a-half months from April 1 to December 16 those ducks laid 1,202 eggs, and they ure still laying well. The first egg was laid on April 12th, making the classic average of 200 eggs per duck in 248 days, a performance that has never been equalled by fowls or ducks in any part of the world in public tests. Farmors in the Auckland province (according to a Dunodin paper) appear to have Had a great crop of potatoes this summer. They are sending large quantities t to Dunedin, 2,500 bags having arrived by the Monowai last week, The price in the wholesale market is remarkably low for this time of the year, the rate being £10 per ton. As a result of large supplies from the north, Otago growers are obtaining the rates which were exp^cted. Prices for the best kind run from 1 Jd to l£d per Ib. The total births in the four chief cities of the Dominion and their suburban boroughs durnig November amounted to 758, against 758 in October. The deaths in November were 26H—an iucrease of 17 as compared with last month. Of the total deaths, males contributed 149, females 117. Sixty of the deaths were of children under five years of age, being 22 57 per cent, of the whole number ; 53 of these were under one ye.ir of age.

The N.Z. Railways timetable for the New Year holidays appears in»our columns. On Wednesdays, January Ist, the usual 10.50 a.m. "Auckland to Wellsford; 9.25 a.m. Wellsf&rd to Auckland, and 8.20 a.m. Auckland to Helensville will not run. The usual 6.56 a.m. train Auckland to Helensville will run through to Te Hana, and the return will leave Te Hana for Auckland at 2 p.m. Trains will leave Axickland for Helensville at 8 a.m. and 8,30 a.m. Trains will leave Helensville for Auckland at 4 p m.. 5 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., and run through to Kaukapakapa. A train will leave Kaukapakapa for Auckland at 6.30 thin.

The " Griey Biver Argus," commenting of the Waihi strike some weeks back, severely criticisad Mr E. Seniple, alleging that he was in Waihi on the occasion of the melee which resulted in the seizure of the Miners' HaH, but that he kept out of harm's way ; also that he ''' put a high fence between himself and police." On an action for libel being threatened by Mr O'Eegan, the "Argus " apolo* gised to Mr Semple and published a full retraction in its issue of tho 18th. inst, The paper admits that Mr Semple was not in Waihi on the occasion referred to, but states that it was misled by a telegram to that effect.

The Wide World Pictures have a good programme for Wednesday and Thursday. The battleship New Zealand leaves Britain at the end of of next month for New Zealand. She will stay in these waters for about three months. Three men were drowned in trying to rescue a girl irom the surf in Queensland on Saturday. The girl was eventually rescued. Following is this morning's weather report -.—Wind, light N,E, ; barometer 29.28 ; Thermometer (outside) 72 ; weather, hazey ; tides moderate. Hunter's Bros. Bus Service is doing good business between the Springs and town. Special coaches being put on to order. Dick Arnst (Ex champion Sculler) saved a surfer from drowmg at Sydney on Xmas day. Two other New Zealander—Hentsh and Gh Brown rescued another. The Hon. W. H. Herris stated that it has been definitely decided to dup^ hcate the Parnell tunnel as soon as tunds were available, and a start would probably be made next year. The summer meeting of the Northern Wairoa Racing Club eventnated on the Maropiu course on Thursday. There was a large attendance, about 1000 people from all parts of the district being present. A replace advertisement appears on our forth page from Highlander Condensed Milk Co. drawing attention of campers-out and holiday makers that they can depend on Highlander Condensed Milk. Considerable activity has been going on amongst launch owners during the past month getting ready for the Annual Eegatta to-morrow. To-day aH are putting the finishing touches to their boats, and the fleet, as it wends its way to Shelly Beach in the morning, should present a pleasing picture. The S.S, Inga 1200 tons, Captain Bull, was berthed at the K.S.S. Coal wharf last night, The Inga is from Newcastle with 1100 tons for the local S.S. Co,, and after discharging 100 tons at Ho re Here proceeded here to discharge the balance. It is not often a steamer of this size visits us thesa times, and a good number of townspeople have already been to have a look at the new arrival.