FLASHES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 12 July 1917, Page 2

FLASHES.

According to the recent itinery published, the No. 3 Medical Board will sit here on July 25th and 26th. A fancy-dress social will be held in the Star Theatre on Thursday evening next, 19th inst., proceeds in aid of the ■> Parakai-Helensville Women's Patriotic League. Now is your opportunity for the last few days at the Ideal Drapery sale which is clearing the balance of stock at a sacrifice to save the expense of removal. You will get the benefit. S The death occurred at Auckland on Friday evening last of William Burnside, Inspector of Schools, aged 49. He was a native of Dunedin and an M.A. of Otago University. He leaves a widow and one child. The weather during the past week or so has been very severe, there having been a record rainfall, making the roads in the township frightfully slushy, and' in some places unfit for traffic. A number of business premises and private residences are being connected with the town drainage system, which will be a great boon to those interested, besides keeping the .township in a more healthful condition. Wo learn from a usually well-informed source that it is practically certain Cabinet will recommend the House to i bring in legislation providing 8 o'clock closing of the hotel bars. Six o'clock i closing is strenuously opposed by some ■ Ministers. ! The approximate number of sheep in New Zealand on April 30, 1917, was 24,753,324, as compared with 24,788,150 on the corresponding date last. year. In the North Island there was an increase of 261,988 and in the South Island a decrease of 296,814. We understand that the large property known as " Crosslands," previously owned by Messrs Stonewigg and Osborne, has changed hands, Mr A. Mason, of Wanganui, being the purchasr. This property consists of over 10,000 acres, and the new tenant paid something in the vicinity of £35,000 for his purchase. . There is a steady export of beefcattle from the Wairoa district, and during last week arrangements were made to transport 450 head by pontoon ' to Helensville, where they were en- ' trained for the Waikato. The demand for these cattle for other districts has 1 resulted in a sharp rise in price 3 locally * during the past month. Wairoa farmers ! are fortunate in being able to meet the "J demand. —Bell. i The revenue derived by the Post and , Telegraph Department from postages $ during the twelve months ended March j 31st last was £913,458, as against £639,903 in the 1913-14 year. The ', number of letters handled Bhowed an increase, but the expansion «f revenue was due chiefly to the war tax of J^d on all articles posted except newspapers. 5 "It is necessary to conserve our 3 white pine timber for butter boxes," re- ) marked Mr McClure, Commissioner of 1 Crown Lands, at the last meeting of the 3 Wellington Land Board. Land along 3 the Main Trunk was being used for I dairying, and this class of timber would r be in demand for the manufacture of 3 butter boxes. L At a swearing-in ceremony at Parlia--5 ment House the other day, a lady in S the crowd fainted. She was taken home t in a motor-car belonging to a citizen. 3 On the way an incident happened which, 3 although not unexpected, had not been 3 provided for, and had the effect of - increasing the lady's family by a unit. Captain Walter Ruddock, of Muriwai near Helensville, -who recently died from wounds received in France, was wellknown here, and was for some time in 3 charge ®f the local squadron of the 3rd • Auckland Mounted Rifles. The late >• Captain was formerly an old Volunteer 7 and went through all ranks from trooper n to that which he held at the time of his h death. He was a son of Archdeacon >- Ruddock of Napier, and was a cousin II of Lush of the same Regiment, and who i- resides at Wellington.