LOCAL AND GENERAL

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 6 January 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A proposal is on foot to place a memorial tablet in St. Matthew's Church, Helensville, in memory of the late Mi S. Olive, for many years a constant and faithful worker for the church. The member for Eden, Hon. C. J Parr, Minister for Education, is at present staying at Hinemoa House, Parakai, renewing acquaintances in this portion of his electorate. Mr Parr is much impressed with the improvements effected at the Springs Grounds since his last visit to the locality. An important clearing sale is advertised by the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., for Friday, January 21st, when the firm will sell at Kaukapakapa the whole of the choice dairy herd owned by Mr Roy Kinlock, who is compelled to give up dairying on account of ill health. The herd is an especially good one, with a splendid butter fat production. Exhibitors and all others interested are reminded that entries for the Helensville A. and P. Association's annual show close at 8 p.m. on January 15th inst. There will be positively no late entries. In another column the secretary announces the hours of attendance to be observed during next week, to receive entries. From all indications, entries in all classes promise to be large this year. Muriwai Beach proved moro popular than ever during the holidays, and hundreds of visitors from the city, Helensville and settlements adjacent camped or picnicked there. The reserve set apart near the beach for tents was filled to overflowing, and all the "shacks" had their quotas, Motors were there in piles and altogether a great time was spent, assisted to a great extent by perfect weather, excluding Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, which days proved txceedingly damp, A good number of Helensville families are still camped at the Beach, enjoying a placid existence as compared with the strenuous life which is the custom locally.

A complaint from an up-country storekeeper was recently ventilated reKarding the price charged by the wholesale merchants for Capstan cigarettes. Writing in regard to this an Auckland tobacconist statee: "The prices given are evidently a mistake, because Capstan cigarettes are made in New Zealand, and there is no duty payable on them. I buy them for £1 4s per box of 50 packets, and retail them for 7d per packet. I think the storekeeper has got mixed in his duty sheets with some of the linea which are dutiable. Either that or the suppliers are in error or are engaged in Outright profiteering. I know I don't pay duty on Capstan cigarettes made in Wellington by W. D and H. 0. Wills.

Reminder is given of the Helensville Regatta Club's meeting to-morrow evening. Please make a point of attending, all you enthusiasts.

The local railway department started the New Year well, by notifying a resident of a parcel that had lain in the office 20 odd days or so. The telephone is such a convenience.

The duties of a caretaker were denned by a lady visitor to the Springs during the holidays, who upon being asked by the caretaker to prevent her . small v daughter from pulling up the flowers, indignantly replied : " You're paid to look after the children,, aren't you ? "

; The passing of the old year in Helensville was chiefly recorded by a liberal use of chalk on doorways and fences. A few boisterous spirits (with spirits) assembled near the ECHO office, and bid the old year "imshee," incidentally greeting the New Year with variegated expressions of opinion—and language.

Each motor car imported from America is packed in a large case. The timber comprising these cases are sold in Auckland at £2 10s each. A man informed us that he had built two comfortable rooms out of four cases —the whole building, including a tin chimney, costing him about £22.

During the holidays the Parakai Hall was well patronised with dances, being occupied half a dozen times. A very pleasant time was spent by a large number of visitors and many " locals " at these functions. A suggestion for next holiday season is a " jazz " cabaret, a la Auckland Town Hall.

The holidays locally passed with an absence of serious accidents of any kind. The most startling occurrence was on a road in the vicinity of Kaukapakapa one night last week, when a motorist ran into another car, minus lights. The heartfelt expression of surprise emanating from the one who was bumped testified adequately to the state of his feelings. No damage was done,

A man who desired to build a "shack" on the seashore paid £2 6s per 100 feet for planed jarrah timber, imported from Australia, because he couldn't get anything cheaper. Don't forget New Zealand is a timber producing country still, but fairly priced kauri, rimu, matai, or totara cannot be got by the " little man," though they are a portion of his natural inheritance. As for the " big man"—well, that is another story.

For Saturday evening next the big attraction at Everybody's will be Elsie Ferguson in "The Avalanche," a story of the evil effects of gambling. Of all human passions, none begin so subtly or so inevitably destroys as gambling, and in this picture is seen the experience of a beautiful girl who is at first innocently attracted by the lure of chance. In addition will be screened an ever-popu-lar Sennett comedy entitled " Back to the Kitchen," and the usual gazettes and travelogues will also be shown

The quest for so-called "easy " money, as undertaken by the crowd at Ellerslie during Christmas and New Year, makes one wonder whether it is "easy" money, eTen when it i 6 secured. It certainly isn't easy to stand in a crowd for a solid half-hour, waiting one's turn at the window, only to beshut Out when half a dozen off the goal,and then rush round to find everyone has collared even standing room at the vantage points. It is absolutely surprising, too, how many were on the '• good things"—after the race—and only missed through one of a dozen perfectly good reasons. Such is life!

She was very stout and very hot, and she mopped the perspiration from her plump pink face as the people outside the totalisator house bumped and jostled her. She was tightly wedged in the crowd which surged about her, and not being built on lines for speed or quick manoeuvres, she took the brunt of many a dash at the pay-in windows. Presently she gazed aloft. Looking down from the stewards balcony were two men, cool, calm and comfortable, leisurely scanning the rapidly changing "tote" figures. "Them's tha ones," she murmured, "up there all day, lookin' down and laughin' at d fools like us!"

The following suggestions for computing the income tax are made by a correspondent:—Take your income, add the number of your house and divide by the size of your hat plus your age ; then subtract your motor car number—if you have none your telephone number will do just as well. Add the number of children you have less last quarter's gas bill, multiply by your 'mother-in-law's age minus depreciation and repairs. Deduct your life insurance premium, less freight and cartage plus the number of your watch and pay 5 per cent on the remainder. If you make a mistake you will be fined; if you don't you will have to pay any way.

There is a parson not far away who dearly loves his game of golf, states the Wairarapa Daily Times. His partner is invariably an old college mate, formerly a major in the army who has a decided talent for language that is "frequently painful, and free." The other day as the parson was having atrocious luck, and when, as a sort of climax, he took a huge chunk out of the ground and at the same time sqashed his favourite golf stick, club, b,aton, or whatever ti}ey call it, his exasperations overcame for a moment his dignity. As the disturbed sand settled dovyn and he viewed the wrecked stick, he burst out;—" D—and— the—thing— er—that is as the Major would say!"