LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1198, 20 January 1914, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A married man, Thomas Smith, was drowned on Sunday near Happy Valley, Wellington, through the capsizing of a boat. Mr R. T. Betty has received a consignment of the famous Marlow and Bostock boots and shoes for both sexes. Inspection is invited, when patrons will be convinced that quality, prices aud- selection are unsurpassed.*

The lonic which is due at Wellington from Loudon today is bringing 352 immigrants. Of these 64 are domestics, S 6 are farm-labourers, aud 232 of the passengers have been nominated by relatives in the Dominion. The Ayrshire due from Li verpeolou the 26th has 105 —seven domestics, six farm labourers, six wives and children, 35 relatives, and 51 farm boys. The Suffolk is bringing a further batch of fifty farm boys. A parent asks us to warn the authorities against allowing children, affected with scabs, attending the local State school, as this loathsome disease is very prevalent. We hope the trouble will be stamped out before the school re-opens. Perreau’s up-to-date tea roo ms popula ar place for afternoon tea.*

Warner’s Corset comfort is real — no expense is spared in securing the finest soft fabrics, flexible boning, rubber button hose Exporters and dainty trimmings for their construction. We always recommend Warner’s. Local drapers.

Perreaa’s Bermalinc Bread is re commended for indigestion. Try it.*

The Hkrai.u will be published at ii a.m. ou Thursday next (Anniversary Day). Whooping cough is still very prevalent in this district. Bush fires are raging along the Main Trunk Tine. The syndicalistic strike in South Africa has been crushed. The Bank of New Zealand and Bank of New South Wales are both erecting branch buildings in Shannon.

A burglar entered the premises of Clark and Manifold, Pahiatua, on Saturday night or Sunday, and was stolen from the safe. At Auckland last Friday, nineteen women were fined is each and costs 7s, tor wearing hat pins protruding so as to be a danger to the public. The loose boxes erected by the racing club, off Whyte St., are proving a boon to owners whose horses are competing at this week’s meeting. To rob a man of his working tools is considered to be among the most contemptible of thefts. A few days ago Mr Riddle, of Sunuyslde, left a new scythe and stone in his orchard, which some one has since removed. Mr Riddle advertises for its return.

A particularly mean theft was perpetrated in St. Albans, Christchurch, on Tuesday. A little girl was sent to a store with a sixpenny piece clutched in her chubby fist. On the way a man jumped off his bicycle, and said, “Come here, little girl, and hold my bike while I pump it up.” During this operation the man lound out where the little girl was going, and what she had in her hand. Thereupon he took the sixpence, gave the child two halfpennies, and cycled away, leaving the unsuspecting youngster to think that she had effected rather a good exchange.

There are several factors in operation which will contribute to a drop in the price of land (says the Masterton Age). First of all, the interest on money is hardening. Then the cost of production is annually increasing. Again, the rates and taxes are mounting up, and the markets are showing less buoyancy than in former years. It is well that those who are in possession of land, and those who are contemplating buying, should read the writing on the wall. We do not want the lean. But those who are wise will be ptepared for a fall in the price of laud.

French Savants have recently discovered a nearly complete skeleton of the most prodigious creature that has ever come to light. America no longer has the distinction of being the home of largest prehistoric animals, for the newly-discovered land dragon was found at Tendararu, in German Fast Africa. Glgantosaurus Africauus, as he has been named, was probably no less than 160 feet long and 22 feet tall. He lived millions of years before the birth of man, during the foundation of the lower cretaceous rocks. Gigantosaurus was undoubtedly amphibious, like a hippopotamus, his pigmy descendant of the present day.

The frequency with which boats trading to Foxtou have grounded lately in the Mauavvatu river has several times given rise to the question whether the channel of the river is changing. A gentleman who has been associated with the river for the past ten years informed a Standard reporter during the week-end that though the channel was undoubtedly shifting backwards and forwards, with a trend towards the south, this was not the cause of the trouble. He stated that the river was now very low, due to the spell of dry weather, and consequently the boats did not get a sufficient draught. During the past week while the spring tides have been prevailing the depth of water has been maintained, and the ships have had a clear passage. It was also stated that the channel at the bar is now much narrower than it was a couple of years ago, when it was spread out like a fan. For this reason boats did not strike and rest on the sand banks on the bar so frequently as previously. Commenting on the December proficiency examinations, the Chief Inspector, Mr G. D. Braik, said: “ The alteration in the method of examination, like much legislation of a more exalted nature, failed to produce the exact effects that were expected. It led to more work instead of less. It is perfectly clear that many teachers, teachers of large schools even, have but a faint notion of what a reasonable standard of proficiency means. The inspector speaks in a somewhat despondent tone of their experiences in connection with the marking of the papers and the prospects of success ot the new method, but the discovery that so many teachers are not fully qualified to perform a vital part of their duty, aud the opportunity offered for the remedying of a defect lying at the very root of pupils’ progress afford some compensation for their disappointing experiences and the infliction of extra work aud worry.” It is hoped that the Inspector will get on the tracks of the teachers who have disclosed their inefficiency.

For a ton of cement to a pound fo salt, Thomas Rimmer.* Whai we tell you of our stock and of ourselves \ye honestly believe-?-that’s why we are getting on. Walker and Fume * Clearing Sale ! Clearing Sale All the year round —selling off old stock getting in new. Thomas Rimmer.* For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6, 2/6.

Mr Blennerhasselt has been appointed pupil teacher at the local State school.

Captain Hannah, chief inspector of weights and measures, is at present in this district in connection with his official duties.

The Palmerston Standard is appealing fur five persons to contribute £IOO each towards the Radium Institute fund. Accommodation for visitors is rapidly filling locally iu view of the race meeting on Thursday and Friday nest. The local seaside still contains a large number of visitors. Every house is occupied and a number of people are living in tents. A number of Maoris have been employed during the past few days spearing eels in the lakes nu the north side of the river from the Heads. Large- quantities have been bagged and sent away to be dried.

“Education,” sard the Bishop of Lichfield at Queen Mary’s Grammar School. Walsall, England, recently, “teaches boys how to be honest without being rude, and bow to be independent without being impudent.” A female visitor to Auckland left a kit containing £SB on a seat near the wharf on Saturday, while she had a look round. When she returned to the seat the kit and its contents bad gone. The matter is now in the hands of the police. Mr U. Shannon, one of New Zealand’s best informed sporting writers, is a visitor to Foxton in connection with the forthcoming race meeting. Mr Shannon, for some j r ears, has evinced a lively interest in the welfare of the Foxton Racing Club. Prior lo last session the Chinamen were trot required under the Shops and Offices Act to close their premises at any particular hour, but this was an oversight, as Section 25 of the Act was meant to exclude unnaturalised foreigners from having any voice iu a requisition for the alteration of hours, etc. Last session, however, this was remedied, and foreigners now have to comply with the law the same as British subjects do.

A little unwanted female child was found by Mr Thomas Ward, Palmerston, at the door of Messrs Belt aud Bayly’s motor garage, in King Street, early on Saturday morning. The child had evidently been abandoned by a mother who was in sore straits. The child was wrapped iu a portion of a woman’s underclothing and a green woollen coat and when found was quite comfortable aud warm. At the time of the abandonment the child was under forty-eight hours’ old.

The erection of the Old Men’s Home is progressing satisfactorily at Palmerston, but it is not anticipated that the building will be finished and ready for occupation until the begiuniug of next year. The total cost of building and furnisbiug the Home will amount to about ,£IO,OOO. Mr Collins, ot Felldiug, is the contractor. The site for the home is an ideal one, the gift of the Kairanga County Council. There is ample laud for gardening purposes, and it is intended to grow all vegetables for use of the hospital at the Home, also milk and other requirements. The scheme, when iu operation, will make for economy, besides giving a substantial increase iu present supplies.

Of the four candidates from the local State school who went up for the Juuior National Scholarships examiuatiou only one qualified, Hope Mackie. This is somewhat disappointing from a school the size of Foxton, for we caunot believe that the staff has more inferior material to work ou than schools from which better results have obtained. We shall not be satisfied until Foxton can produce scholarship of equal merit to other schools under the Board’s jurisdiction. There are many things in connection with the local school of which we are pardonably proud, but something better cau yet be accomplished in competitive brain work.

The New Zealand Trade Review of January 15, reviewing the financial position, says Attempts are being made in some quarters to make political capital of the money scarcity by blaming the present Government for it. To anyone acquainted with the rudiments of finance this is absurd, and it is very regrettable that such statements should be made. Money like everything else is controlled by the great law of supply and demand, and as there are enormous demands for capital all over the world, rates are correspondingly firmer, and we in New Zealand are feeling this in common with the rest of the civilised world.” Boots, shoes, slippers, etc., to suit all from baby to great-grand-father. All the leading makes, including Bostocks and Crockett and Jones. If you do not see what you require in the window, walk into the shop and ask for it. We have just what you want, and guarantee satisfaction. Retter Bros , Main Street.* -English fenders m great variety just from the manufacturer. Pick yours now and save disappointment, Walker and Fume.* Best on earth (or anywhere else) Book Gift Tea. Try a pound. Thomas Rimmer.* Mr P. Wollerpian, cabinetmaker and furnisher, is now offering a-a exceptional opportunity to the residents of this district to secure bouse furnishings at slaughter sale prices. Some lines below cost. Au early call will secure the best of the bargains.*