Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 22, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2005, 22 July 1919, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 22, 1919. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A small band of roysterers on Saturday night finished up by lifting o!( gates in certain localities.

' The Mayor desires to acknowledge a donation of £2 towards the Peace Celebration Fund from Mrs F. Robinson.

The attendance at last night's Peace Concert, despite the inclement weather, was very large, crory seat being occupied, and a number of people had to be satisfied with standing ropm only.

While the crowd was watching the destruction by tire of the old building in Main Street last night, sonic one played a cornet solo, “Keep the Home Fires Burning.” The crowd enjoyed the humour of the thing. It was a line caricature on Nero’s fiddling. A feature of Saturday’s procession was the two tableaux, “All Nations” and “Pea/ce,” the staging and arranging of which were responsible for many complimentary references. The arranging of the “All Nations” tableau was supervised by Mrs Grant, and (hat of “Peace” by Misses McMurray and Collins, who also were responsible for the decorating of both lorries. Just prior to the concert in the Town Hall last night, when several hundred people had entered, the building, the fire bell, adjoining the hall, rang out an alarm, and many people made for the exits. They were informed, however’, that it was only a minor conflagration. The Borough Baud was playing a selection in front of the' hall at the time of the alarm, and the bandsmen “downed tools” to witness the conflagration.

The Red Shield Club will be opened on the 30th inst,at 2.30 p.m., by Commissioner Hodder, the chief of the Salvation Army in New Zealand. He will be accompanied by Brigadiers Toomer, Gist and Hoare, and quite a number of visitors will be present, including the popular Padre Bladin. On the Tuesday night prior to the opening, the Commissioner is to conduct a Scout and Guard review in the Town Hall, to which admission will be by complimentary ticket.

Foxton’.s part in the Peace celebrations, although hampered by the inclement weather, was very hearty.’ All the local business places observ-' ed a close holiday, and bunting was prominently displayed. The procession on Saturday in Main Street was watched by a large crowd. All arrangements were made for the holding of a sports gathering at the racecourse, but the weather was against this. The fireworks display on Saturday night was watched by a. large crowd of spectators from beneath the shelter of the shop verandahs. The local school children have been given a further holiday to-day, Whether the holiday is justified is, of course, a matter of opinion, and probably has been sanctioned by the Wanganui Board. We do not agree with the holiday, for two reasons, first, it is a waste of the State funds, as salaries have to he paid as usual, and secondly, the Board Chairman has set a standard of efficiency on the local school which parents will expect to he justified at the end of the year. The youngsters enjoy the day off, hut this is beside the point.

■Mr Corkcrv, of Foxton, who has just returned from a visit to Feilding, on Friday showed us a sample of tiie coal that has been discovered near Feilding. The sample was very soft, and was taken from very near the surface. Mr Corkery says that the locality is about two miles from Feilding', and portion of the property is owned by Mr Campbell and Mr Walter Seifert. An expert has been investigating, and a syndicate formed to carry on further investigations. A boring machine is on order, and it is hoped to get a start with the work of tunnelling within the next few weeks.

An unfortunate accident occurred in connection with the peace celebrations locally on .Saturday, a little girl, daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Hudson, of Maroliri, being the victim. The potato spearing competition from motor cars was in progress, and the little girl stopped out from among the crowd, and got caught underneath one of the cars, being pushed along by one of the back wheels. The car, fortunately, was not travelling fast, and was pulled up in time to prevent the wheel passing over her head. She was, however, rather badly bruised about the head, and her ear lacerated. Medical aid was obtained, and after having her head dressed, she was immediately removed to the Palmerston Hospital, whore it was found necessary to perform a slight operation. On inquiry at the hospital Ibis morning, we find her condition is much about the same.