LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2105, 20 March 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

TIk 1 Balneation Board lias decided to renovate the .-.eliuol residedce at Moutoa. Heavy rains have fallen throughout. iliis district during the past two days. The ratepayers of Ashlmrion have sanctioned a loan for £35,000 for underground drainage. Wo were recently shown a root of hu-erne, grown in local sandy soil, over 3ft. in height, l!ie tap-root was even longer. Th.e local .Masonic Lodge intend to entertain W. Bro. and Mrs Stevenson at a farewell social in the .Masonic Tin!! next Thursday evenin";. The operation recently performed on the Prime Minister was entirely successful, and Mr Massey's condition is reported hy the doctors" as bein'’ 1 ipdte satisfactory. We desire to acknowledge £ I from Mr and Mrs G. 11. Wright, and £1 from Fred, and Harry Wright, towards the Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Fund. St. Patrick's Ball, held in the Town Hall on Thursday night, was well at tended, and a most enjoyable time was spent. The interior of the hall was charmingly decorated, while the music and catering were all (hat could he desired. The professor of natural history was taking 1 his lirsl trip in an airship. ‘‘How wonderful !”• said he. Then he studied the ground intently, and said : “I never saw so many ants at one lime.' 1 ' "Ants! man alive those are Fords!” said the pilot. At to-morrow’s 'special Harvest Thanksgiving 1 services in the Methodist Church a special augmented choir, under the condnclorship of Mr IT. Osborne, will lead The singing and render special anthems, accompanied hy an orchestra of ten instruments. Representations arc to he made by the Wanganui Fducalion Board to the Chief; Flee (ora I Oflicer as to the necessity for notice being 1 given to the Board about the use of schools for elections, the attitude of (he Reluming Officers for Manawalu and Patea being specially resell led. The pictnrising of famous, novels is fast becoming one of the most imporlanl branches of the picture producers’ business, and among lln* most successful of these adap.la.liuns is the Stuart Black!on production of Sir Gilbert Parker's “The Judgment Mouse,” to be presented at the Town Hall on Monday evening, at usual prices. “Von can't classify children according In age,” said Professor Tinnier in an address to women teachers at Wellington. “The senate of the university has twice decided 1 hat the scholar who lopped (he list in the scholarship examination should not he allowed lo hold the scholarship at the university. Why ? Been,use he was too young. Classify ability on the basis of age —that is. the 201 h century!'' Bight blinded New Zealand soldiers and their wives were entertained by Mr and Mrs Glut ha Mackenzie at dinner on Tuesday evening a I (he Grand Hotel, Auckland. They had all been under Ihe care of Sir Arthur Pearson at St. Units tun's Hostel Tor Blinded Sailors and Soldiers, and Mr Mackenzie gave (he dinner so that old friends might meet, and ihe splendid spirit of Sir Arthur and Si. Dnnstan's still be kepj, alive. Serious injuries were sustained at lbe Mercer railway station on Wednesday evening by a lady passenger, Miss Nellie Turner, 25 years-of age, who was reluming in a crowded excursion train from the Ngaruawahia Regatta lo her home at Waiukul in some unexplained way Miss Turner fell off the train, with the result that her collarbone and shoulder were broken, and injuries caused, to her back. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital! Says to-day's Palmerston Times; —“Foxlon people are nearly tickled to death. Some months ago the community was turned all upside down because the local School Committee ■ had purchased a German piano. ATT or a long struggle the oiiTemling instrument was hurled ignominiously from the precincts of the school and thrown into the harbour or somewhere. Ninety good golden sovereigns were spent,in replacing it with an elegant instrument labelled on the frontispiece “Kaymond, London." A Palmerston Nortn tuner went to Foxlon on Wednesday, and when he opened up the internals of the piano he found it stamped through and through with the inscription, ‘Koehler, Berlin. 1 The news spread like wildfire, and all parties are united again in the enjoyment of the joke of the season.”

The police are still investigating (he recent local burglaries, hut. so fur no arrests have been made. A full report of the picnic held at Marotiri by St. .Mary's Convent school will appear in next issue. The Education Board has made an increased grant of £lO for fencing at the Rangiotu school. The Easter school holidays have been lixod for Good Friday- and Easier Monday only this year. The importation of Sinn Fein Irish Republican' Brotherhood Badges and portraits of Edward, or Famon, De Valera, pro.-ideal of the so-called Irish Republic, is prohibited by an Order-in-Couiieil published in tins week's Gazelle. An eye-witne-s of the Marash massacres describes one of the most horrible incidents. A hundred Armenians were besieged in a cellar for live days. The Turks invited them to surrender, promising projection,'and the men were shot as they came out. The Turks then entered, armed with axes and knives, and slaughtered the women and children. Only two escaped. The Turks similarly attacked girls in a rescue home, killed -all. and set lire to the building. To-morrow, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., special Harvest Festival services will lie held in the local Methodist Church. Botli services will he eonducted by (he Rev. A. Harding, and a feature of same will he the singing by the choir and special music by an orchestra. On Wednesday next, in the Masonic Hall, the annual sale of gifts will lake place, commencing at 2.30 pan. The stalls will include plain and fancy goods, produce and refreshments, and during the afternoon and evening musical si lection--will he played by llie orchestra. A burglar broke into Fantliorpe'.s drapery store at Tanmarnnni mi Thursday night. Access was obtained by breaking a plate glass window am! making a hole big enough for a man to get through. A till was rilled of thirty shillings, and a suit of clothes and a. pair of hoots stolen. There are blood mark's on the window and till, and heavy marks of muddy hoots on blouses in the winViow. The. burglar look one turn of the handle of ilic cash register and then slopped when the hell rang. The police are making inquiries.