LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2123, 4 May 1920, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Foxton Borough Council will be held on Monday evening next.

The average weekly wage of casual labourers employed by the Wellington Harbour Board during the past year worked out at £3 11s. His Honour the Chief Just ice ( Sir Robert Stout) authorised the denial of the published statement that he intends to resign at the end of the year. I\fr and Mrs 11. A. Ingle, who have resided in Foxton for the pasl four years, are leaving here this month, Mr Ingle having purchased a dental practice in Marten. American newspapers just received announce the death of Mr John F. Dodge, of the firm of Dodge Bros., the well-known motor ear manufacturers, of Detroit, in New York, on January 15th. The fortune of the Dodge Bros, lias been estimated at 50,000,000 del. (£10,000,000). Wanganui is. the fifth largest centre in New Zealand. The borough population is estimated at 15,303, and the suburban at 0,415, making a total of 21,778. Invercargill comes next, with -14,807 in the borough and 3,859 in the suburbs, total 18,720. Napier figures arc 13,785, 2,598, 10,383; Palmerston North 13,017, 1,249, 14,800; Timaru 13,230, 1,598, 14,828; Gisborne 11,022, 3,344, 14,300; New Plymouth 9,820 1,231, 11,051; and Nelson 9,107, 1,233, 10,340.

Mrs L. R. Freeman, of Foxton, with her children (Walter and Joyce), left Wellington for England via Panama Canal, hy the Corinthic, on Sunday morning last, on a visit to her parents at Stevenage. Hertfordshire. The Corinthic. is due at Southampton, England, about June 101 h. It is a coincidence that it was on this vessel that Airs Freeman came out to New Zealand ten yearago, and she is now occupying the same cabin as she. did on the previous' trip, and Captain Hart, of the Corinthic, who is an old friend of Mrs Freeman's family, was also in charge of the vessel at that time.

• Hatches, are being in some grocers’ shops in Masterton, says the Wairarapa Times,

A party of influential Maoris, who are going to Honolulu and Salt Lake City in connection with Mormon festivities, left Dannevirke last week, en route for Auckland, where they intend to catch the Niagara. Probably the most dangerous pastime in the world to-day is motor speed racing, whether on cycle or car. Splendid views of these exciting and dangerous events arc shown in Wallace Reid’s newest picture, ‘‘The Roaring Road,” showing at the Town Hall to-morrow.

Three business premises is Gisborne' have recently been purchased by Chinamen, and in one instance the purchase price is reported to be somewhere in (he vicinity of £3,000. Several European gardeners have been approached by Chinamen and offered high values for their gardens.

Labour Ministry in New South Wales comprise two boilermakers .(Premier and Assistant Minister of Justice), two ex-school teachers, a tailor, a house and estate agent, two coal miners, a journalist, and three members of the legal profession. Only two (the Chief Secretary and .Minister of Labour and Mines) a.re native-born.

A resident of Calgary, Canada, has written to the Mayor of Christchurch asking for information regarding the farming possibilities of Canterbury. The writer slates that he went to Canada from England, but finds tin* winter seasons too rigorous. A small party of 12 proposed coming to settle in. New Zealand. The letter has been handed over to the secretary of the Canterbury Progress League to reply.

Kawakawa (North of Auckland) is growing l in importance as a shipping port, and the creation of a Harbour Board is contemplated. The erection of a freezing works with a capacity of 100,000 carcases is expected to he completed by December next, and the meat will be shipped at Opna, where there is a maximum depth of six fathoms of water.

At the Wanganui Borough Council meeting (writes (he Host’s correspondent) soiiH' of the councillors received quite a surprise when they learned that -the council actually sold its raw tar to a local company at Old per gallon, and bought back the distilled production at .10id per gallon. In addition it had to use its own plant to pump the raw tar into ihc company’s vats. It is now proposed that the council should irislal its own distilling plant.

Hoxton presented a somewhat deserted appearance to-day, a very large number of people having gone to Palmerston North for the visit: of the Prince of Wales. The train this morning, which was an exceptionally long one, was pan -ked. About 150

school children, in charge of the head master and staff, travelled by the train, and there were also a large number of smaller children with their parents. Captain Coffin's trumpet hand also made the trip.

“I'm afraid you don't understand indues." replied the Mayor at (lie Christchurch'City Council, to a City “Father” unmarried, who had suggested that country mothers coming to town should leave their offspring at a half-way hospital, instead of bringing them right on to town, where at present it was dillicult to plaec 1 them for the day. “In many cases," Dr. Thacker added, “the hahy's commissiariat and canteen is with the mother, and you can’t separate them for the day in that man-

A theft of an unusual kind is reported from the Hokio. In the vicinity of the crossing near the old McDonald homestead, the natives for years past have worked their eel weirs, and in the antnuin season thousands of these lish are regularly caught and placed in large perforated boxes, in the stream, liy which means the eels are kepi alive am! ready for use aCany (line. Large catches had been made during the past month or so, hut .one night recently a raid was made, and the boxes practically cleared of (heir contents, over 1,000 eels disappearing.—Levin Chronicle.

The mo a at the Dunedin Museum was given temporary life on Sunday morning at the Woodhaugh Gardens, when a party of students stalked it in ancient Maori fashion, and again soon placed it with the great things that arc long since dead, says the Star. The hunt was arranged for an enterprising agent of an American lllm-prodncing company, and it would seem that- a very realistic picture was obtained of pre-pakeha life in New Zealand. The constructed moa at the Museum was “lent” for the occasion by the authorities, and the students helped with zest.

The “working bee’ at Easton Park on Saturday afternoon, organised by Mr 51, E. Perreau, was fairly well attended, and some useful work in clearing’ and levelling the ground was done. Captain Coffin's band was in attendance, and the music dispensed was appreciated by those present. Mr Perreau, in welcoming the workers and ladies, said that this function was a beginning, and would, he hoped, result in the formation of a Beautifying Society for fire town. Much useful work could be done in this connection. There were about 20 ladies present, who provided a very nice afternoon lea for all in attendance. It is understood that a meeting is to be convened at an early date for the purpose of forming a Beautifying Society. For Bronchial Coughs take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/0, 2/9,

The following are the vital statistics for Foxton for the month of April; Births 10, deaths 3, marriage certificates issued 3. The united service will he held to-morrow evening, in the Presbyterian Church. The Bev. W. Baine will conduct (he meeting. Mr George Kilsby, who died at Kopntaroa last week, arrived /in Wellington in and resided in the Ohariu Valley until 24 years ago, when he took up land at Kopntaroa, in the Ilorowhenua district. He leaves a family of one daughter and six sons, all of Kopntaroa.

The Stratford electoral roll contains SOS new enrolments, which is considered a record for a hy-olcc-tion. Removals from the main and supplementary rolls through deaths, transfers, etc., number nearly 1,100 (including 803 removed prior to the General Election). The number of electors eligible to vote at the byeleelion, which takes place on Thursday, will, therefore, be about 7,505, as compared with 0,00-1 ai the General Elect ion.

At the annua! meeting of the Levin Croquet Ciuh on Saturday afternoon, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mrs Hall (re-elected) ; vicepresidents, Mcsdames Mirk' and Wallace (re-elected) ; lion, secretary, Mrs Nicholson: general commit lee, Mesclamcs Pollock, Ilohlaway, Pink, .Gardener,. Keedwell, and Miss Whitaker; handicap committee, Mesdajnes Kirk, Nicholson. Pink, lioldaway, and Miss Whitaker; tea committee, Mesdames Percy and Beading.

lii ;i letter to relatives at lhakara, Miss.S, Broadbelt, who is on a visit to Australia, gives some interesting impressions of (he eonntry, and says, inter alia: “You have no idea how dry the ground is in New South Wales. It just: looks as if it had keen ploughed and left —not a blade of grass to lie seen, it would be a fine eonntry if there were plenty of rain, as it all lies beautifully to the stun All the way from Sydney to Melbourne the eat He and horses were just hags of hones, and no wonder, as there was not a sign of grass anywhere. The weather at time of writing is eold, and there lias not been a bright day since we landed.”

One of (ho comical stunts about the picnic ship “Alokoia" on her Samoa cruise was “washing day,” for the grave legislators were their own washer women. On the whole, it is considered that the lion. Air Lee, in the presence of a pair of socks, a washboard, and a bar of, soap, is hard to beat. The general lack -of starching accommodation on Hie ship resulted in a limp appearance among members usually immaculate, and shirts covering breasts that beat with fervour for their country were not: always as crcasclcss or spotless as is usually the case, No one knew where Sir .lames Allen did his weekly wash, or whether his private secretary did it. It is possible, however, (hat (he loader of the party was-able to collect sufficient articles of wear before the voyage to render personal application to tin* wash!ub nnnecessarv. it is under-

stood the (ioverumeui paid for the soap (soft and hard) the politicians used. —drey Liver Argus.

The cessation of our railway service through it strike by the employees is a. noAv experience for the present generation. There hats not been a raihvay strike in Ncav Zealand for 30 years, and even then it was only a sectional stoppage, incidental to the. great maritime strike of 1890. The Avharf labourers' unions Avere on strike, and railwaymen at Westport and Lyttelton Avere instructed to do work outside their ordinary duties, hut connected Avilit the raihvays. On August ‘291 It nearly flic whole staff of the Westport railway struck work, and on September 2nd traffic and permanent avu.v men at Lyttelton to the number of d-l also refused to handle goods. There was a great deal of excitement and some talk of a general strike of railwaymen, but nothing more was done. The strikers and lour members of the association's executive Avere dismissed from Ihi' service, the commissioners, who then managed the system, refusing to discuss requests for (heir reinstatement.

There has been a great deal of controversy of late in connection with the manner in Avhieh penguins are killed at Macquarie Island. The subject Wits discussed til some length at the'last meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelly to Animals, Avlien several members expressed the opinion that the charges of cruelty Avere not justified. One of Him* men avlio avus employed in penguin-killing xvlu-u (he penguin oil industry avus started a I the islands, informed a Slur reporter that he avus engaged thereat for over a year and a half, and assisted to fill up the first digester. He staled that the method adopted in securing the pengnius avus to drive them into a race, made in the form of an American corral. This race avus about Oft. wide, Avith a depth of about l()ft., and then opened out about half a chain. The birds were thus driven into the pen, and their escape blocked by placing a barrier across the mouth of the pen. One of the men Avould then step into the pen and kill each bird Avith a single blow, and pass it along to another man, who cut off its dappers and legs. The birds were then passed to the third man, avlio cut them down the back, with a sharp axe, after which they Avon; deposited on a platform. When the platform carried all Ihe dead birds it could hold they were passed to a man in the digester, avlio packed them until it was full. The birds were at no lime subjected to any form of cruelty.

Mr and Mrs D. Wliihloy celebrated their golden wedding yesterday.

The Presbyterian Ladies' Guild held their monthly meeting last Friday, when the hostess was Mrs Alex. Boss. There was a large tendance of members.

The local Fire Brigade arc holding a plain and fancy dress ball on June 3rd. In connection with same a meeting of ladies is to be held in the Council Chamber to-morrow afternoon, to set up a ladies’ committee to undertake certain details.

It requires strong love for a. wife to stick to a mediocre husband, who can hardly make a livujg, and is always waiting for something big to turn up, hut a girl successfully meets such a .situation in the William Cox morality production, “Why 1 Would Xol Marry," at the Boyal to-morrow night. _ i

The following are the latest alterations to the local telephone exchange:—Additions: No. 130, James Coley, Johnston Street ; No. 104, G. ('. Coley junr., Gladstone Street; No. 01, P. J. Jack, ■'Main Street; No. 131, Peter Bohinson, Whyte Street. Alt oral ions; No. 118, IT. Signal to 11. H. Duniell, Park Street; No. I)3ii, N. Brown to David Bisholl, Himalangi.

Mr Boherl Darkness, of the Chapnian-Alexander Mission, is coming, with music, song and story. Mrs Harkness is an accomplished singer, and will ■accompany her husband *Ol his visit to Foxton. The recital will be given on Friday. 14th insl., at the Methodist Church. Tickets, adults Is, juveniles (Id, can lie had from any member of the Ministers’ Association, or the see-, ret ary, Bev. Halliday.

At a combined meeting of members of the Levin Bowling and Croquet Clubs, held to consider a proposal for the improvement of the playing green, the following committee was appointed to go into Hie question of seeing if finance could he arranged for the purchase of the green:—Aprs Hall, Mrs Kirk, Messrs iloldaway, Hoe, Bollock, Higgins and Bull. It was pointed out that: it would only mean raising about £75 in cash and Hie taking over of a mortgage for the balance.

A woll-alieinU'd meeting of the Foxtail Volunteer Fire Brigade was held lasi week, Air K. Parkin (captain) presiding. It was decided ihat a body of lire police he organised In prevent pilfering at tires. As sevcral members have had their clothes damaged whilst undertaking brigade work at tires, it was decided to ask members to submit: claims for the amount of damage sustained, which, if in order, will be paid. The Brigade decided to afliliale with Hal Fire Brigades Association, and {'* ■ JP& also Join the insurance scheme 'm. connection therewith. Twenty-four suits of denims are to he purchased for the use of members, it was decided to hold an annual hall, the iirst to be held on dune drd, and the following committee was sot up to make all the necessary arrangements: Messrs Rider, Head. Frankland, Perrean and Compton.

Beniarkahie sconce wore wiinesse d in Melbourne last weak - at one >T iin* sail's id' “Defence Department llannel," sink's nn exchange. The selling’ firin luul undertaken lo sell llu' Ilmnu'l at cost price. Tin 1 scene in and outside the shop was nn extraordinary one. Long before lhe doors Avere opened hundreds of men and Avomen had gathered. By !) o'clock, Avlien the premises avciv opened, the crowd had swelled to an enormous ex lent. Chapel HI reel, in the vicinity of the establishment, avus one seething mass of people, raid traffic was seriously interfered with, "When Ihe doors did actually open (here was a wild stampede tor admission. Ueckless Avomen, Avith infants in their antis, were crushed and jolted, men pushed and used their elbows vigorously, and children were swept along in the wild rush of bargain-hunters. At last the door.' were shut, and the sale r.roeeeded. Every purchaser demanded the full limit of 10 yards of danne] permitted by the conditions of sate. Less aenturesome folk

crowded on the stairways and watched the scrimmage. Eventually the doors Avere opened again, and the, place emptied. Then came another wild rush. And so it went on throughout the da ax