LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2226, 13 January 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

To-day is the sixth anniversary of the great earthquake in Italy, which resulted in the loss of 30,000 lives. “That young bride worships her husband, doesn’t she ” “Well, she places burnt offerings before liiin three times a day.” What is believed to be the first diamond wedding in Lyttelton took place recently, says the Christchurch Press, when Mr and Mrs John Bawden, Sylvan Terrace, celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of,their marriage.

Cabled advice lias been received bv the Immigration Department that owing to a strike of ships’ carpenters, accommodation for immigrants cannot be provided on the Corinthic and the Athenie. The departure of 500 immigrants who were hooked by these two vessels has accordingly been delayed.

At the Mastorton Police Court on Tuesday, James Archer, formerly town clerk and engineer of Masterton Borough Council, was charged .with having falsified doeumenls, intending them to he acted upon and used as if they wore genuine. There were IT charges against: accused, extending over a period from May, 1917, to October, 1919. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence (o Wellington. Ife was given a tip for the races by a friend, Imt lie was one who did not usually interest himself in horses. Anyhow, lie was much impressed with the information, and declared his firm belief in the capacity of the animal, and also his int£iition of backing it. The horse ran tenth in a Held of ten, yef even this circumstance did not lessen his faith in its abilities. “It is a good horse,” lie said. “It took nine of them to beat him.”

“We have a real Minister of Education, and not a supernumerary, in the Cabinet,” said Mr F. L. Combs, of Mastorton, in moving a vote of thanks to the Minister at the conclusion of the annual conference of the New Zealand Education Institute. “The Minister and his department have had to face criticism and opposition in launching a consi metivc policy of reform, but they do not live in a fool’s paradise, and know that they cannot expect anything else.

Two men named J. Grant and Milligan were admitted to the Hawera hospital on Tuesday, suffering from injuries received through a motor car going over a hank at Alanutahi. Milligan’,s head was badly lacerated, and he had lost much blood. He also lmd an elbow dislocated and abrasions on his leg. The extent of Grant’s injuries are thought to be very serious, but as yet tlicv have not been ascertained.

The Feilding A. and P. Sliojv is advertised to take place on Ist and 2nd February, and amongst other attractive events will be found dog trials, motor driving, musical stalls, and other competitions. All classes of stock have been allotted liberal prize money and handsome trophies, and ladies will lie interested to know that there is a six-guinea trophy, to be won outright, and a ten-guinea challenge civp for the most points in cookery classes. Entries dose on 14th January. Schedule on application to the Secretary.

Air 0. A. Baker, of Wellington, called at the office of the Palmerston Standard on Tuesday, to warn Europeans from visiting the Maori faith-healer, Ratann, as he is unable to attend to their ailments until he lias treated the Maoris. Mr Baker accompanied his nephew, a sufferer fronj partial paralysis, to see Katana. He was armed with letters of introduction from Mr 11. M. (Hare ITongi), of the Native Department, Wellington, who recently visited Katana, and from Mr H. D. Bennett (Ilenare Peneti), a prominent Maori in business in Wellington, while his family had been preaching, teaching, and ministering to the Native race for nearly 100 years, but all were of no avail. Even the Rev. Fred Bennett, who was at Katana’s pah, and pled for Air Baker, could not break down Katana's iron resolve —to treat the Maori first and (he pakelm later. The faith-healer’s secretary, then his assistant-secretary, and finally Katana himself, said lie had absolutely ceased to see Europeans; if lie treated one, he must treat all, and lie was fully determined to attend to his own people first. Later, when he had ministered'to the Maori, he would receive the pakeha. In view of. his own failure, especially as he had a strong case from the Maori standpoint, AH Baker says it is futile for other Europeans to attempt to see-Ratana.

Saturday has been decided upon by (lie Alasterton Borough Council as the day on which the half-holiday will he observed this year.

A Welling ton taxi-cab proprietor was yesterday fined £2 and costs 19s for overcharging a passenger Is Gd.

The receipts for the three days, of the Auckland-Weljington cricket match totalled £409 . 7s—a record for an intefprovincial contest. The attendance on Monday totalled 2,500.

The Feilding Star, referring to the recent plucky rescue of a young lady from drowning at the local seaside recently by Air Alf. Ebbett, says that he is an old Feilding boy, and an ex-pupil of the Manchester Street School.

Air Woodward, assistant county engineer at Whakatane, had a narrow escape recently on the Wainui road. The steering-gear of his ear jammed, putting the car over a hank. Air Woodward wriggled free, but the car turned several somersaults to the bottom. The New Zealand Alliance has received the following cablegram from J. W. Allison, secretary of the Scottish Permissive Bill and Temperance Association, Glasgow:—“Final results: Forty-one No^License; thir-ty-five limitation; four hundred and fortv-six licenses cancelled.” *

Tuesday last was the 75th anniversary of the capture of the Rmvpeknpckn Pah at the Bay of Islands, from tlie Maoris by the British troops under Colonel Despard and the friendly natives under Tamafi Wakanene. The capture of this pah brought Hone Heke’s war to a close.

At the Palmerston Police Court yesterday a young’ man named James Thomas Berrett pleaded guilty to a charge of having forged the signature of J. Brown to a cheque for £O4, and attempted to utter the cheque to the National Bank. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

The Mart on Band, which has been engaged to play at the local races on the 22nd and 24th insts., will render a programme of music at the seaside on tlie intervening Sunday, and in the evening a sacred concert is being arranged in aid of the Band’s competition expenses. Airs Freeman is arranging the vocal items for the concert.

The ring events at the Feilding Show should be more than ordinarily attractive this year, including, a.-> they do, musical stalls and a mot-or-driving competition for bodies. The prize list bristles with big prize money and valuable trophies, and intending competitors should lose no time in mtiking their entry, which close on Friday next, 34th insl.

The public is reminded of (lie gift social evening to be held in the Town Hall supper-room to-morrow night, by Ihe plain and fancy stall holders in connection with the Beautifying Society’s gala. Admission will be by gift. A capital social programme lias been arranged, and supper will be provided. Victor Cartier, aged 12, an inmate of the Leslie Orphanage, at Auckland, slipped from the rocks in to the sea while on his way to a bathing place near Alalinrangi Heads. The matron, Aliss Wright, made a plucky, but ineffectual, attempt at rescue, but lost: her-hold on the lad, who sank. The body was recovered on Tuesday.

A Wanganui retailer, in conver

sat ion with a Herald reporter, remarked: “Wc got smacked to leg properly during the war when in competition with the big-gun merchants, we could not get our indent orders at Home filled. Now the tide has turned, and we have just landed a consignment of goods at from 20 to 25 per cent, less than the Wellington houses could supply us at.” A. N. Smith, Draper and Clothier, is offering the public of Foxton a splendid opportunity of securing goods at exceptionally low prices. During the next fourteen days a genuine reduction sale will lie held, when all lines.carried by this establishment will be reduced considerably in price. A perusal of A. N. Smith’s advertisement will indicate to readers the bargains being offered.*

The psychology of hand-shaking has been recently discussed by an American expert, says the Morning Post. The man who gives you a full hand and presses his thumb hard against the back of yours is, we learn, a liberal and congenial character. Not to press the Ihuipb hard against the back of your hand proves the fellow a stingy creature, and the higher lie holds his (lmmh aloof the stingier he is. The man who merely offers the tips of his fingers is slv, secretive, and cunning. He who lays his hand in yours as if it were a bit of wood, is a colourless person, .easily imposed on.

One extraordinary effect of the heal wave, says the. Christchurch Press, was to set in operation Ihe “sprinkler” fire alarm installed on the premises in High Street of A. J. White, Limited. This particular kind of alarm is automatic in character, and is set in motion when the temperature in the building rises above a certain degree. It is connected direct with the 'fire brigade headquarters, and simultaneously Avilh giving the alarm the mechanism of the sprinkler is set in -motion, with the result that on the area underneath water is sprinkled. The idea is that very soon after the alarm is given the brigade will arrive and stop the downpour. The firm is covered by a risk in the Commercial Union Office of £1,250 against damage from the accidental operation of the sprinkler, when there is no Actual fire.

Betty Compson, the star actress who made her appearance in “The Miracle Man,” appears at the Royal on Saturday in "The Devil’s Trail..”*

The friends of Mr Ilillicr will ho. pleased to learn that, from information received this morning, we understand lie is now progressing favourably towards recovery. Mr'John Ross had a narrow escape from a serious burning accident while manipulating an oxyacetylene plant yesterday morning. Owing to a slip of the tube, the flame shot past his forehead, causing the flesh to blister.

The death of a well-known Alanakau Maori, To Ilona, is reported. He was a strenuous worker during the influenza epidemic. Latterly he had been in ill-health, and had paid two visits to Katana, the Maori Miracle Man, says the Chronicle.

Some exciting scenes were witnessed in Manners .Street, Wellington, last Saturday evening, outside one of the picture theatres. Hundreds of people had to lie refused admission to the theatre -which was screening the Australian picture, “Possum Paddock,” and the city amusement-seekers' keenly resented being robbed of their Saturday night’s entertainment;. This picture will be screened at tbe Town Hall, Foxton, on Tuesday next.* In reference to a paragraph which appeared in last issue re the visit of a Trades Union official to Foxton, '“Ex-employee” asks “whether the provisions of the Shops and Offices Act are being observed locally as to hours, pay, conveniences and heating during winter, and overtime payment.” The writer concludes: “Why do the shopkeepers fix hours, and forget to observe them? Has the local inspector power to see that the Act is being observed? Things have been very loosely run in foxton in the past, and it’s time that those who have power to do so shook things up a bit. Some people cry •out against those who gamble and play two-up, but gambling in the welfare of their assistants is just as illegal.”