LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2291, 18 June 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

As a result of. the recent heavy rains, tho Manawatu river increased in volume on Thursday. It is hoped that the increased volume of water will have a beneficial effect on the bar. v

The. C. M. Ross Drapery Co., Ltd., have settled on plans and specifications for the erection of up-to-date business premises in Main Street, on the site of their temporary building. Building operations will be commenced at an early date.

At the local police court this morning, before Mr Hornblow, J.P., John Kinley, who pleaded guilty to drunkenness (second offence), was fined C2 and ordered to leave the township forthwith. At the Palmerston Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Frank Polling Richards, alias Frank I’ercival Cooper, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for obtaining money by means of a valueless cheque. Ai ilic"“lasi meeting of the Borough Council C’r. Coley, in criticising the sewerage pipes, is reported to have -.aid that they were nothing more than common sewerage pipes. Cr. Coley referred to the pipes ns “common water pipes.”

A conference will be held on Tuesday afternoon next, at 2.30 o’clock, between the Borough Council and Beautifying Society to discuss matters in connection with the playing of football on Easton Park, and the bearing of same on the beautifying schejne. The Palmerston committee associated with the St. Helen’s Home proposal- lias decided to raise £OOOO for the purpose, and hns'deeided to appoint Mr W. Lints as organiser for the whole scheme. Details of the proposed reveille of ID2I were Cullv discussed, and other moneyraising devices will be considered later.

The Wanganui East School Committee has received a grant of £l6O from the Department, through the Board, for the purpose of acquiring a site for the new baths. This precede!: i should not- be lost sight of by the local Committee in reference to acquiring the vacant site behind the old cemetery, and adjoining the girls’ playground for a similar purpose.

In a letter to the editor of The Herald, in referring to the Railway Commission’s report, Air IV. H. Field, M.P. for Otaki, says :‘—T still hardly believe the Government will commit the country to the follacy of spending almost a million on the Palmerston North deviation.” A very successful concert and dance was held at Glen Oroua on Wednesday night, in aid of the Presbyterian Church funds in that district. The local choir assisted with the programme, which included some first-class vocal talent, which was much appreciated by the large audience.

Referring lo the Pons-W’innecke comet, Mr. Clement Wragge said it should he visible within a few days. It will appear in the north-eastern sky in the early morning, hut will not he visible to the naked eye. It should he easily discerned with the aid of opera glasses. Many people, .said Mr Wragge, believe that the earth and the comet will collide. There was no cause for alarm. “Even if we did strike the comet,” lie said, “the earth would charge the comet like an elephant would charge a spider's web, and there is nothing whatever to fear.” “The Hand 'with the Human Brain" is the greatest mystery ever presented in Fox ton by any magician. See “Driver.” —Advt.

A story of the Range Riders, with Harry Carey in Ihe lead, is “A Cunfigiiting Gentleman,” at the Town Hall to-night.—Advt, No doubt you will go to the Palmerston Show next week. A visit to the C. ,M. Ross Coy’s. Sale will enable you to go clad in the latest style at half price. Costumes, Hats, Blouses, Furs, Hosiery, Gloves, Men’s Suits, Overcoats, Hats, Ties and Shirts at unheard-of prices. Visit our establishment while the low prices obtain. —Advt.

The sweetest mother love story ever told, aptly describes “Mother ’o Mine,” to be screened at'the Town Hall next week. —Advt.

The Minister of Justice has informed Mr E. Newman, M.P., that he will endeavour to give effect to a request that tegular sittings of the Magistrate’s Court he held at Shannon.

Evidently stocks of timber are accumulating at sawmills on the Main Trunk line. One milling firm wrote, the Patea County Council stating it had large stocks of matai and heart of rimu to offer, and could quole for any quantity for immediate delivery. At a Court function in 1810 Napoleon Bonaparte observed a woman wearing jewels of such magnificence that he inquirecV how ’her husband made his money. “He is a tobacco merchant,” was the answer. Within a year Napoleon had made the sale and manufacture of tobacco an exclusive monopoly to the State, and it is so still in France.

Mr Kupa Hainea, of Otaki, has forwarded a piece of timber from the City of Auckland, which lies stranded on the Otaki beach, to Dr. Pomarc, who is desirous of making ;* walking-stick for presentation to the Premier on his return from. England. Mr Massey was one of the passengers who came out to New Zealand in the vessel, which was wrecked some thirty years ago. The Dorcas Society 'wishes to thank the following for parcels of clothing: —Mesdames J. Barber, W. Petrie, Halliday, F. Robinson, Trueman, C. Robinson, Christie, Hammond (Himitangi), A. Ross, McMurray and Walton. The Society would be pleased to receive donations of children’s underclothing, boots, etc.

Some amusement was created by the conduct of a dog at a wedding ceremony in a local church, says the Timaru Herald. When the officiating minister was addressing the young couple at the altar, a dog strolled up;- and, squatting behind them, set up a loud whining. Whether this was by way of -applause or protest, or a joke on his part, was not certainly understood. Those present- accepted the humorous view of it.

It- was reported on Sunday that a railway cadet, Ellis Bowbyes, had been brutally assaulted at a lonely part of the road between the Tuakau'railway station and the boardinghouse where he lodged. Polioi investigation Jias disclosed that the rumoured attack «,n a man at tinplace. the night before had so unnerved the cadet, who was only 11 years old, that lie was afraid to pass the spot late at night, and s*he had invented the story.

“One of the wisest sayings I know is,” writes the Right Hon. J. H. Whitley in The Triangle, “from an old classic which lingers in m\ mind from my school days. Ilippocra.tcs, who lived about the sth century, 8.C., in answer to the question why he was always happy, said these words:.‘Love of my fellows and love of my job.’ This is the secret of happiness in England. You will notice which he puts first — ‘Love of your fellows. There is the secret of success in any kind of work —a number of peope co-oper-ating together in carrying out a purpose.-- What is ihe reason why the world is so long in settling down to peace, and why A there also within our hounds, in out' own country, this same failing? Because wo have no; gripped the meaning of our own humanity.”

When the stakes were’“pa id over for the World’s Sculling Championship, at Blenheim this week, Arnst stated that if his form had been the same when lie rowed Barry on the Thames as when he.rowed Hannan on the Witirau, Barry would not have won. When Barry beat him sickness had reduced him from 13.5. to 12. ti in two days. He was a New Zealander, and where the next race would be rowed he did not know, but he felt the New Zealand people had the best right to it. He liked the Wairau River and the climate, and intended taking up his quarters in Blenheim 'for winter training. Hannan rowed a line race. The excellent time showed the quality put into tho rowing. Here is quite a new method for catching rats, which is said to be very effective, and so remarkably cheap that it deserves notice and adoption, especially among stores and shopkeepers. Get a fairly good-sized barrel, into which pour water to a depth of about eight or nine inches. In the centre place a large stone, which just shows enough above the water to allow standing room for one rat, Nowcover the top of the barrel with fairly stout brown paper, and sprinkle cheese over this. In the morning the rats will have cleared the cheese away and nothing else will have happened. But mark the subtlety of the scheme! Next day cut the brown paper nearly acrossin the form of: a cross, and again leave cheese upon it. The first rat to jump will -full through, and when at the bottom will take refuge on the stone. His squeals and cries will attract his brethren, and their natural curiosity will cause them to jump down. But, as there is only room for one on tha stone, they will have to fig-bt for possession, and all hut one will he found drowned._This very novel idea has been very successfully tried, and -is certainly worthy of a test. —London Daily Mail.

The following appointments were made at this week’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board: —■ Rangiotu, second assistant, Miss M: La very; Awahou, solo teacher, Mr C. Tunnicliff; Putorino, sole teacher, Mr R, S. Watts; Karewarewa, solo teacher Miss A. M, Annett; Waipuru, sole teacher, Mr N. MacDonald; Mount Biggs (April meeting), Miss A. M. Haaso. Resignations: Miss F. Allen (member of oflice staff); Miss V. Livingston, sole teacher, Whnreroa; Miss M. Cowen, relieving teacher.

The extraordinary feats of memory, by which the'text of the Bible was preserved through the ages without being committed to writing was described by Dr J. 11. Hci’tz during his rceent. lecture at Auckland. “I myself know hundreds of men,” he said, “who not only know the live books of Moses from end to end, but the entire scriptures, the whole 39 hooks, iu the Hebrew. There are hundreds of meu alive who know the entire Talmudic literature by heart, a v much more marvellous feat of memory.”

The problem of dealing effectively with school children whofce education is retarded has been referred by the Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr), to a special committee, which is now arranging a series of tests. When the nature of these tests has been definitely decided, experiments under strict supervision will be made, and if the tests are found to he satisfactory they will be applied in all necessary cases. The committee will also suggest to the Minister the best way of dealing with retarded children. TheDirector of Education (Mr J. Caughley) informed the Council of Education this week that the committee would not only deal with children who were at the bottom of a class, and who made little farther progress. The committee would 'concern itself with children at the top of a class, who were also retarded, because their class mates could not keep pace with them. “Retardation at the top of the da ss,” he said, “often had more serious consequences than retardation at the bottom of the class.”