LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2340, 11 October 1921, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At last night’s Borough Council meeting accounts amounting to £1,645 Is 6d were passed for payment.

Mr Perreau, who met with an accident to his knee a few weeks ago, caused by a fell on a concrete floor, is now able to get about again. Samuel Proctor, aged 58, was found drowned at Paraparaumu on Saturday, with a bag of sand round his neck. A letter was - found stating that he had nothing to live for.

A labourer named Thomas Fenton Withers, aged 40, who had been employed on the hydro-electric works, fell into the Mangahao river one night last week, and was drowned.

In order not to clash with the Fire Brigade Benefit Pictures tonight, the Fox' programme, which was to have been screened at the Town Hall this evening, has been postponed until Thursday. The spring poisoning of rabbits has been in active progress in the Manawatu district during the last few weeks, and good results have been secured. A considerable number of men are also engaged in trapping.

A little diversion was created in Main Street last night, when a Native took a hand in What appeared to be a heated controversy between a husband and wife. The Native’s'chivalry .was aroused, and he admonished his pakeha brother, which led to a change of argument. The present state of unemployment is strongly exemplified by the experience of a Taranaki dairy company. It recently advertised for two casual hands, “wages £3 15s and usual allowances.” As a result, 150 applications came to hand in three days.

~ The Rangitikei Advocate learns that as a result of the shearers’ award, a sheep-owner in this district whose Hocks number over 10,000, will this year employ only two shearers. The greater- portion of the shearing will be done by the employer himself and the permanent station hands.

A Christchurch telegram states that William Allen Hopkins, land and estate agent, whose bankruptcy was prominently before the public a .few weeks ago, was arrested at Wellington last week on three charges of fraudulently 'failing to account for moneys entrusted to him. He has been remanded until next Saturday. Bail was refused.

Mr Janies Healey, an old-age pensioner residing at Rangiotu, died whilst being brought in to the Palmerston North Hospital on Sunday. He had been in failing health for a few days previously, and it became necessary to, bring him to town, but he collapsed on the way, apparently from heart failure. A teacher in Canterbury- recently received the following letter from the mother of one of her pupils: “Dear Miss, —Nellie played tennis at school yesterday, and is not well enough to come to school to-day. Her head was very bad all the afternoon, but it worked off in the night. . . •” Another King Charles incident, surely!

Speaking at the civic reception accorded him at Wellington yesterday, Mr Massey said that New Zealand would be represented at the Disarmament Conference. lie would be unable to go himself, but would make an early announcement on the subject. It is the general opinion that Sir Francis Dillon Bell will be appointed as tlie Dominion’s representative.

The body of a young woman named Lilian Ethel Buckley, was discovered by a party of: young men on Ward Island on Sunday. Deceased had been missing since the 21th September from a house at which Die was staying at Pet one. Since her disappearance search parties have been out, but Ward Island, being isolated, was not visited. The body was evidently washed ashore I here from Pelone. The parents of the deceased reside in Auckland.

At the meeting of the Horowhemia County Council on Saturday, C'r. MeLcavey referred to the nuisance being caused by the spread of gorse on certain of the country roads, .Foxlon road in particular, fie moved, and.it was carried, that notice be served on occupiers or owners of land throughout the county who have allowed gorse to grow on the roads abutting on their properties, that such gorse must be cleared in accordance with the law on the question.

“Can a girl who is sixteen years of age marry without her parents’ consent?” The general answer is that she cannot, states the Dunedin Star. The law sets out that if either parent is alive and in New Zealand, his or her consent is necessary to the marriage of a person under the age of that if neither parent is alive or in New Zealand the consent of the proper-ly-appointed guardian must be obtained; that if there is neither parent or a guardian, or if either such available person is non compos mentis or unreasonable, or from improper motives withholds consent, application may be made to a judge of the Supreme Court, who may, if ho finds valid cause, authorise such marriage.

We are descendants of n race of shopkeepers, if Napoleon spoke the truth, and we don’t like paying any more Ilian we need for an article. Even the burst of patriotism flamed up during the war, and its slogan of “buy within the Empire,” is likely to receive a damper if the difference in price is ton pronounced. A firm in Auckland has just had a severe test. It imported two lots of bolts, one from America and the other from England. The articles were identical, but the price of the American worked out at 7s 6d, as against 18s Gd for the same quantity of English make. On the deal the firm’s patriotism cost it £SB. If England wants to hold trade it is obvious her prices must come down considerably.

Those present at last night’s Council meeting were: His Worship the Mayor (John ChrystaH, Esq.), and Councillors Bryant, Whiblcv, Smith, Rand, Ross, Martin, Thompson and Coley. An apology was received from Cr. Walker, Mr Murray, engineer, was also in attendance.

A meeting of the Fox ton ITarhour Board will be held at Foxton tomorrow morning, at 11.30 o’clock, and an inspection of the dredge at work will afterwards be made. The presidents of the Foxton, Levin and Palmerston N. Chambers of Commerce have been invited to accompany members of the Board dgwn the river to the dredge.

At the conclusion of last night’s Borough Council meeting the Mayor (Mr John Chrystall) gave a very interesting resume of the business transacted at the Municipal Conference recently held in Wellington, and which he attended as the Council’s representative. Referring to Hospital matters, the Mayor incidentally remarked that tjie borough was fortunate in being connected with the Palmerston N. Hospital Board, to whom he paid a tribute for its capable administration.

The Foxton Auctioneering Company report a very successful sale at their mart yesterday afternoon, there being a large attendance. The buildings (for removal) created keen competition, and were all disposed of at satisfactory prices. A Jersey heifer (just on drop) realised £l2, and a cow due this month sold at £9 10s Od. Five yearling heifers brought £3 per head. The sale of chattels in the estate of Mrs Meaghen created fair competition, and everything was disposed of. The auctioneers invite entries for next Saturday’s mart sale, particulars of which should be supplied by midday on Thursday, so that same can be advertised.

At a quarter-past nine on Friday night, in the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, after a moment’s consultation with the Minister of Internal Affairs, told the members that they had done very well, and that he thought they had earned their week-end rest. If they worked as quickly in the future they would have no difficulty in getting through all the business of the session by Christmas. “Which Christmas?” inquired a pessimistic member. The Prime Minister smiled, and the House adjourned.

We regret to record the death of Mr Lionel Kelly, eldast son of Mr and Mrs John Kelly, which took place at his parents’ residence, Ilulke Street, yesterday morning, after a lengthy illness, aged 28 years. The deceased young man, owing to an infirmity, did not get about much, but endeared himself to those with*whom lie came into contact, by his pleasant disposition. The sympathy of friends will lie extended to the bereaved parents and family. The funeral will take place to-morrow.

A Press telegram from Marion states : —A meeting of producers resolved that as shearers’ wages have been fixed by the Arbitration Court, no person lie allowed to try to proven I shearers working at award rates. The meeting believed there would be no difficulty in getting shearing done at award rates. It was also decided that the meeting request the Government to do away with the power of the Arbitration Court to award preference to unionists. The meeting entered a most emphatic protest against the proposed charge of £2 yearly for rural mail delivery, considering that country settlers were as much entitled to a free delivery as were townspeople.

The Secret Commissions Act, makes it an offence, punishable by fine or imprisonment upon conviction. for persons acting as agents while in the employ of principals, to receive secret commissions. Not only does this apply to paid officials of companies and governing bodies or societies, but also to members of same. It was quite common some years ago for such officials to flourish on such perquisites, but very little, if any, of this sort of thing obtains to-day in any of our governing bodies.

The death is announced of Mrs Ellen Sherlock, of Christchurch, who for 81 years has been a resident of New Zealand. Mrs Sherlock’s history is a most interesting one, and is supplied by a Christchurch correspondent as follows: — Mrs Sherlock’s father, Edward Roe, brought the family out from the Old Country in the barque Gertrude, in 1840. She was then only six months old. The family landed at Wellington, and Mr Roe was appointed overseer of the New Zealand Gazette, of which Mr Revans was editor. Later on he established a stationer's shop in Lamblon Quay, and still later became proprietor of Barrett’s Hotel. After retiring, he went to Christchurch, and died there at the age of 73, Mrs Sherlock; while in Christchurch, married Edward Jeringham Wakefield, one of New Zealand’s most brilliant politicians, and only son of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, promoter of colonisation and founder of settlements in New Zealand ♦ and South Australia, and nephew of' Colonel. William Wakefield, killed by the Maoris in the Wairau massacre. He died in Christchurch in 187 G. Some years after his widow married Mr G. E. Sherlock, a journalist associated with country papers in Canterbury, who died about 1G years ago. Mrs Sherlock is survived by two children —Mrs C. O’Connor, of Auckland, and Miss Wakefield. *