Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2545, 20 February 1923, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Teacher: “Now, children, who was the only perfect man?” Little girl: Please Miss, ma’s iirst husband.” We are informed that several of the sitting councillors will not seek re-election at the forthcoming elections.

Mrs W. McDonald, who has been visiting relatives at Napier, returned to Foxton last week. Mrs McDonald intends to continue her residence in Foxton.

A thunderstorm accompanied by rain and hail was experienced throughout the district this morning with a decided drop in temperature. The Rev. J. Dumbell, of Wellington, the oldest Methodist minister in New Zealand, celebrated his 03rd birthday on Monday.

The State school picnic and railway excursion to Ashhurst will take place to-morrow. The train leaves Foxton at 7.50 a.m.

The Rev. Father Doolaghty, Foxton’s new parish priest, conducted his first service at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday morning before a large congregation. We are asked to announce that the Silver Band will hold a rehearsal for signed-up pupils only at 7 p.m. next Monday in All Saints’ schoolroom. The Parliamentary session ended at 7.45 p.m. on Saturday. The Stamp Duties Act Postponement Bill was put through all its stages and passed. The Foxton Fire Board invite applications for the purchase of six per cent, debentures in denominations of £IOO having a currency of five years.

The death is reported from Hastings of Colonel Forster Yelverton Goring, aged 77 years, late New Zealand RoyaL Artillery. The deceased officer rendered distinguished service in the Maoi'i War.

The theronieter registered 101.9 at Sydney on Sunday, a record for the month of February.

Tickets for the school picnic and excursion to-morrow may be obtained at the Herald office this evening between 7 and 8 o’clock. Those who desire to obtain their tickets on the train may <l<» so.

Palmerston North Protestant Churches on Sunday made a combined protest against the use of the municipal tennis courts being permitted on Sundays.

Norman Smith, in a motor car, drove from Melbourne to Sydney in fourteen hours and twenty-eight minutes, breaking by fifteen minutes the record established in January by S. Ottoway. Travellers over the road on the Foxton side of the Whirokino bridge find 1 it still in a very bumpy condition, and is -a sure agent for finding out the weak spots in motor cai’s.

At times attacks are made upon the administration of railways, but most passengers will agree that as far as the stationmasters, guards, and porters are concerned, there is little to complain about regarding courtesy.—Auckland Star.

“I suppose I can swear as good as'you or anybody else,” said a witness in the Magistrate’s Court at Dannevirkc to a cross-examining solicitor who was interrogating him concerning the lurid nature of the language he allegedly used in his ordinary conversation.

It was mentioned at the last meeting of the Cambridge Electric Power Board that the estimated revenue of the board had been greatly exceeded. The engineer’s estimate of power to be used in of Cambridge had been actually doubled, while the lighting current sold was now 40 per cent above what had been reckoned on. The board had now 580 consumers.

The ‘‘News of Hid World” says it is believed in well-informed circles that the Duke of York will succeed the Duke of Connaught as Gover-nor-General of South Africa and that he will spend considerable time overseas. A similar position in another Dominion is contemplated for Prince Henry when the occasion arises.

It is somewhat of a coincidence that the attempt to cast adrift the Harbour Board's, dredge from the wharf on Thursday night was exactly twelve months from the date •ui which the mysterious the occurerd in the shed adjoining Messrs Levin and C »’.s stores which latter were subsequently destroyed by fire.

“Think of it, you mothers, out of every four babies horn throughout the world, one is a Chinese,” said Mr Thompson, in an address in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday night. He spoke of the teeming Chinese population and said it was difficult .to grasp their number. He spoke interestingly of his work as a missionary in the hinterland of China. He said great strides ■ had been made in Christianising China but converts only represented one in a thousapd.

Tangimoana, the Rangitikei seaside resort, is situated on a grassy field of 50 acres on the south bank of the Rangitikei River. An excellent road within a few chains of the site is shorter than to Foxton Heads, and is much favoured by Feildinp: people, who are still nearer. About 40 houses are already built and many are in progress. One Feilding enthusiast has laid down two rinks. The beach is good, says the Palmerston North Times.

A sjmal'l light-coloured caterpillar is (loins considerable damage to the tomato crops in the Masterton district. One of the largest tomato growers in the district informed a “Daily T imes” reporter that the natural enemy of this pest is the sparrow and these busy little birds are killing hundreds of the caterpillars. Sparrows are now exempt from the operations of the pea rifle in that particular garden. When a small boy fainted in the heat during the opening ceremony at the Masterlon High School on Wednesday a messenger rushed up the stairs to the balcony, where it was known there were 'hit least three doctors. To his disappointment he discovered that not one of the three was a doctor of human bodies. ' One was a doctor of science in geology, another a doctor of science in physics and the third a doctor of science in economics and political science. So the telephone had to be invoked to call in a medical practitioner.

Mr J. W. Poynton, the wellknown S.M., of Auckland, and for some years Stipendiary Magistrate in 1 his district, suggests that “Mannwa” would be a most appropriate distinction for Palmerston, “in the midst of the Manawatu.* No doubt Mr Poynton is led to this conclusion by the Palmerston North Chamber of. Commerce agitation to substitute “Manawatu” for Palmerston North. Mr Poynton’s suggestion is a compromise worthy of consideration by those desiring the change. As previously pointed out the people throughout the Manawatu district would object, and with good reason, to Palmerston’s appropriation of the historic name to designate tile brough of Palmerston North. The name Manawatu was originally given to the river mouth by a tribe of Maoris who were being pursued down the coast by another tribe. On seeing the flooded river “their hearts stood still.” “Manawa” signifies “heart” or “breath thus: “Ka he taku manawa” (I am out of breath or I am out of heart). “Tu” means to stand: “Ka tu ona waewue” (he stood on his feet).

On Saturday last an old age pension paper and a sum of money enclosed in an envelope was lost. Will finder please return to this office. Reward.

A brilliant electrical display throughout Saturday evening culminated about midnight in a storm of thunder and lightning remarkable for its intensity. It raged for over an hour, and was accompanied by a heavy fall of hail and rain. Saturday and Sunday were fine and sunny.

At last night’s school committee meeting the headmaster stated that the staff and scholars had decided to hold a “shop day” on Saturday and hoped by this means to raise £IOO in aid of the school funds and to assist the committee to meet its financial obligations. The effort was welcomed by the committee who promised to assist the staff.

We regret to state that the condition of Sir William Hemes, M.P., for Tauranga, who was untl recently Minister for Railways, is such as to cause his friends considerable anxiety. Some time back Sir William became an inmate of the Bowen Street hospital, but on the opening of Parliament was in his place in the House of Representatives, but he has not taken part in the no-confidence debate. —N.Z. Times.

Speaking at. the opening of the High School at Mnsterton, Dr. Utley said that his main object was the development of character, which was the fundamental principle in the after-life of the pupil. In this direction athletic games were especially good, and the hoy who took to his games without shirking developed the power to concentrate on a definite object and invariably improved his inside work. On the playing field was engendered that great asset, school loyalty.

To mistake a stranger for one’s sweetheart seems rather far-fetch-ed, hut an Auckland young man, relates the Star, got the fright of his life by this error. He was sitting in a picture theatre down south when a couple sat down in front of him. Instantly he recognised— or thought he recognised —the idol of his heart. But what was she doing there with another young man? It happened that the sweetheart was a resident in another town, and all sorts of strange misgivings entered the youth’s head. He resolved to speak to her and clear up the mystery. So he followed her to an hotel, and enquired by name for her at the office, only to be informed Ilia I no such person was staying there. He remained unconvinced, and insisted on sending his card to the young lady, whatever her name. In the end, he managed to get an interview, and it was only when he studied the colour of her eyes and the dimples on her hands that lie was satisfied that he had been on a wild-goose chase. A special attraction at the Royal Theatre last Tuesday and' Saturday evenings, was the clever dancing by little Miss Jean Robinson. Jean has only just turned eight years of age but despite this has “swept the boards” at dancing competitions in different centres and her decorations would make a British Admiral envious. She is a born dancer find her graceful movements in the various National dances is astonishing. This child, if taken in hand by a master, would have no difficulty in winning international fame. A special meeting of the school committee was held last night to make final arrangements for the school picnic to be held on the Ashhurst Domain to-morrow. Messrs Geo. Coley and Jas. McKnight were accorded a vote of thanks for collecting upwards of £lO from citizens. It was decided to pay out £5 for sports prizes, the programme for which to be arranged by the teaching staff. The question of weather conditions was discussed and it was decided to go on with the picnic and if the weather is wet the chairman endeavour to obtain the use of Ashhnrst Racing Club grandstand, which adjoins the Domain. It was decided that the caterer have the sole right to conduct a stall for the sale of sweets, etc.