Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2613, 31 July 1923, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL

On several farms on the wav from Poxton to Wanganui numbers of lambs may be seen frisking about.

After several weeks in lied with a, severe attack of sciatica, Mr 0. Pearson is now able to get about with the aid of a stick. The friends of Mr and Mrs lb Bryant will be pleased to learn that they are making satisfactory progress towards recovery from their recent indisposition.

In the Dannevirkc district there are 420 dairymen milking 20 cows or over, and it is believed 300 of them will be consumers of power from the Mangahao scheme'when that is available.

A body found in the Molyneux river at Alexandra has been identified as that of J. Dunford, son of a building contractor in Dunedin. Deceased was a single man, aged 34 years.

A fire at Te Awamutu last night severely gutted a shop owned by the municipality and occupied by Mr Henderson, tailor. The brigade made a good save. Fireman Pricker sustained severe cuts on the arms bv falling through the roof of a lean-to at the back.

A farmer in a district not many miles from Oamaru told a North Otago “Times” representative that, last year lie pul down mie hundred acres of land in wheat, lie had the best crop in the district, and his net return was £ll9. From another 100 acres of the same farm he netted £223 from lamb-raising, after paying all expenses.

A message from Home states that sleeveless drosses are the subject of a note issued by the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice- to his clergy. He says women with arms bare to the shoulder may in no case take communion. It' they enter the precincts of a church so attired they must with dignified words of admonition, he requested to leave at once. On Saturday la~t Mr Goo. Coley had to take to his lied with a severe indisposition. Upon enquiry this morning we were informed that he passed a fairly <>ood night and Ids condition is somewhat improved today. At last night’s Hoeing Club meeting a vote of sympathy was passed to Mr Coley, who is a vicepresident of the club and one of its most enthusiastic officials and the wish expressed that lie would soon he restored to his wonted health. Although unable to he present at last night’s meeting, Mr Coley made provision for supplying members from a distance with refreshments, an act of thoughtfulness which was much appreciated by the club.

An alleged sensational suicide was reported to the Lower Ilutt police on Friday. It is stated that a man was observed to leap from the Moiling bridge into the Ilutt river. A thorough search was made by the police, but there was no sign of the man. He was described as being of medium build, and was wearing a dark overcoat and no •hat. There has been no person reported missing in the locality. A later message, however, states that the police have found the body of a young woman named Maud Mildred Walker, aged 21 years, a native of England, who has been in New Zealand for nine to twelve months. A verdict was returned at the inquest that deceased committed suicide while temporily insane.

An earthquake was experienced locally at about 11.50 on Saturday night.

According to the Gazette, outside the four city centres, Wanganui heads the list of provincial towns, with population. Invercargill comes next with 20,180 and then follow Napier 17,870, Palmerston N. 17,810, Timaru 16,450, Hamilton 15350, Gisborne 15,120, New Plymouth 13,930, Hastings 13,730, Nelson 11,240.

Francis Stuart Bobbie, who three weeks ago was lost in the Tararuas for nearly a week is still laid up in Palmerston North, suffering from “trenehfeet,” brought on by exposure and cold. Although not suffering any pain and otherwise having made an excellent recovery there is a possibility of Mr Robbie losing some of bis toes, the circulation being seriously affected.

While practising Association football at Devonport on Saturday, James Alexander Pulman, 30, collided with another player, their two heads striking forcibly. Both men were knocked nut. Pulman recovered sufficiently to walk home, when a doelor was called in and ordered his removal to the hospital. An operation was performed but death supervened during the evening. Pulman served nearly four years at the front.

For some years the residents of Thynne Street have agitated for a footpath. At a recent meeting of the Council the Mayor referred to the street as a “dead end at both ends,” tlie meaning of such designation has since puzzled residents, who collectively pay a fairly large sum annually into the Council’s general account. Some cinders have, however, been placed along a track on the south side of the footway and the residents are wondering whether the same economical process will he followed in other localities.

It is noticeable that all good portions of the arterial roads throughout the adjoining counties are well crowned and the surface water is able to get away. The pot hole seclions of the roads arc noticeable where the surface is flat. The roads could he much improved by the periodical use of the grader and scarifier as is done in the Rangitikei County. Hundreds of yards of metal is wasted along the sides of the roads which should he transferred to building up the crown surface.

A petition was presented to Parliament last week on behalf of .lames Campion, formerly of Okirae, For del I, and now of Hastings, sheepfarmor, asking for compensation lo meet an unusual ease. Mr Campion bought an area of land which was supposed to total 11,308 acres, and a survey found it to he 741 acres short of that area. Petitioner claims that the mistake was (he result of carelessness in the Survey Department, and he says he has been advised that he cannot recover at law, though the Department admits the shortage.

Caruso’s collection of curios contnining many valuable works of arti was sold by auction in New York and realised more than £30,000. But according to the account by at least one reporter, the bidders were even more remarkable than the sale. “Antonio, Tomasso, Luigi and Camilla, Maria Gatarona, Concetta and Loreta” were the chief buyers and “right before the wealthy collectors’ eyes barbers, push-cart pedlars and bootblacks snapped up priceless mementoes.”

“Why don’t you liven up the market a bit by telling the prospective buyers that half the sheep are dead or dying down south owing to the snow storms, and that breeding ewes will soon he in great demand?” remarked a business man to an auctioneer at the Wanganui East stock sale recently. “My dear fellow,” replied the auctioneer, “1 can weigh up the spending power of this lot here to a farthing, and all the snow storms of the Antarctic would not induce them to step themselves out and offer a few shillings extra.” “Wait until the spring,” he added, “and then you will see the prices they are willing to pay for sheep that are going begging {o-dav.”--Herald.

“There is one important matter that I wish to bring forward and that is the lighting of the Foxton wharf at night time." remarked Mr W. Signal at Saturday’s meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board. "The wharf should he lighted,” he added, “especially when a ship is in port, because the hoard would have to enrry responsibility in the event of iiu accident occurring. There is a gus light provided, hut it is under the control of the Railway Department. I have known occasions when I have had to use a lantern when a ship has been coming •» at nighl.” It was decided that the Railway Department he written to asking that the wharf he lighted when ships are in port.

There was a humorous interlude in the proceedings of the Foxton Harbour Board at Saturday's meeting when a remark in the pilot's report created some mystification and not a little amusement. The pilot, in drawing the hoard’s attention to the necessity of repairing the foundations of his house, stated: “1 am „f opinion that urgent repairs in metal and concrete ought to be affected forthwith in order to save nine stitches.” The chairman (Mr J. Liuklater, M.P.,): “What’s this; nine stitches? Whatever does he mean ?” Mr Holben : “I suppose he means that a ‘stitch in time saves nine!’” (Laughter.) The board smilingly endorsed the wisdom of the old axiom and the matter was referred to the local committee with power to act.

A petition signed by over 1,100 Natives has been presented to Parliament praying for the fulfilment of the promise given by the Government that no liquor shall be introduced into the King - Country.

At last night’s annual meeting of the Foxton Racing Club, a number of members were present from as far distant as Sanson, Glen Oroua and Moutoa. Twenty-one absent members voting papers were received.

A haze of tobacco smoke dimmed the lights at the Racing Club meeting in the Town Hall supper-room last night. The windows were subsequently opened to purify the air. The smoke was proof against any influenza germs that may have been floating round. Mr J. R. Whyte’s re-election as president of the Foxton Racing Club was received with a hearty outburst of applause at last night’s meeting. It was Mr Whyte’s father who was responsible for founding the present club although racing of a nondescript character was indulged in prior to the. late Mr Whyte’s advent to Foxton.

It is understood that the electoral reform measure which is to come before Parliament this session, will propose a reversion of the method of grouping city electorates, and that to these proportional representation will be applied. In Auckland, there "would be eight seats to a group, in Wellington five, in Christchurch seven, and in Dunedin, five. It is also said that the other 51 seats will remain single member constituencies and have preferential voting.

The death occurred on Saturday of Mr Richard Ball, one of Blenheim’s oldest residents in his 90th year and father of Mr Ernest Ball, of Fox ton. Deceased was a native of Cornwall, England, and served as a. young man in the Royal Navy. In his early twenties, he joined the army and took part in the Crimean War. Later he was ordered to New Zealand to lake part in the Maori War, and at the conclusion of hostilities remained in New Zealand, settling in Nelson. Forty years ago he opened a business as taxidermist in Blenheim and was also in the service of the Acclimatisation Society. The deceased was well known in Foxton, having on several occasions visited his son here. There are six children surviving him, 30 grandchildren and 35 grea t-grandchildren.