LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2677, 29 December 1923, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Herald” will not In* published on Tuesday next. New Year's Day.

The editor wishes to reciprocate Christmas greetings from 'Messrs Watson Bros., Palmerston North..

Trout weighing up to 101 b. have been taken this season from Lake Ilorowheiuia, which is reported to he exceptionally well slocked.

An open verdict was returned in the eoronial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander Churchman who, was found drowned in the Wellington harbour on Tuesday.

The school building at Waingarara, Whakalane, was burned down on Christmas Eve. It was an old building erected by (lie settlers 20 years ago. The origin of the fire is unknown.

The London hospital for tropical diseases claims several complete cures of sleeping sickness by injecting a drug known as Bayer 205, which is produced at the Bayer chemical works, near Cologne. T( was first successfully used on 180 natives in Central Africa.

The Hawke’s Cup cricket match played at Wanganui on Thursday, between Wanganui and South Auckland, resulted in a win for the home team by 351 runs. Orton, for Wanganui, scored 204 in the game and Tronson took 13 wickets for 94 runs. The total scores were Wanganui 403, Auckland 133.

A unique sight on Mr Wheeler’s farm, Muriwai Park, says an exchange, is a pet lamb which had been adopted by a cow. The lamb follows' the whole herd to and from pasture, morning and night, and suckled from the cow. Needless to say, with an unlimited supply, the little animal is in tip-top condition.

The man who meets you in the street and.asks you to hold his overcoat while lie lights his cigarette is to be viewed with suspicion. Two cases of this sort happened in Wellington on Wednesday. In the first instance, a pedestrian was accosted outside the Jewish Club by a man who politely asked him lo hold his overcoat while he lit a cigarette. The stranger enlmy threw the garment over the other man’s shoulder ignited the friendly weed, retrieved the coat and passed on. The obliging pedestrian subsequently found that £5 was missing from his cash. The other ease had similar results.

Following a flight on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Percy Coleman landed safely in the paddock off Milson’s line, Palmerston North, his customary haunt, and alighting from the machine, left the engine running. The machine started oil’ gaily on its own, with the surprised owner hoi in pursuit, in vain, to catch the runaway. The latter defied its pursuer for some distance, coming (o a stop at last, upside down. Tt is reported that the propeller is extensively damaged, and that other parts of the machine have not escaped entirely free. Although (here were several people in the field at the time of the incident, no one was injured.—Times.

A line example oi' (he ready adaptability of the modern hoy to meet the immediate need of the occasion was given to a motorist on the Avay to New Plymouth from Stratford recently. On crossing the railway Hue at Midhurst, and rounding the bend in (lie road, the motorist, was confronted by a small boy standing in the middle of the roadway, Avith outstretched hands in the approved style of constituted authority, and on stopping the youngster quietly picked up a box on the roadside, placed it on one side of the car, and helped himself to a seat on the other. Ills destination, he said, Avas a road about a mile and a-half further on, and in conversation with the driver it was discovered that this was the customary method of this lad, on his mother’s instructions, of travelling between his home and Midhurst when on the family errands. —Exchange.

The late Mr Boimr Law. left esate valued at £51,397. A total of 515 third-class passengers arrived in Wellington by be Atbenic on Monday afternoon Yom Southampton.

Ten strokes of the birch was the punishment orderded to be administered to a 14-year-old boy, who, in the juvenile offenders’ court, at Auckland, admitted the theft of a letter containing a cheque for £l2O. Ample evidence of the growing popularity of Tangitnoana as Feilding’s seaside resort was afforded on Boxing Day, says the “Star.” It is estimated that there were between 2000 and 3000 people on the beach there on Boxing Day. It was stated at a recent meeting rf the Cambridge Power Board that, largely as a result of the Board’s recent advedtising campaign, no less than 20 breakfast grillers had been sold during a fortnight, also a number of electric Moves. —Exchange.

A copy of-the .1924 issue of the N.Z. Official Year Book is just to hand. As usual it contains much valuable information. This issue is larger than (lie previous one, several new sections having been included.

A fire occurred in the film operating room of the peerless Pictures at the Town Hall, Greymoutb, at 10 p.m., and destroyed the films. One operator, Walter Townsend, was burned about the face. lie was removed to hospital. No other damage was done. Soft fruits grown in Otago promise to fairly supply the market during the holiday season. Cherries from the Central orchards are coning to hand plentifully and in good condition, and there is likely in he a sufficient supply of apricots and peaches. Hothouse tomatoes are veiling at 1.-. Id to Is 7-ld per lb.

The Westport “News” of Monday last, states that the Dennistnn and Millerlon mines met on Sunday and decided not to agree to the proposals .submitted to them through their delegates, hut framed a new set nf proposals to-go to the District Council and from thence to the coal mine owners for their decision. The Ashburton County Council < xpressed its deep appreciation of the action of the County engineer Mr 0. C. 11.I 1 . Dyer, in permitting 20 ounces of bis blood to lie transfused into the County Clerk, Mr 6. Kelly, whose life was in great danger at its recent meeting. Mr Dyer’s sacrifice made an urgent operation possible, and Kelly is recovering.

The latest information about the application of the Kawarau Min ing Company for a license to dam the Kawarau and Shotover rivers at their sources, and thus make the beds accessible for extraction of the gold that is believed to be lying there, is distinctly encouraging to the promoters of this great scheme (states an exchange). - The sitting „f the Wardens Court at Queentown for the purpose of disposing of this matter is now definitely fixed for January 18th. The Government has submitted,conditions, the Crown will not he represented at the hearing. It is understood that the company will willingly agree to these conditions.

With the idea of encouraging citizens to qualify themselves to take a real and a competent part in public

affairs the Christchurch Citizens’ and Ratepayers’ Association are cow making arrangements to constitute a “Mock Parliament,” to meet regularly at least once aw eek during the winter months. The membership will be 90, and men of all stations in life and of all political beliefs will be welcomed. Each applicant for membership will indicate the party he wishes to join —Reform, Liberal or La bom —and all proceedings will be conducted according to Parliamentary procedure. The winter session will extend from April to September.

’What is the value of ambergris an ounce? A correspondent to tbe Wanganui Chronicle puts the question. The answer on the authority of the leading drug company in New Zealand, is that no price can he fixed in this Dominion. Samples offered for sale are never brought here at a stated figure. Everything depends upon the quality, and that can only be ascertained by the chemical processes of the manufacturers in the Mother Country. The procedure is to send the samples Home, and await the nows as to the results of the trial. Some samples of stuff that was supposed to he ambergris have proved to be valueless. Real ambergris has made returns varying from £1 to £4 and £5 an ounce.

Mr A. Boyos, of Benhar,,lmd an exciting experience one day last week with a pack of weasels (reports the Dree Press). It appears that Mr Boyos disturbed the fierce little animals while they were engaged in removing eggs from the fowlyard. Ten of them attacked him in a body, and, wisely thinking discretion the better part of valour, lie retreated to the house, and -entered a! the back door to enlist the services of a neighbour who possessed a shot gun. The neighbour returned with the gun and opened fire on the weasels, which were still congregated in the vicinity of the. back door of (lie house. Eight, were shot, dead before the others decamped. Mr Bo yes’ experience is probably unique in this country, where the weasel will not usually attack man, but then the animals in New Zealand are generally encountered in ones and twos only. In European countries droves of them have been known to pursue a man and boldly attack him. .

Retail business people in Mas r terton report that this year’s Christmas shopkeeping constitutes a record.

Lord Leverhulme arrived at Auckland by the Niagara from Vancouver on Thursday. He went to Wellington yesterday and from there he proceeds to Sydney. A flight from the police and a swift arrest took place the other afternoon at the tram stop at the top of Svmonds St., Auckland, says the Herald. Two men, who were sus peeted tq be pickpockets, bolted when they saw they were under observation. Detective McHugh started in pursuit and after a sprint of about 100 yards, managed to arrest. both of (hem. They endeavoured to break away, and the detective then threw one of them. One* of the two was given in charge of another police officer and the men were taken to the police station. They will appear at the police station, charged with picking pockets. On Monday last during the busiest hours <>f the year, a mechanical fault developed in a switchboard at tho Levin telegraph exchange, whereby the .whole three boards of 100 numbers each, which are connected together were thrown out of action (says the Chronicle). The trouble first manifested itself about 10.45 a.m., when the exchange was working at top speed. Under these impossible task before them in nteonditions the staff had an almost tempting to locate the cause of the short circuit, among the maze of fine wires connected to the hoard. An urgent message was dispatched to the Palmerston North office for tin expert mechanician. He caught the Napier express, but in the meantime, the fault, by one of those caprices of which only electrical apparatus seems capable—bad disappeared. All went well until between 7 and S o’clock on Thursday morning, when the short circuit again occurred. But the exchange was then less busy and the mechanician was cble to trace the mischief to one key, which was promptly isolated from the rest of the apparatus.