LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2865, 31 March 1925, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The weather during the past two nights has boon very keen, followed by while frosts in the early morning. The effects of the frosts are apparent in the kitchen gardens. Arthur Robert Maiterson. 15 years, was accidentally shot dead by a companion al .Marshland, Christchurch, on Sunday, while oil a rabbiting expedition. A number of local bandsmen proceeded to Paine rsloii X. on Sal urday night to hear the visiting champion band. They were delight ed with the performance. which was also educational. Horace Whittle, a well-known settler, of Whittle's bend. Spring Creek, Blenheim, has been taken to the hospital suffering from incisions in the wrist, supposed to be self-inllietcd. His condition is not serious. Wellington City is now receiving electric power from Mangalino, (>tt Thursday last I lie power 'was taken lq£ direct motors, and on Friday and Saturday the tramway load wtis added, mid a! night the balance of the load was added, with excellent results. In the course of his .-etmon in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday night, the Rev. Frank .McDonald said the Scriptural quotation in reference to the growth of forest trees in desert places would lie fill - Idled ill fillure along the arid land and sand dimes along this coast. "How long wiil rabbit poison last !" was a question asked at the Rabbit Hoard's Conference at I'cibling recently (says'the ••Wanganui Herald”). The chief inspector of the Wellington district said that he had known rabbit poison to last l(j years in a settled tin, but if the air could reach it it would not lust half that time. Mr Miinrii (Wanganui) said that the Government, issued fresh poison every

year. A woman iu the Kowan district who left her home for Alahuo last week, alleged that on a lonely pari of the JStratf.'ord-Opiiiiake road she was way-laid by a man and brutally assaulted, and that when a motor-ear was heard in the distance the man hastily decamped. Constable (J'Donotighue, ol' Kaponga made investigations, and arrested David George Stilla, a farmer, aged 20. lie was charged in the Eltlmm Court and admitted to bail in two sureties of £IOO and himself £SO.

Mr and Mrs J. K. Hornblow leave Foxton to-morrow for Wellington, cn route on their trip abroad. The new railway time-table between Palmerston X. and Wellington came into operation yesterday. A widow, Mrs Elizabeth M. llarron, 40, living alone at Birkenhead, Auckland, was found dead vesterday in circumstances indicating gtis poisoning.

An association football club Inis been formed in Ma l linborottgh, with 14 members. The colours adopted are yellow and black. A contribution of £55 has been forwarded to the Wellington Hospital from the Chinese Masonic Society. Snell noxious weeds as gorse and broom are practically unknown in the Murchison district (says the Marlborough Express). Xo less than 125 tons of apples are being exported from Hawke's Hav to England this month, which is more Ilian the total for the whole of last season. The fruit includes all exportable lines, and is coming from Pakowliai, Maliora, Havelock and the surrounding districts. The teachers of I lit* Infant Department al the local State School would he pleased In receive from parents or others a number of clean sugar-bags, as they intend using same in the manufacture of cushions for the infants. The common type of I bottle i- >o commonly used as a weapon o! offence Hint strong' efforts are being made in .Melbourne to adopt another type, without a long neck, upon which a good grip can he obtained.

It was slated that Mr Gurnet Westwood, who recently entered tin Palmerston X. Hospital, was suffering from infantile paralysis. This is not correct. Mr Westwood is a patient in the medical ward, and is making good progress. Tt is pleasing to state, in passing, that no eases of infantile paralysis have occurred in the Eoxton borough.

Mr G. E. Smith, who recently severed bis connection with the New Zealand Clothing Rectory at Palmerston, being manager of that brunch, was on Wednesday evening presented with a silver-mounted pipe and tobacco pouch on the eve of his departure for Eoxton. In making the presentation, on behalf of the staff, Mr Kelliher expressed the regret felt at the departure of MV Smith, who was extremely popular with the employees. He expressed the hope that Mr Smith would enjoy Hie best of health and every success in the future. Mr Smith suitably responded.

A remarkable sight was recently witnessed by the crew of a Bluff cutter while cruising off tfie heads, at Bluff, states an exchange. One of the members noticed a seagull unable to rise from the water, and apparently sick. He steered in its direction with the humane intention of knocking the bird on the head and putting it out of its agony, but on approaching saw that both its legs were held in the month of a young shark. The shark made away as the boat approached, and the tinl'orl uimte gull rose and Hew away, when it was seen that both its legs had been taken oft'. Apparently the shark had not been si tong enough to drag the resisting bird under the water, and had therefore been patiently hanging on to ils legs wailing until its strength was gone and it could be devoured.

Two unusual objects of interest ari observable in the heavens ,jns| now, given a clear sky and a good tele-cope. Tliev are two comets, .which have recently made their appearance. The lirst was discovered on o;{rd March, being reported by the Centra] Astronomical Bureau at Copenhagen. ft is of the eleventh magnitude, too faint to be discerned without tile aid of a powerful telescope, and its position on discovery was right ascension, .1.4 hr. -ITmin. lftsee., decreasing 2ttiin. per day. Its declination was ldt'g. 44min. north, increasing fnnin. per day, and it is close to the star Beta Virginis. The second comet was discovered on 24 th March, and is of the eighth magnitude, somewhat brighter Hum the other, bill nevertheless invisible to the naked eye. Its position on discovery was right ascension, .13hr. 2:hnin. 4 7-ec., decreasing IHsee. per day, and the declination was 2t)deg. Hindu, south. This star is nearly halfway from Alpha Virgiiiis to Theta Ceatauri.

A fill.-iI olivet corner accident Jf il |>J »t‘ I u-< I ill the ill! er>erl ion of Clmrcli iiml Mid.iillVrt- Streets in Palmerston at 5.11(1 p.m. on Saturday. wlieii a married mini, Walter .hum's 'Bitigenl, of 2d Worcester Street, was killed. .Mr Buigent was eyeling along (fliurcli Street l>ehind .a 5-ton motor lorry belonging t,o Messrs Child Bros., iind as the lorry turned the confer into MeOilTeit Street, lie also turned, and endeavoured to cut in on the left hand side of the motor. \\ bother the lorry took the corner more sharply than he expected, or whether he misjudged the pace al which he wits travelling, is not known, but just ill the turn the bicycle skidded, throwing the rider and the machine beneath the lorry, the rear wheel passing over the deceased’s head. The other pari of his body was untouched. Death must have been instantaneous. The driver of the lorry was unaware of the approach behind him of the deceased, and the first intimation he received of anything amiss was when he felt a bump and looked back. When he pulled up, Baigent was dead. Deceased was it carpenter, lie was -11 years of age, and leaves a widow and four children.

There must he money in kutnar;:s. A Remuora resident noticed a resplendent motor car draw up at her house, and assuming’ it to he an ill-time caller, she hurried to make herself presentable. Judge of her astonishment when the door was opened and a Maori woman stood with a basket of kuniaras. The Maori woman visited the houses in the street, causing consternation at every home, and fin - ally drove away in the ear, with a .Maori vouth as a elianl'feiir.