Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3703, 13 October 1927, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1927. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Mokau bridge was opened for traffic this morning. The official opening will take place at a later date.

Southland has the largest number of sheep in any one country in the South Island —1,107,576. The increase for the year over 1920 was 162,751. A reminder is given of the committee meeting of the Foxton Football Club, to be held in Wall’s .Rooms to-morrow evening a.t 7 o’clock sharp. The body was found in the Waimakariri river on Thursday of Lionel Comerford, formerly accountant to Ward’s Brewery. He was married, 40 years of age, and had been missing over, a week. The other day a resident of Pomna.ll Street, Masterton, in opening a packet of macaroni packed in Italy, discovered therein a gold signet ring. Apparently the ring had "slipped off the linger of the packer into the carton when the latter was being filled.

Auckland’s two candidates for the 1927 Rhodes scholarship will be selected -by the Professorial Board of the University College next Monday. Four candidates were approved, and their names are: <J. C. Andrews, M.Sc., L. IT. Briggs, B.Se., G. G. McLeod, 8.A., and E. F. Thompson.

Thirteen isn’t an unlucky number for everybody, D. F, Lindsay was No. 13 on the programme for the Rugby trial match, and his weight was 13st. ITe kicked 13 points in goals, and then got the measles. But 13 certainties were picked for the All Blacks, and he was one of them.

The Right Hon. J, G. Coates, replying to Mr. G. Elliott (Oroua), told the House of Representatives that the railway time-table, revised to lit in with daylight-saving, was being printed. It did not provide for the stopping of the Main Trunk train at Feilding, said Mr. Coates, but he would be prepared to give that matter further consideration.

Tin? first pile of the new. FoxtonShannon bridge was driven on Thursday. Should favourable weather conditions prevail the! contractors expect to make 'good progress from now on. It is not expected that a start will be made of the work on the approach road formation from the Shannon side until the beginning of the year. Manaia is at present being subjected to a plague of moths —the big variety. These pests swarm into the houses after darf attracted by the light and make general nuisances of themselves. Outside the Town Hall the other night the footpath was covered with thousands of half-conscious insects and as pedestrains went by their feet crunched to death dozens of insects. In the morning the ground resembled a battlefield.

At a meeting of the committee of the 'Shannon Football Club on Thursday evening a motion was carried that representatives on the Manawhenua Council comprise one from Shannon district, one from the Foxton district, two from Levin and two from the southern end (says the News). The question of having the headquarters of the Horowhenua Rugby Union removed to Shannon was discussed and a motion to this effect carried. It has been reported to the police that an attempt was made to poison two small boys \tfho live in Stevens Street, Linwood, Christchurch, last Wednesday. One boy, aged five, is still in the hospital seriously ill, and the other, three years old, has recovered. Their story is that, while playing in the street, a strange man a-ave them lollies in a paper bag. After eating these they became, ill, showing symptoms of poisoning. The police are investigating.

Four hundred criminal eases ngainst males were heard by the Magistrate in Palmerston North during the quarter ended September 30. Twenty-seven women were also before the Court. Fines amounted to a total of £519 3s lid.

Maiiy housewives still pin their faith to the range for cooking dispite the fact that gas is cleaner and more economical. In order to educate the women folk in the use of gas-cooking ranges demonstrations are given in many centres. We believe it is the intention of the local Borough Council to hold similar demonstrations after the appointment of itha new gas managed. These demonstrations should result in doubling the number or gas cooking ranges in local households.

“A new race, easily distingdished physically and mentally from the fifth race, comprised of Teutonic races, to which we belong, is at present being born in Australia, New Zealand, and California,” declared Mrs. Annie Besant on the eve of her departure jior India. “They are the forerunners of a new sixth race, to ;which the message of the new teacher will appear. They have exceptionally clear-cut, Greek-like features, low broad forehead, pronounced chins, and extraordinarily quick mentality, to which it is unnecessary to explain points, as to the average.

While a party was proceeding to a wedding at Hamilton yesterday, one of the motor-ears, containing six Te Atutu residents, suddenly burst into flames, and before the occupants could escape the car body was enveloped in flames. All were badly burnt, chiefly about the head and hands. The most seriously injured were Mr. S. Shaw, the bride’s father, Mrs. Marshall, her grandmother, and Misses Myrtle McDonald and Eileen Moore, • who suffered considerably from shock in addition to burns. The car was completely destroyed.

A charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker was admitted in the Auckland Police Court on Monday by John Francis O’Connor. “This man was arrested on Saturday,” said Chief-Detective Cummings. “A list containing bets was found in his possession. It starts off with a bet for £2, and it can he seen he has been carrying on a satisfactory business. He has been convicted previously for bookmaking.” The Magistrate, Mr F. K. Hunt: That was-seven years ago. However, he is in the business again. He will be fined £75. Accused asked to he allowed half an hour in which to obtain the money, and the Magistrate granted the request.

Foxton, among other things, is noted for the longevity of a number of its residents. There are quite a number of octogenarian residents and a. one nonagenarian who is'a member of the Borough Council, in the person of Cr. C. A. Spring, a “lively youth” of 91 summers. This week F. de Ridder celebrated his 86th birthday and at a social function the other evening he was Hipping the light fantastic toe with agility. This lively young man is tyler of the local Masonic Lodge and the members of that institution at their meeting on Tuesday evening extended felieiations to their esteemed brother and presented him with a token of their esteem.

A resident of Tangarakau (inland from Stratford) and his son were lost in the bush while pig-shooting a few days ago. To guide the lost men every whistle and siren at the railway works at Tangarakau was set going and kept in action. A visitor'to the district said that when away up on top of the bushclad lulls] through' which tunnels are being pierced, it was thrilling to hear the sound of the whistles calling continuously to the Hampers. Considerably exhausted, but otherwise unharmed, the men were later found beyond the last railway camp. The sound of the whistles had enabled them to get their bearings and retrace their steps part of the way.

“The red kowhai is one of our most gorgeous native flowering plants,” writes a correspondent to the “Auckland Star,” “the vivid blossom being enhanced by the dark green, glossy, pinnate leaves. Botanieally it is known as Cliansthus puniceus. It is better known as the scarlet clianthus, parrot’s beak, or kaka’s beak. The Natives called it kowhai-ngutu-kaka, but in Urewera country it is known as ngata-kaka-riki. Once the red kowhai was found on the Great Barrier, and along the coast of North Auckland, but. it has become rarer of late years, although it does well when cultivated in a garden. Attempts have been made at different times to acclimatise the red kowhai in England. A characteristic of the kauri tree which is the reverse of the grafting process known to horticulturists has recently been discovered. Speaking at a meeting of the Auckland Institute, Mr. T. L. Lancaster described the stumps of two kauri trees at Titirangi which were felled over sixty years ago, and still showed signs of life. Investigations revealed that a portion of the root in each ease had become incorporated with the spreading root of a young kauri growing several yards away (states the New Zealand Herald). The stumps were thus, drawing life from the younger tree, and one of them had taken on such a vigorous lease of new life that it had sent out shoots of new wood. Similar instances had been observed at Swanson and Gratia. The speaker said this self-grafting property was shared by only six other .known trees, all conifers.

The record achieved by a dock oL' sheep, owned by Messrs E. and A. Goodwill, at Akaroa, Banks Peninsula, gives an indication of the excellent conditions prevailing in that district. The flock totals 1800 Roinney-Lineoln and Roinney-Lci-eeater ewes. Of this number 000 have lambed and have returned 140 per cent, of lambs. Mortality has been very low, only six'ewes, or 1 per cent, of those that have lambed having died. “Presently this city will be standing on a lake of petrol,” declared Councillor Elizabeth M'Combs at Monday night’s meeting of the Christchurch City Council, when a batch of applications for permission to install small underground petrol tanks in the city was being dealt with, reports the “Lyttelton Times.” She suggested that the Town Planning Committee should report on the matter. The Mayor (the Eev. J. K. Archer) : “There is no doubt that we are getting too many of them.” All the applications were granted.

“What a blessing this smoking , is! Prehaps the greatest we owe to the discovery of So wrote the late Sir Arthur Helps, and millions of smokers the world over have doubtless endorsed his words. But great as is our indebtedness to America for giving us the priceless boon of tobacco, the fact remains that practically all the American brands in use-to-day contain an excess of' nicotine. And that is bad, as any doctor will tell you. It is no less true that the purest' tobacco of all,—i.e., those comparatively free from nicotine are our own New Zealand varieties. They are sd pure in fact, that they may be indulged in with the utmost impunity. The leaf is toasted in the process of manufacture. Hence their delicious .flavour and delightful fragrance. They come in several strengths, and are thus adapted to all tastes. You can get them at any tobacconist’s. Ask for “Riverhead Gold” mild, “Navy Cut” (Bulldog) medium, or “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bullshead), full strength. 80.