Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1929. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40040, 17 December 1929, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1929. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A wealthy (Chilean has bequeathed £260,000 for charity in and around Seville.

After making investigations, since Thursday last, the Wanganui police arc satisfied that there :s nothing in the story of the Silverhope mystery of a settler’s house being molested by a supposed madman.

House rents in New Plymouth are higher than in any other town in New Zealand except Wellington, Palmerston North and Rotorua. The respective index figures for the September quarter are: —Wellington 2504, Palmerston North 1990, Rotorua 1971, New’ Plymouth 1954. The average for the Dominion is 1871.

Under the imposing heading, “New Zealand’s call to the men of the North of England,” the Manchester Daily Despatch, a copy of which is now in the hands of a Napier resident, states that grocery assistants are badly wanted in New Zealand, arid appeals to young men in England to consider emigrating. The paper states that openings exist for 15 assistants in “an oldestablished firm in Palmerston N., Wellington and ielsewhejre.” The paper also states that “grocery assistants in New Zealand receive £4 15/- per week, with more for branch managers.”

On Saturday the local-Returned Soldiers’ Conrinittee held a most successful shop day in aid of the children’s Christmas celebration function. As a result of the effort £33 was raised. Competition winners were as follows:: —Writing outfit, Mrs. S. Austin; dinner, R. Bryant; razor, C. B. Johnston; goose, D. Elwood; groceries, W. Trueman; tray, S. Hudson; chocolates, L. Couch; roclyinghorse, W. Mud ford; ham, S. Dudson; flour, Mrs. Parkin; lamlb, divided between P. Rihina, 0. Ruff-el and C. Aldridge. At a committee meeting held subsequently it was decided that all the toys, etc. be purchased locally where the moi:ev had been raised.

At 3.30 a.m. on Sunday morning, Mr. Ron McKenzie, of Karori, a well-known dirt track rider, while riding his motor cycle in Wellington collided with a motor car. McKenzie, who had caught the car broadside on, was very severely injured and was admitted to the hospital suffering from severe head injuries, concussion and shock. .. His condition gradually grew worse and he passed away at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The impact must have been particularly severe, as McKenzie’s machine was damaged beyond repair and numerous parts, were strewn along the street. McKenzie, who was in his racing apparel, had been competing at. the Kilbirnie stadium on Saturday evening.

A rare and valuable violincello, considered by experts to be a genuine “Strad,” has been in the hands of .the Hayward family, well-known kinemn entrepreneurs of Auckland, for over a hundred years, having been used by the late Henry Hayward, senior, who was court violinist to George the Fourth. Its value is believed to be between £2OOO and £4OOO. The instrument was long forgotten under a bed in a house in Wolverhampton, England, for many years before it came into the possession of the Haywood family, under the will of the late Mrs. Haywood. It was ■bequeathed to George Martinengo, of Auckland.

- Stnnc.idoa of .Hip value of an established tourist traffic to a country may be gathered from figures published in the Auckland papers with reference to the Malolo’s visit. By no means all of .the visitors went to Rotorua, but those who did spent £832 on train fares and luncheons. Motor ears cost them £6OO in Rotorua, and another £6OO went the same way in Auckland. Besides these amounts, some hundreds of pounds were paid out in hotel .expenses, while the visitors bought largely of rugs and blankets. These figures look large, but they do not by any means tell the whole story, for hundreds of pounds’ worth of fresh provisions and fruit were bought in the northern capital. A few more such visits would do Auckland business people a power of good.

Mi*. R. A. Anderson, a prominent citizen of Invercargill, has donated to the town, a full equipment for a children’s playground.

In a 15-round professional boxing bout at Invercargill last evening, Jack Jones (Wales), defeated Lou Bloom (America) on points.

There was a somewhat* straugf coincidence at the Wioodville races on Wednesday. Two horses were saddled up for a race with the No. 9 *cloth. The owner of the horse that had made the mistake appears to have had ample justification, for .the name of the animal was “Benign.” 1

The average number of occupied beds at the Palmerston North hospital during November was 177.8. There were 214 cases admitted, while 227 had been discharged and seven had died. . In the infectious ward there remained in isolation nine eases of scarlet fever and two of diphtheria. The Kairanga County (Criuneil, who have been working continuously for some months on their section of the FoXjton-Palmerston N. highway, commenced surface sealing yesterday at Tiakitahuna and working towards Rangiotu. Traffic will not (be interfered with during operations.

Last year there was a considerable mortality among lambs in Wanganui district, owners being at a loss to know the cause. Yesterday, while a Wanganui resident was in Feilding, lie met a farmer who stated that his lambs were ■not doing too well. He brought them in with the mothers and ran the lambs into a separate pen and drenched them and left them in the yard overnight. The following morning he was surprised to find the yard covered with worms, and these had accounted for the poor condition of the lambs.

Dry smut has made its unwelcome appearance in the North Canterbury wheat crops, especially in those on lighter .land. The heads of wheat affected bear only a small proportion to the whole, but as no grain can form in those heads the yield will be affected, in some cases by perhaps up to half a bushel an acre. Wjheat on heavier lands managed to maintain its growth during the drought, and has consequently not been visited by smut.

According to the public librarian, many Wanganui people are giving subscriptions to their friends this year'instead of more tangible gifts (says the Herald). The. idea originates from America, where publishers and libraries make a feature of inducing people to present their friends with yearly subscriptions to magazines and libraries. Christmas subscriptions to the Wanganui Library are dated from Christmas Day.

“I am pleased to be able to report a decrease in charitable aid in Palmerston North and district,” stated Mr. F. Aisher, at yesterday’s ■meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. In Palmerston N., he had issued 173 rations to 21 families at a cost of £53 6/10 (five weeks), compared with 146 rations to 20 families at a cost of £45 for October (four weeks). In November, 1928, he issued 252 rations to 29 families at a cost of £63. There had been a decrease in casuals calling on him for beds and meals during the month. Thirteen called, of whom, he assisted nine at a cost of £2 10/-, compared with 32 applicants and 18 assisted at a cost •'of £5 12/- for October. In November, 1928, 23 had called and 13 were assisted at a cost of £3 16/-.

The old question, “Who won the war?” was responsible for a lifesize battle in a main Auckland thoroughfare the other day. The combatants were six large firemen from a British steamer and a similar number from the American tourist steamer Mafolo. Prohibition has not, apparently, killed all alcoholic cravings in American sailormen, and some of the Mailolo’s crew were doing their best to satisfy a longstanding thirst when a tactless question precipitated trouble. When the trouble was at its height an even half-dozen were in action on either side, and the crowd which soon gathered had a free show of an apparently most satisfying brand. The fight raged furiously for a good ten minutes befoire half-a-dozen constables and a. sergeant arrived to act the part of peacemaker, and the 12 good men and true were induced to return to their respective ships. Patriots will be glad to know that on this occasion at least British pugilism more than held its own. v

■What is the least, injurious form of smoking-? The doctors favour the pipe. So does Mr. Baldwin, the ex-premier of England. He eonsi dors pipe-smokers take a wider and saner view of- things than oilier smokers. Anyhow the pipe has much to recommend it. But what of the tobacco? That is allimportant. Brands heavily charged with nicotine (like the imported) cannot bo smoked habitually with safely. Heart, nerves, eyesight or general health are bound to be affected sooner or later. In 'marked contrast are our New Zealand grown tobaccos (exclusively manufactured by the National Tobacco Co., Ltd., pioneers of the N.Z. tobacco industry). These are all toasted (the only brands that are), and this process eliminates the nicotine, and renders the goods,., absolutely safe no matter how freely they are smoked. And how cool, sweet and fragrant they are! No wonder the doctors recommend them. Ask for “River-head Gold,” 'aromatic); “Cavendish,” (medium); “Navy Cut,” (medium); or '“Cut Plug No. 10,” (full strength). These brands are on sale everywhere. —Advt. 7jh

“All the paving metal for three miles of (he Levin-Foxton Main Highway has now been crushed and is on the ground,” stated, the County Engineer, in his report to the Horowhenua Council on Saturday. “1 expect to commence paving on this section immediately after the Christmas holidays.”

A fire which involved a 'considerable loss to Mr. Richard Bevan, of Manakau, occurred shortly after nine o’clock on Saturday evening. After disposing of" the Manakau Hotel a few months ago, Mr. Bevan retired with his family to a house owned by Mr. Hanlon (Wellington) and situated to the east of Manakau township. -This dwelling, of half-a-dozen rooms, Avas totally destroyed, together with the washhouse, on Saturday evening, and the contents were a complete loss. It is understood that,the house Avas insured; but Mr. BeA’an is particularly unfortunate, in that his furniture and effects Avere not covered and a quantity of them had been packed up in readiness for removal to Feilding, where Mr. Bevan is to take over the Empire Hotel in a fcAv days (says the Chronicle).- -