LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 4036, 31 December 1929, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An earthquake was experience locally shortly before midday ves terdav.

The “Herald’’ will not be published on Thursday, which Avill be observed as a- close holiday locally. ' •

The -AVorkers on Sydney’s harbour bridge have made a "new recod’d in the amount of struetual steel Avorlc erected in one day recently. They placed 578 tons in position on the bridge. The pre’vions record w_as 38.0 tons by the AVorkers erecting Hellgate Bridge, New York. The first part of a consignment of 200 tons of rails for the South Island-Main Trunk railway has reached Pieton. The rails are of the special heavy quality used only for main lines. It is.computed that the consignment represents 20 miles of completed; single track railway line. Says a Grey,month message: The State Mines have had a record run of Avork. The no-work whistlo has not sounded since May of this year. This Christmas was one of the brightest for some time past as far as the miners are concerned. The ’exodus last Aveek of residents from the State mines was a record.

The latest’ isSuc of the Gazelle contains a rare announcement, a notice of an aeroplane company going into liquidation. The Hawke’s Bay Aejroplanc Company having accomplished the object for Avhich it Avas formed, the establishment of am Aero Club, hoav proposes to go into voluntary liquidation.

Dry smut has made its appearance in the North Canterbury Avlieat crops, especially in those on lighter land. The heads of wheat affected hear only a small proportion to the Avhole, but as no grain can form in those heads, the yield will be affected, in some eases by perhaps up to half a. bushel an acre. i

The Union Company’s cargo

steamer Corinna left Lyttelton on Saturday evening on Ayliafc is understood to be her last trip. She sailed for Wellington, Nelson, and New Plymouth,. and will then proceed to Westport to load coal for Wellington, Avhere she will pay off

;iiul lay up prior to being scrapped. For many years the /C'orinna carried passengers and cargo between Dunedin, Clamant, Timaru, Wellington, Westport, and Greymouth, and was known to travellers in the later’ -’nineties. About twenty year’s ago she went ashore at Timaru, but was refloated. Her passenger accommodation was then taken out, and she has since been engaged in the cargo trade on the coast.

Over 250 girls in Christchurch applied for 12 positions as ushers in a picture theatre.-

Gene iTunuey, the cx-boxim champion; won judgment in the sui brought by Mrs. Fogarty for al leged breach of promise at Bridge port, U.S.A., last Aveek. The actioi collapsed ibefoire the hearing.

“Only £9OOO out of £50,000 has come in in rates so far,” remarked the chairman, Mr. F. B. Logan, at the last meeting of the HaAVke’s Bay County Council, speaking in regard to the collection of rates. “They are A r ery sloav this year,” he added. “Times are voi'y hard,” remarked another member.

A novel charge was heard at the court in Wanganui recently Avhen Henry Earles was charged Avith allowing persons to stand on the lunning board of a ear whilst in motion. Defendant pleaded ignorance of the regulations. The Magistrate explained that it Avas an of fence under the v Motor Regulations. A fine of 10/- Avith costs was imposed.

S. Wright, a AvelJ-known Wellington road cyclist succeeded in reducing the cycle record for the journey between Wanganui and Wellington last Aveek. The previous recoil'd,.'it is stated, ivas Bhr. 45min., registered by R. Crutchley. Wright’s actual riding time from the Wanganui Post Office to the Wellington Post Office was 7hr. 10 min., which clipped lhr. 29min. off the figures claimed for Crutchley. Wright passed through Eoxton at 10.14 a.m. on Friday.

Taking the number of bankruptcies recofded_as a financial barometer, conditions in trade circles throughout the Manawatu district this year must hate been favourable. During- the past twelve months there have been only 29 examinations conducted by the Deputy Official Assignee (Air. Dempsy). Of these twelve bankruptcies actually occurred in Palmerston North, the remainder being spread over the district from Halcornbe' to Levin, including six failures at Foxtoit. Eight labourers, two hotelkeepers, and- three farmers Avere amongst those Avho filed. In 1928 there Avere 3 ! 8 failures, including eight labourers and seven farmers, as compared with 52 -bankruptcies in 1927.

■Speed is rather a tricky thing to estimate. Some years ago at Christchurch a runner made a -bet with a well-known walker that he Avould 'run 100 yards while the professional Avalked 50 yards. The Avalker Avon easily. Another discussion recently .occurred in Auckland as to Avhether a horse Avould beat a man running 50 yards to a peg and returning to the starting point. In order to settle the question, Air. A. E. Watkins, Avho is Avell-knoAvn in Auckland, the (her day rode a hunter named Kildare against a fairly good runner OA’-er the distance stipulated. They both started off the same mark, and at the turning point (50yds.) Avere about on terms. The runner Avas much more nimble than the horse in rounding the peg, and when both had straightened up for the return journey the runner had about eight yards the better -of matters, but the horse beat liim home" by about that margin.

“Both crime and misdemeanour under the Police Offences Act have been considerably lighter this year than jn 192-8,” said Inspector W. Kollil, Avho’is in charge of the Auckland central police district and iL e detective 'branch of the Auckland force, to a “New Zealand Herald” representative. “While there has been variety in the crime Avhich has been dealt with, there have been only two outstanding cases during the past year.”- Inspector Hollis said he referred to the Caffrey case, in which George Caffrey Avas charged with murder as the result of the death of a man Avho -Avas stabbed at a house in Nelson St.,, and to the “eat” burglar. “Caffrey Avas sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment on a verdict of manslaughter, while the ‘cat’ burglar, who caused some excitement owing to the sensational manner in Avhich his exploits were 'written in the Press, was successfully caught, and dealt with by the Supreme Court," said the inspector. Apart from those two cases, there had been little outstanding crime during 1929, Avhich had shoAA’n a marked improvement over 1928, Avhen, in addition to the Elsie Walker case, there had been two hold-ups in the district, one at Westfield and the other at Alount Eden, both at night.

Anti-tohaccoites are Avoid to sav ard things about smoking', but uite often they are untrue. To-

aicco may have its faults, but its

virtues should not be overlooked. Smoking aids digestiop; it is also a great preservative of the teeth and a destroyeli’ of the harmful germs which infest all people’s • mouths, while its soothing and tranquilising' effects in times of mental stress, worry or exertion are Avell-knoAvn to smokers. But the quality should be good. Brands full of nicotine (like many of the imported) are best avoided. Our N.Z.-groAvn toasted tobaccos, manufactured by the National Tobacco Co., Ltd.,

(pioneers of the N.Z. toibaeeo industry) contain very little nicotine and are quite harmless. And owing to the toasting of the leaf (the only brands so treated) they are remarkable for flavour and fragrance. Popular sorts: “Riverbead Gold,” aromatic; “Navy Cut,” medium; “Cavendish,” medium; and “'Cut Plug No. 10,” full strength. The demand for these ■ goods is growing so rapidly that the genuine New Zealand tobacco industry is becoming of the first importance. —Advt. 76.

Foxton retailors 'will observe a late night to-night and mi Saturday next will close their premises at 5.30 p.m.

•There was a big gathering of Maoris at Ratana for the Christmas and more ' are expected over the New Year period. The number of visitors at ’Xmas constituting a record so far as the settlement is concerned.

'The weather over the week-end was very stormy, a gale on Sunday night being one of the severest experienced locally for some time. Considerable damage was done to orchards and gardens and in one or two instances sheets, of roof iron weire torn off buildings.

For the convenience of patrons and in anticipation of record houses for “The Bellamy Trial,” a sensational sound picture, there will be two sessions 'at the Do Luxe Theatre, Levin, this evening. The first will commence at 7 p.m. and the second at 9.15. A complete programme will be shown at each session.' Officially there was no Christmas Daj’ this year on board the American steamer Golden Cross, which arrived at Auckland from Los Angeles last week. At four o'clock •on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the vessel crossed the 180th meridian of longitude, and immediately had to. drop a day in the calendar. “Wie did not let it make much’ difference,” an officer said. “We had our' Christmas turkey and’ cranberry sauce just the same.”

One of the most novel ways of expressing' Christmas goodwill met with in Napier this year was hit upon by the local business firm which presented each of its clients with a pocket wallet containing a perfect replica, of a cheque made out in favour of the recipient on “Bank of Goodwill,” for 365 days of happiness in the coming year. So realistic were that cheques that more than one recipient experienced a twinge of disappointment when he discovered that it was days of happiness and not coin of the realm which they represented. One recipient caused a lot of amusement when he took his to a well-known insurance office with which he did a lot of business and asked them to cash it for him. His ruse succeeded so well that he was asked to endorse it and if he would take his money in “twenties” or “fifties.” It was only then that he felt called upon to explain that the cheque was made out for “‘days of happiness.” The consternation of the teller who nearly paid out on a piece of paper of this nature may ■well be imagined.

A long-standing dispute between the Wanganui Harbour Board and the Admiralty, concerning the cost of delivery of the board’s dredge Kaione, has been settled by the hoard’s agreeing to pay £13,000 in full settlement of the Admiralty’s claim. The Kaione was built in England in 1918, and hired to the Admiralty fur £”SO a month, the Admiralty to pay this sum until the dredge was actually delivered to Now Zealand, and also to pay the cost of transport at 5 the termination of the hiring'. ""When the war ended the board cabled asking that the dredge be released from hire and dispatched to Wanganui at the earliest, opportunity. The Admiralty replied that it would release the dredge * provided tlie board relieved it of its obligation to pay the cost, of transport. The board accepted, and asked the Admiralty to arrange transport at the board’s expense. An offer to deliver the dredg-e for £5700 was received through the High Commissioner, and accepted; but two and a-half years after the dredge arrived- the Admiralty claimed £19,090, contending that no contract for delivery at £5760 existed. After protracted correspondence the parties'have agreed on settlement at £13,000, which is practically the equivalent of the £5700, plus accrued interest.