LOCAL AND GENERAL.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17164, 22 March 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

One of the best programmes arranged for a St. Patrick's concert in Oamaru will be submitted in the Opera House to-morrow evening, when visiting and local artists should provide a highly enjoyable entertainment. The concert is b^ing eagerly looked forward to by intending patrons and as the box plan is already filling rapidly those who have not yet booked seats should do so without delay. A number of girls from the Salvation Army orphanage at Dunedin attended the meetings of the Salvation Army in Oamaru during the week-end and mad'e an excellent impression with their bright singing. Yesterday they were taken out to the Otekaike Special School where they gave a concert which greatly pleased the inmaies. A splendid concert programme was submicted by the girls in the Opera House last evening, the entertainment provir.g a great success in every way. A mass of rock, estimated at 180,000 tons, hurtlecl to the floor of Ihe Portland Cement Works .quarry at Whangarei, when 20 tons of explosives were fired simultaneously. It is said that the operation was the largest and most successful ever carried out south of the Line. Seven months ago the work of drilling the limestone rock began at a distance of 38 feet baclc from the face of the cliff. Twenty-two holcS were bored to a depth of 215 feet, so that the level of the quarry floor was reached. The bores were loaded with galignitepand blasting gelatine. Within ten minutes after the tremendous explosion, quarrymen were at work on the spoil. On April 1, Mr W. Perry, president of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand, and Mr Pow, secretary of the Royal Society, will leave for Sydney to visit the Royal Show to be held there. The visit will be of a month's duration, and they will invesf '•» methods of procedure adopi: i the Commonwealth, with a vit lo making suggestions for improvements in the Dominion, some of which may be made in time for the next show to bc held in Christchurch in November. It is understood that they will collect information in other diroctions, and that it is likely that the foundations may be laid for a future exchange of ideas betwecn farmers of the Commonwealth and of the Dominion in matters of common interest; also that Mr Pow may take steps to bring before the proper quarter the New Zealand Farmers' IJnion suggestion that farmers of the two dominions shonlrl mpc? jn cnnfcn-nce.

I ~ " ! Motorists desirous of attending ihe motor races at Waikouaiti Beach next Saturday are invited to take part in a motor run departing at 12.30 p.m, sharp. Cars will line up opposite the pollce ctation, facing south. I Justice MacGregor sitting ax Auckland by the Inspector of FacLories again^st the decision of Mr Ilunt, S.M., holding that sub-section 3 of section 3 of the Shops and Offices Act which provides that no female under any circumstances may be employ^ed after 9.30 p.m., does include the female occpier of the shop or wifo of the occupier. Mr Mahonej', for the appellant, said it was finding guilty and hanging every female shop-keeper in New Zealand. His Honour said he had given his opinion; his business was to administer the la The original arrangements made in connection with the visit of the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) to Oamaru next week will be carried through with one or two minor alterations. His Execllency is expected to arrive in Oamaru from the south by car on Monday, and at 2.30 he will be accorded a civic reception in the Gardens and an hour later will proceed to the Public Hospital. In the evening he is to be entertained to dinner which is to conclude about 8.30 so that his Excellency will have the remainder of the evening" free. The following morning he will visit the quarry, the South School, Victoria Home and the North School in that order and will leave for the north by the second express. Sir Charles will lunch privately each day. The committee appointed at the Land Settlemenh Conference held at Auckland during the Royal Show has communicated with the Minister of Lands regarding the setting up of a board of inquiry into the problem of land settlement. The Minister is attending to the fnatter, and meanwhile the "committee is active, believing that the time has come when a Land Settlement League should be established in New Zealand. Mr M. G. M'Arthur told the committee of the Auckland A. and P. Association that in order to make possible the establishment of the league, it was proposed to call a conference- of representatives of agricultural societies, chambers of commerce, and others interested, to be. held at Auckland on April 13. A booklet is shortly to be issued ~explaining the aims of the conference. According to the Star's reporter with the Royal train a bag containing a number of valuable papers belonging to one of his Royal Highnesses's pribate secretaries, disappeared at Dunedin, this heing the first occasion throughout the tour that anything has been missed. Several' detectives spent a busy time attempting to trace the property but it is understood that the quest was in vain. At first it was surmised that the bag had gone astray or been forwarded by mistake to Pembroke, but it is now believed that it was stolen shortly after the Royal train arrived. The individual responsible was certainly daring as all the luggage has been carefully guarded hy a small army of detectives, poli cement and railway officials. i te i .I. »