THE OTAKI MAIL. MONDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otaki Mail, 1 October 1923, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. MONDAY, OCTOBER Ist, 1923. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

■U Bendigo two Shorthorn bullocks, fattened at Gunbower, on the -Murray, realised £7O 10s each, which is an Australian record.

The Masterton Dairy Company litis received a case of tree- from the Forestry Department, and arrangementhave been made for their distribution. The Opunake Town Board proposes to improve its streets and footpaths at a cost of £10,000; portions are to be tar-sealed. The population of Opunake is SUO.

An advance of Is 7d per lb for Sep te.nber butter-fat has been passed . b} the ilasterton Dairy Company. Ofleu ,o purchase the Company's buUvt ;' 1 Is fa, until the end October ha\< been declined.

A wedding arranged to lake place I ■■ Theydon Garnon Parish Church, hs.-e>. was' postponed in consequence Of tile bridegroom suffering from loss ol memorv He is Walter Hancock, a signalman at ChigweH. who left Lome *o?" l Z that he was going to Stratford When he returned home four day- later_ lit was in a distressed physical condition. He did not seem to understand nis relatives enquiries as to where he had been or what he had been doing. Investigators into the subject of infantile mortal-itv will find plenty ot material for research in the Government Statistician's vital statistics for 1921'. The number of details of infants under one year of age was 1210. or 101 fewer than for the previous year. The mortality rate was 4.19 per 100 live births, and is by far the lowest ret recorded. Sixty-five per cent of the deaths occurred within the hrst month of life.

There is a shortage of bushmen in the "Wanganui district, although the ruling rates are £1 a day and " tucker, "'gavs the Chronicle. One veteran bushninn has; contrasted the '-present position with conditions of thirty years ago, and said the majority of bushmen of that period regarded work as an opportunitv to accumulate a "nest egg' to buv a small farm. He said he was afraid that the tendency was to accumulate just sufficient to go to the next race meeting.

In search oi a doctor who will take the combined appointments of medical officer of health, school medical officer, chief administrative tuberculosis officer police surgeon, and medical officer for' the care of mental defectives, at a -.->lorv of £BOO a year, the Walsall Corporation ho.ve incurred the hostility of the British Medical Association who consider that the salary should be £IOOO per annum. The town council are now seeking to escape from the difficultv bv offering the vacant appointment to their tuberculosis officer. Five hundred pounds is offered by Mr. Lebbens Hordern, of Sydney, for the ''man or woman who shows most, ability in mastery of the air in a safe, tlienp machine," as lie puts it. ilr. Hordern is one of the sons of the last Samuel of jhat ilk, and has been a considerable airman himself. i±i= purpose primarily is to encourage xamiuarity with air navigation,, leaving do- : fence flving to come afterwards in due course. He argues that, while all cannot fiv. many being unfitted for it in various ways, it is imperative, in view of tlie lessons of the great war, To encourage all those who can, and thus develop aerial navigation as a regular practice. There is showing in Otaki a fine range of ladies' and gent's footwear at Irvine's shoe store. We are fitting rubbers free on ladies' shoes, bought this week. A good selection and us prices are right. A few pairs of gum boots have arrived. —Advt.

Penny postage came into operation once again to-day. A start has been made with the erection of the bubble fountain at the Otaki State School. The Otaki Brass Band acknowledge with thanks the sum of £5 from the railway shop day and £1 10s Id, the result of the bowlers' collection on Saturday.

The Rev. Hemi Papukura is well known in and beyond New Zealand as a singer of line ability. He and his brother minister, Rev. Edward Tetutu, may be heard on Thursday evening in speech and song at the Methodist Church, when they will tell an interesting storv of the Maori people and Christian "Missions. No charge for admission. Evorybody will bp welcome.

The fox-trot, waltz, and one-step will be the ruling favourites in London during the new dance season. The big hotels are combing the Continental and American musical worlds, seeking .the icleverest musicans and the most' modern music. Parisians, it is reported, are tired of the tango, and fox-trot, and the reverting to the waltz and mazurka, which "the high priests of dancing" declare to be typical oi peace.

Patrons of the Municipal pictures were greatly disappointed (says the Kltham Argus) when it was discovered that the special film, "Dr. .Jack," had not arrived. It was not through any fault of the local management that the disappointment was caused, but the people who had last shown the iilin had misdirected it and sent it to Otaki instead of Eltham. Had the picture been shown there would have been a very large audience to witness it, but when the state of affairs was made known a great many people came away from the hall.

Counsel, in his address to the jury, was referring to the circulation ol money, and was endeavouring to persuade the jury that no importance attached to the tracing of a stolen i.-, note to the possession of the accused ' "'Why, gentlemen," he exclaimed, "any" of you might have a £o note ! in your pocket this morning, but this afternoon it may be in mine." -the '♦possibilities iOf /die JiMtrutiion, ;(rdiates the Timaru Post) provided the court with a few moments 7 amusement.

Says the London Spectator: There are few of our overseas (domjiniouH , which cujov greater popularity among ( investors' than New Zealand, and :.t rf the annual meting of the National ~ bank of New Zealand in London the , chairman (the Hon. W. Pembor Peeves, i j an ex-New Zealander) had a good ac- ' count to give both of his bank and oi . the country in which its operations j are carried on. After the diilieultie.- ) , experienced in 1921 in the shape of j financial stringency and heavy train.lg | , losses in th> country, Mr. I' u.lier I t Peeves -aid that the year VJ22 had | , opened with a better leding and that ; ( all reasonable hopes had been fulfilled. , Probably in no pari of the world < can such extraordinary tree growth < be shown as in New Zealand (states, • the Nelson Mail). Here is n typical i instance. Mr. T, Hunt, on lus property in "llighlield." near U ake i;,.|,r. recently had felled 1-3 large dees. Thev arc certified as being •'••' years old,"and the vield in sawn timber from 13 trees was 22,0'J0f1. or enough to build a large house. Another instance. Mr. Herbert Hunt, on the adjoining . farm felled several 20-year-old Her:-. which averaged 700 ft per tree These : trees, with timber, firewood, and seed, netted their owner over t~> per tree. The significance of these figures can be gauged when it is stated thai al ~u , st nil nor native tree would take I son to 300 years to produce the same. Tim experience »■ the Palmerston North resident in recently digging up a -.olden hoard in his garden recalls H J case of discovery of treasure trove ill Wangunui a couple of years ago. when. for obvious reasons. ■■« little as pos-. sible was said about the matter (states the Chronicle). The lucky person was u local lawver, who purchased an olrl building in the Avenue, lormerly tenanted by Chines, and when the slrue lure was in the process of demolition ~ ginger i»r "as found in a recess near the chimney containing ' Imiese ~,,;„- and 130 sovereigns. Search foi nea-uie is (ijwavs „f interest, and re ..oris ol success i L-eidedly stum. lating. A Derie Hill r'"-'d.'i'l "ho .va flelvin" industriously in his garden the other-lav though- his luck had changed ;,1„ M , h,', discovered in a trench, I -'^ , urcc I 'ol , iu ! s^' , v-''r'l',rge'liM. ] i„ H trousers pocket, Topical subjects figure in this week's issue ol the "New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review, A'vondale .rockev Club's meeting and the Wanganui jockey Club's meeting, snapshots of the principal races in both gatherings giving a faithful indication of the progress of events. J Particular mention must be made of the prominence given to the Auckland v." Uawke's Pay Rugby match at Napier for the Ranfu'rly Shield, two paA.* being devoted to photographs depicting the progress of the game at exciting moment,. Enthusiasts of hockev will find themselves well catered for and League football at Oarlaw Park is given a splendid snowing. Very fine groups are given of men juiu j "•iris at the gymnasium classes or the y\I.C.A. in Wellington. Weddings comprise a large pictorial portion and add to the feminine interest. i hecentre pages 'are exceptionally striking and include the Royal yacht squadron'.- regatta at Cowes. the marriage of Ladv Rachel Cavendish, and the Prince of Wales' visit to Nottingham. President Harding's funeral and views of Conev Island are comprised in an American section. English subjects comprise racing at Goodwood, scene.-: at Crovdon. the King at Southend and I numerous ethers. New Zealand, horses j at Randwick have a special page that sporting men will appreciate. luis I miscellaneous section comprises a wide | varietv of events and portraits and movie' world are significantly dealt with. The paper is on sale at all booksellers and stationers. ■■ | A giri is advertised for. \ A bag of flour is aiivemstig as found. A beef-tub is advertised for. A pram is advertised for sale. \ notice relative to the theft of a , dog is published in this issue. The Otaki .State School committee will meet to-night. A meeting of the Otaki Cricket Club will be held to-morrow night. \ meting of the Otaki Athletic Club will be held this evening. Tenders for various work:-; for the Otaki Borough Council close on triaay. in important sale of timber will be held" at Mr. Meads' property, Waerenga Road, on Thursday morning at t 11.30 when 10.000 ft of first-class timber will be swld. Particulars are ad-vertis-ed. The races are over and the "old p-rey" had a royal win. He is passing his "Wonts on to his customers, 3o call , and "get the best leather for repairs. i Soots" now stocked —F. Barrett. —Advt.

The bankruptcy meeting in the estate of Charles William Duucum, settler, of Carnarvon, to have been held at Palmerston North on Thursday afternoon, lapsed for want of a quorum and was adjourned sine die. The loss on soldier settlement had been variously estimated at from £-1,000,000 to £5,000,000 but last session the estimate was reduced to £2,000.000, Mr. Rolleston told his audience at Timaru (says the Herald), and he added the hope that the latest estimate would not prove too optimistic. "The constable seems wonderfully certain about the details of my case," said a defendant with a sneer, "but how is it that he does not call his fellow officer to corroborate what lie says?" "There is only the one constable in the village, sir," explainer, the policeman. "But 1 saw two lai-'i night!" indignantly asserted, the defendant. "Exactly"," the policeman rejoined, smiling broadly. '•That's jind

the charge against you." How he founded a business cane, at the age of 11 by collecting bad debts for his father, and al I- set up as a shopkeeper, was told by Sii Robert Maule, head of the bduibuigh firm of dry goods merchants. A tradesman rival of his father's had opened a shop in a neighbouring town. One day he found a number of his father's customers in the new shop. The boy, then aged .12. went to the owner of the premises and offered him "£•"> a year more rent than he was getting" for possession of the shop. The owner accepted, and. said Sir Robert, "I stocked the shop with my father's goods and ran n with the help of his assistants. My venture was not a failure.''

While Maoriland has been jubilating over a great engineering feat in the Otirn tunnel, the completion of the greatest aerial railway in the world—the steel ropeway across the Columbian Andes in South America —is due to the engineering skill of a .\ia.inlander, .lames Fergusson Lindsay (says the Sydney "Bulletin"). "Don Jamie" constructed many mono-rail-whys in Spain prior to tackling the big South American job. His latino was a schoolmaster in Oamaru, where he was burn and oducated and ac-

quired his first thirst for engineering. Mr. George Lindsay, on the stall' of th< E.P. and P. Department of the Pun edin Corporation, is a brother of the South American engineer.

A minor labour trouble occurred on the Tatapouri hill relief works one dav last week (says the "Poverty ..ay .-llerald"). and as a result three men are now without jobs. A gang of live men were working on the new road, | higher up the face of the hill, to reI duce the danger of a slip, arising from a crack which had appeared in the hillside. Apparently several of the I men were not entirely satisfied at beI lug shifted, and eventually knocked I off work, demanding more money forI the new work. A representative of I the Public Works Department repairied to tin. job, mid intimated that no j more would be paid, and that the men

who had "downed tools" were out of ;i job. The men appeared taken aback when the Department's stand was made known. having overlooked the fact thai the work was instituted mainly for the purpose of relieving unemployed.

When a visitor from outside invades the King Country territory, it is a usual thing for tale.- of sly-grog sell iug to be told (remarks the "Wanganui Chronicle"). A Wunguuui-itc who was there last week heard the latest. A .Maori conceived the brilliant idea of getting his grog over the border in a barrel labbelled "Motor Oil A. Unfortunately for the would-be reveller, his barrel became confused at the railwav siding with a genuine barrel of oil. When tile native discovered the mistake. he "Sherlock Holmes" method- to retrieve his loss, and was successful in tracing his grog to the garage of a well-to-do farmer. On inquiry I rom one „)■ the womenfolk he learned that the own.-, was awav. "Well, where le car.'" he asked. ' "The ear.' It 's at Ohakutie being repaired. Mr. ran it over a bank last night." "Py golly. No wonder. Te d thing must ha ' bill stunned! '' It. is not often that "the Governor's lady" is subjected to cross-exam-ination, but this is an experience thai ha- befalh-ji Ladv .lelli.-oe, wife „f His Excellency the Governor-General, it is prubiibly unique in Jegal history in New Zealand that the Governor-Gen-eral's wife should be subjected to the

ordinary process of examination by a member of the bar. Her Excellency, before her departure for .-ydney en route to the East, had her evidence taken on coninii >siuu in connection with the collision case' in'which their Excellencies are shortly to figure at Auckland, li is stated thai Lady Jellieoe was driving her car at the time of the impact with the taxi-driver, who is now taking the extraordinary step of citing her lady-hip.. By the time the case comes on for hearing, however. Her Ex-

eellojiev will be well on her way to what rem-.in, of the Flowery Land. The little "ceremony" took place at Government House one afternoon before Lady Jellieoe's departure, when counsel for both parties were present tiv arrangement,

With only goats and sheep as company, a lonely white man was found on a small island, to the north of Australia bv the cruiser Anzac, which returned to Sydney last week from a northern cruise. " The hermit told the men on the Anzac that he had taken up his abode on the island some considerable time ago. He had no particular reason for leaving civilisation. His onlv migratory companions were a couple of sheep and two goats. To-day he savs his flock consists of over TOO

=heep"anu nj-arlv t-.ype that number of goatf. He has Pu|lt a .comfortaßle home and he has an extensive garden. Once in a while a ship from the mainland visits his island and exchanges goods for his products. The island is beautifully fertile, and is about two miles in 'circumference, according to the men on the Anzac. while the surrounding islands are barren and rocky. For two days the Anzac stayed at the island, and'during that time the hermit was the guest of the men of the The men on the Anfcaq *.vould" like to see the island again. Thev declare that the old hermit lives like'a kins.

Two vears asro the Palrnerston Borough O/uiial borrowed £136,400 at 7 per cent, with 1 per cent. sinking fund to erect an electric light and power plant The loan was for 'ten years and lias been greatly criticised since its arrangement. The present Mayer, who has been on a visit to Svdney, has now arranged with the holders of the loan, the AMP Society to convert the loan into a 6 per cent, issue for 20' years. In Mount Eden Gaol there are thirty prisoners who are taking special courses in engineering-, accountancy. navigation, or other subjects. The payment for such a special course of Instruction can be made by the prisoner out. of the money he earns in gaol, or he may arrange for his friends to make payment for him. In addition to these special students. there are men who are studying) Esperanto- There is also a night school. in charge of a ranked officer. Prisonprs ca n go through the'ordinary studies up to the sixth standard re<ruix*menf«.