THE Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1921.

Shannon News, 25 November 1921, Page 2

THE Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1921.

A Shannon witness at the Levin Court on Thursday stated that it was a difficult matter to get casual work in his district at the present time. A

god nuomber of men had been put oh at the Mangahao works, and the Weka flaxmill had been closed. The witness added that he liacl tDnly had nine days’ work within the last three months.

Cr. Richardson stated as the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday evening that he did not. know how the farmers were going to pay their rates this year, seeing what was being paid for butterfat. The Mayor said they would have to do their best like everybody else.

The Feilding Star says: It is said that the onlooker sees most of the game. That must be our justification l'or writing on Hie subject of the present Parliamentary standards of debate. Those who remember the days of Atkinson, Grey, Ballance, Rolleston, Reeves, Seddon and the McKenzies (both John and Scobie) are bound to feel a sense of irritation over the pettiness of Parliamentary debates, such as are dished up to-day. Generally, we dislike references to 'The good old days,” but in thinking of Parliament we are called on to remember some of the giant figures in debate who graced the-House'in past days. It is in vain that we search for the large, important or brilliant speech on any question to-day. The standard is mediocre. It can be described as a diet of cabbages, raw,'"Boiled and pickled, served up with the sauce of neverending party appeal.

Many raffles were drawn, and the winners’ names will he published later.

When an account from the Valuation Department for £34 15s was presented at the Borough Council on 'J'uesday evening for the valuing of the borough, the Mayor said the charge was excessive. The work only look lour"days. Cr. Hook: I thought the,Government did that work. Cr. Gardner: So they do, but we pay for it. (Laughter.) Councillors agreed with {he Mayor that the charge was unreasonable, and it was decided to bold it over and make inquiry about it. from the Department.

The Shannon Borough Covincil was informed by the Director of Ordnance at Tuesday's Council meeting that a Krupp machine gun and mounting had been, allotted to Shannon, and. would be forwarded on in due course.

The Education Department wrote informing llie Borough Council on Tuesday evening .that it regretted that owing to the financial stringency, the Government found it necessary to discontinue the payment of subsidies to public/ libraries, and the. annual distribution would not be made at the end of the current year.

A large number of Shannon stray cattle cases, set down for hearing at Levin Court yesterday were adjaurned till December 15, owing to the Shannon ranger, Mr James Dalziel, being unable to attend court through iln ess. _

Her many local friends will be pleased to hear that Miss Katie MeKegg, who recently underwent an operation in Pahherston North, is progressing favourably towards recovery. A meeting of tlie. .'Hillier Benefit Committee was held on Tuesday evening, Mr Geo. Quarrie, occupying the chair. The hon. secretary, Mr Beard, when presenting the statement of accounts, complimented the committee on the success of the dance, the ladies iu particular doing( excellent work. The proceeds of the dance and the contributions from the big mill together made a substantial sum, which Ihe committee unanimously decided to hand over to Mr Hillier.

The Post and Telegraph Department have forwarded another switch hoard or 50 number to Shannon, as it is expected that the present board of 100 will be filled when the new connections are completed. If this is so, the hours of telephone serv.ice will be extended from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m. Fifteen connections have been made out of the 30 odd on the waiting list. Dairy stock, especially young cattle, continue to be good selling lines at the Levin sales, although not at the high rates of 12 months ago. Still, good yearling to eighteen-months heifers command £3 to £4 10s and £ss and Jersey and Jersey-cross another £1 per head. At yesterday’s sale good sprfhging heifers made £6 10s to £7. If much of this sort of thing, has been pushed on to our local bodies by the Government’s department, the State should not be short of cash to carry on: “At the rate of nine shillings for one auditor and six shillings and eightpence for another per hour, it. cost the Invercargill Borough Council £2OO to have its books audited by the Government auditors on tlie last occasion.”

Members of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society consider that shows warrant greater publicity than is given them by newspapers, and at Saturday’s meeting it was decided to formulate some scheme whereby judges’ comments may be made available for reporters in a lucid and unbiased form. The Manavyatu A. and P. Society on the other hand, considers it lias been getting too much publicity, and so it. cut the

country papers out of its advertising for the recent summer show. The ' chief result was a decided falling-off \ in entries and attendance.

[ The Taranaki Herald’s Lepperton correspondent tells of a minor tragedy: A citizen in the village, being ! rather perturbed at a cat interfering ’ with his chickens, borrowed a neigh- ; hour’s gun, and ’with all the ability 'of a returned soldier, laid -vail. The ‘ opportunity came. “Bang,’’ complete . victory. In the excitement he fell and ‘ broke the stock of the gun. Troubles never come singly. He had bust his neighbour's gun and shot the said neighbour’s best cat.

The shortage of work is apparently forcing some men into jobs in which they are, to say the least, not at home (says the Ashburton Guardian). An “experienced teamster’’ arrived at a farm neaor Mayfield tlie oilier day, slating bis experience at two and aUalf years a.t general farm work. On arrival he was told to take the grubber ou,t lo a certain paddock and commence work—l he grubber was in the yard. The teamster, sell-called, found a double-furrow plough and a grubber in the yard, but apparently imagining that one was as good as the-other, said he would take “the narrow one, as.it would bo easier io drive through the gates.” He was at once promoted to the garden, where he is still working till the week’s imuce expires.

i The prices ruling for sheep on Tues- ! day were among the lowest experi- | enped in the. Levin yards for a long time.- ’

A pig breeder at Tuesday's sale stated that he did not think the. market would look back, but would go on at the present satisfactory prices lor some time to come. That seemed natural enough with the holiday season coming on.