THE Shannon News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1922.

Shannon News, 14 February 1922, Page 2

THE Shannon News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1922.

-w ‘.. .liufz. ujjy I lie continued dry weather is playing havoc with .the roads. The surfaces are breaking up and becoming like a creek bed. Kingston Road m particular is in an awful state, and complaints are numerous.

His Worship the Mayor has arranged for a talented party of Scotch pipers and and dancers to come fi’om Palmerston North and give a concert in Shannon in aid of the Soldiers' Memorial. The date has been fixed for Tuesday, February 28. Local residents are busy at present carting water for household purposes, many of the tanks being empty. This is the time of the year when the advantages of a good water supply would be felt, anti a loan to provide it would be carried easily.

What might have proved a rather serious accident betel Mr A. Graham on a farm in Marinoto Road. While carting wood from a paddock on a hillside a wheel collapsed and threw him] several yards, but fortunately there were no bones broken and he escaped with a few bruises ami scratches.

Dr. James llennessy, youngest son of the late Mr I'. Hennessy. paid a flying visit to these parts during the week-end, arriving in Fox ton on Friday. Dr. l-lennessy left Foxton will his brother James nine years ago 'or Edinburgh University, to pursue their medical studies. After cjuaUlynig, they entered upon their medical career in the Old Country. Dr. Hennessy came out as surgeon on the Somerset, and returns with the same vessel. He paid a brief visit to Ills brother and sister at Shannon, lie hopes ro come back to New Zealand and take up his permanent residence at a later date. “London was tennis mad last summer,” states Miss Gunson, of Auckland, who has returned to New Zealand’. “The public courts in every park and garden were crowded from dawn to dark. No matter in what direction you turned there were girls and men playing tennis, and so great was the increase in the number ol j players that at one period it was im- j possible to buy ; balis ”

The business people have not yet decided whether to have a holiday on the occasion of the school picnic or not, but most of them seem to be tn favour of closing for the day. Mr N. C. Fiyger, who has been on the railway staff for over twelve years, and has been in ill-health for several months past, has been pronounced medically unfit for further railway work, and has retired on superannuation.

Ngaruawahia has the honour of being the birthplace of three lioncubs. While Mr J. J. Boyd’s zoo was camped at the Point, one of the lionesses in the party presented . the proprietor with tiiis interesting addition to his zoo. One of these day-old cubs, about, the size of a small cat, was handed around amongst the audiences at. trie evening entertainments. It has been decided to christen the three little strangers Waipa, Ngaruawahia and Sampson (by permission) after the Mayor of Ngaruawahia. It is worth noting that Mr Boyd has reared - over one hundred lions in the course of ms career. Recently he sold twenty lions to go abroad. it happened in a school not a Hundred miles from Cambridge. Sam was nearly always late for school, but never came without an excuse. Une day Sam came in late, as usual. “Well,” said his teacher, “what is the excuse this morning ’’ This time Sam seemed not quite so ready as usual, and the teacher had to ask linn a second time. At last Sam replied: “Well, you see, Miss, mother was mixing the bread tiiis. morning, and I nad to wait untii it was finished before 1 could get the bowl to wash iny feet in!”

In conversation with an Eketahuna Express representative, Mr A. Faikner, of Kaiparoro, referring to the proposed trip of a Levin party over the ranges to Eketahuna, said that m company with two other officers cl the Manawatu railway he had made this trip some 30 ' years ago, from Shannon to Putara. At this time the country was charted as unknown on the survey maps. Mr Falkner said the party left with one day’s rations, thinking the trip would be a comparatively easy one. The trip actually took two full days. Until they reached the Mangahao the going was comparatively easy, but from there the travelling was most difficult. It took them hours to get out of the bed cf the Mangahao, and altogether three forks of this river were encountered, with high ridges and most difficult country. They struck a lot of leatherwood scrub, and this was almost impassable. They could not get through underneath it, they could not jump over it, and so close was the mat that a bulldog with the party had to be carried. The ridges seemed endless but finally they reached the Mangatainoka and after some travelling struck a wliare occupied by the late Mr I. Priest, later coming on inm Eketahuna. Mr Falkner says there is no possibility of a road through from Putara, as the country is quite impassable. Later Mr S. Percy Smith explored this country, and reported on the feasibility of the Waiwera track. Mr Falkner says the trip is not one for men up in years, and if they attempt it they will probably have to be carried out.