Shannon News TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1922.

Shannon News, 9 May 1922, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1922.

Miss Knowles, leaves ior an extended /isit to Auckland to-morrow. The Shannon Dairy Co. is at present making 53 boxes ol butter daily. ihe next Labour Party dance will oe heid on Friday.

Mr and Mrs C. Dunckley, oi' Hamilton, are visiting Mrs Dunckley, sen. oi Shannon.

Mr C. Brindle is starting business in Shannon as a painter and decorator.

There were three births, one'death and two marriages in Shannon during April.

Work has commenced on the erection oi another large stop-bank on Mr Dyer's larm, and it is apparent dial it will take a big flood to go over or wash, it away.

The big dredge at Moutoa is doing splendid work, and banking is going one last, it is expected that u will be about two months beiore the machinery arrives ior the dredge being erected near Mr Spiers’ mill.

"The Koputaroa Buckley road has by no means been forgotten,” remarked a county councillor to a News reporter. The road will be an arterial one, and we want Government assistance with it. No doubt a move will be made at an early date.

If was staled at, the Te Aroiia Borough Council meeting on Wednesday evening that no less than 25 consumers ol‘ electric power had been -unwittingly receiving power for heating purposes, without charges. The unusual omission was due to borough staff changes, and the recent inspection of the whole of the town has resulted in a very thorough checking of the charge sheets. —Te Aroha News.

The roads through the big swamp are being pushed forward steadily. There will be a branch road through to Tokomaru and another road from the one that branches off at Makerua to the corner of Kingston Road. This loading system will facilitate the subdivision of the land into small holdings. Certain parts of the centre of the high swamp are high and even now rarely flood, a. fact that is not generally known.

Discussing the butter pool, our local manager said factories should endeavour to make better butter, even if it was only a point or two. This could only be done by greater cleanliness. Some of the milking machines were badly erected and were not kept clean. Farmers should realise that the highest grade could not be readied unless they 'did their part and sent only untainted cream to the factory.

The usual fortnightly dance was held at Makerua on Wednesday last, there being a large number present The music supplied by Mrs Shearman’s orchestra left nothing to be desired. The ladies of the district provided a dainty supper. That was greatly appreciated, especially by the visitors who had journeyed from Shannon, Tokomaru and Palmerston North. Extras were played by Miss Burling and Mr Russell. Mr Christensen acted as M.C. Altogether a very pleasant evening was spent.

Shannon continues to make steady' progress. This is apparent by the great increase in traffic at die railway yards and in Posl Office business. Monday, May 8, marked another milestone passed in that, owing to the increased number of subscribers on tlie Telephone Exchange, the hours were extended from ? a.m. until p.m. This will he greatly "appreciated by those on the Exchange, more especially the farmers, who very often require the phone before or after a busy day#

Mr H. Holland, M.P. lor Duller, Leader of the N.Z.' Labour Party, will deliver addresses in Levin, Shannon and Foxton in about ten day’s time.

The Shannon Golf Club’s annual hall will take place on Tuesday, June 20. An energetic committee have matters in hand, and are sparing no effort to make the function an unprecedented success.

The official opening of the Shannon golf links for the 1922 season wall take place on Saturday next at 2 p.m., when in addifiqn to the usual rounds a putting competition will be held. A good deal of interest is being taken in the game, and there is every indication of a successful season.

What will the Piunket Society do in return for the splendid financial support it. has received from the jublic Answering this question on Monday night, Dr. Truby King stated that they undertook that the ilat-h rate among young children w 7 ould be ieduced in five years from 70 to 35 per thousand. He referred to the facilities which had been given to the So-

ciety by the Government, particularly he arrangement whereby the Society is promptly informed of every biith

registered. The Society had hern Irving to get. that for fifteen years. Already things were improving, said Dr. King, for whereas the death rate had been 74 per thousand the year before last, it. had been only 60 last year, and this year he hoped it wnuld be only 50, so that they were on a fair way. to keep their promise to reduce it t*o 35 per 1000 in five years. Wairoa is laughing at the arrest oi a man on the Marine Parade on Saturday. He had been making a nuisance of himself along the street, being decidedly “under the influence,” but when he saw 7 a car approaching he hailed it, and asked to be taken for a “joy ride.” The occupants of the car happened to be tw r o members of the local police force, and they gave the man a joy ride as far as the lockup. -

A remarkable feat wns accomplished

by a doctor in the Western District (says the Western Star) a few days ago. Having been called to a case in the country, he found the road block-

ed by a wash-out 20 feet w 7 ide. All

other drivers w 7 ere held up; not so [he doctor, w'lio, gathering speed in his “Tin Lizzie,” dashed at the gap, .akiiig off five feet, from the brink and

landing ten feet dlear of the broken edge on the far side. The doctor \Vishes his name suppressed for reasons of medical etiquette.

During the tour oi the backblock portion of his electorate, Mr R. Masters, member for Stratford, was impressed by the settlers with the seriousness of the w 7 ild pig pest. One deputation of settlers said that, several young men iv.ould undertake to kill the pigs if paid a royalty. Mr Masters said he believed the best thing would be to ask the Minister to give a royalty In addition to the free ammunition already given and he w r o-uld he pleased to make representations in the proper quarter.

Reports to hand from the Titi Islands (says the Southlaiur'News;) in dicate that the present mutton bird season will be the least successful for many years, and some of the mutton birders state that it. will take them all their time to make expedition expenses. . Last year about 24,000 birds were landed at Bluff, but it is estimated that this year’s total will be 10,000 birds less. The apparent. shortage will enable a large quantity of last year’s birds, still on hand, to find a sale. The blackberry menace up-river is regarded very seriously by members of the Wanganui River Domain Board. The birds carried the seed, which was deposited in the bush, bul the plants did not grow there unlil ihe bush was cleared. The growth of the berry on lands controlled by the Lands Department was extensive, and no effort has been made by ?t 1,0 clear the land. Members agreed that if, was a. very serious matter, and ihnt they could see no end to it. “It will soon he like the West Coast,” remarked a member. “There is only one blackberry bush there, but it extends from Nelson to Hokitika.”

Several shrivelled, dried-up apples, as well a single one of much better appearance, were on 'exhibition at the fruitgrowers’ meeting at Nelson last week. As a dried-fruit exhibition, said Mr Campbell, the apples were an excellent sample, and were part of a consignment sent by a grower from the Nelson district to the auction rooms in Wellington. Four of ihe cases were sold for 5/ each and the other for 3/. The bad fruit had been placed in the bottom of the case and a layer of good fruit on-top. The fruit on the faille was a sample of that. sold. Voices: “Have you got the grower's number?”''- Mr Campbell: “Yes.” A voice: “I think Ihe name should lie made public as a warning to others.” Mr Campbell: “Yes, I will make it public.” Mr Campbell then read out the number and name of the grower, which caused'a, good deal of laughter. It transpired that the grower concerned was not. among those present, and Mr Campbell said he wished he had been, -.e- ’ , I • ’l, „ <M.

Saturday was the twelfth anniversary of the accession of George V., and in honour of the day the flag was flying at the Post Office.

Apologising for his shortcomings as a speaker, a guest at arGreymoutli valedictory function stated that he had never had an opportunity to become proficient. “My wdl’e won’t let me,” he said.

A protest, has been lodged with the Wanganui Education Board in connection w'ith the election of the school committee at Bunnytliorpc on Monday night. The reason for the protest is that the ladies, wmo are entitled to a vote, were allegedly ielused the privilege.

“Like the Australians and the Americans, the Dutch folk m the Vaal are spontaneously lriemtiy, and in this respect they differ iiom the

British or even the New Zealauuer.” — Mr A. Matheson at the Palmerston North Lunch Club.

“l)o no members of the police force know the price ol a butiie of Dunedin beerV” asked Mr A. H. Young, S.M., at the Hamilton Court uurmg the hearing of a case in which, a Frankton resident w 7 as charged w'ith selling liquor to a native. “We are all teetotallers” replied the Senior-Ser-geant, smiling.

Mr Justice Herdman, in admitting two Maori boys at the Auckland Supreme Court to probation, said that of late many young Maori boys had come before him on various criminal charges. “Your ancestors were be.tier men, and never got into trouble,” he remarked.- “They ' were men of integrity and led good lives. So you Maori hoys should keep out of trouble, and strive to emulate them.”

Some amusement w r as caused in the Gore Magistrate’s Court w'hen the clerk read out a summons charging die Mayor and Councillors of f*ore Borough Council wuth failing to register firearms, to wit, rifles, etc. (Boer war relics) in the Gore library. On the sergeant stating the case, the Magistrate (Mr E. C. Levey) asked: Ts this not straining the Act- The Mayor (Mr D. McDougall) explained that (lie Council v 7 as not aware that the rifles w T ould have to be registered, and the Magistrate dismissed the information on condition that the firearms w r ere registered.- _

Some of the daughters of Eve can be trusted to show' great presence of mind in cases of emergency. A young lady in a Wanganui commercial office was driving home one evening alter sunset when the bulky form of a policeman loomed up a. few 7 yards away. Her lamp had not been, lit, but in a jiffy she was out of the vehicle and smilingly approaching the policeman asked him most tenderly whether he could lend her a match. The policeman opened his heart, and instead of lending gave the young lady the necessary lucifer. However, with a. cunning little wink of his/ left optic, he remarked, “I w 7 ill catch you next time,, my girl.”

Mr .1. W. Poynton, one of the stipenditry Magistrate at Auckland, is a man of many parts, "most unassuming and brimful of human kindness. He showed himself up in a new iole the other day. While a Dannevirke resident and his diminutive son were going over Grafton bridge one morning the youngster was apprehensive of the magistrate’s fat. fox terrier, and drew away from it. Mr 1 Poynton saw the child shrink and in order to remove his fears and give him confidence he called upon his canine companion to demonstrate its affection foi children by going through a whole host of antics on this busy thoroughfare, quite oblivious to the inquisitive stare of the crowd; and solely intent upon impressing upon the country ju venile that the dog is the friend of man, if treated properly. Action of this kind is not expected in a busy city, which made it all the more appreciated by tilts parent, to whom his Worship’s identity was well-known, though the magistrate was unaware of this fad— Dannevirke News.

The automatic telephone as we have

it in Auckland has been described by a correspondent as “a daily • worry (states the Auckland Herald). 'lbis very accurately expresses the feelings of subscribers. The automatic in this city has been a failure, and unless some improvement, is effected it. is likely to become an intolerable worry

]to the Postmaster-General. Even now | the department must be greatly worj ried by complaints and repairs, but f apparently it is unable to give any salistartory relief, though' the grievance is widespread and has extended

| over a long period. The position is such that the Minister should take a ' personal interest in it, and ascertain flie facts for himself. The adopted policy' is to abandon the manual telephone throughout New Zealand in favour of the automatic. A large sum of money is involved, and before the Government is further committed to * that, expenditure there should be an investigation of the defects of the present Auckland system# / " t -I-- jA fofc. 1 U ' l- !•- ■