Shannon News TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1922.

Shannon News, 29 August 1922, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1922.

Mr Huggins. District Health Officer, was a visiiur to Shannon yesterday. Mrs Murphy, who Tms heon away in Melensvillp for a month's holiday, returns home on Friday next.

On’ Friday, September 8, the annual Maori ball in aid of tlie Poutu meeting house will be held in the Druids’ Hall, Shannon.

The Shannon Dairy Co. is now taking cream evety day, which is unusual ior this time oi the year, which goes to show the mildness of the winter.

Mrs Jones and family, of Vance Street, Shannon, are leaving Shannon next week, alter a residence of 23 years in the town and district It is Mrs .Jones’s intention to go lot a trip.

It is stated on good authority that a Palmerston North -financial, syndicate has offered to lend the Power Board all the money requited-for its half million loan at 5J per cent. An advertisement. appears elsewhere tn the present issue of this paper of a clearing sale of furniture, garden tools, etc., to be held next Saturday at the residence of Mrs Jones, Vance Street.

Mr and Mrs J. Osborne, of Nathan Terrace, left Shannon on Saturday to take up farming in llawke's Bay district. Mr Osborne is a son of one of the earliest settlers in the district, and their many friends join in wishing them success in their new ventme.

An interesting statement in regard to the housing problem was made to a Southland Times reporter by a land agent, who- said that of twenty-six couples married in Invercargill last month nineteen had elected to live in lodgings.

Sydney files to hand state that Dick Arnst, the New Zealander, who, alter gaining recognition as a champion cyclist, twice held the world's sculling championship,.has taken up woodchopping. He was to compete in tlie championships ai a carnival an August It). A big kangaroo which refused to get off the road in a country district of New South Wales, was struck liglniy by a mail car. It rushed the vehicle and thrust one paw through the hood. The speed of the car threw the animal aside, but it pursued its enemy for 50 yards.

Hesidents are reminded of the grand plain and fancy masquerade hall to he held in the Druids’ Hall on Friday evening next, the proceeds of which are in aid of the Moutoa Hall fund. The music will he supplied by Larkin's orchestra, and a good time- is in store for those who attend.

On Saturday morning, Mr Jamieson, oi Levin Road, whilst engaged in tailing a pinus insignus had the mismrtune to break his leg. It appears lie had cut the tree through and he and his brother were preparing to tall it, but it came down unexpectedly and, in doing so, a branch struck Mr Jamieson, throwing him over a fence alongside and breaking his right thigh. Mr Jamieson is now an inmate of the Palmerston North Hospital. Whilst engaged in bringing a iuad of hemp from the Miranui mill, Mr J. Franks bad the misfortune to lose one of his lorries. When about a mile from Shannon, it was discovered lo be on fire, the driver only just pulling up in lime and alighting, when one of the bales, all in flames, fell on the seat. It is hard to discover the cause of the fire. Starting at the rear and having the dry hemp to help it, the lorry was soon in flames, and was totally destroyed. We understand 1 there was a small insurance on the lorry, but it was not known in Shannon if the hemp was covered. Speaking at the Methodist anniversary social at Fo.xton, the Rev. Walton (Anglican) said some of the excuses made by people lor not attending church were amusing, and they, must expect a minister to he “daft” to accept them. It was very discouraging , for any minister to do his best when only a few were present at the service He -contrasted the large attendance at the meeting addressed by Mr Massey on a wet and boisterous night with the attendance at church the night before. Their excuses for not attending church should he made to God and not the minister. He also deprecated the threepenny hit offerings, and said it would he a good thing if the bank “cornered - ’ these small coins at week-ends.

An amusing comparison between methods employed on American and New Zealand railways was given by Mr T. U. Wells in the course of his lecture at the Leys Institute, Auckland. Desiring to change a ticket which he had mistakenly taken out for the wrong line, lie interviewed an American railway official, who cancelled his ticket with a stroke of the pen, and facilitated his securing another. Desiring to cancel a sleeping berth ticket, lor which he paid 12/6, on the New Zealand railways, he was told he would have to send a written application to the stationmaster. He did so, and four letters passed between the railway authorities and himself before lie obtained ihe cancellation ai ihe railway inquiry office ove ra month Ihe railway inquiry office over a month later.

Two amateur trappers, who- had their first experience among the opossums at Purapaiaumu, collected a cheque of £153 11/ for the skins they secured during the recent season. As their total expenses were only £22, the month's work was a most- profitable one. The more experienced trappers cleared £IOO and over per man in the same time.

Tire residents of Koputaroa are taking in hand the building of a public hall, and a campaign is to be launched for the raising of •funds. The first gathering for this fjurpose will, be a fancy dress ball to be held in the school on Friday, September 8. The ball is being organised by Miss Thelma Shaw, of Levin, and under her direction promises to be a great success.

“The directors of the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company are not in any circumstances going to pay more than the Arbitration Court award,’’ said Mr .1. C. Cooper (the chairman) at the annual meeting. “If the men do not go to work at the existing rates you can take it that we will introduce the best possible to carry on, because we are not going to pay more than the award.”

A Wellington Times reporter was informed that the first consignment of the new season's butter is being ;>ent away by the Gaelic, about the 2m ii inst. The quantity is about 15,000 boxes, and as this is an early shipment it is anticipated that goou prices will be realised. The next shipment will be about the middle o; September, and it is expected that that there will be a further quantity of 150,000 to 200,000 boxes by the end of September. Cheese shipments are, of course, not available until late in September.

Messrs. Abraham and Williams, in conjunction with the New Zealand Loan Company, heid a successful clearing sale of stock at Mr M. W. Prendevilie’s iarm, Gladstone Hoau, yesterday, in the presence of a large attendance of buyers. Sheep met ex ee l lent competition, and sold very well, a line of 480 ewes in iamb bringing the high price of 28/1. Other price? were 140 two and four-tooth wethers 23/6, 165 hoggets 18/, and 10 mixed-sex two-tooths 16/. Dairy cows realised jrom £2 to £ll 10/. During the visit of the Horowhenua County deputation to Wellington on Thursday, the members, consisting o the county chairman (Mr G. A. Monk), Crs. McLeavey and Harkness, Mr P. W. Goldsmith (county clerk), Mr W. N. -Anderson (engineer), together with Mr Overton (engineer to the Horowlie iiua Power Board), waited upon the Minister for Public Works and inquired when the power from Mangaliao was likely to be available. The Minister stated that there was no reason to doubt, after ail had been said and done, that the power would be on hand at schedule time.

At the wedding of Mr A. Baldwin Raper, M.P., and the Marchioness Conynghum, the novelty consisted 01 two best men. This recalls the origin of the custom of having a best man. It is a survival of feudal times, when the particular friends of the bridegroom undertook to frustrate the designs of a rival sworn to carry off the bride before the nuptials could take place. In Sweden weddings formerly took place under cover of night. Behind the high altar of the ancient church at Husaby, in Gothland, a collection of long lances, with sockets lor torches, may yet be seen. These were served out to the groomsmen cn -such occasions, both for defence and illumination. These men were the bravest and best who could be found to volunteer their services.

Probably the most wonderful feature of a mosquitO' is its muscularity. This may seem a ludicrous statement, but a great surprise awaits anyone who for the first time examines one of these insects under a glass. Size

for size, a mosquito’s wing muscles are equal to an eagle’s. A Belgian scientist found that a bee, weight lot weight, was 30’ times as strong as a noise. It has been found that an ordinary liouse-tly can lilt a match

stick, and that in doing so it exerts, as much power in proportion to its size as a man would need to use it he tried to hold aloft on his feet a beam 14 feet long by 30 inches square. Spiders sometimes exhibit wonderful strength, especially in conflict. An

ordinary ant can carry ten times its own weight.