Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1922.

Shannon News, 1 December 1922, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1922.

The following are the vital statistics for the month ending November 30: Births 6, deaths 1, marriages 2.

On Friday, December 8, the proprietors of the Maoriland Theatre; will screen that popular flint “The Mark of Zorro,” starring Douglas Fairbanks. Box plan now open at Mrs Aldersey’s. Free booking.

During the prohibitionist meeting last Saturday evening an interj.ector openly extended an invitation to Mr Price to come along to a two-up school on Sunday afternoon. Mr Price did not avail himself of the Invitation, but the police evidently thought the invitation was an open * one, as they went along, much to the of those present. On Monday last at. the Miranui mill a man named. .Lars Beck, whilst engaged in adjusting a belt, had the misfortune to break his arm between the j elbow and wrist. He is now progressing favourably, but it will be about six weeks before he can start- work.

The local railway station has been officially advised that two extra passenger trains* one up - and one down, will leave Palmerston, North for Wellington, and vice versa, daily, starting as from to-day, Friday, December l. The down train will leave Shannon at 7.20 a.m., reaching Wellington at. 10.52 a;m,( The up train will leave Wellington at 6 p.m., arriving at Shannon at 9.8. p.in., thus allowing those desirous of Wellington for the day seven hours in the city. The 8 a.m. down and the 8.20 p.m. will run as usual.

The Health Officer reported to Hie,. Council at its meeting on Wednesday night that he had taken samples of

milk from the local licensed dairies,

which he thad submitted to Wellington for testing purposes. He had now received a reply that each sample was highly, satisfactory.

Criticising the management of the railways, Mr Flyger, at his Shannon meeting, stated that the strawberry growers of Auckland asked for a daily van of five tons capacity to be put on the Main Trunk express for the conveyance of strawberries. They were informed that the minimum charge was £75, which he said was excessive, as the pre-war charge was only 1/ per cwt. • They were willing to pay 107 .per cwt, but. the Department’s charge was 15/ per cwt. He said such actions as these kill industry, and at the same time are 1 a loss to the rail' ways.

• -mbr* ■ ; Referring to the Farmers’ Union manifesto, Mr Flyger told his meeting at Shannon that so long as railage, freights, interest, etc., are kept up we would be in trouble with the cost of export, of our productions, and he would strongly support the establish,ment of a producers’ shipping line, with reasonable Government support and supervision. He pointed out that at present to export a bullock costs £l3 before there was anything for the producer.

Dealing with the soldiers’ settlement question, Mr Flyger, at. his meeting at Shannon, said that a National Board consisting of men with a knowledge of land values, should have been formed, and only the very best; of land purchased and cut up into areas of 10 to 25: acres, and the \ m,en properly- settled on them. In his opinion a great blunder had been mad©-

A sure sign of the progress of this town and district is the steady increase from month to month of the business done at The local railway station. For some considerable time the monthly returns have been rising. During the month of October the increase in freights was £BOO above the corresponding month of 1921. Of course, the Mangaihao works were a big contributing factor to this, but nevertheless the ordinary business has been on the increase.

The following! is the record of the rainfall in Shannon for the month of November as supplied by Mr Sinclair, of Vance Street. Rain fell on thirteen days for a total of 7.08 inches, the heaviest fall being on the 9th with 1.47 inches; during the last four days 2.05 inches were recorded. For the corresponding month of last year rain fell on fourteen days, with a total of 3.33 inches.

It is stated that when a Shannon constable waited on a local resident with a significant piece of blue paper having relation to the recent raid on the alleged two-up school, the, latter made, the cryptic remark that Ratana was not in it with the officer of the law as a healer. The constable asked for further light on the subject, and his informant said there was one man present who had . been doubled up with rheumatism and various other complaints for some time,,and only, got about with difficulty, but when the constable appeared on the scene'none of those present were able to head the sufferer off.

A valuable addition to the dairying industry of this district has been made by Mr Sam Bowker, of Ihakaxa, who has purchased at a high, figure from Messrs. W. H. Booth, and Sons, Carterton, the highly bred Jersey., bull Freemason of Puketapu. This bull is of the great Monopoly strain, being by a grandson of the world’s champion two-year-old butterfat producer “Mere,” which was ownetd and bred by Mr F. S. Mcßae, of Palmerston North.. Mere produced tlie high record of 12.1641 b milk and 6631 b fat in 365 days as a two-year-olc 1. Fi'eemason. of Puketapu’s half bro ther, Admiral of Puketapu, from the same cow, has... more tested daughters i than. any other New Zealand-bred. bi ill. At. W. M. Booth and Sons’ sale, held recently. ■ his.-two. half-sisters realised 200gns and 208gns respectively. His gra ndsire was also-sold-;at. the same time,, realising 400gns, and stands among .tl ie highestpriced Jersey bulls sold in:' New Zealand. Mr Bowker is to be \ congratulated on procuring a bull for . the head of his herd surrounded with i uchflne butterfat records..