Shannon News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1923.

Shannon News, 3 January 1923, Page 2

Shannon News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1923.

Wedding bells will be ringing m Shannon this month, no less than three -wedding dates being already announced. What about the Council building more houses?

Mrs Watterston, of Shannon, is at present an inmate oi a private hospital in Levin, suffering from a nervous breakdown. She is progressing satisfactorily, and hopes to be home again in a couple oi weeks’ time.

As compared with the corresponding week ol' last year ending Deceinbei 23, there was an increase of 478 tickeis issued at the local railway station, while the number oi live stock railed away was just doubled.

Everyone in Shannon appeared to be holiday-making on New Year’s Day, judging by the large number of picnic parties. The Foxton beach is always a popular resort for Shannonites, there being three large lorry loads, besides numerous private vehicles, from Shannon. Others journeyed to the river for the day, while a large contingent made the trip to Marton races.

The vital statistics of Shannon for the year ending December 31, 1922, were: Births 60, deaths 17, marriages 8, as against, the following for the same period in 1921: Births 60, deaths 8, marriages 10. Included in this year’s deaths are the seven men who lost their jives at Arapeti, which accounts for the increase in deaths. The returns for the month of December just ended were: Births 4, deaths 1, marriages 1.

The new projector recently ordered by Messrs. Wilkinson and Hyde, of the Maorilaiicl Theatre, is due to reach Shannon this week, having arrived at Wellington by the Moeraki from Sydney last week. The machine is the latest model Simplex, and contains over 2000 parts. The machine will be installed at once, and it is plain that the screening of pictures at their theatres will be- second to none in New Zealand.

The inward goods traffic for this year, so far, at the local station has been showing a steady increase, but the four, weeks ending December 9 show's a big increase compared with the same period last year, there being 31,000 ft more of timber and 650 tons of general goods. There has been a decrease in outward goods, mostly brought about by the small output of hemp, compared with the previous year.

Many industrious men have spent their holidays cutting fhe grass seed Which has been going to- waste on the roads in the suburban areas, and yesterday in several places men were seen using the old-fashioned flail to beat out the seed into a sheet which had been spread on the ground. One man said he was knocking out about 15/ per day at congenial work, which was more than he could make at fhe races.—Morrinsville Star.

One of the strangest incidents ever recorded oii a rifle range occurred at the 600 yards in the championship finals at Wanganui. While Carter (Petone) was aiming, a sparrow alighted on the barrel of liis rifle. After a lot of “shooing" it flew off, and flying along the mound decided to pay- R. J. King (Opaki) a visit, so it sat on his barrel also. Meanwhile Carter had fired his interrupted shot and registered a magpie, commonly known among riflemen as a ‘‘bird.’’ Alter King had removed the visitor he also fired and got a ‘final.’’ The incident and also the result of the two shots created the most amusing diversion of the meeting. “Are we in danger of losing the premier place on the British market for Canadian cheese?" asks a Montreal paper. “For many years, several decades in fact, our cheese was recognised to be the best in the world. We superseded the. United States’ product on the British market purely on the basis of quality. Our systems of factory inspection were models for the world. And now New Zealand is gaining a tremendous hold on the Old Country cheese trade. Is there a hanger that we have been patting ourselves on the back and assuming that our position was impregnable when we should have been striving earnestly for a still higher standard and keeping an eye on our competitors?"

Miss o. Davis, of the local telephone exchange staff, commenced her annual leave yesterday. A total of 249 tickets were issued at the local railway station to Awapuni during the three days’ racing. A party of “first-footers" visited several - local residents in the early hours of New Year’s morning, and were hospitably received. During the holidays, quite a number of persons have taken advantage to use the cut made by Ihe dredge as a swimming pool. The youth of Shannon were not behind in the old-time New Year practical jokes, several amusing changes of property being made, one of which was the removal of a signboard ol one of our leading caterers, “Meals at all hours,” which was plaCSil. in front of the local police station.

Master Frank Murray, son of our well known townsman, Mr .las. Murray, has relurned home after having spent 18 months at the Taree luiermc-|f diaie High School, N.SAV. At the recent examination at that school, Master Murray, who is only 13 years of age, was most successful, being at the top of his class of 34 pupils, obtaining' the following percentage: Modern history 90, Latin 90, French 86, arithmetic and algebra. 90 and geometry 95. The headmaster remarks that he was a very good student. These results must he very gratifying to his parents and also to Mr Yoysey, of the local school, where he received the foundation of his schooling, he being a pupil I there until going away.

f Mr and Mrs W. Martin, who’ arrived Mr McKegg’e seaside cottage at Zealand from Scotland five Paraparaumu is nearing ’ weebg ago , visited their cousins, Mesand it is the intention oi his tail y and R- Hayes, of to enjoy a holiday there shortly. N<w Year , g Day .

“Next year is going to be a very busy year, in that we will have building works to the extent of £90,000 to £IOO,OOO going on,” said Mr F. Castle, of the Wellington Hospital Board.

Owing to the recent rain freshening tlie pastures, the milk supply at the Shannon Dairy Co.’s factory is keeping up splendidly, and there is every indication this season is going to be a record one.

Mr A. Blackwood, superintending engineer at the Lake Coleridge powerstation, has received notification of his transfer to the Mangaliao power station, North Island. He will take up his duties next month.

Several small boys are reported to have spent considerable time at the re Awamutu racecourse following the Waipa and ltotorua racing fixtures. Asked the reason for their early morning visit and the cause of their diligent search of the ground, one of the lads stated he had heard his father break the news at. home that he had lost a lot of money at the races.

“The distribution of the Christian world into' sects is no cause for lament,” says Dr. Hicks, Professor of Philosophy at the London University. “The conflicts of a militant theology are preferable to a leaden stagnation; discussion multiplies the chances of reaching truth, increases the thirst for knowledge, and gives to those who engage in it moral and emotional power. Only when the sects degenerate into poor theological- egotisms does the division of Christendom furnish occasion for desponi dency. In point of fact, however widely lhe_ speculations of Christian men may diverge* The main concern of all is with the fundamental truths which they have in common, and in the presence of which strange animosities of a polemical temper seem petty indeed.” “Now, a Sunday school is one of the most important elements—perhaps the most important element—in our church work and life, and I hope that the erection of this building will make all of you more interested in your Sunday school than perhaps some have.been in the past,” said the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. T. H. Sprott), when laying the foundation stone of a new Sunday school at Kurort on Saturday. “I wonder whether we. are grateful enough to Sunday school teachers. Their task is one of the most important, and I am afraid, one of the most thankless of tasks. . . .1 do not suppose there, is anything more depressing than the feeling that one’s work is regarded as being of no importance. It- is extremely difficult for any one of us to hold fast to any vocation or any belief if people around us are ignoring or denying it,”

An amusing incident is related by the Oamaru Mail as taking place at a country polling booth in Waitaki on polling day. A lady voter, who had spent more than the usual fine in the secret compartment, was noticed by the Deputy to be passing the ballot boxes wtihout inserting her voting paper, and her attention was drawn to the. omission. The reply was that she had already voted in the private apartment, and investigation showed that both papers had been squeezed through the very narrow crack formed by the closed door of a small cupboard, the top of which had been set aside for the voters’ use when marking the. paper. The papers were found after the cupboai’d door had been unlocked, but it must have taken all the femi-

nine cunning, with the aid of a hairpin, to execute, such a difficult feat.

The Minister for Education, Hon. C. J. Parr, speaking at a college function, stated that it was his firm intention to reduce the expensive multiplicity of school text books. “1 called for a list,” he said, “and the report discloses an extraordinary state of things. For English there are 71 different text hooks in use in the secondary schools of New Zealand, for Latin 51, and lor French 60. 'Phis means added costs to parents, as changing demands make it difficult lor booksellers, whom I do not blame, and stiff prices are the result. This has got to stop. Half a dozen or so of text books on one subject should he enough for the whole of New Zealand, so far as classes are concerned. Lei all kinds of books be found in the school libraries by all means, but. the use of so many- different text books ill New Zealand is entailing a burden at present on thousands of parents.”

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Mr R. Merwood, who has resided in Shannon for some time, has now taken up his residence in Feilding, where he is engaged in the orchestra at the pictures in that- town.

Two truck loads of bacon pigs were forwarded to Palmerston North yesterday by Shannon farmers. The price received for the pigs was 4Jd per lb, and farmers were informed there was every likelihood of a drop in price of id per lb at. an early date.

The lad, George Small, who was drowned at Foxton on New Year s Day, was a brother of Mrs Lionel Richardson, of Shannon. She will have the deepest sympathy of a large number of friends in Shannon at the untimely bereavement that has oteitaken her.

Much regret was expressed in Shannon when it became known that Mr W. Tremewan, of Palmerston North, had passed away. The late Mr Iremewan, who had resided in this district previous to removing to Palmerston North, was well known here, w’here he was very popular. He was an enthusiastic cricketer, being a member of the Shannon Cricket Club, and on removing to Palmerston North joined die Railway Cricket Club, being an active member right up until last season. He was also a member of the Terrace End Bowling Club. The deceased gentleman, who had been ill for a long time, was 46 years of age, and leaves a wile and family of six, his eldest son being at present in Mesopotamia- Much sympathy is extended to the family in their bereavement, The funeral took place at Palmerston North yestejjlay, several of his old friends from Shannon paying their last respects/to deceased.

Mr Joliffe, who has been film censor for six and a-quarter years, says that the best film he ever handled was “Disraeli,” which proved almost the worst “draw” the leading theatres had shown in three years. Such is the capriciousness of public taste.

A Dunedin business man who has his finger on the commercial pulse says that the reductions in the post and telegraph rates are regarded as a most satisfactory instalment, and he feels quite sure that the result will be a very large increase in the business of the department. One of the concessions that is likely to be specially appreciated by business houses is that by which accounts and hills and suchlike packets can be sent for a penny. Under the high tariff the mailing of such matter was systematically cut down. Now it wilTbe made free use of.

On her last Homeward passage from New Zealand, the Devon, at present at Auckland, struck a .spell of calm weather off Cape Horn. When rounding the headland what seemed to be flashing or signal lights were sighted from the land. Captain H. Gardner, the master of the Devon, thinking they might.be signals from a shipwrecked crew, stood in, and took his vessel into an opening in the coast, Then the mystery was solved, for. the lights were from a small whaler, which was boiling' down her blubber. The lights were on her deck, and as the whaler roiled deeply in the swell, they were regularly shut out, thus giving them the character of a flashing light.

A passenger who alighted from the 3 o’clock south-bound train at Te Awamutu on Thursday afternoon said he had heard of many causes to delay trains, but an incident that occurred on the run from Frankton eapped ah The train came to a standstill in the

middle of the Rukuhia swamp, resuming the journey a few minutes afterwards. Being curious as to the cause of this exceptional and seemingly needless halt, he inquired the cause, and was informed—he .vouches for the truth of the story—that the guard of the previous north-bound train h a d lost his hat, and the guard of the down train caused the stoppage while he recovered the headgear. The passenger wonders whether the- railway officials would show as much consideration for the travelling public.— Waipa Post.

The residents of a portion of the Peninsula, particularly those at Macandrew’s Bay, had a most unpleasant time last week, when something in the nature of a cloudburst was experienced (says the Otago Daily Times). About 9.30 rain suddenly descended in torrents, and continued .to fall for about 20 minutes. The results were disastrous for several people who live in the vicinity of a creek which flows near Mr W. Brookman’s store, in .which the post office is situated. The creek was unable to carry the volume of water winch, rushed down the hill, and Mr Brookman’s premises and those of some other residents were flooded to a depth of several inches. Sonic excitement was created in the public hall, in which the school children were assembled for the annual breaking-up ceremony, the little ones having to hurry to the platform in order to escape a wetting.