Shannon News TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1923.

Shannon News, 31 July 1923, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1923.

T!he death occurred in Palmerston yesterday ol' Mr Charles Smith, manager ol the Bank of New Zealand there for the past twelve years. In trying to avert ia pot-hole going down the cutting near Mr s Crowthei s, East Road, a motor lorry capsized over the bank on Saturday ( morning. Fortunately no serious) damage was done to the lorry, the 1 three occupants escaping scathless. I There passed away 'at the Palmers-1 ton North Hospital last week Hr F. i W. Klein, proprietor of the Strand j ( Lie, Ballance Street. The de .'eased underwent an operation for an inter-' nal complaint to wthich he su. 'jmbad. ( Rel eased leaves a widow and two j children to whom we extend our, deepest sympathy. The interment look place at Palmerston on Saturday. Parents and friends are invited to forward to the Town Clerk (Mr J. T. Bovis) the names of all who served in i the Great War that went from Shannon and within a radius of five miles from the Borough so that the names ' j can be inscribed on the Soldiers’ 4 Memorial which is to be erected shortly,

Tlie vital statistics fo,r the month of July in Shannon is as. followsßirchs 9, deaths 1, marriages nil.

The annual congregation meeting iof members of the; Presbyterian Church will he held at the Church on Wednesday evening, at 7.30 p.m. The fortnightly euchre and dance held at Moutoa on Friday night in aid of funds lor the hall, was largely attended, and was the most successful yet held.

A resident of Palmerston Noun has forwarded to the Borough Engineer (Mr Edwards) the following verse- as a suitable one to he. inscribed on the soldiers* . memorial, which is to fce erected in shannon shortly:“May love and memory never cease “To honour England’s clarion call. “Brave men who fought for truth and peace, “And nobly gave their lives for all.”

When a Palmerston taxi-driver was charged at the instigation of th© Railway Department with attempting to drive ,a motor car over a railway crossing when the line was not clear, counsel for. the. Department said 1 it was not the intention of the Railway Department to permit any easel of the same kind to pass, in future. Proseicution would he. taken in every case in the interests of the motorists concerned and the public travelling on the trains. T(h& practice of recklessly going over railway crossing when trains were approaching must be stopped.

Much regret was expressed in Shannon on Friday when it became known that Mr Jack Retter, a late resident of Shannon, had passed away a.t the Palmerston North Hospital. The deceased had been ailing for some, time and on Monday last underwent an operation, but failed to rally, delath following on Friday morning. The late Mr Retter, who was a son of Mr and Mrs J. C. Retter, of Levin, was born at Porirua 53 years ago, and was widely known along this coast, having resided in Shannon for over 16 years, leaving here about two years ago for Palmerston North. The deceased was a contractor and in his younger days was a well-known (horseman over the fences. Deceased leaves a widow and six children, his aged parents (Mr and Mrs J. C. Retter, of Levin), Mrs J. Procter, and Mrs H. Gill, of Levin, land Mrs J. Roach, of Shannon (sisters), Messrs P. and J. Retter, of jLevin (brothers), all of whom will have the deepest- sympathy of the district in their bereavement.

On Friday evening last the Maoriland Theatre was packed to overflowing, the great attraction being the big picture “Robin Hood” and the Maori-1-and string band. In both the audience were not disappointed. The items rendered by the hand were pleasing and quaint and displayed musical ability of no mean order, and brought forth repeated applause. The band had to respond on each occasion. The picture proved to be all that was. claimed of it, and is undoubtedly one of the 1 -great masterpieces of the screen.. The Native band still continue to practise and have been requested to appear at two cf of the; leading picture theatres of Wellington, representatives of which were present at their opening performance and were loud in their praises. The band are not anxious to> travel and have not yet decided whether to accept the tempting offer or not. The “News” wishes the band every success and hopes to- hear more of it at an early date-

The impartiality of Government officials in carrying out the regulations was effectively demonstrated in an incident related by a minister at a meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. While in hospital he was advised of a fund being raised by a country church for a worthy object. Me telegraphed back: “Hearty congratulations. Put on £1 for me.” The telegram was. returned by the telegraph office with a memo, that betting telegrams were not accepted.

Four draught horses were, employed last week breaking a track through the snow on Argyle Station (Southland) to reach the musterers’ huts on the high country. The work was so arduous that only 20. minute spells were given them, and even then one oi the horses died) Mr Soper, of Gerston, in relating his experiences of the present snow visitation, .stated that a dray loaded with 30 sacks of wheat and drawn .by five horses crossed a frozen stream and despite the heavy weight, not a crack was heard from the ice.

On attempting to open the strong room at the. Wanganui Borough Council Chambers on Saturday morning it was found impossible to do so. Upon examination the head of a key was found broken off in the lock, and apparently an attempt had been miade to rob the strong room., which contained some £6OO in coin and notes. Upon extracting the broken key it was found to be a facsimile of the proper key. Its edges were .sharp as if newly made. Nothing had been disturbed in the office. The police have the matter in hand.

“Denmark began cow-testing much earlier than New Zealand. In fact; I believe some Danish dairymen were weighing the milk oi individual cows before Wellington was founded in 1840. They started their first cowtesting associations in 1895, and in . 1921-22 tested per milk-recording soi cieties some 230,000 dairy cows out of ( their total of 1,184,000, showing that j 20 per cent, of the whole of the milch ! cows were under test. New Zealand ! lias this 1922-23. season tested 84,000, ! out of 1,138,000, or 7.35 per cent.”—Mr I W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy j Division, on herd-testing. An offer to supply Westminster City Council free of cost with sufficient rubber blocks to form a silent roadway round the Cenotaph in Whitehall has been received from Rubber Road- I ways, Ltd, In recommending the council to accept the offer, which is unconditional, the works committee point out that the cost will be about £6OOO, and the surface to be laid with the blocks will extend approximately j to 1500 yards.

Over 2000 cows have, been put under test during the past season by the Rata Dairy Company.

It is. understood that Messrs Riddiford Bros, have let a contract to two young men to shoot 1000 deer on their coast property, says the Wairarapa Age.

“Prosperity is now. staling every one ox us m the lace and in our individual prosperity we ought to consider the prosperity and progness, of the town,” remarked the cnainnaii of the. Eketahuila Chamber of Commerce when referring to borough loan proposals.

“I thinkf it’s a very dead meeting without a hand,” especially if you are losing money,” remarked a member of the South Canterbury Hunt Committee when it was suggested that no hand should be engaged for the next race meeting. “We’re got something better than, a band,” said another member, “W/d’ve got <a booth for the next meeting.”—.Christchurch Press. Expressions of approval from members of the executive 1 of the Manawatu Football Association were heard at last meeting when there was received I'ioui thei Auckland Association a letter which contained reference to the progress of the game there. Often, the letter stated, there were 3000 or 5000 people to watch the senior Soccer matches. The game was obtaining a strong hold in the schools, and receiving assistance from the teachers—*a thing not dreamed of a few years ag<?. A further development of the Ratana movement is the formation of a ladies’ orchestra, which starts on an, extensive tour, which may include Australia and the United States (reports the Wanganui Herald). The company in all numbers 35 performers, including eight males, the whole being under the supervision and direction of Ratana’e trusted and energetic secretary, Mr Pita Moko. Three brothers in the village of Niolon, near Marseilles, have attained the agies of 101, 98, and 96 respectively. Nearly every day the men, Costa, Sauveur and Jean .Marc, may he seen playing cards Under an old chestnut tree in their garden. They wiere all shepherds and their only regret is that their sister died last year at the age of 95—comparatively early in life, they think.

Someone (says the Thames Star) should say a word for the cows. The Liberals are saying that they invented the dairying industry. In one of thosei journals which know everything about the Liberals excepting (how to get the. party back into office, there is now being repeated the unalterable belief of thel die-haTds that they are directly responsibe, through their legislation and administration, for the huge quantities of butter and cheese exported. The legislation produced the butter, it is claimed, and the administration the cheese. Once started off, the cows have been unable to abandon thel habit of giving milk. Anyone could have started them into doing it, but the point was to think of it, and it was the Liberals who thought of it. The cows are to have no more credit than Mr MaSsey. What could we do without these quaint Liberals? A writer in the Century Magazine tells an amusing story of an, episode that is said to have taken place at a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Sir Rider Haggard was greeted by an aristocratic pair who wished to express their gratitude to him for having been instrumental in saving thei life of their son. The. boy was suffering from pneumonia and had reached the crisis, and it was vital that he be made to perspire. They tried many things to secure this end, but without success. The patient was very -weak and listless. Nothing interested him until they tried reading to. him from one or Sir Rider’s, books. At once (his curiosity was aroused and when a thrilling climax was reached he broke into a profuse perspiration. From this his recovery was rapid. Good progress is being made, with the new town hall at Koputaroa. The concrete foundations have been down some time, and having set, the framework of the building was lerected yesterday. The work is being done by the residents of the district, which is well organised, different men, under the supervision of capable carpenters fuming up on scheduled days. The ladies of the district do their share by

I providing luncheon and afternoon tea. for flue, workers, they, like the men having their days allotted for the work. The result is that Koputaroa will shortly have a hall which will be a credit to the district, at a minimum cost, whilst the spirit of self-h)elp and cooperation fostered in this way is a definite asset to a community. A universal sigh of relief, says “Mercutio,” has greeted tlhe news that the dispute between Auckland laundry employees and proprietors has been settled in private by a committee). It was known that the employees were getting hot under the collar and were determined to present a stiff front, while the proprietors were wringing their hands in dismay; but it is good to know that there is to be 1 no washing of dirty linen in public. Had agreement not been reached, would the coppers, have been called in to kelsp order while the disputants let off steam? ,

Live pigeon shooting was condemned at a meeting of the Auckland Socie-

ty for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, following on a report by Inspector Webster on the recent meeting of the Ellerslie Gun Club. The inspector stated that no fewer than 2000 birds were shot down at this meeting. Men and boys were posted at various points to 'bring in and destroy wounded birds, but h|e noticed several birds fell behind a hedge, and no one was sent to look after them until he protested. Such a practice j was gross cruelty. “Pigeon shooting,” j said the inspector, “is not a nice thing to watch. It is not a sport, } for the birds are merely liberated from traps, and they only rise a few yards before they are shattered by a ‘good’ shot.” After the chairman and others had spoken., the former observing that the pigeons never got a J chance, it was decided to bring the matter under the attention of Parlia- > ment during the present session.