Shannon News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1923.

Shannon News, 20 November 1923, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1923.

Owing to. the wet weather-.on Saturday all cricket matches in the northern portion of the Horowhenua, Cricket Association were postponed. On Thursday ■ aitei-noon a miduieageu. tmu named Sowerby, employed as a rigger at the Mangahab dam, met witn a painful-accident. He" was working on one of the shutes when it Us understood one of the' eye-bolts of a guy rope broke, and he was precipitated to the ground ' 30ft below. vVhen picked up he was found to have broken his shoulder while his head was also badly cut. He is now an inmate of the. Palmerston Hospital. / ■ •■' ,

A pleasing little function took place on Friday evening at the Central billiard room whan Mr and Mrs Dickhoff entertained a. number of friends, to bid farewell to Messrs Schoiler and Law, the contractors for the erection of tfon building. Dancing and singing was indulged- in. Music for the dance was supplied by Mrs F. King, "Misses E. Davis, ApariniKi and Downes, and Mr P, Kerehoma. His Worship the Mayor, ,at an: interval, in a* few well chosen words, thanked the host and hostess for, their kindness to all present and also complimented the cohtraptors on /the thoroughness of their work. . \ • • . ■ "- :

Our representative, had the pleasure | on Saturday of inspecting the.-a»p | which Miss Mona Ne*ale, A.T.C.L., L.T.C.L., has just imported from Paris, through the "agency of Messrs ißegg and Co., Ltd., of Christchurch. The instrument wriich is a concert Gothic Erard harp., is the best that is obtainable and Vbfi model* is the same as that used by tjie Royal Family. It stands sft 1% rnches in heigh,t on ornamental pillars, which are beautifully carved and glided, there being 47 strings and seven pedals. The tone of the, instrument is wonderfully sweet and mellow. The harp was specially selected from the Erard peopr© by an expert judge.- Before being forwarded; to Shannon from Christchurch the instrument was on view at the firm's premises for a week and was much admired and whiile there it was played on-by Mr H. G. Glayslier, of Christchurch, one of tiie world's greatest harpists, who declared it to be the best harp he has pEayed on in Australasia. The cost of the instrument was £340 plus freight and duty. The cover cost £lO and was specially mad£ in London. Miss Neale, .who is <an harpist of no mean ability, 1 , is to be complimented on her entonprise in procuring such a fine instrument on which tq display her talent.

On the front pag« an advertisement appears from Martiin's, drapers! and home furnishers, notifying their .Christmas furnishing- offering, particularly in beautifully designed upholstered farnijture, which carries' i the firm's guarantee for long service!. Mr. Martin, will talso call! upon residents and submit designs 'JMTid prite lisjts if dftsdrei.

Messrs Hall Bros., the successful tenderers for the Shannon, groups un.r der the. Horowhenua Electric Power Board's installation scheme, 'have leased premises, and workshops in 'Shannoni'-and ■ expect to open about December: .Ist, when demonstration plaints Will be installed and run, by their own power in the meantime. Last week as a young man named Cherry, of Mangaore, was driving a motor car ovter to Arapeti, when proceeding down the hill to Arapeti one of the wheels came off,. The sudden jerk caused Cherry to fall; between •tjbie'' frontf s<felt and (steering wheel, with the result that in trying to save himself he twisted! his iarnl, breaking it above the elbow. The car was pulled up near the bank .and suffered no further damiage. . The funeral of Mr and Mrs W. N. Brown's little daughter Allison, took .place on Saturday afternoon, and-, was largely atended by friends of the family An impressive service was conducted at the Presbyterian Church, and again at the graveside, by the Rev. A.' F. Stewart. Many beautiful wreaths and ■ floral tributes were received from deceased's school mates and others testifying to the love and affection which was given her by everyone who knew her. Monday was the 63rd anniversary of the arrival at Auckland of the ship William Miles, which brought oyer 400 immigrants.

: The New Plymouth Bowling Club has purchased a. motor mower, the machine being delivered' earlier in, the week. It is fitted with ia en-, g/ne and 20-inch cutting blades, the total weight-being about 2 c\y,t. The machine is very simple to manipulate.

A proposal is. on foot in Opunake to erect a modern two-storey structure; in the nature of a municipal building. The idea is to utilise the building far housing -the offices of the Town Board, Power Board and Harbour Board, also the' public library and ladies' rest room, leaving the upper storey for a gentlemen's, club.

"It is a shame that horticulture in the schools, has been sacrificed in favour of rural crops," stated Mr W. Kemp at 'ia meeting of the Masterton A. and P. Association. "At one of the schools they, are growing about one turnip to 'the square yard and • fertilised with nitrates, phosphates, .and goodness knows what-for the children don't." .

, An' exceptionally large mail was despatched for America and Europe by the, Royal mail steamer Niagara, which' left Auckland te r; Vancouver on Tuesday. The mail, which is due at London about December 15th, will be the last mail from New Zealand that will reach the United 'Kingdom before Christmas.

'Apart from Druiy Lane, which is strictly speaking ten years, older, but altered 'almpst «but of recognition since 1812, the Haymarkat Theatre may Jbje said to be 'the oldest theatre in Central London. It was opened in 1822, and its beautiful portico was built from,the drawings of the great John Nash.

A few weeks ago the orchardists of Hiawkes ''Bay were congratulating themselves on tine prospects of an enormous fruit crop.this year; to-day they are certain -the crop is going to be much lighter than usual. This is attributed to the excessive amount of rain experienced in the district during the spring., The fruit has not. set on the apple trees and the crop will not be so large as anticipated. Stone fruits were adversely affected by the succession Of easterly storms a month, back. ;

. The provision of sanitary and cheap pig-troughs is a, matter djf interest to those farmers who haye v the health and cleanliness of their stocks at heart, and in this connection an experiment is being made at the Central Development Farm with a preparation to render concrete immune to the corrosion of the lactic acid in the milk. This preparation is mixed with the concrete, facing of the troughs rendering them, it is clainv ed, equal to porcelain in their resisting quality. The material is inexpensive] and} if successful should of gre'at use to pig farmers and dairymen where sour milk has to be held. '■'■...''

'All ; ministers know the importance of selecting hymns appropriate to the occasion, but sometimes it happens, states a: Dunedin exchange, that 'ih.e choice falls', upon one that can only be described as too 'appropriate. This was the experience of a suburban congregation when a sudden heavy hailstorm made such a noise upon the roof that the preacher could scarcely make (himself heard. He decided-to give ,way to the storm for a few minutes and to occupy the interval with the singing of a hymn. The number of the hymn was duly announced, but many of 'the 'congregation quite failed to conceal their amusement when they found that the (hymn they were being asked to sing was "Lord I Hear of Showers of Blessing."

References to the conference held at Shannon last week to consider the engineers' report on measures to be taken for the safety of the Shannon bridge was made at last meeting of the Manawiatu-Oroua River Board, when an invitation was received from the Horowhenua County Council for representatives of the board to attend. The chairman (Mr R. T. Bell), commented that the matter of attending had apparently been overlooked and that the decision of the conference showed that the ba|ard was yemg made the door-mat of the whole thing. The local bodies were waiting .until the board's poll was taken. Another member remarked that there was a certain amount of good to the river board in: ; tfoat course being taken. "It seems to me that it was a waste of time to hold that conference at all," said the chairman, who went on to say that nothing had been done. UndoubTedly, if the local bodies waited until the board had taken its poll they would be considerably aided in making a decision. "I don't think we missed anything by not Weins represented," he concluded.—SttaTUlard.

The sum of £64,560 (free of interers Mutual Benefit Building Society of Masterton since its inception 25 years ago;.:

A splendid view of Mount Egmont was obtained from Otaki last week, and the snowclad mountain rising out of the Tasman Sea looked very imposing:

Entries, are still coming forward est) has been lent by the No. 1 Workfor 'the North Island bandh contest at. Palnnerston North in February next. The latest contestants are Feildmg, Gisborne, Timia.ru:,. Thames, and Palmerston North, making .12 to date. , It is difficult to kill a hippo with a bullet, but a tennis ball may dot it. Zeekoe, lately 'the biggest hippopotamus in America, has died from swallowing a tennis ball tossed, into his cage by a thoughtless visitor. In Zeekoe's stomach were also found & number of pennies.

Mr-H. I. Bennett, superintendent of Telegraphs at Ghristchuirch} is voluntarily retiring at the end of the year,, completing his forty years' service. He is the service member of the Board of Appeal. • So keen is the interest taken by New Zealanders in the opening of the British. Empire Exhibition next year that it would appear as though the stream of Homeward bound traffic would partake something, of the nature of ia general migration. Accommodation on tall vessels leaving Auckland for England'in the early months of 192-4 bids fair to be at a premium, dpspitej toe fact that the shipping companies have no% announced any lowering of fares. . ' , \

In golf parlance an. unusual '' rubber of the green" occurred on the Waihi links on a-> recent afternoon (reports the local Telegraph). Mr. W. H. Johns : ton, a member of the President's team, made a well-directed drive for the hole known as Sheo! to tie. The ball ran over the green, and after passing the hole struck a calf, rebounded, and fell neatly into the hole. The unexpected easily won the holejfor the president. For the purpose of settling the oftdiscussed question of how the modern school of "golfers would fare with the gutta. percha ball universally used in 1902, an interesting test was made at Woking, prominent veterans of 'gutty" days opposing Wethered, Tolley and others. Tolley first drove the "gutty" 15 yards, and throughout'had to struggle to hold his own .in a long game against Blackwell, in contrast, f with Wethered's wonderfully controlled shots in a round of 75, a score, seldom accomplished with solid balls. , The match was squared, the veterans confessing that the "gutty" was not terrifying to the new generation.

"This man only earns 30s. a week and his keep," wias the explanation given by counsel ait[ th>. Auckland Magistrate's Court tor ia husband not paying maintenance to ihis wife (says the Star). Mr Hunt, S.M., remarked: • "That's what these men do, when they have to support a wife and children. They take on, jobs that will not morel than keep .themselves. He would sooner go out camping with friend's, rabbiting, than, stay at home with his wife atnd children. Some men only work three days a wieek on purpose not to have enough to support their wives. People are crying out all over the country for the court to imprison' mien who will not mainj tain their wivies and children. I A new installation, .which should ' prove a great saying of labour, has I just been put in at 'the Central Development Farm. Owing to'*tne distance of some 20 chains between the separator shed /and the pig-sties, the carting of the slum-milk from 70 odd cows was a considerable item. This has now been overcome by the. ar, rangement Of ..ia 1-inoh pipe-line, the milk running from the separator into a centrifugal pump which lifts it to a height of some 15 feet from Which it' gravitates to the troughs. High pressure water is laid on so that the pipe can be > flushed out, thus preyenting the accumulation of offensive matter.* An escape pipe at the lowest level, which can he operated as desired, ensures that no water or other liquid shall lie in the pipe after

washing. . , That the racecourse has its humorous side was evidenced last week at the totalisator, at the Makaraka course, states the Auckland "Star." The law forbids the purchase of a ticket by any person under the age of 21 years. A young woman —in fact, almost a girl in appearance—asked for a, ticket on )% (particular jhoris.c). (The totajlisatof qlerk, a young man, did not desire to s'ce the girl come within reach of the ' law, so with blushing face, he said: ' Are you sure you are \2l years of age?" "No doubt of it,"' said the female / speculator. "I'm over 21 and what's more,"•' she added with pride, "I'm the mother of four children." The abashed young man dealt out the ticket hurriedly without further parley. His comrade n'ext to him in the totalisator house laughed at the incident andi said that the young lady's words were perfectly true, for she lived in his neighbourhood. Lemon trees in, this district, are giving promise of an unusually heavy crop this year. A number of 13-year-old trees belonging to Mr H. •Taylor, of Beach road. Wieraroa, are covered

with flowers at present, while a. number of ripe lemons, 'as is usual, are ( also -on the trees,- which Wear two j crops of fruit each year. Last year j Mr Taylor picked £3 worth of lemons ( from each of these 13-ytear-okl trees, I which are of the Lisbon variety, a return which must be considered satisfactory, four-yiear-olrt trees are this year flowering for the first time. Mr Taylor explained to n. Chronicle .representative that the pest which required particular watching in lemon trees was the borer. It was necessary to examine the trees occasionally, when, if the border were present, the red dust from the holes would be plainly seen beneath the trees. The only cuire is to cut the branch back beyond the position where the pest was found. A further trouble of the ternon-grower was brown rot, but this could be prevented by spraymg with Bordeaux mixture in the ordinary way.

A public meeting held in Foxton decided in favour of a swimming bath" being constructed in Easton Park. There is 'an abundance of whitebait in the Wanganui River just now, and Maoris ascribe itrto the absence of floods. Somje particularly heavy shoals have gone up the river. A shooting party of four guns from Mangatainoka secured .130 rabbits in three hours in the vicinity of Ashhurst. , ; Two American black bears from the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens arrived by the Maunganui last week for the Wellington Zoo. i China with Tibet, is said to possess 70,000,000 sheep, and the output, of wool from these is about 2,000,000,000 lb in weight, or something "like a twelfth of the world's output. ' Though the Waipukurau electric lighting system has only been- in use for ;less than five montihgi, almost every house in the borough is now connected with it. The directors of the Taranaki Fanners' Meat Company are busy getting everything in order with a view to re-opening the works at Smart Road rtext month. Two larks belonging to Mr J. Cranshaw, water; inspector 'of Dartford, Kent, are enthusiastic listeners-in. •Their cage is, near the loud speaker, and before the human ear picks up the first note they rush to a position under the receiver.

As an aid to sea fishing operations by> night), a visitor to -the Isle of Wight is using electric light. He carries ah accumulator in the boat; and lowers the light to the bottom of 'the sea near the bait. He has made some good catdhes. --,

Good progress is being made with the .erection of the woollen mills at Wanganui. The plant for the mills is arriving regularly.' Just lately the boiler arrived," and it is considered to be one of the largest boilers landed in New Zealand. It weighs 22 tons. In the Supreme Court, Palmerston North;, before Mr Justice, McGregor, and a jury, Victor C. Betty, labourer, of Fbxton, unsuccessfully proceeded against Jdhn Gonlan, farmer, of Himitangi, to recover £553, as damages alleged to haye been, sustained through being knocked down by defendant's car on the Fbxton, Beach Road in January last. Costs were not pressed for. "The Railway Department is not Using our electricity in its stations." said Mr VViiiey at the Thames Valley Electric Power Board's meeting, tie suggested informing the department that there was such a hody as the Tnames Valley Electric Power Board. The railway people., iM, appeared, would rather use American oil than New-Zealand electricity. It was stated that in several stations the electric ligiht. was now being installed. Widespread condemnation is expressed m Australia at the announcement that a boxing contest between two women was. to be staged in Adelaide. Interviewed, Mrs' Hunter stated that she had not had sufficient time to train lor the contest, but was willing to go to Sydney tcr,box Miss Monzies for the women's championship of Australia. She'had, she said, accepted the challenge of an American girl, whom she was prepared to meet for the world's championship. Two men were arrested in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, on Friday, on a charge of pocket picking* A civilian, apparently being suspicious, grasped one of the men and beckoned to a policeman. The seized man wrenched! himself free and with a mate ran towards a right-of-way, where one of then} fell and was speedily captured. After a sharp chase; the other man was apprehended. Both were taken to the police station, where they were searched and the charge laidi It is stated that the men were in possession of over £IOO in notes. ' The recently imported two-year-old Friesian bull, Carnation. King Matador Betty, who on his arrival at' the Central DeMelopmiehit Farm, showea signs, in his. lowered condition, of his trip from' the United States and subsequent detention at the Quarantine Island, Auckland, is now picking up condition fast and beginning to show the quality which giained for him Junior ana Grand Champion at some of .the principal shows in the United States. He will oe mated this year with a selected number of cows 'and heifer?, and his progeny will be watched with interest by breeders throughout New Zealand. .' The Railway Department is not going out of its way to encourage breeders of stud stock to exhibit at agricultural shows. This was the general opinion of breeders in the vicinity of the pig pens at the Hawera Show on Wednesday when, it became known that it had cost £5 Is 9d to rail six crates of Bierkshires fromi Bell Block. The fact that the pigs were forwarded in ; crates has some bearing on the freight apparently, but recognising! toeeducation values, of shows the department should be prepared to grant this concession to stud breeders when pigs are being forwarded for exhibition without increasing the ordinary freight charges.

Matty farmers will be wondering whether it is better to take the price offering for fat lambs—which is understood to be 9d per lb-or whether it will be better policy to ship on owner's account. Evidently the freezing companies are not out to take any gren.i risks this season, having had a fairly severe lesson and consequent losses last vea.r. When the new season's lamb gets on the' Home market there is generally a rise in pnee, so that if the companies base their oner on the prices toeing offered tor last season's lamb, there should be a _sale margin for the man who decided to ship on his own account. Very few, chipped on owner's account last year, the offer oMM Per lb, proving too ed by the companies this !*g. parently lower than, .was expected and sfteep have been haM to <m»t©x. cent at slightly lower values • m conChronicle. ;v

One resident of Oaraaru, who is 94 years of age, rides a push-bike and physical feats which wouild put many a man o>f 50 to shanne. "The. present indebtedness of the borough of Pailmerston North is between £650,000 and £700,000 on a capital value of over £5,000,000," stated the Mayor at ia recent meeting of • ratepayers. "If there is one thing for which we should thank heaven, ■ it is the small extent to which politicians' influence public life in New Zealand."—' Professor Condliffe ■in the course of one of his lectures in Timaru. At 'the meeting of the Nelson District Methodist Synod the Rev. W. B. Pickering, probationer; was recommended for ordination, and also Messrs M. Ayrtoh and F. Bateup (home missionaries) for acceptance, by the .conference. It is reported that the. opening prices tq be offered by the freezing companies for this season's meat are BJd • for lairuX s,£d for wethers, and 4d

for ewes. It is understood that tne , .same prices are in operation in 'Hawkes ■ Bay 'and the Wairarapa'.— Wanganui Chronicle.. At the meeting of the* Castleciiff Town Board on Monday evening the proceedings were distinctly interest- - ing. A motion was proposed and seconded that the chairman should resign, had not the confidencle of the board. The chairman refused to accept' the motion and also a motion to rescind the resolution electing him chairman. He pointed out that the ' only course aggrieved members could take was to resign; he was not /going to do so. He then procoeded to call • for the n'ext business. There has been a big run of brown trout from the sea up the. Wanganui, river. The trout are evidently in pur- | suiif oj sm'elt, and are following the small fish up the,river. With smelt as bait some, good specimens of trout have been caught. One' local , iangler recently landed a six pounder, but when he put it in the river later for the purpose of washing ii», the ■ trout gave la-jgrateful flick of its tail and departed: In the lower reaches ',. of the river, particularly along the Wanganui East bank, brown trout frequently get in the flounder nets, but whether the; fishermen again release 1 them is a point open to some doubt. - —Wanganui Chronicle. "There is something beautiful in - teaching children to swim," comments Mr Duffy, of the Wellington Swimming Club. > "They are helpless, frightened, and nervous, and require ai .swimmer alongside them in the water.' It would be a generous act on the part of .swimmers if they would spend > a few minutes in the. shallow end of the bath with the kiddies. It is a greater, honour to 'teach a boy to swim than to turn out a world's beat-

er. May I suggest that the centre 'make an appeal to all swimmers to take one boy or girt for the coming season and teach them to swim? This would be a practical way of doing ' something good." Speaking 1 in Nelson recently Professor Easterfleld. said it was interesting to find many New Zealanders occupying important positions in Australia. The Director of Agriculture in Victoria, the Chief Inspector. oJ Schools, the Professor of Physics the Principal of Ormond, and the Principal of Scots College! were .either New Zealanders or had held New Zealand .appointments. Then he found Hint the directors of scientific research in two of the largest factories- m .the whole of Australia were old students of his at Victoria College, Wellington The bread cast upon the waters had not only been found after many days, but its quality had improved with age.

. One of the roost striking examples of the value of lucerne in the Nelson '" district is that in connection ,With St. Mary's Convent farm in Brook streiet. A few years ago it was impossible to feed one horse and' 14 cows off the -.place, but to-day, with twelve acres ■' of lucerne, five hordes and 28 cows are kepf. 'The lucerne was planted on 'what was formerly waste land, which the farm manager considered was. not worth £lO an acre, but which at present he would not take £2OO or even £3OO 'an acre for. The manager gave the land a dressing of 22cwt. of lime per acre. He had not manured, and only a portion of the 12 , acres was 'inoculated. His experience was that ■ inoculation made very little difference. /

Two cases havie recently come under notice of the tramway authorities in Ghristchurch (says the Lyttellton Times) -in which eggs have been thrown at tramway passengers whiie cars are in motion. The .first case took place on the New Brighton line. 'near Wirihana. and the police^have been able to trace the culprits, j 1-ne second case occurred on the papanui line near Paparoa street. In this instance the egg was thrown by a passing cyclist and a Jady passenger got the full' contents on the side of her face. Unfortunately th!e police, although making every effort to discover the 'Offender, have not been successful. The boys that were caught at Wirihana havie been suitably dealt with.

It is merely a matter of custom, without amy particular use or meaning in these days, to have "debit" on the left side and "credit" on the right in accounts, and to have tluem on, the reverse sides in 'balance-sheets. So explained Mr G". W. Hutchinson to a meeting Of. Auckland business men recently. "As a matter of fact,", he added, "the practice has been done away with in, America ' and on the Continent, but England is conservative in these matters, and wie follow "England." He 1 stated that the use of the words "to" and "by" on the respective debit and credit sidles of '' accounts was also looked on by accountants 'as unnecessary, out-of-date afljfl wasteful, but an effort by him td get the New Zealand Socilety by Accountants to give England a lead la cutting out this deid wood of ac- ' countancy had failed. "I feel we in ftew Zealand -are a litt c conservative, - Jfio," lie said ruefully.