Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1924.

Shannon News, 1 February 1924, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1924.

While working at the power house at Mangaore on. Tuesday, Mr Harold Hairdie had the misfortune to be struck on the knee by an iron girder and as a result will be capacitated for a time.

The work of wiring up the business premises and houses in readiness for the power for lighting, is making good progress in Shannon. Practically all the business ihouses have been wired up and about 25 private residences.

"New Zealand Railways, Sport, Travel, and Scenery" ,1s the title of an attractively got up booklet issued by the Railway Department. It contains som excellent photographs and much eminently readable information we'll calculated to attract the tourist. When the Levin Chamber of Commerce received a copy, the chairman remarked that it was something new for the Railway Department to issue such a thing.

Mr S. Bowker, the. well-known jersey breeder, of Ihakara, was very successful at the Levin Snow, securing the championship with his cow Jersey Lea Diana in the Jersey section; also first prize with the same cow in the purebred cattle class; also two second prizes for heifers. Other successful exhibitors from this district were Mr R. Tippler, who secured third place for two yearling Jersey heifers, and Miss Phyllis Butter worth, who secured a first and second with her Shetland pony;, Flora Titch.

At- the Presbyterian Manse on Thursday morning, Mr W. Swindlehurst, second son of Mr J. Swindlehurst, of Buckley, was married to Constance Eileen, third daughter of Mr Roberts, of Shannon. The bride, who looked very nice in a dress of

white crepe-de-ohine, was attended by Miss Elsie Swindlehurst, as bridesmaid, wearing a dainty dress of helio-) trope crepe-de-chine. The guests were entertained at breakfast at the residence of the bridegroom's parents, at Buckley. Mr and Mrs Swindlehurst then motoiied to Levin to join the train for the north, where they intend to spend their honeymoon. For the Fjeilding Show, which takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday next, sth and 6th February, record en*T%fnc Irtrtirn. Kn.£>n Qtlil OCITaYXT-

tries nave oeen received ana everyi thing points towards the function being a highly successful one. Ring events, horses, sheep and Ihomie in* dustries show an increase on previous years' entries, hut there is a slight decline in cattle. Some of the best horses in New Zealand have been entered for the jumping events and the shfeep dog trial will, as usual, no doujbt prove highly attractive. Thrills will be experienced by those who are fortunate enough to attend the l show on People's Day to witness ttie two motor cycle races of 8 miles and 10 miles 'respectively, when the orack riders of the Dominion will be competing. Quite a number of side. shows have been inquiring for space so the youngsters may rely on having, a good time. Hot .Water and milk > will be .provided by the committer , free of charge* f

Aft elderly Morrinsville woman who had been bedridden for a number of years, and whose life, it was considered, would be endangered if she were removed from her bjsd, was taken to Rotorua on the occasion of Mr. Hickson's visit to that town. She can now leave her bed and is able to walk a lew steps with the aid of crutches.

Taranaki with its bitumen roads, is tho home of the motor service, practically all townships being linked with the railway by this modern method of transport. On the Opunake-New Plymouth run, the last word in motor 'buses has just been installed consisting of an Auckland-built saloon car seated for 28 passengers. Being fully glassed* curtains are unnecessary. A girls'' camping party of the Anglican "Active Service Cadets" of this diocese broke up last week, after a three week's enjoyable camping at Otaki beach. It is hoped that next year a very large girls' camp of these Active Service Cadets will bp held in the same place. This organisation has beer largely initiated by Canon Fielden Taylor to help the social work of this diocese.

When a witness was giving evidence in the Auckland Police Court he happened to remark that ho had been "away in France lighting the Germans." Mr. Allan Moody, who appeared for a young man charged with using obseen(3 language, replied, "Oh, don't come the war stunt, we are sick of it here, you know." "Oh, you use it yourself," said Mr. Poynton, S.M. "No, I do not, Your Worship, I know what the Court thinks of it," said Mr. Moody. The young large white Devon sow which was one of six pedigree pigs of the breed recently imported to the Central .Development Farm, presented the Farm with a family of eight one day last week. Unfortunately two were crushed by their mother, so that six remain. Before their arrival the mcvther was an exceptionally quiet animal but" now, in the words oi Farm Manager,, she rushes open,mouthed at anyone who goes near her. The shipment of pigs, which are new to New Zealand, has attracted many farmers on a visit of inspection at the Farm.

While engaged in, digging out Uie site for a new cellar at the Olid Bank Hotel, Timaru, the workmen. came upon an old concrete tank W feet deep ana 1% feet wide, which will enable the proprietor to store 1000 cases of liquor. The; tank was pumped dry, and to toe amazement .of those present a goldfish and a couple of darker or- silver fish were found. The fioldfish would be about sin. long, and the others about 3mi. The Old Bank Hotel was built in 1870, and (relates an exchange) the concrete tank was put down at the same time and was used to supply the water for the establishment till the present water supply was available about .1880. Its existence has long since been forgotten, the building having in the meantime been extended and tJhe tank built over.

There is a,t the Central Development Farm a fine Friesian cow whose peculiar fierceness has made her name a byword about the estate. When a "Chronicle" reporter was itaken to have a look at this unapproachable animal by the manager recently, she pawed up the ground and lowered a head, crowned with formidable horns, in a way which made the visitor devoutly thankful that he was on the iright side otf the fence. Even when given a peace offering of mangels she never took her sinister eye from the intruders upon her privacy. Mr Sheppard said that she was lame and had been put in the hospital paddock to recover, adding that if she had been fit she would probably have charged. She had chased at least one member of the staff out of her paddock before she went lame. Yet at milking time she was quite well behaved. For ovier eighty-two years Mrs James Solo, of Westown, New Plymouth, has lived almost under the shadow of Mount Egmont. On a recent afternoon, seated in a comfortable up-to-date touring car, she visited it for the first time. Next April marks Mrs Sale's nin|e<|y-fQurUh birthday!, and, except for a brief period spent at Nelson during the dark days when the Maori War reached its height, she has lived at New Plymouth since November, 1841, wtaen she landed from the Oriental, the third .vessel to bring English emigrants to Taranaki. The outing Mrs Sole appreciated to the full. So wonderfully has she preserv- : ed her activities that, in spite of her ] many year, she was able to walk around the locality surrounding the North Egmont hostelry with the aid only of a walking stick. Mrs Sole is the sole survivor of a family of eleven, tor youngest sister having} died recently at the age of eighty. Mi's Sole, however, has a daughter of 70 still living. The late. Mr Sole died about 13 years ago.—-News.

To be shuit in a 20ft cage with two lions is a position which even the bravest might shrink from unless he possessed special professional training. Sufch, however, was the experience which befel a well-known young lady resident of Levin on Sunday ©viking during a visit of a party of local residents to inspect a team of performing lions now encamped on the Levin Showgrounds in preparation for the forthcoming show. It appears that, on'the invitation of the trainer, the young lady in question had stepped into the cage which is used for the performances and which

is a solid structure, of inch-thick iron bars twelve feet in height. By some ■mistake an attendant opened a box containing two lions and next moment they had sprung into the ring. Without any appearance of the nervousness which, under the circumstances, would have been more than excusI able, the young lady walked directly towards the lions, which were between her and -the gate which anxious attendants held ready. Apparently surprised by her attitude, the animals, i which the slightest hesitation might ' have irritated backed hastily away J and she passed calmily through to safety, apparently not realising that ! her position had b'eien one of extreme danger*.

The total amount of loan moneys expended toy the Southland Power Board, including preliminary expenses and' loan flotation charges has now reached £BOB,OOO. The domestic cat is not the only culprit in the matter of devouring the morning supply of milk. An Oamaru resident, who got up earlier than usual onej day last week, discovered a hedgehog with its bristly head in his milk jug.

Temporary repairs have been effected to the small bridge on the main road near the Kara road, Shannon, which is open for traffic. Mr W. N. Anderson, the County Engineer, told a "Chronicle" reporter yesterday that a new bridge would shortly replace the old one.

"Have all your employees joined their union? Get your good men into it and help thus to obviate the danger of the unions being swamped by men having the Bolshevik spirit," said Mr A. W. Buxton, -of Christchurch, at the conference of the New Zealand Association of Nurserymen this week.

Mt. Egmont's snowline was lowered to about 4000 ft by Tuesday night's cold snap. The cap was so small on Monday that a party of climbers who had never done any mountaineering before made the trip from the Dawson's Palls mountain house to the summit and back in seven hours. The party included several ladies. Carrying) a baby in her arms, a married woman, mother of seven children, appeared at the Taihape Court on Friday to answer a charge of shoplifting. The accused visited a shop at Taihape, stole a dreSs, and when arrested at the Taihape railway station she ws found wearing it beneath her othe'r one. The Magistrate convicted accused, and ordered her to come up for sentence if called upon. A well-known Hamilton resident recently found a sum of money totalling nearly £IOO in one of the main streets of Hamilton. He has done everything possible to locate the owner, including the publication of several advertisements but so far (has been unsuccessful . The Hamilton police, to whom the find was immediately reported, have received no information concerning, the loss of such a sum. A County ratepayer at Ohau writes: "A fine argument in favour of a more permanent form of surface is seen on that section of the main road running through Olhau, which, despite a heavy coat of gravel and several days' work by the County roller only a few weeks ago, is now showing many signs of • wear. The traffic lately has been very heavy, and never before have so many cars been seen on theroad." After hearing a claim for damages caused in a motor collision, the Magistrate (Mr H. A. Young) remarked to defendant: "Why didn't you produce youir cheque-booh and settle up immediately?" queried the Magistrate. "You see," continued his Worship, "if you had settled right away before the lawyers got to work you might have saved money." (Laughter). Mr R. McCallum may know all about politics, but (he showed at the grass fire on the Wither run that his knowledge of fire control is more theoretical than practical (says the Marlborough "Express"). "I'll show you how to check a grassfire," .he declared. "You burn a fire break to prevent the main fire spreading." With this, Mr MoCallum set fire to a tuft of a r ass, as the beginning of his fire-break, but the wind 'caught the flames and in 10 seconds Mr McCallumi and those near him werei running for shelter. Later, however, the ex-member for Wairau, retrieved himself by putting m a lot of vigorous work Seating out the fire with a wet sack.

■-vhirt-sloeves were the order at the •rcrting of the Mount Albert Borough Council last week. By common consent (says the Auckland Star) the ' Mavor, Councillors and Town Clerk removed their coats, heaved a sigh of relief, and settled down to business, 'ihe reporters went one better and rolled up their sleeves. It was very warm, and all the doors and windows were left wide open. Ere long every Councillor ■ had a glass of water before him, and the iu°- went the rounds at frequent intervals, which led the Mayor to remark that this was a testimonial to the purity of the water supply. . The attention of boys who are leaving school for good, and who are over 14 years of age, is directed to the necessity for registering under the Defence Act. It does not appear to be generally known that the obligation to enrol is on the bov, and neglect in this direction frequently results in the prosecution of cadets. All boys not attending secondary schools, where they are registered automatically, are required to undergo training from the time they arc 14 years of age until they reach the age of 18 years. It is the duty of a boy immediately he leaves school, and providing ho is of the required age, to make a written application to the Defence Department for registration.

On Saturday evening last the residence of Mr. and Mrs. T. Carkeek, at "Kilmarnock," Queen Charlotte Sound, was totally destroyed by fire, and nothing was saved. Mr. and Mrs. Carkepk left the house'late in the afternoon to visif another portion of the property, which was being burnt off, and were awav not more than an hour (reports the Press). On their return they saw a volume of smoke, which appeared to be from their own dwelling house. By the time they reached the spot the building was a mass of cinders, and all their household furniture and effects were lost. It is presumed that a spark from the fire must have ignited some dry portion of the woodwork, and, fanned bv a fairlv stiff breeze, the frre soon had tlifc whole building at its mercy. It is understood that the house was insured but the furniture was not covered and Mr. Carkeek's loss will be a very serious one. The family was kindly taken in by Mr. Howard Greensill, Wharehunga, and friends in Picton are interesting themselves in procuring clothes for the children. Mr. Carkeek j only recently recovered from a serious ] accident which incapacitated him for j a considerable time, and the loss occa- j sioned by Saturday's fire will be sen- 1 ously felt.

Wirth's Circus, has to pay a fee of £2l imposed by the Dannevirke Borough Council. Tlie camp oi the men (auout 40 in number) wuiKiug ou mo maai truiisr nwssion line has uoen sauted lrom iu« ivluiiuuoa iuidge, Uinta, 10 Manakau.

At the Levin Swimming Club's carnival OU Wednesday .Vne Maiiawatu, record of 60 3-ssecs lor the 100yds, establistied by? V. Edwards, of'l'alinerstoir*N., at Woodville last year, was broken by W. Harrison, of Foxton, who covered the distance in 67 l-ssee.

jJuring last rnonth the Blenheim Coopeiuuve Dairy Co., Ltd., paid out to its suppliers £b933 for butter-fat. in me same period the company produced li4,t»liilbs of butter, the Diggcsc output on record, despite tne recent dry weather. The milk supply is now, however, showing signs of tailing oft*. In a chat with a Wanganui Chrom. cle representative Mr Peter Lewis said that when coming out from England i>y the Moldavia ne met a family of immigrants who intended- to make their future home in Wanganui. I'ney said that they decided to come to Wanganui as the result of reading the Wanganui Borough Council's booklet at Eastbourne (England) Public Library.

A Wanganui farmer states that some dairymen are already beginning to talk sheep as a result of the two excellent wool sales, and it would not at all surprise him, now that wool prices are so good, to see the tide turn in that direction. When wool was so low in price, many sheep-farmers bought in dairying cows, and commenced milking on account of the ready cash, and no doubt before long if suitable sheep can be purchased at a reasonable figure, the dairy cows will be placed on the market.

A point made by toe Hon. E. Newman in discussing the Levin-Greatford railway controversy at the Chamber of Commerce on Monday night was that if a good main road could be laid betweten Levin and Mairton it would be of great assistance in getting the railway laid in that direction. Now that (motors were competing so much with the railway they would be certain to take the shorter route rather than go through Palmerston North and tois would be indisputable proof of its merits. He could not believe that any Government would commit the country for all time to a line which was seventeen miles longer than the Levin Geatford route. When the question, for a duplicate line came up which it inevitably would do it would be toe time to press for the deviation. Again the necessity for heavy expenditure on a new station at Palmerston would be lessened if there was a good road to Marton.