Shannon News FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 3, 1924.

Shannon News, 3 October 1924, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 3, 1924.

Mrs Jones, wife of the postmaster, and their family, have arrived to taKe up their (residence, in Shannon. The vital statistics for' Shana'HMi for tht;. month ending Sept. 30th, were:— Births 9, death l t marriage 1. An old Shannon tooy, Mr W. Gill, and .Ms wife), who reside in Wellington, are at present visiting Mr GUl's parents.

A meeting of tthe shannon branch of the iNew Zealand Labour Pa'rty will be held in the Council Chambers this evening. A good deal of sickness prevails in Shannon at present, the continuous wet weather iio. dolubt being responsible for Si lot. This evening the Borough Council and the executive of the Chamber of Commerce meet to -make •arrangements for celebrating the turning qn of the power at Mangahao.. Mr P. Thompson, of Ballance Street, is an inmate of the P&lmerston Hospital, where he is; to undergo a. slight operation. His many friends will wish him a speedy recovery. AtTwie Borough, Council meeting on Tuesday evening, Jeajve of absence for one month was granted Cr. Gardner, who is JJidisposed. A letter expressing ghe Council's wish for his speedy ie-. cov&i*y~is being forwarded to him. The young ladies of Ven, Bede's will hold a dance in the Parish Hall on Tuesday evening next. There will be dancing from 8 p.m. till 1 a.m. during which there will toe one-step and other competitions! All ticket toook, butts in connection with the Shannon Bowling and Tennis Clubs' art union must be returned to the secretary, Mr J. V. Burns, to be in 'readiness;, for the drawing of the art union during the interval of the Hardeens' performance at the Maoriland Theatre on Tuesday evening. Owing to the consistently wet weather (the. gardening enthusiasts of Shannon are having a strehuoius tinte in trying to protect the succulent cab-

bage and tender pea from the ravages of battalions of slugs and snails and many full bags are reported nightly, " .

Mr H, Humphrey, a member ol Leading Painter Campbell's party, at present engaged, on the Shannon railway buildings, is a 'black-and-white artist of no. mean ability, and has completed an interesting set of works of art/ highly commended by none other than that eminent artist John Hiassal, R.I.

As an instance of how the progress I of Shannon is .retarded by the shortage of houses a local business man informs tJhe "News" that he knows of at least twenty families who -have left Mangahao wlio would have remained in Shannon, where The husbands could .have obtained work at the mills, but they have been compelled to go elsewhere, owing to being unable to obtain ihouses. Before Messrs Murdoch and Gunning, J.'sP., on Friday morning a man named Donald Thompson was charged with drunkenness and using obscene language at Tpkornaru. Oh the first charge he was fined, lQs, hi default 24 hours' imprisonment, and on the second charge he was convicted and fined £3 in default .14 days' imprisonment.

\ A special meeting of all 'members and those interested in the Shannon Co-op. Building Society (terminating) will be held in the Maoriland Theatre on Thursday, October 9th, jit 8 p.m., for the purpose of confirming the rules, electing directors >and dealing with matters in general affecting ! the Society. Mr W. Hotchen has just received a new Gommerce char-a,-banc which will be use'cTfo augment the Palmerston service. In future two trips daily will be made with the exception of Wednesdays. The dhair-arbanc is roomy and comfortable with seating accommodation for 24 passengers. There is little doubt that the augmented service will receive liberal patronage.

The popularity of the fortnightly euchre and dance held by the Ladies' Guild of Ven. Bede's J s still being maintained, there being, another splendid attendance at the Parish Hall last Tuesday evening, when a most enjoyable evening was spent in euchre and dancing. The prizes in the ladies' section for euchre were won Dy Mrs Hosking first and Mrs Elwood second. MrFeetham was first in the gents, and Mr Harding second. The of the Novelty dances were Miss, Butler and Mx Hennessey.

A bachelors' ball w.UI be iheld in the Moutoa Hall on Thursday evening, October 16th.

Miss E, M. Leslie, who is to lecture at the Missionary. Exhibition to be held at Palmerston North on October 12th, will give an address on her work in China at next Sunday evening's service at th e local Anglican Church. Misfortune seldom comes singly. Tnis has been exemplified in the case of 'Mr J. Aitken, the popular Mouitoa schooilmaister. His little daughter underwent a serious operation in a Palmerston North private Hospital a short time ago, and has since been in a critical condition, and now Mr Aitken is confined to his bed with severe indisposition at Palmerston NOrtli. In the meantime Mr Aitken's father, a member of the Wanganui Education ■Board, and a well-known exHSChoolmaster. has taken temporary charge of the Moutoa school until his son is able to resume duty. Mr and Mrs Aitken will have the heartfelt -sympathy of their many friends throughout this district' in the misfortune which ihag come upon them. The Band of Hope in connection with, the Presbyterian Church held their monthly social evening to which the parents and friends were invited at the Church on Wednesday night, "there ( being a good attendance. The Rev. A- E. Stewart presided. Songs were contributed by Masters C. a'liu O. Watkiiis and B. Carkeek, and the Thompson sisters; a recitation Was given by Master L. Burling), ihese items being followed by a" dialogue in which the following took part: Misses Eunice McCulloch, Joan Murray, Jean Brown and Masters Selwyn Franks and Raymond, Clifford and Ree, s Watkins. The programme proved most enjoyable. Supper was provided toy the girls and a collection was taken tor tne social fund to provide tables, games, etc, for the children. The executive .meeting of the Shannon Chamber of Commerce was held last evening in the Council Chambers. Present: The President (Mr Thwaites), Messrs .Gunning, Andrew, Tippler, Beard, King and Burns. After dealing with correspoindence from the Associated . Chambers Qf Commerce thanking the local Chamber for submitting remit re graduated stamp duty for. the conference to toe held in November and letters from the Minister of Public Works and 'the Shannon Borough Council relative to bunting for the Mangahao. celebrations, the meeting went into Goinmittee to discuss, proposals to be submitted at the meeting to be held this evening with the Borough Council when arrangements will be made for .celebrating the turning on of the power at Mangahao.

It is, stated that offers of 21s to 22s

::,ave been made for lambs in the Wairarapa, although sales at such good figures are not reported yet.

The death occurred this week of Mrs Mary Ann .Smeaton, of Auckland, at the great age of 100 years. Deceased arrived with her husband iu the ship British Queen over.6o years ago. <

The time-table proposed by the Railway Department for the Main Trunk express provides for the despatch o; both trains from Auckland in the evening. It is proposed that the "limited'' express shall leave at 7 p.m. and tlie ordinary express at 7.-40 p.m. Miss A. Dale, a New Zealand Government immigration matron, . has , completed her 55th voyage to New Zealand from England in the White Star liner lonic. Miss Dale travelled in the vessel on her maiden voyage More than 2.0 years ago. The Cambridge Independent has the authority of the proud father in stating that a baby born in Cambridge had cut a tooth prior to birth—a most exceptional occurrence.' It is interesting to know that tins forward infant is a girl. J It is interesting to learn from" Mr Wells, of a big London piano firm of who is no.w in the Dominion, that the demand for English pianos lias developed very largely and grown .so much that he con- j siders it worth while tq make a business trip tq the Dominion. When the Chinese "Soccer"' team visited Christchurch recently aYlr HChang, the team's half-back, was a.. iiiitted to Lewisham Hospital and was operated on for appendicitis. He fullered a relapse.'" and was operated on again on Tuesday. Mr Chang is now progressing favourably, but he will be unable to return* to China with the team, which sails on Friday. In speaking qi the hawking "nuisance," a. New Plymouth paper says that the other day in that town a man, who said he was selling brushware, suggested that he should "just step inside and open up his bag." lt was "one of the rules of our company,"

he said, not to display the goods a the door.

The Hon. W, Nosworthy (Minister of Agriculture) announced yesterday that the Government had decided to offer a bonus of not more than £IO,OOO for an efficient, practical and economical remedy for the 'eradication of blackberry, other than by cultivation, fiarm management or tree-planting methods.

Among -the crowd gathered round [ the Taranaki Herald office on Sunday [ morning waiting for, the result of the I football match was' an American, who asked a bystander who the All Blacks were. "Have you never heard of the All Blacks?" was the counter-query. "No, never heard of them, and 1 never heard of New Plymouth till 1 came over from the United States. What's the population of this little burg?" "Oh, about 50,000," was the inaccurate reply, ', "Gee, then they must be mostly .iii the cemetery," was the Ameri-1 can's rejoinder.

It is not generibUy known that the pipe smoker is not encouraged in the land Of the cigar, America, in ail the ! big hotels and clubs there are notices to the effect that pipes may be smoked only lh one's 'bedroom. Mr Sydney F. Hoben told a Star reporter um at least one New Zealander found the' regulation irksome. "I am 'having a, frightfully lonely time after meals-,'' I he informed Mr Hoben, "sneaking away to my little room on my own, | and smoking the forbidden, pipe. I fcel UHe. a. crimtaal in a ceil.'.'

During their first six "weeks at Flock House the English farming students- planted between 50,000 ana 60.000 trees.

A few words on. the Howard Estate in southern Hawkes Bay, were said in the House yesterday by Mr Nosworthy (Minister of Agriculture). M-' Noslworfchy staged that the Howard Estate had heen inueh improved since it came into the hands of the Government y[nd its value an January 5, 1924, was £74,978 16s 9d. After paying £2A,005 in cash to the relatives oi the late Mr 'upward, the net accumulated Profits at that date 'were £6973 2s 3d. - '■■''■

"There is not a shadow of a doubt that a League football team will u. sent away to -England," said Dr. Thacker at the annual dinner of tne Christchurch Maris t Brothers' Ola Boys' Association. Hie added that he hoped that this team would not be called AH Blacks. The words An Blacks had been don e to death. Thev w.ere New Zealanders, and proud ; oi it. People in England associated/the A-IJL Blactts with the Maoris. He hoped that the League team would be .caiieu New Zealanders.

Whereas there are hundreds oacres of uncultivated land in toe Dominion, it is interesting to compart conditions here with those in China, where in most parts the land has been split up into, plots of about two and a-half or three acres, stated Mr J. Falls, who has returned to New Zealand for a .holiday alter" 28 years' in the East. These plots w.ere intensely cutivated, and' the land was so crowded that the farms could be seen rign up the hill-side where an opportunity aiioiued the levelling and irrigation of a small patch.. Npt a scrap of land was wasted except in the cemeteries which are calculated to cover oneseventh of the area of the country.

A news item going the rounds says

"agovd deal oi Canadian fruit is now coming into the Dominion." We wonder why? says tne Feildihg Star. Importing fruit—and from so far away! It is sad and bad enough u bring coal from Newcastle. But why fruit? We have our own orchards within the Dominion, We have the islands, within Qur own territory to draw upon. Yet must we go on encouraging the importation of oranges from California, when there are equally luscious in the Islands or in Australia. We go on importing apples from Canada and California,- when those of Nelson and the Wairarapa are better than, the best imported. What a reflection upon our policy oi encouraging home industries and developing a measure of self-contained-ness.

Sufficient white pine for butter boxes'is/now becoming a serious problem.' The Forestry Department, through the Journal of the Department of Agriculture, reports that "Probably as much as 90 per cent, oi the butter produced in New Zealand is shipped in white pine boxes, ihe remaining 10 per cent, being carried in silver beech and imported boxes. The virgin white pine forests nave been seriously depleted during the last twenty years, so much so that if a normal increase in consumption continues not more than fifteen years' supply remains-. Even now manufacturers report difficulties in maintaining their supplies. Proposed metalbound and nailless boxes are described, showing (how economy in. timber can be effected.

The careful measures necessary to prevent the escape of'injurious, waves Irani the X-ray plant wei'e explained by the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr W« Wallace, in (.'.escribing the equipment of the new building on the occasion of the laying of the loundation stone. Hie mentioned that there were three rooms lor the application, of X-rays and it tad been found necessary to completely encase these rooms with lead. It had at first been thought plaster would be sufficient „to prevent the escape of the rays, but experiments had shown that the rays not only penetrated 3J inches of . tlhis plaster, but also found their way throuign the brick walls. It had there] ore been decided, in order to safeguard the staif and' others, 'in ad- i joining parts of the building, to lme the walls, floors and ceilings of these special rooms ■ with heavy lead at an extra cost of £I2OO.

"We liear a good deal of talk these days about the over-importation q 1 motor vehicles, that the saturation point has been reached, etc.," said Mr P. E. Stainton retiring president at the New Zealand Motor Traders' Association (states the Christchurch Press). "My candid opinion is that providing we ~do the business on sound business lines, and that the vehicles are bought to increase com-, mercial efficiency we need not be afraid of this prophesied state of affairs. In fact, I am prepared to make a prophecy that, providing the Motor Vehicles Bill does not tend to curtail motoring, and providing the improvement in main highways is vigorously prosecuted, the importation of motor vehicles is going to continue to steadily increase; also 1 am satisfied that within a reasonably short space of time the enclosed car is going to be the popular private car."

A great opportunity of obtaining real oil paintings of New Zealand scenery is afforded the public of Levin next Saturday afternoon when 20 .beaut.ifull seascapes • and landscapes will be sold without reserve at Carmichael's auction mart. AH the pic-

I tares are painted by Miss Jimsie C. Eraser, the versatile Dunedin artist, who h'a.s been a very successful exhibitor at the leading »eX:hibitio.ns of the Dominion for many years. Miss Fraser is proceeding to England very shortly and after her sojourn there her works qf art will certainly increase in value so that buyers of her | handiwork now will reap the benefit of her good name later on., In Dunedin, Christchuroh and "Wellington' tn. stock of pictures put-up for sale was quickly despatched- and* this is just the one and only chance of getting a ! delightful addition to the home. The Prince of Wales possesses one of this aftist's paintings and no doubt lovers of home in this district will take 'thf fullest advantage of the fact that each of these beautifully-framed gems will be knocked down to the highest; bidder. '>

Word has been received in Otaki that His Excellency the Governor will visit Paraparauuiu and Otaki on Thursday, October 30th. He expects io arrive at the former place at 10.30, and at Otaki at 12.i5, and leave at 2.:i0.

The latest copy of "Humour" to hand contains details oi big £su competition inaugurated,, fcy the proprietors of the popular weeiily. Tne contest is original and interesting. "Humour" is a splendid threepennorilV'containing as it does the cream oi witticisms in picture and story from the world's leading numerous journals.

Despite the mild Spring which Las been experienced locally the ages oi iambs recorded so. lar in this district have not been targe. It is unusual to hear bf one over 100 per cent., where in otner yeais in the same nocks, T2O per cent. ;md more was general. 'me siiortage is put down to the scarcity, oi tWx-is, losses being comparatively iignt. Messrs Holben ! Rubxiard and Co., oi paimerston iNortUi, who nave taken tne contract lor the reueulauou of all ooveiiiment oiilces in the uisuieo extending irom Pahnersmn. Norm to I'cieivah.ciriki, with the exception of railway buildings, and including post orfices, police stations and cirill nails, have commenced worn in Levin where a start has been made with the wiring of the Police Station.

The 15,000 inhabitants oi Pudsey, Yorkshire, are on bad terms vntn, tue Post Office because tney ha<e no telephone exchaffige bearing -the name .oi une town. Tne names oi subscribers in the district are scattereu in the Leeds ■'.and Bradford sections of the teiepnqn© directory as beaming Stan-mngi-ey exchange numbers.,, The nanie of Stariningley covers a multitude oi small viua&es. The post Office hag at last. nuilt a new exchange: within the Puusey borough, but, final irony, it is still'to be called Stannirigley! v . li is not often that a correct estimate can be obtained as to the distance a horse will cover in a given period for t*ie simple reason that unnke a motor car it is not equipped with a speedometer. There is an old horse in Levm, however, tnat enjoys tne unique record of having covered over miles in the course of tix years. This distance is estimated over a. series oi regular trips run at one time in a school bits and latterly in (Hawking fijuit and vegetables twice weekly to Mangahao and does not include short runs round the town or on an occasional family picnic to the beach. This is surely unique when it is considered that it is hall the distance life of the average motor car.