Shannon News FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1925.

Shannon News, 15 May 1925, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1925.

Owing to the closing of the Post Office yesterday, a quantity of copy for tins issue arrived too late for publication. Football notes and several reports will appear on Tuesday.

The fortnightlv euchre and dance will be held in" the Parish Hall on Tuesday evening next. These gatherings are held under the auspices of the Ladies' Guild of Ven. Bede's and always draw a large attendance.

A mission extending over a period of one week will commence at St.

Joseph's Church, Vance Street, on Sunday evening at 7 o'clock. The mission will be conducted and sermons preached by a priest of the Redemptorist Order.

The Mayor received a telegram from Sir Francis Bell, Acting Prime Minister, inviting the citizens of Shannon ,to close their places of business on Thursday during Mr Massey's funeral and stating it would be much appreciated if the citizens ceased all activities lor ten minutes ut that hour. The Mayor replied that the request of the telegram would be

observed and he also asked Sir Francis Bell to convey to Mrs Massey and family the deep and heartfelt sympathy ol the people of Shannon.

r A meeting of returned soldiers was held on Wednesday night for the pur''pose of winding up the affairs' o-J the recent re-union. The thanks of the committee is due to all those who assisted in making the ;f unction a success. It was resolved to' hold a social gathering on May 28th, when the Mangaore men will be invited and the question of amalgamation will be discussed. Messrs C. Hardie, b. Martin were deputed to obtain all information from the Levin R.S.A. as to Shannon forming a sub-branch and submit same to next, meeting. Special reference was made to the secretary, Mr C. • Hardie, for his untieing efforts in connection with the re-union. x A lady about 70 years qf age visited a tqnsorial establishment in Oamaru and had her.silver locks shingled. A most amusing event of the ceremonies in connection with the opening oi the new Rangiriri road on Saturday was the presentation of a nosebag filled with feed to the horse that has pulled many a car out of Rangiriri mud (states an Auckland exchange). The most famous horse that has been used for the job was a grey one, but owing to its years, and perhaps heart strain, It died on the previous Monday. Its mate, a mere youngster of 20 yeaffs, was brought along for the occasion.

By a ne.w regulation introduced by direction of the Minister of Education, Hon. James Parr, the provision of hot lunch drinks at school will be simplified. Previously committees were not allowed to buy cocoa from the ordinary funds, and were not entitled to subsidies on money donated for cocoa purposes. The new Angulation provides that after school cleaning and other necessary incidentals have been provided for the school funds may be used to provide hat drinks for'the pupils. Subscriptions intended for ooeoa may now foe paid into the general fund, and will then earn a subsidy of £1 for £l.

Says the Eltha&i "Argus"; n'he sporting fraternity of the Dominion, north, south, east and west, are all agog concerning the coming contest at 'Napier between those champion horses Gloaming and The Hawk. If by any chance tne two should not meet there will be a wild howl of disappointment in sporting circles throughout the Dominion. Probably never before in 'Zealand was there a horse race in which so much interest was evoked. It is to be hoped that they get an even start; it will be remembered that that was not tne j case when Desert Gold -beat Gloaming J at New Plymouth."

There are 1373 members, of the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association, an increase .of 103' fox the past year.

When approached by a .Paimerston Standard reporter and questioned whether he could give any imormation relative tq the date of commencement ol the Paimerston North railway deviation, the Minister for Railways, Mr Coates replied in the negative.

A communication has been forwarded to the Sydney Referee, which is acting lor Goodseil, inquiring for an official date in connection with tne race for the world's sculling championship. Hannan states he is prepared to row Qdodseii on trie Parramatta towards tne end of June.

April saw more financial failures in Hawkes Bay than there have been for many months. No less than seven persons sought the protection of the Bankruptcy Court during the montn (states 3. Hawkes Bay paper). Thirteen petitions in bankruptcy have been filed in Napier during four months of the year as against eignt for (he same period of last year.

"Millions of pounds are being spent on roadways, footpaths, etc., by the county and borough councils," stated Mr J. Gloyn at Saturday's meeting of the Manawatu provincial branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, "and ithese .being non-productive 1 predict that, when the money has to be repaid,. Zealand will suffer another big slump, for it moist of necessity mean increased taxation on the land."

In the latter end of the year 1887 and the beginning of 1888 a woman received treatment at the Wanganui Hospital. She was then unable to pay her maintenance fees. She called at the board's office the other day, and when told that the amount had been written off many years before, replied that she did not wish to die without paying her debt. A reduction was suggested, but tills the lady emphatically refused.

During the last few seasons Cambridge district farmers have exhibited greater activity in the growing of subsidiary crops i'o£ winter feeding. Among such crops kuiiu-kumi or cattle marrows have advanced in favour and at the present time there are some excellent crops in the district. Messrs B. Russo, of Pukekuaa and J. T. Kelly, Karapiro, have especially fine crops, the respective areas, about 3 acres and 2J acres, appear at present as one yellow .sheet, the actual return being hard indeed to estimate in iig.uires.—lndependent.

A.t most dances the presence oi chaperons is a matter ol form, and they are looked upon as necessary ornaments. However, at, a well-known Wellington club on .Saturday night, a chaperon did a little, more than : si t in a corner and wait complacently for supper-Ume to arrive. She objected stuongly'to the presence of one of tne girls in the room, and told, her partner so in very plain words. Site called a spade a spade. A long verbal duel ensued, but the chaperon had her way, and a party of lour left the dance. The two male members vowed that their resignations would be forthcoming.

Negative photographs iof the Christchurch of 10 yeans ago, taken by tne late Dr. Rarker, an early colonist, are ai present kept in' a wooden house at Ashburton. The CanterDury PilgrimsAssociation thinks they should be lodged in the Canterbury Museum, a,s iliey are valuable records of .colonial life. A grandson of )Dr. Barker' says the photographs are last deteriorating, and m a few years will be lost to Canterbury. The association has decided to write to. Mr S.'- B. Barker, ol Marton, and ask for permission to have the negatives placed in the Canterbury. Museum, and also for permission to have prints made from them-. Dr. Barker made his own cam, era, using a cigar box and telescope ior the purpose.

According to a medical man, tire cause Qf. that "l-don't-leel-well" feeling which makes us depressed and uncomfortable for a day or so, and sometimes even makes us really ill, is in many cases potato poisoning. A green potato is tire culprit. Instead of being earthed up arid covered with soil, it has been exposed to sun and air, with the result, that a poison, called "salanin" is developed. Boiling does not destroy this, and deep peeling, although effective to a certain extent, still leaves some of the poison. The obvious precaution is to discard ail green tubers, and to prevent greening, to see that light is excluded from any store ol potatoes kept. If domestic' arrangements are. eased by peeking potatoes some hours before they fare boiled or steamed, they should '.be put, completely covered, in u basin' of cold water, salted. Peeled potatoes absorb germs very readily.

The Farm Manager at the Central Development Farm (Mr M. Spencer) is a firm believer in top-dressing of pastures. Speaking to a "Chronicle" representative, yesterday, he stated that it was his intention during the present off-season, to top-dress a considerable area of the pasture at the farm. Much of this country, he pointed out was deficient in lime, an analysis made a few years ago, disclosing that on much of the land, lime was almost totally absent. This fact will determine largely his choice of a mixture, which will be one ton of lime, and three cwt. of superphosphate to the acre for a first top-dressing. Following this it is bis intention to topdress" each succeeding year with a ".ouple of cwt.* of super or other mixture. Questioned about the cost per j acre, Mr Spencer was emphatic that although this (about £2 per acre for the first top-dressing) might appear heavy, the added return to be obtained as a result, would much more than compensate for the outlay, whilst he pointed out further that there was no such thing as pasture remaining in »i fixed state of fertility. Withouli topdressing even the best would deteriorate, a fact which many farmers failed to realise.

■ A proclamation further proroguing Parliament to June 6.th has been gazetted.

In a small street in a Wanganui suburb in which there are four residents, three, of them are named .brown.

The running of a daylight express between Auckland anu Wellington will be given a trial in rvoveiujjer next.

Several shooting parties ai the Waifurupia lake report haung \uz\,~ <* nunioer of ducks throug-n eels. Une instance is reported and voucned for, wuere three ducks were draggeu unuer almost as soon as they toucheu tne water.

If is stated in Dannevirke that the iPublic Works Department hopes to be able to turn oh the current from Aiangahuo by May 20. It is quite possible, however, that tne "juice " will be turned on even before that date.

Over the north djoor ;of a little church in a.n exposed North of ungiand village is carved tlie inscription: ■This is trie gate of heaven." a recent visitor to tne village found the iohowmg notice nailed on the door itself: "This entrance is closed during the winter months."

Every five years a census of the Dominion's population and of its general affairs is taken'by the uovernment. The time for the taking oi the next census is on the night oi Tuesday, April 20, 19#>, and already the government statistician, Mr Malcolm Fraser, is busy completing his organisation for the work. .

An Auckland telegram says that the question: "Should ladies be allowed to play golf on Sundays?" brought fifty or sixty members of the Auckland Golf Club together at a special meeting. After a full and sometimes rather humorous discussion, it was iecided to allow members of the

Auckland Ladies Golf Club to play on Sundays in summer only upon the Middlemine links.

Four-year-old lemon trees otf the 'Eureka"variety at the Central Development Farm are this autumn bearing a. heavy crop of young fruit. The trees are some five feet in height,'end present a very flourishing appearance. Apparently plenty of shelter is necessary to their proper development, as .other trees growing in similar ground, but not so well sheltered are by no means so well developed.

A surprisingly impudent theft occurred at Mangapapa, Gisborne, last week, when a three-valve wireless set was stolen from the residence oi Mr T. Ellery. Before going to church the wireless set had been in use, but when the family returned it was found that tlie complete set had disappeared, the wires connecting the instrument with the aerials having been severed. The matter is now in the hands of the police.

Tlie usual state of affairs, in which the hunted hunted the hunter, occurred in a Stratford household on a recent morning (says the post). The lady of the house, on going into the pantry and moving a bread board, disturbed a huge rat. The cat happened! to be in the pantry at tlie. time, and on observing it the rodent, on the principle maybe Ql attack being the best means of defence, charged at sight. The cat turned tail and lied outside, and was chased up the garden for several yards by the rat, whic hthen disappeared under one of the outbuildings. Needless to say, tlie cat's stock in .that household nas fallen considerably as a result.

Some forty varieties of swede turnips are at present being grown, under the direction of Mr J. C. N.eill, mycologist ion the Agricultural Department's staff, for the purpose of discovering which of the varieties at present in" use, are best adapted to resist dry-rot. A close study of in is disease has been made by the Department for some time past, and otioits are being made to discover a means of control. Unfortunately the crop suffered considerably in the earlystages of its growth from the dry 'weather, and has also been rather badly attacked by club-root. These will not, however, affect its value for the purpose of the observations to be carried out.

One sometimes wonders how information of private dealings filters to the public after telegraphic communications have been made concerning the matter at issue, and the post ohice staff had the blame laid at their door (states the Ashburton Guardian). Very often the public are the ones at fault, and an example was shown to a importer by a local resident who found on one *of the benches at the Post Office a telegram blank bearing the impress of a message that had been written on another sheet placed over it. Every word of the message, which was from a local business man, could be easily deciphered. The blank had been left for callers to see, and had it not been "rescued" by another business man the sender's business might have become public property before the day was out.

The manner in which the schoolboys of Kaiapoi won a football mutch Ln'ihe early clays was described by a speaker at the re-uinon dinner m connection with the school jubilee recently. He said that the Kaiapoi team were to meet the Normal School team, who averaged about one stone heavier than the Kaiapoi boys. At the outset, things looked black for the local lads, so the clever boys of the team resorted to strategy. A messenger was sent for two gallons of ginger beer and a bag of hot scones. At half-time, these were offered to the visitors, the local boys .refraining.from participating in the good things, 'lhe effect was not long in coming. A few minutes after the game was resumed the Normal boys«eo.mmenced to show signs of the strain, and the Jesuit was a large score for the local boys. "It shows that we had Drams in the old days," added the speaker.

During tiie last IS years Mr & JThayer, of Hastings Street, Napiei, has been collecting used postage stamps, which he sends to Dr. Barnardo's Homes at the average rate of 150,000 per year.

Sixty-four" different nationalities were represented among the people wno emigrated to Canada dur- ,- 1924. The principal influx was from the British isles, 57,612, the United States being second, 16,228.

No fewer than 92 petitions in divorce are set down for hearing at tlie Auckland Supreme Court. Of Uiese 10 will ba heard by a Judge) and jury, and the remainder will be brought on before the Judge alone.

■ That the old must give way toi the new, applies to the treatment of couch. Tne old method of eradication by cultivation, which was both laborious and expensive, can now be dispensed with for the profitable method of top-dressing the pasture and thus encouraging a strong growth of the more profitable grasses and clovers.

A farmer, not many miles from Te Aroha, was in need of, a share-milker, with two assistants, relates an exchange. Applications were, called for, and no less than 82 replies were received from all parts of South Auckland. Many of the applicants were farmers who had met with misfortune during tlie recent slump.

The Dargaville Times, published the following significant par a day or two be lore the shooting season opened: "Judging hy the amount of shooting goinsr on in this district the rabbits (?) must be. having a very bad run. With a right and .left in quick succession one would almost think they were on the wing."

While a party from the country was having a nieal in a restaurant in Napier one night, their one-ton motor Lorry was left outside. It attracted a young Maori, who was under the influence of liquor. The Maori cranked the engine and moved the controls so as to cause it to race. The resulting vibration rattled the gearing, which finally gave way under the strain, and the pieces flew in all directions, some peppering a large plate-glass window. The Maori was arrested.

"A curious feature has been observed in recent floods," stated Mr A. Seifert, at a meeting of the Mana-watu-Oro.ua River Board. "Whereas, prior to the erection of the protection works in the Makerua, a fresh in the river reached that neighbourhood some 44 hours after it had been recorded at the Fitzherbert bridge, it now took only about 22 hours. The water, instead of spreading all over the country, came direct down the river and consequently reached the sea much earlier.

As showing the value of semi-offic-ial testing of dairy cows, in 1913, 67 Jerseys got certificates by averaging 37C.24 lbs fat. In 1924, 674 cows fulfilled the requirements, with ah average of 468.371b5. Thus in 12 years, the average has been increased by 92.13 lbs fat. Two records were broken last year. "Loo's Queen," in the class for cows 3 years and up to 4 years produced 797.321bs fat, this amount being 56.121bs in excess of the previous highest record. "Vivandiere," in the class for cows, 5 years and over, produced 1036.091bs fat, which is 25.61bs in excess of the previous highest record. Both these cows are owned by Mr A. Christie.

When the question of heating the Stratford School was discussed at a recent meeting of householders, the Rev. J. L. A. Kayll said (reports the Post) that when the Prison Camp was established at Waiotapu (near Rotorua) each prisoners' hut had four bunks imd a stove. When the speaker paid his first visit of inspection to the prison the stoves were ordered to be removed, because he did not think it absolutely essential that prisoners should be provided with a" fire beside which to dress and undress. Another reason was they kept such huge fires going that they caught cold when they went outside, and in addition were in the habit of snaring rabbits at night and cooking them in salmon tins. The system was re-organised, and a large room provided which was heated with the hot-water system.

According to the London Daily News Professor Lawrence R. Dicksee, the well-known accountant, has invented a new game against bogie. U appears that if you want to shave scientifically you must count the strokes you make with your razor. ' It is good mental discipline, because you have to' think, what you are going to do before you do it. When the professor began he.;- took 220 strokes. By taking thought he got it down easily tu 112, and at last, by: •perseverance, returned a card of.. 52. The 52, 1 gather, was rather a'strain, for he explains that unless you are continually on your guard you will slip back to the 100's or 15Q's. Buit what would the professor do if one morning, when late for his train, he found he had exhausted his. 50 strokes in holing out only one side of his face?"

A number of experiments as to the feeding-value of different varieties of mangolds have been carried out during the past couple of seasons by Mr M. Spencer, Farm Manager at the Boys' Training Farm. Last season, three varieties, Jersey Queen, Yellow Globe, and Yellow Tankard, were grown, and cows fed on these in spells, with a supplementary ration of hay. It was found that on each occasion when the cows were fed on Yellow Globe, the milk return went up, whilst the cows also displayed a greater appreciation of that variety, possibly because of the high sugar content. From selected roots last year, picked for size and symmetry, seed was collected, and this will be sown next season, the object being to determine whether by a process of selection, an improved variety may be obtained, and whether acclimatisation of seed has any effect on the crop.