Shannon News FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1925.

Shannon News, 28 August 1925, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1925.

.His Worship the Mayor of Shannon (Mr W. Murdoch) who has been seriously ill in the Palmerston North Hospital is now sufficiently recovered ta be able to leave the institution today for his home.

At the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday night the members of the Council spoke iir eulogistic terms of the work done by Cr. Spencer: m carrying out the construction of the Borough shed and he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his efforts on the Gouncil's behalf.

The dispute between the flaxcutters employed at the Miranui Mill and the company as to the cutting price over a' certain block of flax, which was submitted to arbitration, has been settled and the men resumed work on Tuesday morning. Mr T. Dalzell, of Tokomaru, was appointed by the parties concerned to assess the rate, which he placed at 17s. 6d per ton, both parties agreeing to this.

At a, meeting of the ladies' committee of the newly formed branch of the Plmiket Society held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday afternoon it was decided to hold over the holding of the baoy carnival until the weather conditions are suitable, and to hold a street stall on Saturday. September sth, for the purpose of raising funds. It was also resolved that the trustees of the McCarthy Trust Fund be written to and asked for a donation to help start the Plunket fund in Shannon.

The Grand Victory Ball to be held under the auspices of the Shannon Football Club, will take place in the Druids' Hall at Shannon this evening. Lovers of dancing will be well catered "for and all who attend are assured a pleasant evening's enjoyment The floor has been specially prepared. An excellent supper has been arranged lor and George's Orchestra will supply the music and everything podnts to the ball being one of the most enjoyable held this season.

The petition which was presented by residents of -Shannon and M onto a to Parliament in reference to the Shannon-Foxton bridge will be considered by the Parliamentary Petitions coim'mittee on Wednesday next. The "Borough Council are holding a special meeting to-night to arrange for representatives to attend to give evidence and the Chamber of Commerce and the Dairy Co. and Moutoa residents will also be notified to. appoint representatives to attend at Wellington.

The New Zealand railways possess 671 locomotives.

It is rumoured that a certain Rugby' player is taking action against the Manawatu Rugby Union for alleged damages caused through disqualification.

The Railway Report mentions that a motor service that usually met the Napier expresses at Ashhurst, where the trains previously crossed, and picked up passengers for the district north of Palmerston to Taranaki, has been eliminated by the recent re-ar raargement. of the time-table. The crossing place lor trains has been eliminated under the present timetable.

According to an American sailor who spent the week-end in Levin, the most-discussed part of New Zealand on his ship before the Fleet arrived, was "Nelson's Island," where, so said report, "the girls out-numbered the men to the extent of seven to one." The visitor asserted that several men, as soon as the ship -anchored, got four days' special leave for the sole purpose ol' discovering this island of dreams!

On learning that the Cheltenham. Co-operative Dairy Company had recently purchased two new 'American cream collecting trucks, a shareholder moved a resolution at. the annual meeting to the effect that the directors give preference to British manufactured goods when buying machinery and plant for the company. The company's produce was sold to England and the popular cry was to purchase English products. A voice. "Well, why did -you* buy an American car?" This was too much for the meeting, which roared with laughter.

"The Liberals went as far as pos sibie for any respectable party to go.' —Mr J. R. Corngan referring to iusion at Hawera on Monday evening.

Probably the most valuable twopence in the Dominion came under the notice of Mr J. S. Barton at Wan-gan-LU in the course of an undefended civil action. The plaintiff claimed twopence from a defendant, and the payment of the two coppers, cost the defendant something over £1 in costs.

The tall pole, adjoining Te Rauparaha's monument opposite the Otaki Church) has been taken down on account of its dangerous state through decay. The pole, which marks the advent of Christianity mra New Zealand, was, according to Mr Rota Tahiwl, an old identity, erected about fifty years ago.;

Frost fish has ceased to be a rarity in Manaia this week. Following the heavv frosts of the last few days a number of residents searched the beaches early in the morning and have been rewarded lor their early rising No less than 3? frost fish none of them under 6ft long have been found and a number of tables benefitted by their neighbours' good fortune..

As an indication of the genuine football spirit, a speaker at a football dinner at Cambridge on Saturday evening said he was coming into town that morning and passing one farm saw three young ladies on top of a havstack pitching hay so that their brothers might be allowed to take part in an important, match that day. "That's the spirit," concluded the speaker.

An exhibit of a very unusual kind came before the Chief Justice during the hearing of a civil case at the Supreme Court in Wanganui yesterday, when a bottle containing-a,species of vermin—the house bug—was produced. His Honour confessed to 'the Court that lie was not acquainted with the exhibit—an observation that tick led both bar and public. The claim was one where the purchaser of a boarding house claimed damages be cause the place was infested by bugs.

father" a peculiar thing happened to a well-known Manaia resident last week. He had lust purchased a newcar and left it one day in a paddock at Kaupokonui in which were a num. ber of cows. These inspected the machine carefully and disliking their reflections in the respendent new paim proceeded to horn and butt the new car. When the resident returned hio new car was a picture—paint scratched wind shield broken and hood rip ped Whether the cows have seven years' bad luck for breaking a mir ror is another question,

In the'Railway Statement, the Railway Board,expresses the opinion lhasteps should be takeu to constitute a suitable tribunal whose function it should be to .decide in each case whether the establishment of a proposed motor service is in the best in terests of the community and to define the obligations that shall rest on the motor-owner in respect of timetables, routes and fares. The Victorian Act of 1924 is quoted which give.-, these powers and prescribes that before consenting to any new motoi bus service the Minister shall coniei with the Railway Commissioners.

\n exceedingly thoughtful and kind little action on'behalf of the Empire Press delegation during the visit to New Plvmouth was the placing of u beautiful wreath at the foot of the Memorial Cenotaph by Lady Violet Astor on Monday afternoon. Attentions of this kind'and the spirit which prompts them are very keenly appreciated, and we " 5, e sure that this particular act will fa:J a responsive echo in the hearts of a. great number o! Taranaki people, to the memory of whose kith and kin who fell in the Great War the cenotaph was erected. —Herald.

Active search is being cariici ">n for the bodies of the victims of iho recent tragedies in the Groin an-.i Manawatu rivers. In answer !/> t public appeal in Palmerston ;■ force of workers has commenced to systematically cover the whole of the river from " Rangiout with drags, though that has already been thoroughly explored. Active search Is being maintained for the ihree remaining victims of the Foxto:: catastrophe. In connection with ili.s Messrs Flyger and Owen came by ear from Foxton this morning and traversed the beach from Hokio to the Manawatu river, returning to Foxton via' Hokio' and Levin, but no trace of the unfortunate people was discovered. Constable Greggan has also searched the Beach on this side of the Manawatu, without result.

None the wurse after his long sea voyage, the male hippopotamus which was recently purchased in India lor Auckland Zoological Park armed at the northern city by the steamer Kent. When the vessel berthed, he was taken by lorry to his new home. The hippopotamus, which was born of captive parents in Calcutta Zoo, is now live years old. He was acquired in India as a mate for the female of the species which has been at the local Zoo for some months. From Calcutta he was shipped to London, where he underwent a special examination at the hands of a professor of the London Zoological Society. The results of the examination were highly satisfactory, and the hippopotamus was then taken to Liverpool, where he was shipped on the Kent, His cage, which was specially constructed for the purpose was secured at the after end of the bridge deck. The feeding of the hippopotamus throughout the trip was carried out by the ship's butcher. Last week the Kent encountered a series of moderate gales, and was severely buffeted. Quantities of water were shipped on deck, but the dippo-, potalmus was little worried. He' crawled beneath his bed of straw ami slept in comfort until the weather moderated..

Quite a number of spurious corns ain>ear to be in circulation in Wanoiuiu a member of the Chronicle staff is the latest victim in this diree-ti-o and is lamenting the tact iliai he nas had a silvered penny passed on him lor a half-crown.

Saturday's shocking accident at lu.s ton recalls to mind me disaster wincu overtook a boa Ling party at the Manawatu Heads on Sunday, October -4 mil, when eight lives were lost through the swamping of a flat-bot tomed boat. On that occasion ten people set out in the boat to, board a launch in the, stream, inside the Heads, hut the rowlocks were some what big for the oars with the result that management of the craft became difficult, and getting broadside on tlu water commenced to come inboard. Alarmed the women folk shifted hurriedly to the other side of the boai which was promptly swamped, Messrs Eugene Grove and Percy Robert, oi palmerston North, being the only ones rescued. Mrs Robert and two sons, Mrs Grove and two sons, and two l young women, Misses Florrie Arnold I and Grace O'Sullivan, were drowned.

In conversation with a "Chronicle' reporter an old West Coaster mentioned that when he went to Greymouth sixty years ago as a small boy pennies were unknown there and in any case were too insigniflcam to be taken seriously. The narrator's family came from Dunedin and took five shillings' worth of copper coins to the coast. Ihe seven-year-old boy took one of these pennies ana went to the store to buy sweets, but was informed in broad Scotch by the proprietress that nothing less than •'siller" would do. However, she o-ave him a lew sweets and one of the men who were present at- the time drove a four-inch nail through the penny into the counter, and for many years afterwards the penny was regarded, by the occupier, as a talisman. The stock of pennies was gradually diminished, and dispersed, by the ipitch-and-toss "schools" flourishing some 60 years ago, and tne fore runner of the modern game of "two-up.",