Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1925.

Shannon News, 4 December 1925, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1925.

The vital statistics lor Shannon lor the month of November -are: Births 3, marriages .1, deaths nil.

A combined service of the Presbyterian and Anglican Churches will be conducted by the tfev. A. J. Farnell in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday next at 2 p.m.

At the Chamber of Ctaimneree meeting last-evening it was resolved to draw the Borough Council's attention to the spread cf a noxious weed on the Main North road.

The Chamber of Commerce decided to write to the irorowh-enua County Council suggesting \that when the engine is installed on the punt on the •Miana-watu fiver that , the working hours of the punt he extended to 11 p.m. on week dalys.

The announcement on page 1 af this issue that no services will be held in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday next ha s been cancelled. The morning service 1 vyill be conducted By Mr F. IT. Taylor and the evening service will be taken by'the Rev. A. J. Farnell. l i

A.letter of thanks'from the Shannon School Committee Was received by the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting last evening for donating a medal to°be awarded to the dux of the school for the last year. It was decided to donate a| medal to be awarded to this, year's dux, of the .school. •

The Shannon Chamber of Commerce have decided to write to the Chambers of Commerce at iMas'terton, Eketahuna and Pahiaiua to ajscertain their opinions as to ..the advisability of moving in the direction of getting a road constructed to connect up Eketahuna with Mangahao and .Shannon.

The Shannon iMeait Ox are. having extensive alterations carried out to their shop in Ballance Street, The rear portion of the 'building is being dismantled and wiHl be reconstructed in concrete, while a cooling chamber will also be erected, which should prove most beneficial during the hot weather. When the building is completed, the company's ishop will be one of the best equipped butcher's shops on this coast.

It was resolved by the Chamber of Commerce to write to the Postmaster asking him to restore the sorting of mails on arrival at Shannon from Wellington by the 9 p.m. train and that -outward mails Jbr the ,north be forwarded from Shannon by the same train. It was pointed out that under the present arrangement the last mail lor the North leaves at 2.:15 p.m. and there is no mail again until 11 a.in: next day, which is very unsatisfactory,- . \\jA

I A Shannon resident has leceived n ' letter from a friend, who is a memiber. of the volunteer crew of the Ara Ava. The writer (wbiol is a,n old j seafaring man) .states the crew, which I is representative of all classes and I trades, taking them on the whole, are doii').? very well. Hie states that at I the time of writing 'they ware arossI ing tlio Line and have had a splendid < run, except for the first few days when the weather was a hit dirty with heavy sons, and us a result most of the crew Avei'e sick on and off. While in Wellington he had listened on two occasions rto' the strikers airing- their grievancesf"during which they found fault with the food." He quite agrees that ithe wages, are not 100. high, but he states the food is really first class, and that the average New Zealand family does not live better, if as well. He was not referring to what Ihey_\wre getting only, i taut the few ruen who had stood l>y 1 the ship during Iho strike had told him the food was exactly flie same as on the passage ©nt. They expected to reach England on November 25.

Mr A. J. Riddler, chief clerk in-the Public Works Department's office, at Mangaore, has received notice of Ins transfer to Dunedin. He will be leav-. ing for the South at an early date. The 'lOko-mu.ru Tennis Club has some very keen players amongst them and some new arrivals are an acquisition to the cluib. It is hoped before long to arrange a friendly match with the Shannon players. The services at the Shannon Methodist Church will he taken on Sunday next by Mr ChrysUU in the morning and in the evening !by Mr Howard Andrew, who will take for his subject <<\ climb up Mount Eginont, with its theological lessons." A, solo will be ■sung at the service.

The question of rating the Borough on ihe unimproved value was raised hy Mr ,Speirs at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last evening and he moved that the Borough . Council be urged to take a. poll of the ratepayers on the question. Under the present system, he said,, it was no encouragement for a man to improve his property or for speculators to build and /was 'a tax on industry. Rating on the unimproved value would help tnc progress of the town. Mr Thwaites, said that personally, lie was in favour of rating on tnc unimproved value as it was ithe; only lair and equitable system. He did not think \ the matter could (M dealt with toy, the Uorough Council, a. s he understood it was for the ratepayers themselves to move in the matter and he believed that a certain percentage of signatures of ratepayers' was necessary to .a .petition (before a poll could be tak.en.-lt was decided to leave the matter to Mr Thwaites to ascertain what the modus operandi is and to report at the next meeting.

The social give" hy 'the C.P.& Bus proprietors at ToUoma.ru Hall oil Wednesday \Vas a great success and the committee are >-,0l he congratulated on the very efficient way it was carried out. There was. a large crowd from all parts and a. very enjoyable evening was-spent. The Jazzmaman Orchestra, who have very much unproved in their playing, supplied the dance music. Mr iPerry made an adiiilrahle M.C. and there was- not a dull moment the whole evening, .purine the evening iAltes 'Cruickshank sano-'two songs in a very pleasing manner. Miss iM'a.cdonnell (just back from a tour of' Australia) gave, an exhibition of fancy dancing, and Mr Howard Andrew: gave wo monologues and a song. An amusing incident was an exhibition uf the noble art By Master Dalzeil (Makerua) and Mastei Schwass (Tokomaru) tor the ."Toko Cup " After three rounds of hard ooiii"' in which the bantams displayed a°good deal of science, the referee declared it to be a draw. A splendid supper was provided. The Hall Conk mittee will benefit considerably financially.

Shannon received with profound, regret yesterday the ndws of the untimely death of one of its most popular yio-ung men in the person of Mr William Stewart, eldest son of Rev. A. F. and Mrs Stewart, It had been known for some time that Mr Stewart was seriously ill in Wellington, and on Monday evening the parents were called urgently to *he Empire City, Mood poisoning having developed. Hut few were prepared lor the tragic n'ews which was circulated in town, on Tuesday, The late Mr S;tewart was a splendid specimen of young manhood, in the early twenties, of fine physique and character, with a personality limit won its way to the hearts of all who knew hmi. tor some time, he worked at Mangahao, where he was popular with everyone About a month ago Mr Stejwaort felt lor Wellington to take up employment there, tout took ill with qufinsy. Complications followed and finally Wood .poisoning' set in with fatal results To his sorrowing parents the sympathy of the Avhole community will go ©lit. The funeral look -place at Shannon yesterday. Prior to. the cortege, which was a lengthy one, leaving for the cemietery, an impressive service was held in the Presbyterian Church, and as the body was (bPing removed from the Church Mrs Bovis, the organist, played the wellknown hymn, "For ever with the Lord." On arrival at, the cemetery the burial service was conducted by Rev Macßonald (Foxton) and llev. Breiden (Palmerston North), the Masonic service being carried out by His Worshipful Master Bro. McKenzie, of Awatea Lodge, Palmerston North, assisted by the Past Masters of other lodges. Both services were very miiprp«sjw A hirere number of members at the Masonic Lodges at Palmerston North Foxlon. Levin, and the local Lodge attended to pay their last resppcts to their deceased 'brother. The Targe number of beoutiful floral emMem s forwarded showed the high esteem in which ihe deceased young man was held m the district.

! The Wellington Education Board invites tenders for painting school in- • teriors at Shannon and Tokomaru. I Over one hundred sots of clubs were ) destroyed in the fire at the Gishorne Golf Club's club-house. The club's professional, Mr McCormick, lost a good deal of gear. '■' One of the higgest land transactions for a considerable time took place at Hastings, when the Makarika station of some 14,000 acres, near Tokomaru Bay the property of Mr A. F. Sdmer- ' vilie, subdivided into approximately ■2OOO-acre blocks, was practically all sold privately.

A ban lias been (placed, hy the IPost-imaster-General on correspondence concerned with, the "Mosonan Thousand" Art Union, Sydney, ateo for Miss Kitty Guilfoyle, Sunbeam Avenue, Croyaen, New South Wales,. Tramway passengers leave all manner of articles benind them when j they alight, tout, says the "New Zealand Herald,"-it comes as a surprise to learn that the money found by the | conductors amounts itiq .almost £8 a I week on the average. The tramways manager reported to the Auckland City Council last week, that the unclaimed money found hy conductors during the'six months to June .30, totalled £20,1. A pleasing incident occurred the other day in the Gladstone district, says the Wairarapa Daily Times. A young lady was unfortunate enough to lose her purse, containing a considerable .amount n-f money. She was searching for it al mg the road next morning, when gho was accosted by a Maori w.oroan, who said: "I think I know what you (;/e looking for; my little girl found it last night," She produced the missing purse, refusing to take a reward. ,

"It is a tribute to the healthiness of the climate," rem. vked Mr W. Hayward,' wlien it wii.s stated at a, meeting held in Christ'., hurch toi make arrangements for the procession in connection with the i. ming Anniversary Day celebrations V'-ut there were toetween 40 and 50 pc -pie still alive who came out in the Test four ships. "It is also a tribute -to the' constitution of the pioneers," sai.l 'Mr J. A. Flesher. "And to the carer, iaiess of our motor drivers," remarked another member of the committee, amidst laughter.

In order to oveioume, as much as possible, the inconvenience caused at Mercer railway st lion by the periodical flooding of flu lines, it has been decided to raise the several tracks, and a gang of nx-.i is at present employed carrying- out this work. The main line is being lifted several inches, but "away frmi itlie platform, where the ground is lower, a lift of nearly three feet may 'be necessary-J A special gang will handle the interlocking points, anl a considerable quantity of (hallos', and filling will be required. Complaint has U-en made concerning the dust nuisance/ on the expresses particularly (bef.veen Frankton and Taumarunui. Th'.' Railway Department has iny.esti{rated** methods pf combating this, trouible on trains, hut vlie cost has ibeen found prohibitive. In the United Stales crude oil is sprayed over the ballast between the rails at a cost of only about one cent, per gallon and tin application is renewed periodically as the oil becomes ineffective. Oil could not be used in New Zealand, 'however, at such a low cost, and that method has been ruled out oil the question in this country. At a meeting last night' of Stewards of the Levin Racing Club, it was reported that the Aavemlber meeting had resulted in a profit of £750. In addition to this it is hoped that a rebate of £244, equal to quarter per cent, of the toteturnover, will be granted by the- Minister ol Finance, in accordance with the Finance Act of 1925. This provides that where liabilities hive (been incurred in respect to the et -etion of buildings or other permanent improvements on ;i. racecourse, the Government will grant a refund up to £250.

The preparation of the site of the new: Waitomo Cave.-; Hostelis. nearlng completion and in live or six weeks' time the ground should be ready for the laying of the foundations. .The hill behind the present buildings has been cut hack and the spoil used to rill a deep gully. When the work is finished about two acres of flat land will be available. It is understood that the inew building is to toe of concrete, rough-cast will a rod tiled roof. About three times,the present accommodation is to. be provided. There will be a large dining room, a sitting room, smoking roiom and a billiard room.

The schoolboy AVho said that Latin was a dead language, which, to his great regret, had escaped .burial, would find in the Massachusetts Indian language a tongue which no Hiving person can either speak or read. Yet there is at least one book in existence in that strange speech; it was soid at a recent 'bonk sale. It is the only k-nown copy qi Baxter's "Call to the Unconverted" in this Indian tongue, and was translated by the famous "Indian Apostle/' John Eliot, and printed at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1664. The book's appearance in the saleroom caused a great sensation, and after keen 'bidding it was sold for £6BOO. This is believed to be a record price for an American book, and works out at more than £IOO a page.

This story comes from Dunedin:— A. woman passenger violently rang the bell as a St. Clair car swung "round Cargill's corner on the way to its destination. "Yes, ma'am, what is it?" asked the conductor, politely. "I thought this was a St. Kilda car," said the woman. "1 want to go to St. Kilda. Tihe car had St. Kilda marked on it." "Oh, no," replied the conductor, "it has the St. Clair sign." The woman refused to believe that the conductor was correct, and he took her round to the back of the car and showed her "St. Clair" plainly marked. Undefeated and undismayed, and determined to have the last word, the woman dazed the conductor by indignantly answering as she walked away/ "Oh, well, this is not the car I got into!"

The rainfall in Southland for November amounted to nearly five inches and there-were"only six days during the whole month free from rain. A stocktaking by the Kaitofce tea rooms management shows, that in the last three years the losses of cups taken away by Absent-minded people amount to 6Q6.2. The customs revenue at Inveroargill for November constitutes a record .for that port and amounts, to £23,107, as compared with £14,065 for the same month last year. " : Harry Howard, about 51 years of age, a second class passenger on the Remuera, booked through to Australia, w.as found dead.in his 'bunk a day before the ship reached Pitoairn Island. As showing the unsatisfactoriness of the season, an Bketahuna farmer inI formed the "Express" that, with a | herd of approximately forty cows, he was fully £ ; 10Q behind in his returns as compared with the same period last year. It is not -often that a white boy is to be seen in the employ of a. Chinaman. There is one at a fruit shop in Master ton (states the "Wairarapa Age"). On a certain afternoon the boy was seen to carry a ibag and coat to a waiting'taxi, and the prospejrouslooking Chinese merchant; fallowed at his leisure. A traveller had two of his trunks of samples removed from a sample room at Waipawa, into which entrance had been gained by some means. The enterprising thief evidently knew nothing of a boot traveller's samples, for after breaking open the trunks, the disgusted man had to leave everything,' as only one boot of each kind is carried.

The Supreme Court at New Plymouth' is hearing a case in'which R. S. Smith Richardson claims £ISOO damages from the Borough Council on account of an accident on February : 23. Plaintiff was employed on the electrical staff and in the course of his duties received, a shock which incapacitated him. It is alleged that defendants were negligent in not providing means to disconnect portions of the plant during repairs. The defence claims that plaintiff was not told tq do the work which Caused the accident and in any event shoujd have known the wires were alive.

Young pigs are by nature mischievous animals; they seem to delight in upsetting their own dinner and in tearing their bed to pieces and throwing it all over their pen. It is a strange form of amusement, for a comfortable, tidy bed must surely be piofeVable. They seem to throw their bed about most when it has just been newly put down for them; therefore, if it is possi Die to distract their attention for a few hours at this time, the straw caii be kept clean and tidy. If they are fed as' soon as the straw ia put down they will eat their food and go and lie down comfortably for an hour or two, and after that.they wild leave the- straw alone, and not throwit about. Not only will this mean a saving of .straw, but it will also mean a ck-aner, drier bed, they will rest and more comfortably, and ia consequence will grow and put on flesh more quickly. Pahiai.ua possesses some ''educated'' eels. In a stream running through the property of Mr J. Ebbett, at iPahiatua, are about thirty eels, and for some three years Mr Ettbett has been in the habit of feeding these. The process he adopts in calling them to meals is a •novel one. The creek at the rear of the house appears to be devoid of fish of any kind until Mr Ebbett-beats, two stories together, and then the eels swarm to the side of the creek to receive their meal, the eels arc quite tame, and will allow anyone to handle them. The eels first gathered at the spot for food when hens owned by Mr Ebbett, in scratching, deposited some of the scraps in the creek. Mr Ebbett noticed this, and then began feeding them on pieces ol meats, etc., and gradually trained them to "come to dinner" by striking two stones together.