Shannon News TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1925.

Shannon News, 29 December 1925, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1925.

Mr S. W. Caller, accompanied by his daughter, Miss payee Carter, left for Sydney on Thursday last. The town on Boxing Day was quite deserted, a big contingent, journeying by train and bus to the Awapuni races, while a number attended picnics and the seaside. A week ago Mr John Ihaka, of Mangahao, was brought Unto 1/he Palmerston North hospital suffering from pneumonia, and last evening his infant child was motored in by Mr Jay. The little one is suffering from scarlet fever. The main street in Shannon on Christmas Eve wore a busy appearance and as a result the drapers and fancy goods shops did excellent business. Business, generally, in Shannon has been good during Christmas week. Among the visitors to Shannon during the holidays Is Mr and Mrs H. O'Connor, who are visiting the latter’s parents. Mr O’Connor some years ago was a flaxmißer at' Shannon, but later removed to Auckland. During the past five years they have been residing in California and have just returned to the Dominion. On New Year’s Eve the dance to be held in the Druids’ Hall should be a fitting finale.to the closing of the old year. There will be a number of novelty dances and together with the music, which will be supplied by Mrs Butler, those who attend should have an enjoyable, time. The proceeds from the dance will be devoted to the funds tof the Children’s Home. Arrangements are well in hand for the dance to follow the People’s Picnic on New Year's Day. The Parish Hall will be prettily decorated and there will be excellent music provided by the Maori String Band, which has done so much lately to enliven public functions. The Von. Bede’s Julies’ Committee will provide the slipper which is sure to be of the best, Dancing will commence at 8 p.m.

Under the will of Mr F. J. O’Connell, bequests were left to the Marist Brothers’ schoiojl at Christchurch, £200; St. Bede’s College (fop a bursary), £400; St. Mary’s, Christchurch, £100; to the Catholic Cathedral, £IOO.

Alarmed by tile barking of a dog, Mr J. Hutton, his wife arid two children, had just time to escape in their night attire from their blazing- house at Papanui, Christchurch, this morning. The place was burned to ashes, says a Press Association telegram.

In the art union organised by the Otago Rugby League and New Zealand Football Association was drawn on Wednesday night the first prize of £3OOO was won by Mrs Ilesley, Gladstone Road, Waitii, and the second, of £SOO, by S. T. Goodman, P.O. box 873, Auckland, About £32-,000 was obtained. The Otago Rugby League will probably clear between £15,-000 and £16,000, and the New Zealand Football Association about £2OOO. The property purchased by the League is about 28 acres ip Sopth Dunedin,

A Christchurch fishmonger was charged with having sold whitebait in a vessel which was deficient in capacity, such vessel being represented as containing half a pint. Defendant pleaded guilty. -Mr S. E. McGregor, inspector of the Department of Weights and Measures, said that he had visited defendant’s shop, and harl requested to be supplied With half a pint of whitebait. The half-pint of whitebait, on being pu-t into-' a standard measure, was found to be considerably short. The actual shortage of the container was two Mil id ounces, a deficiency of 20 per rent.; but, as the container was notcompletely filled with whitebait, the actual deficiency was greater than this. Defendant, was fined £2 and costs.

One of the severest earthquakes experienced in Shannon’ for some time caused some apprehension on Thursday afternoon about five minutes to 4, preceded by a loud rumbling like thunder there were.two distinct thuds which caused building's to sway and sent many people into the open air. There does not appear to have been airy damage dene. Reports iforn Masterton state the local crockery simps were considerable sufferers Perry’s Buildings, a two-storey concrete structure, which swayed ominously through out the shake, was cracked from the top of the parapet down for about Bft, The shake is .considered to be the most severe since 1912.

There was an unusual influx of mail, both parcels and correspond ence, during the foil fdays preceding Christinas and tire business ' put through all departments of Shannon Post 'Office shows an even greater increase than that of last year, which was considered to have been very good indeed. In order to cope with the mails, both inward and outward, the staff were obliged to work very long hours and early on Christmas Eve, there were hundreds of telegrams awaiting transmission. Even to-day the residue of parfeels and letters was considerable and extra help had to be procured in order to meet the added work entailed in tile Christmas rush.

■ A local motorist 'remarked to-day that the motor traffic on Boxing Day was little short of phenomenal and between Wellington and Palmerston North the cars formed what was almost a procession. The chief factor was the Manawatu Racing Club’s opening day at Awapuni, at which the attendance was a record one, while the Otaki motor, cycle races drew close on two thousand people to the racing track. . The roads are in fairly good order with the exception of those in the Paremata area, so given good weather and comfortable travelling motoring becomes doubly attractive. So. great was the rush to the racecourse at Awapimi that the parking accommodation proved inadequate and there was a traffic jamb which resulted in many cars being held up a mile from the course. Many people milssed the first two races through the hold-up.