Shannon News TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1927.

Shannon News, 11 January 1927, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1927.

The Levin Dairy Company will pay out Is 3d for butter-fat supplied in December. This is a penny advance on the rate ruling for the previous two montliß and is the result of the improved market in London.

A peculiar incident occurred at Westport on Boxing Night when Casey was warned for not making the ught willing enough. Casey promptly took the advice, sailed in and knocked his opponent for the full count in the next round.

Luring the year 1926 the number of drivers ’ licenses issued for motoi cais, lorries and motor cycles by the lioru' whenua County Council, which is the licensing authority for the district, was 1177. In 1925 the total was. 1087.

Some months ago a Maori at Mangamahu, who picked up the skeleton of a staghound, and thought it was that of * human, rang up the police station in great haste and requested them to send out “te Shellrock Holmes.” -Some friends of the constable who made the investigation posted him a rubber skeleton by way of a Christmas box.

Further discussion of a co-operative marketing scheme for the export of pigs from the Waikato took place at a repre sentative meeting in Hamilton (says the Times), and after various opinions had beem expressed it was decided to set up a committee representing the cooperative dairy companies in . the Waikato with a view to bringing'down a recommendation for the adoption of a suitable scheme which the committee will be entrusted to evolve.

A Levin visitor to the Wellington athletic sports on Saturday night states that Lamb, the Australian crack cyclist, had evidently not struck form, but may be expected to come up to it verj' shortly. Flett, the Wellington cyclist, 3 ode with wonderful reserve power. He may not be seen here, on the 31st, as he has engagements for Nelson; but the. other leading cyclists are expected to compete with Lamb and Grose at Levin on that date.

.Westport, as it stands to-day, dates back to 1872. The old town after an existence of about eight years, was in 1872 shot out to sea by a sudden diversion of the Duller river. In conversation with a Westport News representative last week, Mr T. A. H. Field, of Nelson, stated that lie well recalled playing the “wag” from school to see many of the old buildings in Westport going out to sea in the great flood of 1872. Included was a hotel with a!i the lights lit up. Other houses were being jacked up on to rollers anil taken up the street. As more of the land was washed away, houses ivere shifted further up on safer land.

The migration of whitebait has ever been an interesting topic to fishermen. Recently Mr T. Mac Neil, who attended 1o development works ou his coal lease at Ten Mile, discovered whitebait above the falls in the upper reaches of Ten Mile Creek (states the Greymouth Evening Star). They could not get up the falig as the torrent of water was too strong. Mr Mac Neil watclmd one day and in a pool, at the bottom of the falls in the spray line, clear of the current, he noticed myriads of whitebait gradually emerging from the waiter on to the wet, rocky surface with their tiny fins s.pgead and wriggling themselves forward and up the wet face of about 12 feet, as steep almost as the wall of a house.

What with one drawback and another, the lot of many a. man on the land in N.Z., for some time past, has hardly been happier than that of the Gilbertian policeman, and it is deplorable that in some instances the farmer has been forced to give his farm best and retire from a struggle! beyond his endurance. Especially trying has been the position of the agriculturist on the gum lands of the North. This soil won’t grow anything the fanner is accustomed to grow. But it will produce remarkably fine tobacco leaf, and as the average yield of a tobacco crop on the Northern gum lands' represents a cash value of £SO nett, there can be no question as to profit. Large quantities of tobacco are already being grown, and the culture of the “weed” in certain parts of N.Z. promises to develop into a national industry. Several varieties of this toba«K*«ue on the market, including * SXattakaA Gold” aromatic, “Navy Cut” (Blifildog) medium, and “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bullshcad) full. They are all in brisk demand. —29.*

One of tho busiest members of the Auckland railway station on Monday evening (says the Herald) was the porter employed in ‘hiring out pillows for a shilling each. Pillows have become very popular with long-distance travellers since tho system i\as introduced, and this was borne ,out on Mondav evening when every available one was sold some time before the departure of the last express. About 450 pillows were disposed of to passengers on the three expresses.

Wireless, and its possibilities for religion, appeal strongly to a number of rhe Anglican clergy in Auckland, telegraphs ‘'The Post’s” Auckland correspondent. Experiments are- being carried on with a view to installing leceiving sets and loud speakers in the churches, especially the small countrv ones, and the object of ultimately having an Anglican broadcasting station in Auckland, is being kept steadily in view.

One of the women’s colleges at Oxford is,evidently a cheerful place. At a recent debate among the motions discussed were the following: ‘‘That it is easier to live .with a sinner than with a saint,” and ‘‘that there is no fundamental difference between Hall mutton and Hall beef.” They also discussed the motion “That every undergraduate 3 hould be allowed to keep a pet.” Somebody, it seems, suggested that essays could be read to pets, but it was thought that the practice would be prohibited by the R.S.P.C.A.

One usually associates a Bible Class camp with soft cooling clvinks, but at one in the North Island a barrel of Iteer was ordered. Lest some readers should jump to a hasty conclusion that the beer was required for the camp ers, it is jpst as well to dispell any such idea'at the outset. It is well known that cooks who swelter over hot ranges require a little lubrication and more than one cook likes a “spot” or two occasionally.. The said beer in the camp referred to was ordered for the benefit of the culinar} 1 ' department.

Whether or not the Charleston Bhould he permitted in modern ball rooms is a question giving rise to considerable controversy in Europe at the present time. In Timaru a decision has already been arrived at, the edict! going forth in the shape of a broadcast message over the Bay that at carnival dances the Charleston is banned. It is understood that the decision was not based so much on the question of the morality of the dance, but arose out of complaints received from a number of dancers who objected to having to adopt shin pads as a preventive measure against inexpert exponents of the latest craze.

Cream grading, which was made compulsory by the Act of last session) is now in operation at the Levin factory. All cream received is graded into three classes, finest, first and second, payment beiqg made on quality. Thus, first grade cream is paid for at Id more than second-grade, and finest at |d more than first. Second grade cream is liable to be returned to the supplier if it cannot be conveniently used at the factory, the Act provides that such creammay be rendered unfit for, use by the addition of colouring matter. Grading has been in operation at Levin before it was made compulsory, unsuitable cream being returned to the supplier, out until this year the principle of payment by quality has not been operating.