Shannon News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1927.

Shannon News, 30 September 1927, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1927.

Mr. and Mrs Bruce Gordon, who now reside at Marton, are visiting Shannon. '< The Nash Cup which was won by the Shannon senior football team on Saturday is now on view in A. and E., Hyde’s shop window. The infant child of Mr. and Mrs Murray, of Stafford Street, died on Saturday. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents. A large gang of men is at present in Shannon relaying some of the loop lines in the railway yards with heavy rails and putting in special signalling arrangements. Mr. I. R. Robinson, District Electrical Engineer at Mangaore, who was operated on for appendicitis some three weeks ago, is now progressing favourably.

The new Cemetery road is almost completed and when opened it is the intention of 'the Beautifying Committee to plant trees along the route and later place seats on the hillside, a point from which a splendid view may be obtained.

■ Now that the route to the new Manawatu bridge has been decided, it was thought, that an early start would be made with the road construction, but it is believed that this will not be possible until after Christmas.

The friends of Mr Stan Kingston, of PalmefSton North, w r ho is well-known in Shannon and Levin in musical circles, will be very sorry to hear that his mother is lying seriously ill at her home in the South Island. Mr Kingston has just returned from there on urgent Alliance work, but Mrs Kingston is remaining with Mr Kingston’s mother.

The popularity of the card party conducted by the committee “of the Women’s Institute continues to increase, all the tables being occupied on Tuesday evening, the players spending a pleasant evening. Mrs Bowler and Mr. F. Buckman won the prizes for most games, the booby prizes going to Miss Gayler and Mr, Leveston. The cake competition was won by Mrs E. Butt.

The 1027 ping pong championship at Mangaore, which attracted thirty-eight entries, is now nearing a conclusion. Those players left to contest the fifth round are: Section A, K. S. Henry, 1). Jamieson (4 wins), A. J. Breen, 11. Blyth and R. F. Francis (3 wins) Section “B”, B. M. Chrystall, N. M. Porter (4 wins), J. S. Burgis, J. F. Ostler, G. Owen and L. White (3 wins)). The tourney has been run on the two-life svstem.

At the conclusion of the Choral practice last night Mr Magee,, secretary of Levin Choral Society, and who is a member of the Shannon Society, thanked the Shannon members for their support at the recent Levin concert, coming down in numbers about thirty strong. He also thanked the altos, Mrs Bell and Mrs Morgan, for their kind assistance in the contralto section. He assured the local society that a large number was coming up'to Shannon for “Merrie England” on the 13th October.

Another very good rehearsal of the Shannon Choral Society was held last night when there was again another large attendance, the choir putting in splendid work with the orchestra. The three soloists were present—Messrs A. Grimshaw, Brown and Lemmon, who were all in good form, whilst Mqsdames Gregory and Morgan filled the roles of soprano and contralto pro tern. These excellent part singers were heard in “Love is meant to make us glad,” and “In England, Merry England,” whilst the four soloists together with the choir in the “Finale,” Act I. was a wonderful revelation, the soprano and tenor being heard to advantage in higher register. The Society is holding a shop day in Main Street on Saturday, October Bth, and already, many have promised to assist in such a worthy Society that is doing such wonderful work in the town.

At 3.30 this morning the ringing of the firebell aroused residents from their beds. The alarm proved a false one.

in our wanted column, Mr. J. Aspin, Stout Street, advertises for sale a quiet house cow, purebred White Leghorn laying fowls and lines of interest to poultry people. Also to-let two acres of grazing.

The many girl friends in Shannon of Miss Ethel Grqy, of Levin, will be glad to know that she is improving slowly and sends her kind regards to them. Miss Gray speaks in the highest terms of the hospital staff.

The many friends of Mr and Mrs R. Law, of Ihakara, will be pleased to learn that their little daughter, Audrey, who has been seriously ill in a private hospital in Levin for some weeks, has recovered sufficiently to be removed to her home.

At a meeting of members of the Shannon Athletic Club held last evening a committee was set up consisting of Messrs R. Downes, Jas. Curran, jun., A. T. White, T. King and W. Radford to go into the matter of the purchase of tar and sand for the asphalting of the cycle track at the Domain. It was also decided that a working bee carry out the work of completing the backing of the track. A start is to be made on this work at the week end.

There was a decrease in the number of passengers carried on the raibvays last year by a million and a-half, the total* being 10.305,0(i5, representing a 'revenue of £2,045,348, as against £2,271,408 for 1925-26.

Several dairy companies in North Taranaki have this week sold their output of cheese to’ the end of December at Bgd per lb. On the other hand a number of companies, it is understood, have declined to do business at this figuVe, but are prepared to put their produce to the December make, under firm offer at 9d. Offers of 9d have been made, it is stated, for output to the end of November.

King Boris of Bulgaria, the bachelor king, has never married because lie finds his time so fully taken up looking after his kingdom, that he thinks he would have no time to look after a wife. After all, this king has had a stormy life since he became king. Half of his moustache was taken off by a bullet when he was nearly assassinated in 1025, while last Christmas a Bolshevik plot was revealed only just in time. He is slim, loose-limbed, and good looking in a dark, romantic, melancholy way.

Mr Rockefeller, America’s greatest philanthropist, celebrated his 88th birthdav by playing nine holes at golf and dining quietly with his family. “I am happy,” he said, “to spend my 88th birthday in a condition of perfect health, full of hope, cheer, and gratitude, and with goodwill to everybody.” Despite his age, Mr Rockefeller retains his interest in business, and is as devoted as ever to the Rockefeller Foundation, with its world-wide work of benevolence. .Two. of his ambitions are to make nine holes in 44 at golf and to live to be 100.

Those who are fidgeting about the wetness of the ground causing a delay in seed-sowing may be pleased to take a suggestion from an experienced Dunedin citizen who claims to have mastered the difficulty. He places his seed in cups, sprinkles moist earth over them, and puts them by till the ground is in good heart. By this means the germinating is started and the seeds come on quickly and in strength. When sowing seeds thus prepared it is important to avoid passing them through the fingers, less the sprouts are rubbed off. A good plan is to dribble, them into the rows through a paper screwed into funnel shape.

A Hindu temple on a hill overlooking Simla has just had installed as its guardian a man with no drop of Hindu blood in his veins. Charles de Russet, a man claiming pure French descent, was .educated at Simla and became a convert to Hinduism in his boyhood after his father’s death. Russet was made a novice in the Jekko Temple above Simla under the name of Bawa Mat Ram. In due course he became a Hindu priest, retiring after 20 years to a little temple in the depths of the country. Now, over 70 years old, lie lias returned to the scene of liis conversion, honoured by being made guardian of the temple.

The election of Mr W. J. Rogers as Mayor of ’ Wanganui has raised an interesting point. He is secretary to the local Tramway Employees’ Union, the Gas Works Employees’ Union and the Municipal Labourers’ Union, and in view of the fact that several questions of ineligibility have been raised recently, he sought an opinion on his position from the city solicitor. The latter stated that it was conceivable that a dispute might arise between the council and its employees, but. if over that did happen Mr Rogers could be relied upon to act in*a proper manner. In the meantime, said the Mayor at a recent meeting, he was making arrangements to have the official charge of the unions taken out of his hands.

There is a magpie who makes his home at Belmont Golf Links, Wanganui, every nesting season and frequently attacks golfers driving from the fourteenth tee. This week he displayed new tactics in attacking a local business man, states the Petone Chronicle. Just as the player was driving off, the bird circled in the air high above his head and hurled down' in a nose dive that would have done credit to the most expert “ace.” Fortunately other golfers were able to attract the attention of their colleague before the bird succeeded in his intention. It is claimed that there are more “foozled” drives from this tee than from any other on the links as the player’s attention has to be divided between the bird and the ball.

The pen of General Sir Tan Hamilton may occasionally he as caustic as it is generally brilliant. Writing of the ■ visit- to Paris of the American Legion, Sir Jan declares that the only reason why the “Old Contemptibles ” are shy of France is that they cannot afford * it—that their clothes are not good enough to be seen on the Champs Elysees. “Whether or not the Americans won the war,” lie added, “they certainly won by the war, while we lost by the wav.”

it is anticipated that an early season for lambs will be experienced this year and, as usual, speculation is rife regarding the probable opening price. Ftom inquiries made yesterday it was learned that 9d is likely to be offered for the first drafts. Owing to the poor season being experienced in Australia, it is probable that New Zealand lambs, and early ones in particular, will be in strong demand for the export trade. — Wairarapa Age.

Public announcement issued from the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in the State of Kansas, F.S.A.:— ‘‘Hereafter no recommendations for school positions will be made for teachers, instructors, or superintendents who use tobacco in any form. No State certificates or institute certificates will be issued to tobacco users. Schools and colleges which permit the use of tol.mc.co by administrative heads, instructors, or pupils can-not remain on the accredited, list.” One wonders if chewing gum is also barred.

A Wanganui business man accomplished something of a motoring feat during the week-end, by driving to Napier and Gisborne, covering in all a distance of over 600 miles. He left Wanganui early on Saturday morning and his actual time to Gisborne was 12 hours. He was back in Wanganui at 8.30 p.in. on Sunday. The journey was abut the same distance as from Wanganui to Auckland and back, although the class of country through which the route 1 lay was much more precipitous and more difficult to negotiate.

Three excessively rare Button Gwinnett signatures discovered at Wolverhampton Blue Goat Charity School wore sold in London recently by the trustees of that institution to Gabriel Wells, a New Fork bookseller, for an undisclosed sum. Gwinnett's signature is the rarest among the 56 signatories of the Declaration of Independence, and his autograph is so sought after by collectors of Declaration documents that

G“7.,0 is reported to have been paid for the last example found. Gwinnett, before . emigrating to Savannah, was a merchant at Wolverhampton, where he signed the local school register as a contributor on three separate occasions in 1761.

The Air Ministry announces that 600 aircraft apprentices, between the ages of Id and 17, are required by the Royal Air Force for entry into the schools of technical training at Halton, Bucks, and at Flowerdown, near Winchester. They will be enlisted as the result of an open competition and a limited'competition held by the Civil Service Commissioners and the Air Ministry respectively. Successful candidates will be required to complete a period of twelve years' regular Air Force Service from the age of .18, in addition to the training period. At the age of 30 they may return to civil life or may be permitted to re-engage to complete time for pension.

For stealing six tomato plants, valued at 9tl, Andrew 'Johnston lost his situation with the Railway Department and faced Mr E. 1). Mosley, 8.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch. The police stated that Johnston had had eight years’ service with the Department. The fore mu'll went .to B shed and saw Johnston taking the tomato plants. He was at once suspended. Ilis position had been more pr less one of trust. Mr Tracey said the matter was a regrettable one. Johnston had given good service and there was no suggestion of any prior offences. He was a married man with two young children. He had lost his position. The Magistrate: Has he lost it definitely? Mr Tracey: Yes, sir. Johnston was convicted and discharged.

Time was when the good citizens of London lived over their shops, were horn and died there, and left the business to their children. There are some of them left. One such lives in Bell Yard, Gracechurch Street, and his is the oldest grocer’s shop in the city. He has sold candles and groceries there for over fifty years, as his father’s uncle did and his uncle’s uncle. That takes the business hack to 1716, when old William Ilaseldine founded it. From William it passed to Daniel, and from Daniel, still keeping in the family, to the Bedford who had married into it. To a Bedford it belongs still, and he has refused to sell it. Banks and big business houses round about it crowd the old grocer’s little shop, but they cannot crowd out old Mr Bedford, who is now over seven!v.

The following is taken from an issue of 1877 of the Lyttelton Times: “They have another nuisance on the railroads in the North Island besides stray cattle. The Taranaki Budget says: An old Maori tried to race the train between Sentry Hill and Hemvood Road, and was running on the line in front of the engine for u considerable distance. We hear it is a constant prac-

tice for Natives to do this, and notwithstanding the warning they have received they still persist in doing it. But for the extreme caution used by the engine-driver some accidents would have resulted. It is a pity the Natives

cannot be dealt with by the law in tlie same manner as the Europeans.” Seeing that it still takes about an hour to reach New Plymouth by train from Waitara, and vice-versa, conditions on the railways have not improved to the extent, some people fondly imagine, as the distance is only about ten miles, and a runner would still have a. good chance of beating it.

The new street lights appear.to be having a very stimulating effect upon the foliage of some trees (says the Auckland Herald). It has been noticed that each plane tree in Jervois Road that is immediately below a light kept its leaves longer than the rest.

When the casket placed in the foundation stone of Knox Presbyterian Church, Waimate, 50 years ago, was removed, it was found that the cork had rotted away, and the roots of a nearby tree had* filled it. However, a number of coins bearing dates from 1816 to 1873, were found, to a total value of £2 11s sid, including a fourpenny piece bearing the date 1840. A few pieces of dark parchment were discovered, the leaves being all pressed together. New records are to be placed in the same casket and reinserted in the foundation stone, which is of Oamaru stone and bears the date March 12. 1874.