Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1927.

Shannon News, 23 December 1927, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1927.

Mr and Mrs J. T. Bovis are spending the Christmas holidays at Pljmmerton.

Mrs C. Cronquest leaves for Wellington, to-day, later proceeding to the South Island. ♦

Mr E. T. Moody left for Christclmreh yesterday afternoon, where he will join Mrs Moody, who has staying with her parents.

At a meeting of the trustees of the Buckley Drainage Board held yesterday afternoon to discuss the deepening and banking of the Koputaroa stream, it was resolved to give public notice of the'' proposed application for the sanction of a loan and to consider a motion to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for its' sanction to the borrowing of the sum of £3500 for the work of deepening and widening the Koputaroa stream and incidentals.

The two merry-go-rounds which have been in course of construction in Shannon are now completed. One is a horse merry-go-round, built by Mr Gilbert Patton, and this has been erected on the site next to the Maoriland Theatre. The other, built to the order of Messrs Wilkinson and Hyde by Mr Dickhoff, consists ,of ten small twoseater motor cars equipped with movable steering wheels, syren, etc. This will open for business in Palmerston North to-day. We wish the owners of both, the best of good luck in their venture.

A very pleasing function took-place at the cookhouse at Dajzell 's mill at Makerua on Wednesday evening prior to the men leaving for their Christmas holidays, when the men sat down to a Christmas dinner provided by the caterer, Mrs Martin and her assistants. The dining room had been beautifully decorated and with the lighting effects presented a pleasing appearance. Mrs Martin's thoughtfulncss was much appreciated by the men, and in recognition of her many kindnesses, Mr Sid 81mw, ou behalf of the men, presented her with a cheque as a mark of the men's 'appreciation of 'the* excellent manner in which she lias catered for (hem during the /ear. Similar presentations were also made to Mrs Knight (the chef), and Miss A. Mar-tin (waitress) .

The Balclutha Boys' Brass Band arrived in Shannon yesterday afternoon and wvve met at. the railway station by the Mayor (Mr E. Butt) and Or. Gunning and the Town Clerk (Mr J. T. Bo vis). After playing a march, several of the members were motored out to the Powerhouse at Mangaore. On their return they gave a short programme of music in Pliimuer Terrace, which was highly appreciated by those present, the boys showing that they had been carefully trained, and though they were all very tired after their journey from tlio South, gave a delightful entertainment. At the conclusion of-their programme they left immediately for Foxton. The party consists of 33 persons, of whom there are 20 boys, their ages ranging from 8 years to 16' years and one month. The baud was organised by the present conductor (Mr A. Wood) in December, 1923, who had conceived the idea from.the success of the Ponsonby Boys' Band, the membership being worked up from boys attending school. The baud draws its finances from lion, members' fees and concerts; and are able to pay their conductor £BO per year, which shows that music is supported in the South. The band is on tour for five weeks and will visit all the principal towns in the North Island. The tour is being made as an education for the boys, and with the idea of impressing other boys. Mr Gold, of Balclutha, is manager of the Band.

In wishing our advertisers and subscribers the compliments of the season we desire to state that owing to the next publication day of the News being observed as a holiday, the next issue will be on Friday, December 30th.

Messrs Bradley 'and Rankin, of Palmers ton North, were the successful tenderers for painting the Shannon School and residence. The work is to be done during the holidays.

The contractor for the erection of the bridge over the Manawatu river is making good progress with the work and yesterday saw the last pile driven. It is'expected to have the bridge completed in March.

At the Eeilding Methodist Church on Sunday evening portions of Handel's "Messiah" were given by the choir. The Standard's correspondent states: "The first appearance of Miss Bertha Dewe in oratorio gave great pro mise for this artist in the future and her rendering of the difficult solo, '0 Thou That Tellest,' . with its long phrases and Handel ian runs, fully justified the confidence reposed in <her." Miss Dewe is a pupil of Mr Garde Grimshaw. *

Final. arrangements were completed last evening for the People's Picnic on New Year?s Day, when the N.Z. championship haka and poi will be held for the handsome shields which carry with them substantial prizes. Children will be well catered for in the way of races, and everything points to a verv successful day's sport. Prior to the' commencement of the programme there will be a procession of decorated cars leaving the Post Office at 10.30 a.m. At night a dance will be held.

As a result of the Catholic queen carnival in Otaki over £llOO clear has been raised. - v '

Ata AH, an Indian formerly mahout to Jamuna, the elephant in the Auckland Zoo, has been ordered to be deported to India at the end of January.

The Wellington Gas Company, from January Ist, will reduce the price of gas by 2d a thousand feet—equivalent to a reduction on the AVellington consumption of £4750, says a Press telegram.

The record day's make of butter at the Levin Dairy Factory was attained on Saturday, live quantity being 228 boxes. This represents over a ton more than the production at the peak of last season, when it reached 180 boxes.

Christmas and New Year greeting telegrams are now being accepted at reduced rates. Within New Zealand, the rate is 6(1; to Australia, Is Gd; and to the United Kingdom, 4s 2d. To keep down congestion at the post office on Christmas Eve the public are requested to present their greeting telegrams as early as possible.

Owing mainly to the final bonus for last season's butter-fat, the monthly pay-out yesterday constituted a record in the history of several South Taranaki Dairy Companies, says a Hawera message, 'Two largest, Joll's and Hawera/distributed £47,000 and £43,000 respectively. Over the district between Patea andOpunake the payment totalled £29,000.

".It is satisfactory to note," said Mr G. A. Monk, chairman of the Horowhenua Power Board, at yesterday's meeting, "that, as well as applications from new consumers, there have been 54 extensions to existing installations during the past month. That speaks for itself, and shows to what extent advantage is being taken of electricity in this district."

Au increase of 15s a ton in the price of fertilisers, is announced by the three fertiliser manufacturing companies (including the Challenge (farmers' company) doing business in the Auckland province. 'This decision means that what, has been called "the Fertiliser War" has been ended. All orders now in the manufacturers' hands will be fulfilled at the prices ruling when the orders were booked. The price of superphosphate has been. £4 2s 6d during the past few months, and is now raised to £4 17s 6d.

Henry C Carter, a Petone workshops employee, was fined £1 at Petone yesterday, says a Press telegram, for delivering some ice cream on a Sunday, (he charge being that of carrying on his occupation in view of a public place. The defence was made that Carter-was only doing a friendly turn for a manufacturer named Waddington, against whom a similar charge was laid, and was not a paid servant. He admitted, however, that on occasions lie sold ice cream on a commission basis. Mr Salmon, S.M., said that the. defendant must be considered a person' with more than one occupation. The charge against Waddington was dism .-.sod, there being no evidence of his having given authority for the delivery of the ice-cream.

During the last week of school, Standards 3 to o* of the Ohau School, under the charge of their teachers, journeyed to Wellington. Though doubtful at first, the weather later was such as to add to the enjoyment of the day. The Headmaster, had arranged for a special car to.be at. the station, and the children had a run out to Soatoun via the .KTlbirnic Tunnel, thence to the Newtown Zoo. After two hours there the party divided, most of the scholars tiavelling by the special car to the Ferry Wharf, whence the "Oobar" transported them to Day's Bay. The journey by sea was a distinct novelty - to most of the children, and several of the more adventurous spirits regretted that the trip was so smooth, the return journey was made by motor bus, a ride of 15 miles over beautiful bitumen roads. The children were landed at the station in good time for the train, and returned home eagerly cliseussir * the chances of another trip.

During the month of November, 139 estates of deceased persons were placed under the charge of the Public Trustee for administration-.

Times have changed! Fifty years ago there appeared n the Taranaki Herald one evening three advertisements inviting tenders for binding wheat. Two of the advertisers were WaJrara fanners and the third was a Bell Block farmer, and the areas concerned totalled 194 acres. Would it be possible to-find that area under wheat in the whole of Taranaki to-day?

From lime to time farmers are able to tell of freak lambs with more or less remarkable deformities, but all the accounts pale into insignificance before the experience related by a Southland farmer. In a paddock containing 2fAi ewes 50 per cent, of the lambs born were abnormal and had to be destroyed. Two heads, two tails or extra legs were carried.by more than 100 lambs—a percentage' that is probably without parai lei in the history of sheepfumnng in New Zealand.

Mr S. L. Paterson, barrister, of Auckland, has been appointed a Stipendiary Magistrate, says a Wellington message. His district is to be allocated later. Mr Paterson was l a member of the firm of Meredith, Pat"erson and Hubble. He was born.at Napier and educated at Chiistehureh. He obtained his degree at Canterbury College in 1916, in which yc'ar he was admitted as a barrister.and solicitor. Mr Paterson served with the N.Z.E.F. from 1916 to 1918.

On Ardmore station, near Djara, in the far back of New South WaJes, the Rochdale. Pastoral Company has been hand-feeding 900 rams on maize for the last nine months. One quite unexpected result is that the back teeth of some of the rams have grown to such an inordinate length as to prevent them from shutting 'their mouths. ' It is ,said thaWieep chew maize with their front teeth, and the back teeth, no longer ground down by use, keep on growing until they look like small tusks. The manager of the station has had to pull the back teeth of large numbers of rams in so the report says.