Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928.

Shannon News, 7 December 1928, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928.

The membership ' of the Shannon Tennis Club has nearly reached the century mark this season. Last evening there were over fifty players on the courts: The Shannon friends of Mrs Cfyril Hardie, who resides in Wanganui, will be sorry to learn that, while on a visit to Wellington, she was taken ill and had to enter a hospital there for treatment. This evening a danee organised by the Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade will be held in the Druids’ Hall. Everything has been done to assure an enjoyable evening’s dancing. As the proceeds are in aid of the Brigade,’s funds, it is hoped there will be a large attendance.

Mr Christian, the contractor for metalling the road to.the new bridge, has now completed his contract. Yesterday the road was being graded in preparation-for spreading the broken metal, five trucks of which have arrived at the railway station. Afrcr this metal has been put. on, it has to be rolled.

At their meeting on Monday, the members of the Shannon Volunteer Fire Brigade passed a vote of thanks to those gentlemen who donated Chairs for the new fire station. In addition to those names already published, Messrs F. Thompson and J. Roach have also donated chairs. The chairs, which were purchased from Mr A. E. Hyd?, have been installed in the building.

There wa3 a good, attendance of members at the quarterly meeting- of the Shannon branch of the Plunket Society, held in the rooms in Stout Street* on Monday afternoon, when the Nurse’s report was received and routine business transacted. It was decided to hold a garden party and baby show in February. Mrs Cole generously granting the use of her grounds for the purpose. In connection with the b?iby show good prices are to be offered. At the conclusion of the business, the 1 president, Mrs Clifford Jones, entertained the members and Advisory Board to a uainty afternoon tea. During the month, H;3 'children and adults visited'the Pluhlcet rooms.

The Rotorua Chronicle says that Messrs A. and R.. B. Pooley and party fishing in Lake Tarawera last week, took 38 fish the bulk of which were in good' condition. They also took six out of Bake Rotorua, one about 41b, in perfect condition, and the rest small but well filled out. The lakes are everywhere reported as very high and Rotoma shows no signs of ceasing to encroach on the forest country.

The Woodville Summer Meeting has always been a try-out for the big holiday events, such as the Auckland Cup and Railway -and the Manawatu Cup, and it is quite possible that the winders of some of these events are concealed in the fields for the approaching meeting. The two-year olds also are a likely-looking lot, some of them almost, if not quite, untried, and it is more than likely that it will well repay race-goers to watch the form shoAvn there. '

A rarity, to most people, in the form of a New Zealand orchid, which has been christened the devil’s head o'r* chid, but which is known to science as Pterostylis Banksii, is now on view in one of the windows of Mr P. Meyers ’ shop, Oxford Street. The specimen is one of two which were collected by Mr G. Gapper from the bush near his home on Tararua Road, and he states that these orchids are , occasionally found as terrestrial plants in various parts of the bush fringing the Ohau river. The bloom has distinctly headlike features, with, a mouth and trailing antennae. Inside the mouth is a tongue which is sensitive, disappearing for a time after being touched. A small insect visits these orchids, ’ey which it is trapped until it is covered with pollen, then being released to carry the fertilising element to another flower of the same species. Nature’s ingenuity is well-known in this case. Ir. passing along the channel to freedom the insect must, first strike the viscid stigma, then the anthers. The back of the insect is rendered sticky, so that it carries off pollen to the next flower it visits. The bloom is quite a distinguished one, for while the major portion of it, is of a pale green colour the antennae are of a delicate pink. It world doubtless be much prized by the cultivators of botanical curiosities.

It is predicted that the price of fat lamb in South Canterbury this season will' open at about lOd per lb.

It is estimated that the area of native forest in New Zealand to-dav id about one-third of what it was in 1840.

Advice has been received that Peltier 1 , 'German middlSe-'flisitance runner, has'accepted ah invitation by the Victoria Amateur Athletic Association to tour this season, and on his. recommendation Gorts, a sprinter, has also been invited. Steps are being taken to extend their tour to New Zealand.

A resident of Ponsouby, Mr J. Rogers, a passenger from Sydney, disappeared from the Maunganui at 9 p.m. on Saturday, a few hours after the vessel left Sydney. He had been walking the deck' talking with fellow passengers apparently in hi's usual health. The night was calm with no ■heavy sea. Next morning he was missed and a diligent search was made but no trace of him was found. —Press Association.

The R-angitikei County Council received'a bombshell 'at its meeting on Wednesday when its engineer (Mr S. A. R. Mair)tendered his resignation after 30 years’ service. Mr Mair is recognised as one of the foremost local body engineers in the Dominion; He is at present a member of the Local Bodies Loan Board, an office/ to which he was appointed, no doubt, in recognition of his ability to render the Government practical service in view of his long and varied experience.

Whitebait is appearing along the shores and creeks at Stewart Island this year in what appears to.be an endless stream. No one on the island seems to know much about the catching of Tvhitebait, though some of the children catch a few by crude nets of scrim. Red cod pursue the shoals right into flrejsh water and up; the Ohekia River great numbers of shags are fattening on the little fish. , The water in the rivers is very dark in colour, or 'no dohbt someone would turn the' fact of the prevalence of whitebait into commercial profit.

Applications are now being invited -by the Public Trustee for grants from the amount becoming available! under the T. G. Macarthy Trust for distribution tc charitable and educational Institutions in the Provincial District of Wellington. Applications must be made on special forms to be obtained from the District Public Trustee, Wellington, and must be lodged with that officer not la'tdr than the 28th February, 1929. The applications, when received, w ill be considered by the Advisory Committee set up the Board of Governor:: of the Trust. Recommendations will then be made by the Advis ory Committee to the Board of Goverrors, which finally decides on the allocation of the grant.

At the close of the weekly practice of the Carterton Methodist Choir last week, the members held a social hour, as a farewell to Mr. A. C. Kennerley, who has received an appointment in Levin. During an interval Mr. J. Preddy referred to the assistance freely rendered by Mr. Kennerley during his sojourn in Carterton, and the Rev. R. J. Liddell, on behalf of the choir, asked Mr. Kennerley to accept a fountain pen, and an enlarged photograph of the choir. The recipient suitably acknowledged the gifts and the expression of goodwill. The lady members provided supper.. On Wednesday afternoon the Carterton branch of the W.C.T.U. -farewelled Mrs. A. C. Kennerley. There was an unusually large assemblage. Opportunity was taken" to present the guest of the afternoon with some stainless cutlery, a rose bowl, and two beautiful bouij^ets. Miss Phyllis LiddelL of Carterton, (late of Otaki) has received intimation of her appointment by the Education Board to a studentship in music at the Wellington Training College, and has the honour of being the first appointee by the Board to this branch of education. 'Miss Liddell is the elder daughter of the Rev. R. «T. Liddell, is. 20 years of age, was educated at Ashburfton aud Levin High Schools, served two years as a pupil teacher in Otaki, and has completed two years’ course in Wellington Training College. She'won her A.T.C.L. teacher’s diploma in music in 1926. As a singer and piano player she has won numerous prizes at musical competitions in various . towns and cities of New Zealand. Miss Liddoii is to be heartily congratulated on "her appointment, and her many friends will wish her continued success.

A fairly good ambergris season is reported by Mr Adam Adamson, of Stewart Island. . He estimates that he has gathered about £l3O worth since August. At pnsent lie is clearing out the wreckage from a big creek which catches the ambergris and retains it among the timber, making it difficult to get at. The wreckage is mostly from the barque Emile which was wrecked many years ago. At-the bottom of the timber he came across the keel and kelson of the ill-fated ship and as this is about sft across and 4in. in depth, Mr Adamson is securing some gelignite to remove the obstruction. He states that the gale and high tide of last'month was the biggest for 15 years and a great quantity of debris came ashore. Amongst the various flotsam and jetsam he found a most peculiar small fish about din. long and 3in. deep,i It has some remarkable fins protruding from beneath and is a stranger to anyone on the island.