Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1929.

Shannon News, 8 February 1929, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1929.

It'was decided by the School Committee last evening that the annual school picnic be held at- Plimmerton on Saturday, 23rd February.

The Borough roadman, Mr F. Haley, left for Wellington yesterday to enquire into matters relating to footpath formation and to gain knowledge in the various methods of tar-sealing.

Miss Steven, of St. Faith's Mission, a North China Mission at Peking, who has been staying with Mr and Mrs J. Eyrie, Buckley, left for Napier on Wednesday.

Tenders are invited in this issue for the erection of a Dental Clinic at the District High School, Levin,. Plans and specifications can be seen at the residence of Mr H. V. Hudson, Plimmer Terrace.

Those in search of bargains in footwear should take advantage of those offering by A. and E. Hyde in this issue. The firm state that they must have money and are going to make big sacrifices; therefore they are making, slashing reductions in all lines.

The headmaster, Mr A. T. White, reported at last night's meeting of the School Committee that the admissions on the opening of the School were satisfactoiy, the withdrawals being less. The attendance was 301, quite a number of little ones having started.

In connection with ' the proposed dental clinic, the Education Board have submitted to the School Committee a ground plan of the building, but it was decided last evening to write to the Board asking them to furnish more complete plans and specifications of the type B dental clinic, so that tenders can be called.

At midday yesterday a motor car proceeding down Ballance Street collided with the "silent policeman" at rhe Plimmer Terrace Corner. The driver's attention being attracted by the signpost opposite, he did not notice the "policemen," which the car struck and twisted.. The number plate on the ear was knocked off and the silencer broken.

At a special meeting of members of the Shannon branch of the Plunket Society held on Tuesday evening 5t was decided to hold a garden party and baby j show on Wednesday, 27th February, in aid of funds for the branch. Mrs Cole very kindly granted the use of her grounds at Otaura for the purpose. In .connection with the baby show, the Mayoress of Levin, Mrs Hobson, has consented to do the judging. The competitions are open for all babies, Plunket or otherwise, prizes for boy and girl to be awarded in each class. There will also be refreshment stalls, competitions and races for the children, full particulars of which -will be advertised in these columns later.

It is reported that a roadman, working about ton miles from Wanganui, came upon a kiwi sitting on two eggs, but his dog killed the bird before he recognised it. A young kiwi about to be hatched was found in one egg, which was broken, and the man took the other home, placing it under a sitting hen in the hope of hatching it, but without success.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Cooksley, Miss Tracy and Mr. N. M. Thomson made an ascent of West Peak on Sunday and obtained some very fine views, also lovely specimens of Native flowers. The Otaki-ites met a party of 18 from Wellington, who had made the trip across in delightful weather. The Wellingtonians were motored into Otaki by Mr. Cooksley and departed by train in the afternoon for their homes. The outing was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers Association has passed the following resolution (states a Press telegram from Hastings):—'' This meeting protests against the action of a small minority of growers in. their endeavour to in fluenee the Government to interfere with the working of the N.Z. Fruit Export Control Board, and pledges itself to support the Board in the continuance of its present policy for marketing New Zealand fruit overseas. "

Mosquitoes are unusually prevalent in Christ church this season. The matter was referred to at a meeting of the Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society on Wednesday last, when a member drew attention to a. complaint made concerning the annoyance caused to hospital patients by mosquitoes, said to come from the Acclimatisation- Society's garden adjoining the hospital. The curator said that the ponds were cleaned out regularly and that the insets were no worse than usual. "The wet December has been responsible for the pest," said a ' member, another adding that mosquitoes had made themselves a nuis' ance at the Selwyn this season.

Two-tooth ewes are in strong demand hud last week a Southern buyer paid £2 a head for a line of 130 in the paddock at Taumarunui.

The rainfall in Otaki on Saturday night and Sunday morning was exceptionally heavy, the total fall for the few hours being 1.67 in.

The Samoa Times of recent date says the wives of Apia bowlers gave a send-off to Mrs G. P. Brown (formerly of Levin), who is leaving Samoa after a residence there of over eigh'; years. The gathering was held at the home of Mrs A. L. Braisby, in Vaiala-, and a most enjoyable time was passed hi converse and games.

The carnival which the Levin Amateur Swimming- and Life-Saving Club is arranging will be held at the Corona tion Baths on Monday evening, commencing at a-quarter to eight. A good list of entries is assured, and among those taking part will be competitors from Paekakariki, besides Levin and Koput'aroa swimme.s..

A cable from London says that Miss Nellie Scanlan, a New Zealand journalist, won a £2OO prize offered by the "Daily Express" for the best film criticism written on a postcard. Miss Scanlan is a Palmerstonian who is now on tour abroad in the interests of a group of Dominion and Australian papers.

The Samoan Times, of recent date says: Samoans in "Miau" uniform were to be seen along Apia beach front yesterday, coincident with the arrival in Apia of the stamer from New Zealand. It was the usual monthly "demonstration." Other members of th; "Mau," minus uniform, also were to be seyn on "the beach'' yesterday. They were doing useful work, under custody of policemen, as prisoners sentenced for contempt of cSurt in having disobeyed ordeis that they pay their taxes. ' '

The game of cricket, now very much in the public eye, has not always been so much respected as it is at present. There was a time when English kings looked upon it with disfavour, because like bowls, it interfered with the practice of archery. Edward VI, in 1477, threatened to imprison for three years anyone who permitted the game to be played on his grounds, and to fine him £2O. The players were also subject to a fine of £lO, and the game was denounced as low and vulgar. How time changes customs!

A position as time-keeper and paymaster to the Takapuna- Borough Council (Auckland) at' £250 a year has attracted no fewer than 210 applicants. At the meeting of the council en Wednesday evening of last week, Mr J. W,. Hayden said that in his 16 years' experience of local body administration he had never " been so much besieged by pitiable aspirants for a job. Most of the applicants were unfit for hard manual'"labour. , They included lawyers, doctors, and other men of education. It was time that the Government took up the matter and made provision for the unemployment situation. The applications were referred to a committee, with instructions to submit six names to the council.

"I don't know whether I should start this practice of suppressing all names* until some evidence is heard, said Mr. W. E. MeKeen, S.M., when an application was made by Mr. Moody in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland for the suppression of the name of a man on remand on an indictable charge. Mr. Moody agreed that the request was becoming rather burdensome. "It is getting burdensome, but I suppose I cannot reasonably refuse until I know something of the circumstances," said the Magistrate. Later the Magistrate refused to make an order in the case of three youths who were summarily dealt with for theft. "Publicity is a deterrent, and it is coming to a question of refusing in all cases,'' remarked Mr. MeKean.

"I think you may look for rather a better average of prices over the next six years than you have had in that past period," said Sir Thomas Clement at a luncheon tendered him by the Hauraki Plains Dairy' Company on Friday last. "As far as I can forecast the future outlook of the world's dairying countries," said Sir Thomas, "I cannot see any likelihood of a great increase in production, but you may hav r J a decrease. Those who can afford to get out of the industry are doing so and the burden of having to work twice a day is driving others out. It is reasonable to hope, however, that high prices for produce and better conditions in the labour market will encourage new entrants to the industry in sufficiently strong numbers to compensate for any decrease in output caused by those retiring from the industry."

Blackberries are ripening fast, and many peaple are already indulging in picking the luscious berries that grow so profusely in the Waikato. Some lady visitors to Cambridge, two hailing from Christchureh, will long remember their experiences of blackberrying the other day. They saw a great clump of berries, and were enjoying themselves immensely in gathering :and easing the berries, when suddenly one of ths ladies, by no means of the slender type, fell headlong into a deep drain,, over which tha brambles had grown. Her two companions managed to secure hold of a hand each, and then 'commenced a desperate struggle. Twice the lady was hoisted almost to safety When the fell again, and each time the briars pricked more savagely. Just when the ladies were almost in despair, a man ; happened along, and with his aid the ; lady was extricated. She has been busily engaged for the past few days j in attending to slight wounds and en- \ deavouring to pull out thorns. She ] ■ declares that blackberries are an in- j vention of the evil one.—lndependent. '

Arne Borg, the world's champion swimmer, arrives in Wellington on March sth, leaving Auckland about the 12th for Vancouver.

Identified.—The foreman looked him up and down. "A*e you a mechanic?" be asked. "No, sorr," was the answer; "O'im a McCarthy."—Montreal Star. *

The lady swimmers, Miss- Stoekley (Auckland) and Miss Miller (Wellington), with a diver to be selected, will tour the South Island this month. They are to coach school children wherever possible. The champion, Camerou (Wellington) tours the North Island — Napier, Februaiy 12; Waitemata, Febluary 19th; Wanganui, February 20, and then goej to the South Island.

A man mortgaged his home to buy n : motor car. Then he went around and tried to mortgage the car to get money to build a garage. "How are you going to buy petrol?" curiously inquired the man of whom the loan was asked. "Well," replied the other slowly, "If I cwn a house, a car and a garage I should* think my dealer would be willing to trust me for petrol."

"Unlucky" ships and houses have been joined by "unlucky" motorcars (says an exchange). An owner of one car, who was involved in three costly accidents within the space of nine months, decided to. get rid of it. On its passing into the possession of the new owner, only five days went by before it evinced signs of persisting in being '' unlucky," for it ran over and seriously injured a woman — the wife of the car's old owner!

Eit of pure Australian from' a Sydney paper:-Five life-savers at Bondi Beach, after swimming ,six hundred yards out in a boiling surf to rescue a man whom they thought to be in difficulties, discovered that he was a champion swimmer on 'holiday from New Zealand. .First life-saver: "There's a bloke looks ' like he's drowning about half a mile out." Second lifertea-sjer: "Ar, that'll be the bloke from New Zealand." First lifesaver (five minutes later): "He's sunk." Second life-saver: "Ar, well, it musta been another bloke."

A set of new bronze and silver coins issued by the Irish Free State has been received by the New Zealand Government. These are in- the denomination of farthing, half-penny, penny,- threepence, sixpence, shilling, florin and half-crown. On one side the coins display an emblematic ' harp and on the reverse such figures as a horse, a pig, a fish, a bull, a hare, and a greyhound. There is no imprint of the reigning Sovereign. The collection will be placed .in the General Assembly Library, pending its removal to the National Museum.

An evidence of the extent of river erosion that must be going on at the Tangimoana seaside resort was given at the annual meeting of the Manawatu Babbit Board on Thursday, when the secretary asked authority to write off one or two small amounts in the nature of uncollectable rates. He explained that rate demands had been sent out to certain seetion holders at Tangimoana who had replied that the Board had better request settlement from the Eangitikei River as the sections had been washed away by the liver and carried out to sea.

The gang of men employed by the Manawatu Coiinty Council on the Foxton-llimatangi highway are making s-plendid progress with the new alignment and formation work. Modern machinery is utilised and at the present rate of progress this section should be completed by June next. It will I be months, however, before the "hpt mix" is applied. The Council is conveying metal from the Terrace End pit at Palmerston by rail per medium of locomotive and trucks Most of the men employed are from Foxton. Traffic is not diverted while the work is in progress.—Herald.

A cutting retort by a witness turned the tables on counsel at a sitting of the omnibus licencing authority in Napier the other day. The witness had been reciting many complaints regarding the Napier-Hastings bus service, the buses provided, and was asked why he had not entered 11 formal complaint to the proper authorities. He said he thought il; useless to complain $0 the Governjmeint. "Yum thought they were tough nuts," suggested Mr M. Dcnnchy, counsel for the Railway Deparfrmont. .'"Yes," responded the witness, "and they are very fittingly represented."

It was reported at last meeting of the Wellington Education Board that an address derogatory to education boards and advocating centralisation in the Department had been delivered to liotarians at Palmerston North by the Director of Education (Mr T. B. Strong). Members expressed resentment and decided to ask Mr Strong to send a report of his remarks to the board. The Wanganui Board has also asked Mr Strong to allow his address to be published in order that his views may be discussed publicly. When deeding his address, it is alleged that the Director asked the press representatives not to publish his statements.

Keen disappointment has been experienced by those responsible for the experiments in tobacco culture in Pov erty Bay, through the complete ruin of the best efforts obtained in the course of their efforts (says the Herald). Half-an-acre of well-grown tobacco plants at Puha had been regarded with iSome ■ satisfaction until the end of last "week, for apparently the plants had been doing well, and there was a prospecjt of a fair crop, but a hailstorm late in the week cut the leaves of the plants to ribbons, and,in some cases left nothing but tha ribs hanging fiom the stalks. Other crops in-the district suffered, "the Maoris' pumpkin plantations being battered to an unusual degree.