Shannon News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1929.

Shannon News, 12 February 1929, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1929.

Mrs B. Buelcman, who has been enjoying a holiday on the West Coast, has returned home.

Mrs M. Taylor has been elected secretary of the Women’s Institute, in succession to Mrs J. T. Bovis, who was compelled to resign owing to illhealth.

Mr C. Chapman, of the clerical staff at the Shannon railway station, commenced his annual leave yesterday, which he will spend in Wellington ana Hawke’s Bay.

The many friends of Mr W. Uoodwin, Kingston Road, will be pleased to hear that he has fully recovered from his recent illness and has returned his home.

A complaint being received by Constable Blaikie that a Jersey bull was grazing on the road near the Kara bridge in an injured condition, he went out to investigate on Saturday morning. He found the bull had a broken leg and he had it destroyed. It is stated the animal was one of a number of cattle being driven towards Palmerston North on Tuesday last, and when it met with its injury it was left to the roadside.

The death, took place last evening at the Palmerston North Hospital of a well-known resident of Levin in the person of Mr David (George) Banks. The deceased, who was [predeceased by his wife about twelve months ago, was 68 years of age. He\ had been in failing health for some time. Mrs A. Mason, of Vance Street, is a step daughter of deceased, to whom will be extended the sympathy of her many friends in her bereavement.

A monster euchre tournament, to be held every Thursday night at 8 p.m., in Laurvig’s Hall, Ballance Street, will commence on Thursday, 14th February. The tournament is being conducted by the committee of the Shan-' non branch of the N.Z. Labour Party, and will be run on lines similar to those tournaments which have proved so successful in '(Palmerston North. Splendid prizes are being offered, viz., two 51b boxes of tea; two 251 b bags of flour; two 3s packets of tea. and a consolation prize of a gold wristlet watch. At the conclusion of the garties each night an excellent supper will be provided. The price of admission is 2s.

Mr and Mrs S. Bowker, of “Jersey Lea.” Ihakara. leave shortly upon. a visit to England. They were given a send-off on Tuesday evening by their friends and neighbours at the Ihakara Hall. A very pleasant evening resulted which 'seived the purpose of testifying to the guests the respect in which they are held in the district. Dancing was tht main feature of the evening, and with Miss Dolly- Ward, capably presiding at the piano, and Mr A. •Cottle’s ever-weleome leoncertinia, the programme went with a swing, Mr C. Furneaux acting as M.G. Just after supper, Mr Cottle made presentations ,of a cigarette tray to Mr Bowker and a se‘t of jugs to Mrs Bowker, and in doing so extended to them the good wishes of their friends for a pleasant voyage and a safe return. Mr Bowker, in acknowledging the gifts, thanked the settlers of Ihakara on behalf of his wife and himself, and said they hoped to see them all when they returned. A very enjoyable. social evening closed with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and “God Save the King.”

As the result of a woman teacher being appointed to take charge of a Canterbury country school the local comihittee has tendered its resignation in a body to the Education Board. The committee states that it realises that methods of appointment had arrived at that stage where teachers comprised the education system, and the board was merely a buffer for a committee to knock itself against.

A Scotsman and an Englishman were fishing. ‘ It was arranged that the first man,-to land a fish should stand the other a drink. After a few minutes the Scot pointed out triumphantly that his companion had something on his line. The Englishman drew it in. It was a miserable little three-inch specimen. The Scot quaffed down his drink, and then said with a sigh of satisfaction, “Weel, I think I’ll bait ma hook ’noo.”

What a complex business the managing of a country’s local affairs may be is indicated by the following figures, from the N.Z. Official Year Book, showing the classes and numbers of administrative districts in the Dominion: Counties, 129; boroughs, 119; town districts —not forming parts of 5 counties 42, forming parts of counties, 26; road districts, 20; river districts, 48; land drainage districts, 69; harbour districts, 42; hospital districts, 47; electric power districts, 43; city and suburban drainage districts, 3; tramway district, 1; local railway district, 1; water supply districts, fi; main highway districts, 18; fire districts, 49 ;j rabbit districts, 50; ga« lighting district, 1.

The resourcefulness of a driver of one of the Government buses was illustrated to bystanders on the Napier Marine Parade the other evening. A loaded bus was just about to depart for Hastings when three inebriated individuals .entered and took seats. Having regard to their condition and the feelings of other passengers, the driver asked the three to dismount. This they refused to do, but the driver was equal to the oceasicn. He drove a whole load of passengers to the police station, where a constable promptly took in charge the three men objected to.

The method of using the telephonedirectory as .an advertising (medium was severely criticised by a leading business man to a Southland News representative. “It is ridiculous, he said, “the way each page is disligured with unsightly printing along each side of numbers making it extremely difficult to see the name and number one is desirous of finding. To my mind the directory is for the use of telephone subscribers in finding numbeTS t oy require and probably eveiy, business man in Invercargill will agree with me, not a suitable place for any shopkeper to advertise his wares.’'

Having members and got most of their replies, Mr T. K. Sidiey is not hopeful of getting a full hour advance in the clock next summer, but again ,the half hour, to which there has been no terious objection raised. He is considering the attitude he will take and an announcement will- be made in < the course of a few week a. There is a proposal besides that in winter the clock should be put back half an hour. He has never advocated such a change himself. Any saving of light in the mornings would probably be moie than counter-balanced in the evenings, and in cases it would accentuate the power peak load.

A rare thrill was provided passengers by the Marama on January 19, when she was a day out from Auckland, in the Tasman Sea. The “Sydney Sun” says: “A severe bump was felt and the vessel shook. Visions of derelicts were-conjured up, and became even more intense when for a few seconds the propellers seemed to jar. There was a general rush to the after-deck to see what object was a whale. For a wide area the sea was coloured with blood, and pieces of flesh floated up at intervals. The Marini a was fitted recently with new propellers, the blades of which are still very sharp. The whale is believed to have 'struck the ship head on, to have become dazed and drifted to the stern, where the propellers literally cut it to pieces.”

The (Makeretu stream, which rises at the base of Mt. Waiopehu and joins the Ohau river near the Pipe bridge, contains some scenery of remarkable beauty. During the week-end a party, of local trampers made an excursion up this stream for about four miles, wading being necessary for the greater part of the distance. The east side of the gorge is clothed in heavy bush, splashed at intervals with the crimson of the rata flower, which is, now in full bloom, while overhanging trees and creepers break the vistas at every turn of the 'stream. After a halt for lunch on one of the beautiful upper river flats, the return trip was commenced up Goat Canyon, to Spionkop, 'above Tangirnoana, and down the ridges in a northerly direction, the Pipe Bridge being reached after a tramp of eight hours. The Makeretu stream contains numbers of trout. some of large size, while some splendid specimens of wild goats were encountered near the top of Goat Canyon.

In the course of his interesting book, “Adventures in Journalism,” Sir Philip Gibb 3, the noted author and war correspondent, writes of the time when he was attached to the staff of the London Daily Mail, owned by the late Lord Northcliffe, then Alfred Harmsworth. He says: “I remember the time When I had to see/the founder of the Salvation Army, the late General Booth, for whom I had a great respect. He was- angry with something I had written and was violent in his wrath. But then he forgave me and talked very gently and wisely of the responsibilities of journalism. Presently the old man took me by the wrist and thrust me down on my knees. “Now let us pray for Alfred Harmsworth,” said he, “and offer up a prayer for his wisdom and light.” “I don’t know what effect that prayer had upon Harmsworth” says Gibbs, “but it seemed to have immediate effect upon me, for I was sacked the next day from the Daily Mail.”.

The Ixion Motor Cycle Club, a private touring organisation in Wellington, applied by letter to the Horowhenua County Council, on Saturday, for permission to take motor-cycles on to the Waikanae Beach on February 24th,’ so that some of the members could try out the speeds of their machines, the occasion being a picnic trip. It \va3 anticipated that about forty members would tak* part in the trip., The County Chairman said that, while the club members would be welcome to make their trip to the beach, the Council should make an emphatic protest against speeding on that breach on a Sunday. There were generally two or tlire hundred people about, and the idea of motor cycles raeing up and down could no", be entertained. . Cr. Ryder: “I don’t think it should be for a moment.” The chairman added that above high-water mark there constitutionally existed a chain highway, and below high-water mark the territory was in the charge of the Marine Department. Waikanae Beach was a playground of the people on Sundays. It was a beautiful beach, and should not be interfered with; and the presence of speeding* motorists would be a menace to the children who wandered about there, often with nobody attending to them for hours at a time It was resolved not to grant the application,

“New Zealand knows nothing of the art of curing bacon,” said Mr J. \ Valentine in a lecture to school teachers in New Plymouth. The bacon in the British Isles was much superior to that of New Zealand.

A Wanganui student, who was confined to his bed, felt well enough “sit” for his matriculation examination, and was given a special supervisor who sat at ;the bedside and watched him while he worked, says the Wanganui Herald. His medical adviser called at intervals to see that lie was not taxing his strength unduly, and if it was found that the patientwas doing too much, the examination was postponed until he felt refreshed. He passed with high marks.

A study of statistics published by the Government shows that in a period of 12 years the increase in the population of the Levin borough has been equivalent to 58.28 per cent. At the same rate of increase the population in 10 years’ time will be about four thousand, but an increasing ratio will probably be experienced in the next few years. At the census tff 1916 the number of inhabitants was 16o0; in 1922 it had risen to 2052; and iu 1925 it was 2250. In the three following years the figures were: 1926, 2362; 1927, 2550; 1928, 2580. Among other boroughs which approximated the status of Levin last year were: Northcote, 2465; Pukekohe, 2440; Te Kuiti, 2460; Taumarunui, 2450; Te Aroha, 2390; and Taihape, 2475. Marton was a little bigger, with 2775 inhabitants.

Two lads, James Campbell and Vernon Hopcroft, both pupils of the Palmerston Norths Boys’ High School, boated down the Manawatu River from Palmerston to the Manawatu Heads last week, making the trip m a flat-bottomed boat. Their journey took three days, but was not rushed. They set out from Palmerston North at midday on Wednesday, equipped with a camping outfit and' plenty ot provisions. Two sack sails were also part of the equipment, but for some forty odd miles the pair had to take to the oars owing to unfavourable winds and lack of current. Foxton was reached on Friday evening when camp was pitched at Robinson’s Bend just below the town and the following morning the adventurers completed their journey to the beach and later in the day returned to Foxton where they were met by a car and returned to their homes. The boat will be conveyed, hack to Palmerston North by lorry.—Herald.

Two Anglo-Chinese weddings took place on Wednesday. At St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at Palmerston, George. Wong Yew, of Auckland, son of Dr,. Wong Dunn Yew, of Canton, China, and Edith Helen Birkinshaw, daughter cf Mr T. C. Birkiashaw, of Palmerston North, were married in the presence of a large congregation. Miss V, A. Allen, of Palmerston North made a pretty bridesmaid. The bridegroom had in attendance Mr B. J. Huen, of Auckland. The Rev. G. T, Brown, M.A., performed the ceremony, while the Mayor of Palmerston, Mr A. J. Graham, presided at the organ,. After an extensive motor tour of the South Island, the happy couple will leave for a honeymofin tour of the East. On returning to New Zealand they will take up their residence in Auckland., At Wellington, the < wedding was solemnised in the Anglican Chinese Mission Church, Wednesday, of Herbert Kwok, of Wellington, to Ida Low, of Blenheim. The service wa3 solemnised by the Rev. F. B. Redgrave, general secretary of the New Zealand Board of Missions, assisted by the Anglican Chinese Missiouer (Mr Wong Tze). The 'bride was attended by, as bridesmaids, Misses Mollie and Nettie Low, in mauve crepe do chine, and Miss Ida Chong in pale blue crepe t de chine. Mr Dick Kwok acted as best man, with Mr Chan Gang as groomsman. After the ceremony the guests were entertained to a breakfast in the 'Chinese Masonic Hall.