Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1929.

Shannon News, 22 February 1929, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1929.

Mrs Rawlinson and- Miss R. Christophersen motored through to Napier during the Aveek-end and report having had an enjoyable trip.

The friends of Mr and Mrs J. Roach will be pleased to learn that their little daughter June, who has been very ill following an operation, is hoav on the road to recovery.

It Avas reported at the Council meeting on Tuesday evening that arrangements have been made Avith Madge Bros, to carry the mail betrveen Shannon and Foxton Aia Moiitoa.

. As the Mayor and Toavii Clerk will be attending the Municipal Associa* tions Conference at Wanganui on March sth, the next meeting of the Borough Council will not be held until Tuesday,. 19th March.

The annual school picnic will be held at . Plimmerton to-morroAV. A special train ■ leaves at 8.20 v p.m. and all those Avho are making the journey are asked to purchase their tickets today from Misses Baxter’s or A- E. Hyde’s, thereby saving defay in the morning. The fares arc: Adults 4/6, senior scholars 3/-, children under five years 1/-, school children free.

At a special meeting of the Plunket Society to further arrangememts for the forthcoming garden party and baby show, to be held in Mr Woods’ garden at Otaura on Wednesday, 27th February, members reported a - good response to the canvass for donations of eatables and produce for the stalls. A final meeting will be held in the Plunket rooms on Monday evening, when all those who are willing to assist with the gathering are invited to attend.

We deeply regret to have to announce the death of Olwyen Grace, the youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs William Easton, of Foxton Road, Levin, and late of Buckley, Shannon, the sad event occurring on Tuesday after a short illness, the cause of death being enteritis. She was only ill a few days, but despite every care and attention she passed away. The little girl, who was * twelve years of age, was well-known in Shannon. Mr and Mrs Easton will have the assurance of a very wide and sincere sympathy in the great- loss that has be-' fallen them.

There was a goorl attendance at the usual monthly meeting of members of the Women’s Institute held on Wednesday afternoon. After routine business had been transacted and nominations received of officials and committees .for the ensuing year, the afternoon was spent in community singing arranged by Mrs Pareell and competitions, the latter being won by Mesdaitfes Butt, Terry and Bovis. The roll call this month was “How to Make Money,” which drew forth quite a variety of interesting ideas. Afternoon tea was served and before adjourning arrangements were discussed for the Institute’s birthday party on March 22nd.

A request by, Cr. Downes at the Council iimetlng on Tuesday evening, on behalf of L a o ratepayers in Stafford Street asked that a grant of S 9» be made to each of them, as in a previous case, towards the cost of putting their land in order, due to the Council putting watennains through their property. It was pointed out by the Council that the grants made were to those owners who had signed the easement and the parties in question had purchased their properties since the easements were signed. The opinion was expressed that the previous owners should compensate the present owners. Ci;. Downes contended that although one Vxf the ratepayers did not sign the easement, he was in occupation when the fpipes |Were laid' and was entitled to the same grant as those who signed the easement. Af- ! ter a lengthy discussion an amendment i was carried, “That the matter?- agai* come up for discussion in six months’ time. ” -

The cost of the special train which took the Levin District High School excursion to Plimmerton yesterday, was £ll2.

'The learn to swim campaign commenced at Hastings last evening when about.three hundred pupils both children and adults enrolled.

< ‘ The effects of having too many signposts on one's roads is that motorists will not bother to read them," states a Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association: member.

Summertime will come to an end in four weeks and on Sunday, March 17, clocks throughout the Dominion will be put back half an hour. The advance was made on Sunday, October 14. The Act expires on September 30 next.

An Auckland syndicate is investigating the possibilities of establishing a sarejine industry). ,The ‘discovery is claimed to have been made that the true sardine, of which the Mediterranean'Sea has hitherto.been the chief known habitat, teems in the Hauraki Gulf, and is also to be found in large quantities on other parts of the New Zealand coast.

The Manawatu A. and P. Association is anxious that a party of South Island farmers which will shortly tour the North Island and yisit thq Waikato Winter Show, should also visit Palmerston North. ' According to 'advice received at yesterday's meeting of the general committee, the Railway Department, is taking steps to approach the associations concerned in the tour with a view to having- Palmerston North included in the itinerary’.

A correspondent writes to the Waikato Independent:—“l notice that many farmers are cutting ragfwort with mowing machines. This means spreading the plant pn the mower’s own farm, without sparing his neighbour!. The reason for this is that if cut very low a plant- shoots up from each fibre, whereas if cut high through the stalk each plant w T ill at least remain single and not multiply. This hint might be useful to farmers who are now engaged in cutting.’’

“One went past my place just as I was getting to sleep," said Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M-, ,in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch, When dealing with the case of a man who was prosecuted for having a noisy exhaust on liis motor cycle. “If I could-have stuck him up, I would have fined him £5 without taking him to Court!" “You have my sympathy, sir,’ ’ said Chief Traffic Inspector Macintosh, wit.'i a smile. .“I went out in my night attire to try to catch one once."

. Members of the Railway officers’ ■picnic, who travelled to Motuihi by the steamer Pitoitoi, caught an interesting glimpse of a natural tragedy says the Auckland Star. Off Rangitoto a loud splash attracted attention, and a big shark was seen to leap clear out of the water. In ‘‘its mouth it held a large seagull, apparently the prey for which it had made a lightning raid into the air. For a moment the whole body of the shark was visible, as it somersaulted in the air, and dived back into its native element. The fisherman of the party reckoned that it was between Bft and 9ft long.

The menace to trout caused by cels has been discussed to some extent by acclimatisation societies in the Taranaki district, in consequence of the proposed petition of the Maoris to Parliament. There is alarm among the Maoris at the active war being waged on the eels. There is no doubt jeeljs are destructive and a menace to trout. They appear to be able to mesmerise trout. Anglers, while fishing, have repeatedly seen an eel come upstream to where a cast was being made for trcut, and the latter appeared unable to get away, and to fall an easy prey. Cases have been note'd also where the eel follows up the female trout during spawning time and secures the eggs just after they have been laid and covered in the soft mud or sand.

The weekly euchre tourney held under the auspices of the Shannon branch of the N.Z, Labour Party, toot! place last evening and again drew a large attendance. The games were close throughout, patrons spending an enjoyable time. At the conclusion of play an excellent supper was served. Following are the winners for the evening’s play:—Ladies: Mrs McLaggau, 51b box of tea; Miss E. H. McKenzie, 251 b of flour, Mrs Christophersen, 1 lb of tea. Gents: Mr K. Carter, 51b box of tea; Mr G. Freemaii, 251 b bag of flour; Mr L. F. Richardson, lib of tea. The following became eligible to compete at the end of the session for' the gold watch: — Mesdames Hennessey and Hyde and Miss E. M. McKenzie and Messrs F. Wilson and W. Forbes.

Should a tomato be classified as a fruit or a vegetable? This point has been argued time and again. Discussing this point, the Fruitgrower points out that a’judge of one of the city Courts in America ga\A a ruling iu 1915 so far as the tomato is concerned that may be accepted as safe and correct. Arrested for selling “vegetables” in such a manner and at such a time as to violate a local ordinance, a woman pleaded that it was tomatoes that she was retailing, and a tomato was a fruit, not a vegetable. The Judge ruled in her favour, quoting as the basis of his judgment from Joseph Y. Bergen’s “Foundation of Botany,” which states: “A fruit is the ripened ovary of a flowering plant with its content; and whatever parts are consolidated or intimately connected with it.” A few illustrations may help to elucidate this statement,. A .tomato, cucumber, apple, pear, peach, orange and the like, and the “apple” of the potato arc all fruits, because they are composed of the ripened ovaries of flowering plants and surrounding flesh.