Shannon News TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1929.

Shannon News, 24 September 1929, Page 2

Shannon News TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1929.

A shock of earthquake was' felt in Shannon at 2.10 this morning.

Mr Les. Dalzell left for Westport on Saturday, where he will join his parents.

The local Girl Guides had their first outing on Saturday when they visited Mangaore and scaled the hill. The experience proved very enjoyable.

All those interested in forming a cricket club in Shannon are lequested to attend a practice in the Domain on Saturday next at 2 p.m.

The Street Stall conducted on Saturday by the Shannon Athletic Club proved quite successful, the sum of £ls 18s 4d being netted towards the fund for parmanent surfacing the cycle track in the Domain. During the day a number of competitions were held, the winners being as follows: Iced cake, Mrs Waldon; No. '1 dinner, Mr B. Tremewan; No. 2 dinner, Mr P-. Cole; cup and saucer, Alistei Brown; sack potatoes, Mr J. Curran, jun. The committee wish to thank the public for their support also all those persons who forwarded donations.

At the conclusion of business on Saturday morning the employees of the Shannon Co-operative Dairy Co's factory and store gathered together to bid faivwell to Mr W. A. Lankshear, who Ivas been an employee in the store department ;for the past four years and is leaving to take up a position in Wellington. Mr Cronquest, in tendering the regrets of the staff at Mr Lankshear'3 severance from the company, iaid they had always found him a most able man and during his connection with the stores department, he had by his pleasant manner and the courteous treatment of customers gained the goodwill and esteem of all. He asked him to accept a small token in the form of a smoker's companion which be hoped would always remind him of the pleasant times he had spent with his fellow employees at Shannon. In conclusion he extended to Mr Lankshear the best wishes of all for his future happiness and • success in his new position. The latter suitably returned thanks.

On Thursday evening Mrs C. Hall, who leaves to-day for Eaetihi, was tendered a farewell by th 3 employees of Miranui, Ltd. There was a large gathering of visitors, .showing the high esteem in which Mrs Hall is heloTln this district. During the evening the secretary of the Miranui Co-operative Society (Mr J T Bovis) expressed the society's regret at Mrs Hall's departure, and wished her every happiness in her new home. He asked her to accept as a token of esteem a handsome chiming clock. Mr A. Gillespie suitably replied on behalf of Mrs Hall. Apologies fcr absence were received from Mr A. Seifert (Palmerston North) and Mr W. G. Stewart (Eaetihi). The arrangements for the entertainment of the guests were in the hands of Mesd.ames Best, Guerin and Gillespie. Progressive euchre and dancing made a very enjoyable evening. Mrs Hall was the recipient of a beautiful basket of flowers presented by Mr W. Chase, and also dainty posies by' the small da'ugh ters of Mr and Mrs Best, and Master W. Guerin.

Mr Geo. Nahkies, of the clerical branch at the local railway station, who leaves to-day on transfer to Palmerston North, Avas farewelled last evening at Laurvig's Hall by members of the railway staff and business men of Shannon. After the usual toa3ts had been honoured Mr Todd, who presided, after expressing regret at Mr Nahkies' depart u:t\ paid a splendid tribute to him -both as a railway official and as a friend, pointing out that he was always courteous and obliging, not only to the travelling public, but with his fellow men, nothing was too much trouble for him. They were all sorry he was leaving, but they felt sure that with his ability and fine qualities he would rise high in the service of the department. A. similar tribute was paid the guest by Messrs W. N. Brown, A. Mason, H. Blaikie, J. T. and C. C. Franks. Mr Todd then handed to Mr Nahkies a beautiful eight-day chiming clock and for Mrs Nahkies a pyrex set which he said was ■ accompanied by the wish of all that they would enjoy every happiness in their new home and that Mr Nahkies would always meet with success in his journey through life. The recipient suitably thanked the speakers for their kind remarks and good wishes.

A net cast at Shoal Bay, Auckland, was bulging and- heavy when two fishermen hauled it in, but somewhat to their surprise they found that the haul consisted of 97 sharks, which ranged from 6ft. in length downwards. There were no other fish in '..he net. The fishermen were more than disappointed with the result of the catch, for small sharks, which are more popularly known as dogfish, are not much in demand, public taste in Auckland not running in that direction. It is said that a piece of dogfish, nicely boiled, or fried with dripping, is quite good eating, and might easily be mistaken for a fillet of something else, says the Star.

Speaking at the Lunch Club yesterday, Mr M. A. Eliott stated that in the United States one could get permission to see an operation being performed in the hospitals. He knew of no other country where such a practice obtained.

Over 700 school children have been supplied with cocoa each day for 11 weeks this winter from the free cocoa fund of the Auckland City Schools Committee. The total receipts for the fund amount to £6l, and there has been an expenditure of £56.

A total of 825 unemployed men was registered with the Government Labour Bureau at Auckland on Saturday, compared with 800 for the previous week. Of last week's total 669 were classed as fit for heavy work and 156 as suited to light employment only. One hundred and sixty-seven were placed in work last week.

On his farm in the Tararua range 3, Aokautere, Mr A. K. Greves has discovered a particularly fine specimen of an old Maori adze at an altitude of about 1200 feet, above sea level. The adze, which'proves conclusively that Maoris roamed the heights, was found half buried in the surface of the ground and when removed; was found to have been blackened by forest fires that ravaged the ranges years ago.

"It may not seem a very sanctified thing to go sniffing down a drain to see if it is properly ventilated,'' said the Rev. G. T. Brown in addressing Borough Councillors at St. Andrew's •Church at Palmerston. "Yet that in its place may be sacred as preaching a sermon, or conducting a prayer meeting. Everything that concerns the betterment of the city concerns Jesus Christ.

Creditors of a well-known business man —not 100 miles from Milton (Otago)—whose sudden disappearance from his haunts under mysterious circumstances about 12 months ago aroused much speculation (reports the Bruce Herald) were agreeably surprised to receive last week advice from a Dunedin firm of solicitors asking for particulars of their claims, accompanied with a pleasant intimation that cheques would shortly bs forwarded in payment.

Judging by the muddy state of the Bullor River, which has not run clear since the earthquake, as every shower of rain brings more streams over mudstrewn fields, there will be no need for the Government to t declare a close season for whitebait fishing, says a Westpjrt paper. Almost any whitebait caught so far has been by blind stabbing. Many fishers who usually by this time have a few pounds in pocket-have not this season earned a penny from the industry.

Dunedin enjoys the unenviable distinction of .providing the largest number of chimney fires in the Dominion, according to a report submitted to the Fire Board meeting there by Superintendent Salmon, In a report covering fifty fire board districts it was shown that for the year ended March 31 last there had been 354 chimney fires, and Dunedin easily headed the list with a total of 124. Wellington came next with 65, then Auckland with 21, and Christchurch with 15. Surprise was expressed at these figures, and it was decided that the instituting of more frequent prosecutions in the case of chimney fires should be left to the discretion of the brigade superintendent.

The wonders of radio have again been demonstrated. Admitted to tho Western Suburbs Hospital, Sydney, recently, was a deaf mute. In his 30 years of life, he had uttered only two words —''father" and "mother," which he pronounced "f utter" and "mutter." He had never once heard the spoken word. As soon as he was placed in his bed, a nurse fitted radio earphones to his ear. The man sat bolt upright, "Ramona" was on the air, and he could hear it—the flist sound he had ever heard! His face lit up with pleasure and> from then till the .'time of his discharge, lie had those earphones clamped'to his ears whenever the stations were broadcasting. He is stil! deaf to all sounds except those which come through the eaiphones.

'"Everybody knows," • s.iys the Christchurch Star, "that the reorganisation and reconstruction of railway workshops put in hand by the Reform Government was one of the most unnecessary and extravagant jobs ever authorised in New Zealand. Moreover, it ia costing a round half million more than the. original estimate, or about £2,350,000 all told. We have got the system so highly specialised and systematised at certain points, that it is necessary to send rolling stock from Canterbury to Dunedin for comparatively small repairs, and to bring rolling stock from Dunedin to Canterbury for other small repairs. This is a beautiful example of specialised inefficiency, and the worst of it is that there appears to be no way iout of it for the present."

At last meeting of the Moutoa Drainage Board the chairman (Mr J. Chrystall) referred to the fact that a number of settlers in the Moutoa district bad adopted a "self-help" attitude in connection with flood protection work, and by voluntary labour had erected a substantial bank near the site of the old Shannon Bridge, effectively filling the breach caused in the old bank by recent floods. From figures that he had obtained he was able to inform the meeting that the settlers had expended £2Bl 8s 4d on wages, reckoned at 14s per day and £379 12s Id on horse feed, at 10s per day for a two-horse team. The number of days worked (man, team and scoop) were 241£. Members expressed the opinion that had the breach in the bank not been filled so promptly thousands of acres of farm lands would to-day be under water.

The German railways are installing an electrical device at level crossings, which, it is claimed, will hold up a train unless the passage is clear.

According to the headmasters of the six Palmerston North schools, basketball is to be preferred to hockey as a game for primary schoolgirls.

The wettest day ever recorded was June 14th, 1876, at Cherrapunji, in Assam. Over forty inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours.

The Pohangina County Council has discovered a seam of fine metal on a -cliff at the roadside, which is unique in colour at least. It is of deep chrome iyellow., and seems to be An ideal road material. Four miles of Mount Richards road from Coal Creek to Port 'I corner is being given a three-inch coating of it.

The Bush Dairy Companies Association passed a resolution that the proposals of the Employees' Federation were quite impracticable for working purposes and in the Association's opinion they should be rejected. The industry should reiterate its claim for total exemption from the operations of the Arbitration Act.—Pahiatua Press Association telegram.

The trout fishing season for the Wellington Acclimatisation Society's district will open on Tuesday, October Ist, and will close, as usual, on April 30th. These dates apply to the rest of New Zealand, with the exception of the Government-controlled waters at Rotorua and Taupo, where the season will open a month later (November Ist), and elose on May 31st.

Mr. R. Semple, M.P., has resigned his office as secretary to the General Labourers' Union owing to ill-health. When elected to Parliament he only accepted re-election as secretary on condition that he received no salary, but after nine months' work felt compelled to relinquish the duties. On the resignation being accepted a cheque was handed to Mr. Semple in appreciation of his services, and Mr. P. Butler was elec'ted to the vacancy.

To accommodate the growing fleet of light aeroplanes at the Mangere aerodrome the Auckland Aero Club has decided to erect another hangar for two machines (states the "Herald"). ! The building will be constructed in sections, to permit its easy removal. The present hangar is fully taxed with three club Moths and one private machine. Next week the fourth club Moth will arrive in Auckland, and this and a privately owned Moth which is expected this month will be housed in the new hangar. *

"What did you find the most remarkable feature of Japan?" a returned New Zealander was asked. '' The population," came the traveller's answer." ' There are 10,000,000 of them in a country which is the same size as New Zealand, and in which only 1 per cent, of the land is arable. Every inch of land that it.fa possible to cultivate is cultivated, in the valleys and on the hills. Where it "is too steep to cultivate in .any other way, it is cut into terraces and cultivated."

A pan of 250 oz. of fine gold exhibited in a shop window in Dunedin attracted much attention. Such an exhibition recalled the palmy days of gold mining. This gold was won from the New, Kildare lead of the Kildare Consolidated Gold Mining Company at Straban, being the product of the first wash-up after six weeks' work. The value of the gold was approximately £IOOO. It was brought to Dunedin by the manager of the Ranfurly branch of the Bank of New South Wales.

On the arrival of the Mceraki in Sydney from the Fijian Group, Customs officers found three Chinese in a lifeboat, where they had been cooped up for five days with scanty rrttions. Tho Chinese were in a vciy emaciated conditions after a 1700 miles voyage. The filth of the boat and the stench were indescribable. The stowaways v.'ili be deported by the first available steamer. A cable last night stated that the captain of the vesel was fined £3OO for bringing in prohibited immigrants.

A strange coincidence in connection with the Himatangi tragedy is the number of persons by the name of "King" associated with the mystery. First and foremost is Miss King, Postmistress at. Rangiotu, who put through the message of the tragedy to the local police. Then comes Mrs H. King, the Wrights' nearest neighbour and intimate frien 1 of Mrs Wright, who was able to tender a good deal of useful information in connection with the dwelling and inmates. Dr. King, of Palmerston N., assisted with the post mortem and the last sharemilkers in Mr Westlake's employ to vacate the place were Mr and Mrs J. King/now of the Taranaki district. Another uiiteregtinjg point Is that none 'of the above-mentioned Kings are related. —Herald.

At the conclusion of the dairy factory managers' conference in Auckland one might "have been excused for a reflection upon the appetite of a connoisseur (says the Star). The principal business was a round of butter-testing that lasted all the morning. That was 'followed by a luncheon, at which butter was again eaten, accompanied by a. liberal addition of cream to the fruit salad. The membery afterwards listened to speeches, again about butter grading stores. For the purpose of the grader, it should be mentioned a long grooved blade they call a "trier" i 3 used. This is thrust hilt-deep into a box of butter, and, by deft wrist work, a smooth golden tube is produced. Factory managers, armed with pocket knives, fall upon the sample, taste,'smell and feel it to tfieir perfect satisfaction. Then, for variety, they do the same with the cheese.

The will of the late Bernhard Baron, the tobacco manufacturer, famed for his philanthropy, has now been sworn for probate as of a grofcs valu« £1,944,220. Death duties will ampunt to over £2,000,000, and about £1,000,000 goes to charities.

The Director of Education ha? become* perturbed at the incidence of defective eyesight in applicants fo;' appointment to the teaching profession and from investigations made by his officers, has formed the conclusion that this faling could be attributed in some degree to the amount of home-work given students during the secondary school period. The director has accordingly citcularised the principals of secondary schools, expressing the opinion that the sccoudary curriculum "proved too great a tax upon pupils and too much time was given to homework." As a result of this conclusion, the department directed that two hoiirs homework should be the maximum required frcm secondary school pupils. \

Rounds of applause are stated to have greeted Mr H. G. R. Mason's success with his Marriage Amendment Bill, which represents one of those rare Parliamentary phenomena, a successful private member's Bill. But the rounds of applause always conceded by the Chamber on these occasions are not. as disinterested as they might seem. A private member who pilots his Bill through successfully ha 3 to pay much the same penalty as th-? golfer who holes out in one. The applause of fellow members is therefore in part anticipatory, and though the tumult soon fades in the august preI'.incts of the Chamber, it is usually some time before the shouting dies away in "another place." Mr Mason's Bill makes provision for the marriage of a man with the niece of his deceased wife or of a woman with the nephew of her deceased husband.