Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929.

Shannon News, 29 November 1929, Page 2

Shannon News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929.

Two first offending inebriates were convicted on Tuesday morning by Mr W. Clayton, J.P., and fined five shillings.

The friends of Mr C Baird, who has been lying seriously ill in the Palmerston North Hospital for some weeks, will be pleased to learn that he is now well on the road to recovery.

During last week several complaints were received of youths throwing stones on residences and indulging in larrikinism, and as a result proceedings are to Be taken by the police against six local youths.

The Shannon Borough Council’s bal-ance-sheet, which has just been received back from the Government Auditor—again without a tag —was confirmed by a special meeting of the Council on Tuesday evening.

The school sports, which were announced to be held on Saturday, l-±th December, will now be held a week earlier, owing to the Cricket Club requiring the use of the Domain for a cup fixture on the former date.

At a meeting of the People’s Picnic Committee held last evening it was resolved that owing to the poor support given by the Maoris in the past in the halca and poi competitions, which were the main attractions, and the small interest shown by the public, not to hold a picnic this year, and that the committee wind up their affairs. After a lengthy discussion it was decided that the cash in hand, viz., £lO 9s lOd, be handed over to the Borough Council to be earmarked for improvements to the Domain, and that the two Shields be presented to the School Committee, one for competition among the girls, and the other for tho bovs.

Mr. Henry Bate, of Nelson, who is 93 years of age, made a flight from Rongotai with Captain Bolt on Saturday.

In nearly all situations there is a humorous side. Following on the burglary at the Waipukurau railway station, when a substantial sum of money was stolen, a notice over the ticket window on Friday morning ;■ read: “Please endeavour to tender correct fare; there is an acute shortage of change.”

A company has been registered in Wellington with a capital of £IOO,OOO to erect a motor car parking building in Johnston Street in the city. The area required will give a floor space ol 13,000 square feet on each ol ten stories and will hold about 500 cars. Electric lifts and ramps will be provided.

Dr. Holub, a scientist of Prague, exhibited publicly before associated learned societies at Liverpool a remarkable jewel, which, he explained, came from the Central Australian- ruby mines. stone turns from black to red when heated and causes a rash if it remains in continuous contact with the human skin. Dr. Holub believes the stone is unique and contains • some unknown ray.

The Hon. P. A. de la Perrellc stated at Invercargill yesterday that the amount available for the Loans and Advances office when the Government took over was £450,000 and applications pending totalled 3971, the amount being £4,168,290. Loans authorised to October 31st of this year were 7028 ,of a total amount £7,114,890, and loans actually paid were 5161, totalling £5,418,022.

According to one Napier hairdresser, many young ladies who were allowing their locks to grow with the idea of returning to the long hair fashion are now having their hair cut short again. “Most girls prefer the short hair," he remarked, “and those who would rather have it long seem to get tired of waiting for it to grow past the ugly intermediate stage, and in something of sheer desperation have it cut short again."

It is anticipated that the disturbing unemployment situation in Christchurch will be much relieved shortly. There ts a good demand for general farm workers and a fair demand for shearers. Harvesting will start, about a month hence if the weather holds fine, and the wool stores should soon be taking on men. The indications are that killing at the freezing works will start a week or ten days before Christmas.

“Tar-scaling, if done properly, is an economical and efficient method of maintaining streets or roads where they are not subjected to heavy traffic pounding," was the comment of a Christchurch engineer recont'y. “I think that may failures are due to the use of fuel oil or some such material for the first coat. In my opinion high grade tar makes a much better job. For one thing, it has a very superior penetration, thus securing the adhesion that is so necessary, and then again it contains no volatile elements, which evaporate and leave a residue. There is no doubt that a good job can be made with tar-sealing."

Twenty-five additional police are to be appointed in the Dominion, and 150 applications have been received.

The foundation stone of the Massey Agricultural College is to be laid by the Governor-General on Wednesday, December 4th.

Free legal defence afforded members of the Auckland Automobile Association was discussed at a meeting of the Council, when an inquiry caine to hand asking whether a member’s employee driving a commercial vehicle was covered. It was agreed that lie was not covered, but that a private chauffeur engaged on a member’s business would be given free legal defence.

Messsrs J. Leuchars and Allender are motoring through the country districts in connection with the campaign of opposition to prevent the sale and closing of Scots College. They state that parents of scholars and ex-schol-ars were indignant with the proposed sale of the property to the Education Department. ’'Already £4OOO had been secured of the £IO,OOO required to prevent the sale.

An enthusiastic and representative meeting of supporters of the United Party met at Palmerston North last night and formed a branch of the party in the Palmerston North electorate. A committee of ladies and gentlemen was set up and executive officers appointed. A resolution was passed inviting a member of the Cabinet to address a public meeting at an early date with the object of enrolling members of the party.

"Illogical as we women are often said to be, our commonsense will never again allow us to sacrifice health to fashion, after our delightful taste of freedom,” says the Marchioness of Queensberry in a letter to the Daily Mail. "Sensible, comfortable clothes are an asset to women’s participation in the lives of men, if not the direct result of our independence. I advise women to band together ■to resist the re-introduction of ground-sweeping skirts.”

As an illustration of the hold which tea-drinking has in New Zealand, Dr. R. J. R, Macredy, of the Department of Health, speaking at a lecture last week, said the shearers award stipulates that the men should have six cups of tea a day. Tea was a stimulant, and naturally regular overdoses of it tended to nullify the refreshing effect and inure the system to it. Generally its effect did not warrant elimination, but a maximum of three cups a day was sufficient.

In the course of his remarks at the new milk station ceremony on Wednesday, Mr. H. L. Beauchamp, who represented the producers of the Otaki district, said he was pleased to be associated with a scheme that was giving good service to the citizens of Wellington. The scheme was justified in the case of the ratepayers by the securing of a supply of milk of the purest quality for 365 days in the year, and it was- justified in the eyes of the producers, as they knew exactly where they stood, and could organise their herds accordingly.

Ducks may not exactly lay golden eggs but the person who purloins Avild duck eggs and sets them under a hen, is certainly' increasing his flock Avitliout outlay. This ' Avas the procedure adopted by William Dixon, a Palmerston North labourer, but in his case, the ducks proved a costly addition. The eggs duly became ducks, increasing Dixon’s flock register by six. Unfortunately, hoAvever, an Acclimatisation ranger noticed the six Avild ducks /in Dixon’s flock and the result Avas that he made his appearance yesterday before Mr J. L. Stout, S'.M., charged with being illegally in possession of native game. He pleaded guilty and Avas fined £2, Avith 17s 6d costs.

At various times one reads about a recluse who has lived under most shocking conditions, passing away in his hovel, and leaving quite a tidy little sum behind, states an exchange. It has fallen to the lot of Owaka, in the South Otago district, to have such a person living within its borders. One Judd, who for the last twenty years has “batched’ ; by himself, w r as recently found dead in bed, heart trouble being the cause of the demise. The conditions under which he lived beggar description; yet he had to his credit some £2500 in the bank, and a further interest in property that brings his estate to a sum of over £3OOO. His bedding consisted of sacks mostly, while the clothes he wore,-were filthy. Yet in a box were found a pair of blankets that were practically as good as new, and a suit of clothes that had not been worn. Deceased was 86 years of age, and, it is understood, had no relatives in New Zealand.

There is a great deal of disappointment and even indignation amongst those engaged in the poultry industry at the failure of the Parliamentary Committee which investigated the wheat question to give relief to the poultry farmers. The Committee recommended that wheat duties remain on a sliding scale, but that bran and pollard be admitted duty free. It is pointed out, however, that there has been a rise in the price of Australian bran and pollard and that even with the concession, it will be no cheaper than southern by-products, nor will the poultry industry get the smallest relief from the present prohibitive feed charges. Feeling is so strong about the matter that meetings of protest will probably be held in the various centres throughout the Wellington district, with a view to making more emphatic representations to the Government. A meeting will take place in Levin at an early date to consider all affects of the matter, and it is proposed to invite all interested to attend, whether engaged in poultry-farming or not.

Hay-making has already commenced in some parts of the South Wairarapa.

An enormous quantity of petrol is imported into and used in New Zealand. The amount used for the twelve months ended June 30th last, totalled 56,699,946 gallons, valued at over £5,000,000.

The Mayor of Westport (Mr J. 11. Harkness) has received word from the Prime Minister that the Government has decided to grant Westport Borough Council £2 for £1 towards the repair of earthquake damage to the borough. The estimated damage is £3OOO, so that the borough will receive £2OOO.

The movement to use Gear Island as an aviation ground for the Hutt Valley, and as a solo training ground for the Wellington Aero Club, was advanced a further stage yesterday, when a deputation waited upon the Minister of Defence (Hon. T. M. Wilford). The Minister gave an undertaking on behalf of the Government to recognise the island as a landing place, and also in due time, when it took on the character of an aerodrome, to recognise it as such. He advised the deputation to form a small club, to affiliate with Wellington, and to take the necessary steps to acquire a loase of the land.

A remarkable hoax has come to light at Minehead, Somerset, in connection with a beauty ballot organised locally to select the prettiest girl in Minehead. Pretty girls in the town were asked to send their photographs to the carnival committee. This committee selected the photographs of the six prettiest girls for local publication, and invited the public to vote for the one they considered the best looking. The day before the ballot closed, it was discovered that one Of the most popular competitors, who was getting heaps of votes, was not a girl at but a young Minehead man dressed in girl’s clothes.