LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Whereas while private buses were upon the roads suburban residents had the benefit of threepenny fares, bus as well as tram, said Mr. T. M. Donovan at the annual meeting’ of the Kilbirnie Municipal Electors’ Association the other evening, bus passengers now had to pay cash fares, with a minimum of threepence, and the result was that Coropration buses ran half empty alongside trams packed to suffocation. There are evidently some good bargains to be picked up just now in mining machinery (says an exchange). The management of a mine near Thames recently advertised for two boilers, and were deluged with correspondence in reply. Finally, a practically new boiler (1001 b pressure to the square inch), which had cost £l5OO, was secured for £lOO, and another almost new boiler (1201 b to the square inch), which had cost £l2OO, was secured for £5O. A farmer at Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, stated the other day that the only reason that he was now able to carry more stock than formerly lay in the fact that he was top-dressing his pastures. Since the rains early in the spring his paddocks had made wonderful growth and there was a great deal of clover in all the top-dressed pastures. The result was that he was hardly able to keep feed down, and was able to carry considerably more stock than usual.

It was stated at last night’s meeting of the' Pukekura Park Board that two additional seats for the park had been promised, one donated anonymously, and the other donated by Mr. W. C. Weston. This brings the total number of seats donated up to six. Dr. Walker has promised to give one seat and wiU donate another when the total reaches ten. It was decided that the matter of making inquiries with regard to seats be left in the hands of the chairman and secretary.

During the opening of a new car from its case by Messrs. Newton King at Ilawe.ra, a number of empty cardboard boxes were found in the case. Ou closer inspection it was discovered that a plank on the top of the ease -had been broken, and the boxes, which had contained tennis shoes, according to the labels, had evidently been dropped into the case through this hole. In all there were about 24 emipty boxes, and the only explanation offered is that the tennis shoes had been pillaged, and the boxes disposed of by hiding them in the motor car ease.

Tauranga fishermen report that fluting the past few days a great number of mako sharks have been seen Between Motiti Island, Penguin Shoal and Mayor Island, more in fact than have ever been seen before. Two schoolo of whales were also seen with roughly 12 to 15 whales in each school. There is also an enormous quantity of school fish, more than during the last seven year, and the trevalli this year have made their appearance some six weeks earlier than usual. A launch - partly captured a mako shark 9ft. in length. Another party caught a shark, yjft. long. No swordfish were observed, but presumably they arc there with the mako shark, and no doubt are preying on the school fish.

Ladies! See the attractive window display of “Ruby Ring” pure thread silk stockings at the Melbourne, Ltd. In point of sheer beauty and- substance these fine stockings surpass anything' in the way of hosiery of average attainments. They are only 12s 6d pair and will save you a lot of money in long service and satisfaction. Twenty colours to choree from.

Five head of pedigree cattle from Canada were brought to Auckland on Sunday by the Waihemo. The animals include two Jersey heifers, two Jersey bulls, and one Holstein bull. Two ’ offers and one Jersey bull will be landed at Auckland, the other animals being for Wellington. The new penny stamp was on sale at all post offices yesterday, and will come into general use when the stocks of the old issue are exhausted. Except that 't is identical in size, the new stamp bears no resemblance to the penny stamp it its to supersede.

The unemployment situation in Auckland, which improved last week, has again reverted to a position similar to that of midwinter. There were 621 men registered at the Labour Bureau at the end of last week, employment having been found for 62 men during the week. On the previous Saturday the total was 582, and then in the last week of October the aggregate fell to 355.

A world’s record for women is claimed by Miss Anna Doyle, of Swansea, Wales, who recently landed in London on the completion of her 56th trip between England and New Zealand. She made her fust voyage 40 years ago in a sailing ship, and declares that she enjoyed that trip best of all. The arrival of a train at Batlow, Nev.South Wales, from Gilmore recently was considerably delayed. The delay was due to the excessive growth of the grass along the line. Some of the passengers elected to walk the remaining distance —some five miles —rather than wait. The sanding arrangements on the locomotive gave out, with the result that the load had to be split to get it to Batlow.

A resident of Nelson, Mr. J. Hair, met with a distressing accident at the local golf links the other day. While [flaying to the fifteenth green a ball struck him just below the left eye, breaking his glasses and inflicting a severe wound. Dr. Bennett, of Blenheim, was on the links, and he attended to Mr. Hair, who was later admitted to th public hospital. It is hoped that the eight of the eye will be saved, but it is expected that Mr. Hair will be laid up for several weeks.

Six men called to the jury who applied to the bench for exemption at Palmerston North last week had lather more good fortune in their pleas than usual; all were exempted. Two dairy farmers were in the number, and Mr. Justice Reed remarked that dairy farmers wanted some consideration in these days; a man who milked cows morning and night was hardly fit* to sit on a jury ali day. Another citizen urged that his age, 66 years, should exempt him, and Hie Honour advised him to have his name removed permanently from the jury list, he being over the age at which compulsory service ceases.

Mr. Justice Ostler, who is presiding over the present session of the Napier Supreme Court, is a noted hunter of big game, and has successfully stalked the

forest monsters of the wilds of Africa. As may be expected, he has a more than passing knowledge of the working of firearms, and his first-hand information in this direction was turned to good account in the interests of justice at ho hearing of a case last week. A lengthy’ argument was in progress between counsel and a witness, the question being whether a gun, playing a prominent part in the case, was a “hair trigger” or hard to discharge. His Honour settled tile point at issue by taking the gun himself and discharging both barrels. He made no comment oil the result of hie experiment, but made a significant entry in his note-book.

“Shows are not the same as they were up to the time of the war,” said a farmer to a Wanganui Chronicle rc porter during a conversation on Agricultural and Pastoral shows. “The same crowds do not attend, and there Te a lack of the old holiday abandon which was so noticeable years ago,” te said. Asked how he accounted for the gradual falling off in general interest in shows, the farmer referred to the motor pavilions at the recent show which housed thousands of pounds worth of cars. “There is the reply,” he said. “Years ago, when roads weie not so good as they are now, and when the motor age was in its infancy, the out back farming fraternity caine into town on very few occasions. One of those occasions was Show day, and a right royal time it was. Those days are gone now.

These wild men from New Zealand, of Polynesian race, with splendid physique, light copper-coloured skin, and wide-open eyes.” Such was the impression of the Maori Rugby footballers formed by a French writer. “On consulting the encyclopaedia,” lie continues, “one read: ‘Maoris —wild men of New Zealand, who cover the skin of their faces with skilfully-plaeed stars, etc. .... Larousse having spoken thus, we may now be permitted to state that sport may lead even to civilisation, for, let it be known, the Maoris are distinctly civilised; they drink mineral water, wear shirts, waist-coats, suspenders, and collars, brush their teeth, sneeze, suffer from corns, shave their moustaches, cut their hair, fall in love, take baths, and play football just ae we do ourselves. And on Sunday they began their Rugby tour .with a victory on the playing field at Huveamie. It was seen with, amazement that their faces bore no trace of sears. Surely Larousse was exaggerating.”

A very smart selection of Crepe de Chine Frocks cut on the latest French and American models have just been opened up by Besley s, Limited. They are very becoming in the newest shades, as well as in Navy and Black. They are all attractively priced from 69/6 to £7 7s, showing exceptional value.

Saving money by buying better goods at a cheaper price can be accomplished at MeGruer’s, who are making a further reduction of prices for the last tew days of their sale.

A reminder is given of the Rahotu Tennis Club’s Dance, to be held in ’the Rahotu Hall, To-morrow Night, 18th inst. This dance is the last of the senes and promises to be the best of them all.