LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 12 March 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Featherston County stonecrusher put out 1500 yards of metal last month at a cost of 4s 3}d per yard. The fencing at the Knoll cutting and also at Bidwill’s cutting is now nearly completed and is a great improvement, giving security to motorists and assistance to stock drovers. When Peneus fell in the Omaranui Hurdles at the Napier Park meeting yesterday, his rider, A. McDonald, one of the leading cross-country riders in the Dominion, sustained a fractured kneecap and was taken to a private hospital in Hastings.—(P.A.). In the December theory examinations in connection with Trinity College of Music, Miss Keedwell’s pupils were again successful in gaining honours. Miss Mara Tyler gained 96 per cent in the Intermediate Division and Miss Bydie Raison 95 per cent, in the Preparatory Division. . Mr. J. E. Hunt, manager of one of the leading motor-body building works, said in Wellington yesterday that present business in the trade in New Zealand was very quiet and for the first time for many years a considerable number of skilled tradesmen were out of work.—(PA.). Advice was received yesterday by Mr. C. C. Ross (Masterton) from Mr. Jenkin, of Masterton, that Mr. Ross’s launch, which is being brought to Wellington from Auckland, had encountered a storm. As a result the steering gear was carried away. The launch has been safely moored near Cape Runaway.

One of the premier events of the Lower Valley district, the Kahautara athletic and sports meeting, will be held to-day. The reputation attained m the past by this gathering ensures the success of to-day’s meeting. All roads in tho Lower Valley will lead to the Kahautara sports to-day. B. A. Bose, the champion distance runner will be competing. An exceptionally heavy rainstorm was experienced in Hastings, Havelock North, and further south yesterday afternoon and was accompanied by loud peals of thunder. Tho water-channels quickly overflowed and the village square at Havelock was soon under water. Over half an inch of rainfall was recorded in 25 minutes. Rain was still falling last night throughout the district, but its first violence had abated and no serious damage was anticipated.—(P.A.). On the day the Duke and Duchess of York arrived in Wellington, Mr. P. K. Lawlor, digging in his garden, unearthed a bronze medal struck to commemorate the visit to New Zealand in 1901 of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, parents of the present Duke. One one side is a picture of the liner Ophir, and on th? other portraits of the Royal couple. The inscription is: “Children’s souvenir of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York to New Zealand, 1901.”—(PA.).

Trophies of the chase collected by Messrs H. E. Hart and V. E. Donald on their recent hunting expedition in Africa are on view in a shop in Queen Street, opposite tho Post Office. The trophies, which include lion skins, elephant tusks, horns and tusks of various other’ game animals, are excellent specimens of their several kinds, and have been capably prepared

mounted. One handsome trophy consists of a couple of tusks with a platter suspended between them by a decorative tail—-tho whole constituting a dinner-gong of distinguished appearance. Local people, even those who have not themselves any idea of penetrating the wilds of equatorial Africa, no doubt will inspect the trophies with a great deal of interest.