LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 5, 2 May 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlie Acting - Prime Minister, Hon. Jas. Carroll, announces that the Coronation celebrations in the Dominion will be on the same lines as those at the Coronation of the late King Edward. ■/

Rotorua residents are apparently alive to the importance of matters educational. There were over a hundred in attendance at the annual meeting of householders, and nineteen persons were nominated for the committee.

The freezing works at Paki Paki, Hawke’s Bay, of Messrs Borthwick and Sons, Limited, have been closed down temporarily owing to the glutting of the Home meat market. Freezing will be resumed about the end of next month.

We call the attention of the authorities to the state of the bridges on the Wharepuhanga Road. In many places these bridges are unsafe for traffic of any description, and call for immediate attention.

This is a record that will take some beating. The town clerk of Foxton, Mr Fraser, has established a record by collecting every penny of the rates due before the end ‘of the financial year for the eighth consecutive year. In a period of nine years only £4 has been written off.

A storekeeper, while visiting the gumfields at Purerua (Russell) was accosted by a gumdigger, thus : —“ How is the gum ?” Storekeeper: “ Oh, hang the gum; can’t you give us something else to talk about, such as Islington, Godley, or Myers ?” Gumdigger (in an apologetic tone of voice): “Well, you can’t expect me to talk about whom I haven’t met; I’ve only been here a fortnight.”

During the heavy thunderstorm experienced in the Cambridge district on Sunday evening last, lightning struck four telegraph posts opposite Mr Richard Reynolds’ property at Roto-o-rangi, splitting three of them from tip to base. The fourth was cut clean in halves, one portion of which was thrown across the road. Fourteen chains of the line was torn down. A man engaged in a milking-shed about a quarter of a mile distance states that the report, when the lightning struck the posts, was terrific, and for a considerable time he was rendered quite deaf.

For some time the directors of dairy factories have had under consideration a question of what should be done with the autumn butter. Should it be shipped, or should it be stored ? It is to be stored, says the “Dominion.” Large quantities are being sent into store now to be held for New Zealand trade, and henceforth, until the advent of the new season’s make, shipments will be (Small. The facts the price in London is down and a good figure is offering in New Zealand are the causes of this decision. Very heavy supplies have gone on to the London market all this season, and there are still big stocks there, so it is considered inadvisable to export the autumn make.

In an address on cow-testing, Mr F. Whibley, who has charge of this work for the Canadian Government, stated that seven cows kept by one dairyman returned a total profit of £2 5s in one year. This meant eight hours’ labour for one half-penny. In one case he had found that one good cow made as much profit as 42 poor ones. Fie figured out that in the month of September last the farmers of .Ontario lost £IOO,OOO through keeping among their herds poor cows instead of fairly good ones. He figured out that some men are keeping three times as many cows as their neighbours. Fie estimated that there are 214,000 worthless cows in Ontario, and that the time lost in looking after them amounts to 19,000,000 hours every year.

Mr and Mrs W. Mandeno are at present holiday-making at Rotorua, where it is understood they will remain for another week.

The Rev. F. W. and Mrs Clarke are away, just now for a few days’ rest at Kawau Island,- and expects to return at the end of this week.

We give a final reminder of the visit of the Empire Picture Company tonight. Details of the programme appear in another column, and patrons can rely on the usual high class entertainment of this Company.

Mr and Mrs Harry Mandeno, who have been on a visit to Te Awamutu since Easter, and have been staying at “Faircroft,” left by the Main Trunk express last night for their home in Dunedin.

Addressing a farmers’ meeting at Otako, Captain Young, Government Veterinarian, said the Stock Department deserved credit for the way they had tackled blackleg in calves. Altogether in Taranaki about 64,000 calves had been inoculated this year, and only about 40 deaths had been reported, which was not as many as died on one farm in Okato when the disease first made its appearance in Taranaki.

Military men in New Zealand will learn with satisfaction that Major G. N. Johnston, R.A.. who was in charge of the artillery in the Dominion some years ago, is about to return thither as head of that branch of the service (writes a London correspondent). Major Johnston was regarded as one of the- most capable officers the Forces of the Dominion ever had. He will sail this month by the Tongariro. The probability of a permanent duplication of the express train service on the North Island Main Trunk line appears to be extremely remote. Mr T. Ronayne, General Manager of the New Zealand railways, told a “ New Zealand Herald” reporter.that there was at present no justification for such an increase in the expenditure as was involved by the proposal.

The following story comes from Carterton : We have seen threelegged cows and horses, and various other freaks, but a twolegged pig is new to us. Mr Gus Hooker, of Hi-nau Gully, Belvedere, informed a “ News” man today that one of his sows had a litter of twelve gruntlers, and one of them has only two fore legs. The hind legs are visible as miniature stumps, but are utterly useless. This freak is over a week old now, and is doing finely. Its greatest feat, and one which it seemingly enjoys, says Mr Hooker, is to balance itself on its forelegs and play see-saw with its body. It can also balance its body, and “ walk on its hands.”

An astounding narrative was given at Dublin when Edward Corcoran asked for a declaration that his father was of unsound mind and incapable Of managing his affairs. Mr T. M. Healy, K.C., for the petitioner, said.that his client’s father had a cousin named John Sullivan, who had settled in the United States and had made a fortune. Mr Sullivan died in December, 1900, arnihonaire, a bachelor, and intestate. A United States attorney, named Wright, came over to Dublin and found Corcoran. Corcoran signed away the right to half the property to a man .named Lewin, whom he had never seen. The old man had been denuded further of something like £BO,OOO or £90,000. Corcoran had only received £I2OO out of an estate of £200,000, the rest was sticking in the pockets of his solicitors. The hearing was adjourned. —“ Standard of Empire.” Captain H. O. Knox, who has been selected to go out to New Zealand to organise the Army Service Corps, saw active service in the South African war during the years 1899-1901, when he was mentioned in despatches. He has had experience in supply and transport work for the last 15 years in England, Africa, and India. Captain Knox, who is married and has two sons, is the son of the Right Hon. Sir R. H. Knox, P.C., K.C.8., who lives at Oxted, Surrey, and who has held a numder of important appointments. In 1856 he entered the War Office, in due course becoming Accountant-General and ultimately becoming Permanent Under-Secretary of State for War. He was a member of the committee which worked out Lord Cardwell’s Army Reform, and of the Royal Commissions on Indian Financial Relations, Civil Service Superannations, and Militia and Volunteers. Captain Knox was to sail for Wellington on April 13.

In this District the opening of the shooting season was welcomed by local sportsmen. Several very good bags- are reported from various quarters.

Mr Stewart, who has been on holiday leave, returned to Te Awamutu yesterday, and resumed his duties as local post master this morning.

We call the attention of billiard players to a tournament to be played in the Cosmopolitan Billiard Saloon, entries for wnich close on May 10th. There are several valuable prizes in connection with this tournament, details of which appear in another column.

Rabbits are evidently becoming a menace to the settlers in the vicinity of Pongaroa, East Coast. They have formed a Rabbit Trust Association with a view of endeavouring to effectively deal with the nuisance. The settlers interested, who number 73, have agreed to pay a rate of one penny per acre and to engage a rabbiter, who will be employed continuously.