LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 47, 26 September 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“ They have taken practically everything off the farm, except the mortgage, ” said a southern farmer speaking of the recent ravages of tb£ grass grub. There increases in the dairy herds in and about Lower Waikato, and it is anticipated that over 2000 cows will be supplying to the Mercer factory before the end of the season. Bee-farming seems to be flourishing in the Waikato. It is stated one apiary exceeds 1000 colonies, extended over many miles of country, and a motor-car is used by the proprietors for the purpose of travelling from one station to the other,

On Friday evening next a Band of Hope meeting will be held at Kihikihi, and an announcement to this effect appears in another column.

A concert and social is advertised to take place at Te Awamutu on Wednesday, October 4th. This concert is to raise the necessary funds for 1 obtaining new hymnals for the Te Awamutu Methodist Church.

A poll was taken on Saturday on the proposal to institute a system of rating on the unimproved value of property in Featherston County. There were 173 votes in favour,lßl against and 5 informal. The proposal was lost.

Election year brings many changes (states a southern exchange). The South Canterbury Education Board recently received advice that the full grants asked for for the erection of a residence at Lyalldale (£425), and for the providing of a shed for agricultural classes at Temuka (£76), had been granted. “ And,” remarked the secretary, "we asked for the Temuka grant only after last meeting.”

A return showing the date on which each member of the present Parliament was elected, and the number of sessions attended, has been prepared. The Hon. Sir W. J. Steward, who was elected in 1.871, is the senior member, having attended 40 sessions. The Rt. Hon. Sir J. G. Ward was elected in 1887, and has attended 29 sessions, Mr W. F. Massey, elected in 1894, has attended 21 sessions; andMrH. J. Greenslade, elected in 1906, has for eight sessions represented this district. The dates of election range from 1871 to 1910.

The people of Pirongia are much incensed at the latest use found for the verandah of the' public library. For some days past quantity of manure has been stored under this verandah, and the stench arising therefrom has made it almost impossible to use the library, while passers-by were greatly inconvenienced. It is time the proper authorities took steps to prevent this nuisance as the public library has a much better object—if used as it should be.

It is said to be a very common thing in this district for persons to write the names of other people on the backs of cheques to make an endorsement, which has probably been overlooked either by the persons in whose favour the cheque is drawn or by the person taking the cheque. It may not be generally known that the Crimes Act allows a punishment of imprisonment for life for such an offence —even though. ~he cheque should be lor only thirty shtilings.—Stratford Post-

A new series of postage stamps is to be issued shortly. During his visit to London the Prime Minister submitted to the King two designs by Mr Bertram McKennal, the Australian artist, and his Majesty approved of one of them. The accepted design has been handed to the secretary of the Postal Department, and the stamps will be printed immediately. The principal feature of the new design will be a portrait of King George’e head.

At Thursday’s meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board Dr Douglas reported that the daily average of patients in the hospital had risen to 105, and in view of this the Board would have to seriously consider the question of doubling the accommodation as soon as possible. The additional patients necessitated a larger nursing staff, and an enlargement of the home was necessary. The Board decided to call for tenders for the latter work at once, and a committee % was appointed to go into the ‘other matter and report to a special meeting.

New Zealand has hitherto been alone in the distinction of being without an official coat of arms. On occasion when some heraldic device was necessary for use, the emblems composing the design of the Great Seal have been adopted, but this makeshift has long been felt to be unsatisfactory. Now, after many years of negotiation a grant of arms is about to be made which will place New Zealand on a level with sister nations. The design consists of a shield emblazoned with the four stars of the Southern Cross, the fleece, the wheatsheaf, the hammers and three galleons. A Maori chief stands on one side, and a symbolic figure representing Zealandia, on the other. The blazon on the shield was used for the first time officially on the banner carried by Lord Plunket at the Coronation,

Arrangements have been made for the expoi i from New Zealand of fifteen tons of butter per month, and also for a trial shipment of frozen meat, to Northwest Canada. It is believed that a profitable market for New Zealand produce can be opened there for supplies, drawn principally from the North Island.

Speaking at the openipg of the Matamau Cheese Factory, Mir> Graham, Assistant Government Dairy Inspector, referring to the factory’s change from butter to cheese-making, said that, taking an average of the.past six years, the prices realised were in favour of cheese. Personally, hethought that eventually the Dominion would become a cheese-making country. It might be said that butter started to deteriorate from the time it left the churn, but the journey to the Old Country assisted in ripening the cheese, and it got Home better than when it left New Zealand.

A return of some interest was presented by the secretary of the Riverdale Company (Taranaki) at the annual meeting. It consisted of a record of the return of butter-fat per. acre off each supplier’s'farm. The secretary said it induced a healthy spirit of rivalry amongst suppliers. One hundred and sixty-five pounds to the acre was the best return; others ranged from 157 and 154 down to 98. For the previous year the best was 177. The drop was due, said the secretary, to the comparatively dry season.

The Railway Department tested a novel arrangement for the first time last week. The contrivance, which was tried on the Auckland-Wellington express, is in the shape of a safety guard between the carriages, sheltering travellers from the rain when passing from one car to another, and also making it impossible to fall between the carriages. The idea attracted a deal of attention on the trip, but the general opinion of both railway men and travellers was that it was too awkward and complicated. The arrangement is constructed of light timber and canvas." Speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington Farmers’ Cooperative Meat Freezing Company, the chairman, Mr T. C. Cooper, said: “ Our meat from the Waingawa works has already established for itself an excellent name. As an instance I may mention the fact that the whole of the shipment of sheep ex Tongariro has been sold at 3%?ex ship, being being lid per lb. Better than the price ruling at the time for the best Canterbury brands. That is a distinct tribute to the quality of the mutton-we

are semfing away. North Island mutton, I may remark by the way is greatly into favour in the Old Country.

According to a map to be issued by the Marine Department, there is virtually only one portion of New Zealand with more than iooin. of rain per year —a strip of land on the West Coast of the South Island, running from just below Westport to the bottom of the island west of the Alps. Small areas near East Cape and Mount Egmont run .the “ wild West Coast” close. The rainfall east of the Alps, is naturally, much lower, the east of the South Island, including Nelson, being under the 40in. mark. Canterbury proper had less than 30in., Christchurch itself qrnly 24m., and Invercargill under 50in. The only portion of New Zealand with less than 20in. a yeards a large area of Central Otago. In the North Island there is a higher general average. Auckland comes in under yoin., and Wellington has but 50in. The rainfall averages up to lOOin. on the ranges to the rear of the capital city.

Emphatic objection has been entered against the demand which was made by the Govern- ♦

ment for statistical information regarding the industries of the Dominion. As a result the schedules originally prepared have been withdrawn,and a new series greatly modified in character has been circulated among the proprietors of manufactories, says the “ Dominion.” Power is conferred by Section 20 of the Census and Statistics Act df last year upon the Government Statistician to make inquiries approved by the Governor-in-Coun-cil in any census year regarding .the industries of the Dominion. Similar information has been compiled in connection with previous but the’ information required by the schedules which were prepared by the Government Statistician this year was so pertinent to the private concerns of the manufactures that the New Zealand Federation of Employers took action in th§ matter,