Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10307, 17 January 1927, Page 4

Local and General.

The Poverty Bay Stockbrokers’ Association will hold. a sheep sale at the Tiniroto saleyards on Monday, aggregate of gents £6 and ladies £5

It is estimated that some five hundred thousand cases of apples will be exported during the coming season. Of this number at least four hundred and forty thousand will come from the Nelson district.—P.A.

A violin, believed to be a genuine Stradivarius, has come into the possession of a Hamilton mail. A wellknown authority holds a high opinion of the instrument, and it will be submitted to a full test.— P.A.

Girnmenoing the new year with an agp-egate of genis £ 6and ladies £5, aJO with good cash prizes each night, df&chre players should be attracted fo Liberty Hall to-night at 8 p.m.— cKapai te euchre.—iteuiene Takina. organiser. ***

As a result of a visit to their premises, the Timaru police arrested three men on Saturday aiternoon on a charge of bookmaking. They appeared before Mr. D. McLennan, J.P. at the Police Court and were remanded till Mondav on bail of £IOO each. —P.A.

At the amateur sports on Saturdavi oh the Oval, Digger Douglas notoniy defeated Fatty Lamb, the Australian champion cyclist, but he was successful in winning the whole programme of cycle events on his Speed King racer, “built specially for him bv Allan Sutton. ***

Advice has been received by the police that Mere Hauira, commonly known as Mrs. Bartlett, a Maori woman resident at Kopua, has passed away of senile decay. Deceased, who was'Sl years of age, was recently attenjsd by Dr. Kahlc-nberg, so an inquiffft will be unnecessary. j»Kaiti Esplanade between the Mm. J’ettie bridge and Rawiri .street will foe closed to traffic from to-day for reconstruction purposes. The work should take four or five days, and motorists and carriers approaching town from Kaiti are advised to use Wainui Road or Rawiri Street.

A farmer at Omata. Taranaki, lost seven settings Of duck a . feu days ago. A thorough search os the farm failed to reveal their whereabouts. hut in the course of the quest a weasel was seen, and it- was assumed that it was the c-ulprit. A trap was laid, an egg being used for bait, and four full-grown weasels were caught.

Ignited by some unknown means, the contents of a large rubbish box on the wharf opposite the Turaiiganui hotel sent up large clouds of smoke last evening, shortly after 9 o’clock, and the new fire alarm was vigorously sounded. The brigade was smartly on the spot and a few'minutes’ play with a hose rapidly extinguished the outbreak, which apparently had been smouldering for some time before being discoveiea.

Thus a Hamilton P.A. wire: George Huia Brewer, who escaped from the custody of the police at Te Awamutu two davs ago, w'hen arrested ior unlawfully converting a ear. was caught at Frankton after a pursuit between Te Awamutu and Auckland. After the escape he took another car and had a companion with him. When arrested Brewer and George Curtis, his companion, were charged with flic theft of an Essex car valued at £3OO. They were remanded till todav.

An explanation of the large exports of New Zealand butter to Australia which has been suggested in Wellington is that as this trade is now subject to control by the Dairy Board certain merchants had adopted this method of avoiding control shipments to England. This is denied by the secretary of the Dairy Board, who states that on the contrary some of the butter shipped to Australia went under the control system. The Australian business ceased immediately good rains caused an improvement in the production in the Commonwealth.—P.A.

A Palmerston P.A. telegram stater* that William T. Boyd, a stock dealer, has been missing since Wednesday at midday, when he left a settler’s property at Nikau in a car. Ho has not been seen since . The car was discovered early yesterday morning by a- party of searchers in the Ylangahao- river at Marima, having left the road and gone.over a 150 ft. bluff. No trace of the body has yc-t been found, though the river was dragged for several miles. The search is being continued, but the task is doubly difficult owing to the wild state of the country bordering the river in the neighborhood of this spot.

Mr Vincent Barker’s Ivaiti residence should be the Mecca of entertainment lovers on Thursday next, the occasion of a monster garden fete in aid of the Macßae bath fund. Mr. Barker has kindly given permission for the use of his garden and grounds both in the afternoon and evening. Of special interest will be entertainments given both afternoon and evening by “The Breezy Buskers” —an open-air pierrot troupe —who have a splendid repertoire of entertainment to amuse young and old. Games and novelty events will be in progress, and there will be prizes for bovs and girls for the best decorated pram, go-cart, horse on wheels or tricycle. Given fine weather, the fete should he a wonderful success, for the grounds are ideal for the purpose.'

# A new award came into operation on January 10. It embraces taxi-cab drivers, omnibus and service car drivers. Previously there was no award governing them. Set hours are provided; those for taxi-cab drivers being fixed at 65 hours a week, to be worked on six days of the week only. The daily hours are not to exceed 11, and they are to bo worked within a span «of 13 consecutive hours. Any driver, however, may agree to work on his day off at the rate of 2/3 an hour. A 96-liour fortnight has also been fixed for omnibus drivers. Their daily hours are not to exceed 13 hours. For the service drivers a 93-liour week has been stipulated and they are not to work for more than 11 hours on any. one day, except upon the payment of overtime i-ntes.

Many of the bluegum trees North “Otago, which were planted in §k the early days of the settlement been attcaked by disease, and are dying off.

The popular sport of joy-riding by aeroplane has been occupying much of the time of Wigram Ac-rodrome pilots this summer, an average number of half a dozen people making trips over Christchurch city per day.

Large mobs of store ewes are now being bought up in the district in anticipation of shipment to Addington. One local dealer has purchased several thousand ewes on forward delivery for shipment in February.

“The young woman who was to appear before you this morning has not arrived sir,” remarked a clerk of the magistrate at the court at Wanganui. “Well seeing that she is a modern flapper, X suppose we should wait half an hour,”. replied the Magistrate.

At the meeting of the Oamarti Burgesses’ Association, and after some discussion, the following resolution was passed: “That the Burgesses of Oamaru should seriously consider whether, in view of the effort that is being made to drive Britishers out of their lawful possessions in China, they are justified in continuing to support Chinese tradesmen.”

A report is current that Katana has a rival in another prophet (states the New Zealand “Herald”). Ratana, however, has always denied that he is a prophet,, his creed being that he is merely an instrument in God's hands for doing good. This prophet hails from Karioi, up the Main Trunk, arid , it is said that a number of followers in the Ohakune district arsy linking up with him. He proposes to lead a delegation throughout the North Island.

Almost three-quarters of the Kaiwaitau block is at present covered by sand, and it will not he many more years before the whole .stretch will he practically a desert. Several meetings have been convened by the owners as to what is to he dune to check the drifting sand, but it always ended in plenty of “korero” and no action. One thing which the owners are regretting is the covering of the lagoon as it abounds with, “pipis”. This form of sustenance is chiefly used by the .Maoris. The Wairoa County Council is talking aliout acquiring the land for forestry. Let us hope that this will materialise soon.—Star.

Motor buses, taking Iff,ooo persons every week into the centre of Palmerston North, are so heartily welcome there that the local au-

thorities have remitted the license fees, believing that the damage done to the roads is offset by the increased prosperity they bring. A recent visitor to Painerst'on North, states the Otago Daily Times, says that the loca authorities at a cost of £ISOO are providing a clearing station for ail road services. It is proposed to have parcel offices and other conveniences, even down to penny-in-the-slot gas rings, at which mothers may heat water or milff.

Not to fie eclipsed by the sun. the moon is due lor total eclipse on June 15 next. As the shadow of the earth upon that section of the heavens or which the moon will be the centre, is infiinitely greater than the circle of observation offered by. the. moon against- the sun, the eclipse in June 1 occupy some hours., as against minutes in the case .of the . sun. Fortunately it- will begin early, in the evening, only a clear sky .being necessary lor a good view of it.

One of the biggest deals in town property executed in Napier Tor some considerable time was completed during the last tew days, and as a result the Caledonian Hotel is understood to have passed into new ownership. Possessing a hue : rout age ySf Hastings and D£ckii;s street the* Caledonian Hotel property .is but another of the many properties m that locality that have figured.in big deal* during recent months. The Caledonian Hotel, however., eclipses them all for the purchase price is stated to min the neighbourhood of £51,50.). Mr. Geo. Graham, of Napier, is reported to he the purchaser from Mr. >'■ Maliony. the present licensee.

T!i e impending visit of the Dukc “t York recalls tsays the Auckland star; that his brother, the Prince of Male-, had to endure actual pain as the result of handshaking. As everyone wanted to snake hands with the Prince so all will desire a Royal clasp from the Duke. Un more than one occasion during his world tour tr.e voting Edward had to refrain iron, the characteristically British terra ot greeting altogether when there was a large gue-t list to encounter. Doubtless tho Duke of York will have received a brotherly warning: if not fie could profit by adopting the motnou of tho late President Roosevelt who. at receptions simply tolded lus lingers around the other man's ham. and waited for him to do the ter'-vm clasping. The closed fingers proiented anv • feeling of in Aio presidential handshake. an? _' t rV ' , also to guard against any sudden ami painful grip.