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Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 306, 27 December 1922, Page 4

Considering the thousands of people abroad yesterday, there were very few accidents. Only three cases were admitted to the hospital. Mr. Thomas Kennedy, of Nikau Street, Mount Eden, fell in Queen Street and dislocated his collar bone. Mr. Albert Mason, a carter, of Great North Road, New Lynn, dislocated his right knee by falling when chasing a horse. While playing at his home in Alva Road, Epsom, a boy named Edwin Joneß, aged 10, broke his leg.

The "boys' band in Devonport have now got a house of their own, which some willing workers, just before Xmas, practically erected in one dayOn Xmas morning the boys patrolled the borough and played Xmas carols, the funds of the band 'being considerably augmented by generous citizens thereby. The Ferry Company also ran a harbour excursion yesterday, when half of the proceeds was given to the boys' band fund. Altogether this Xmas has been a red letter one for the young musicians, whose progress is being carefully watched over by the bandmaster, Mr. Tatton.

On the eve of Christmas two petitions in bankruptcy were filed, one by an Auckland builder and the other by a Thames fisherman. The former was George Herbert Pearce, -Mountain View Road, Momingeide, whose statement showed unsecured debts amounting to £792 13/. to meet which there were assets valued at £547 4/10/. A secured creditor for £175 had security valued ait £375. The other case was that of Rasil David Smith, a returned soldier, who had bought his father's half share in the fishing launch Escort. The co«t of a new engine and inexperience were the calces which made the industry unprofitable, and latterly Smith had been endeavouring unsuccessfully to make a living by hawking fish. His unsecured debts were given as £175, with assets at £114. Secured creditors for £180 had security valued at £340.

The committee of the London Chamber of Commerce appointed to investigate measures for the prevention ot pilferage—a most serious additional source of loss to our trade now so severely handicapped by world-wide economic difficulties —haa just reported in favourable terms on a new device, the invention of Captain Munro, of Wellington, New Zealand, says our London correspondent. "The Munro wooden packing case claims to minimise theft by virtue of its construction, which is such that its contents cannot be got at without mutilating the outside of the case in such a way as to be at once visible to the consignee. This is effected by ingenious methods of strengthening and rivettlng the boards of the packing case and its effective closure by ecrews which have to be sealed."

If there hadn't been skilful drivers at the wheels of a char-a-banc and a motor car yesterday at the junction of Remuera Road and Market Road somebody might have been killed. Owing to the races there was a heavy traffic at this spot. The driver of the char-a-banc was directed to go round the right side of a standing tramcar, and in so doing a tram coming in the opposite direction was met. There was hardly room for a sheet of paper when they were both promptly brought to a standstill. Then as the char-a-banc was swinging round this second tramcar it faced a motorcar coming towards town at a smart pace. Seeing that a collision was imminent if he kept on, the driver of the motor-car swerved to the left and struck the tram shelter at the side of the road, both car and shed being damaged. Had the motor car kept on its way and not swerved it must have killed somebody on -the char-a-banc.

At the inquest on William Jack, who committed suicide at Linwood, Christchurch, on Friday, evidence was given that after he had been found hanging the body was left in that position for two hours. The Coroner, at tho end of the inquiry, said:—"l feel it my duty to remark on the fact that the proper course for a person when he finds anyone who has hanged himself, or has been found in the water is to satisfy himself whether life is extinct. In the case of a man found hanging the first thing to do is to cut the body down. This young man was left hanging. At least three people saw him, but no one thought of cutting him down. It may be that he hanged himself not long before the body was discovered. I suppose it is that people have a natural abhorrence of death, and do not like to touch a body. Of course it is a shock to the relatives, but I must draw the attention of the public to the fact that in hanging cases the first thing they should do is to cut the body down."

A thrilling and speetacuiaT event was provided at the Lyttelton regatta yesterday, when Mr. A. Eastwood made a triple parachute descent from an aeroplane piloted by Captain Euan Dickson. The machine came over I/yttelton at a height of 4000 ft, and after it had manoeuvred over the harbour, Mr. Eastwood climbed out on the wing, from which he dropped. Each parachute opened promptly, and the final drop was made on to an open paddock just behind X/yttelton.

"There is a certain man (says the who deliberately puts a saddle and bridle on his horse and then turns it out on the road for grazing. The idea is to give the ranger the impression that he has just left tbe horse to go into the house," was a statement made at the County Council meeting- "They'll be putting harness on cows yet and turning them on the roads," remarked a councillor.

The Minister of Public Works, tha Hon. J. G. Coates, informed a "Times" representative on Saturday that the Nuhaka Bridge on the Xapier-Gisborne road had been opened for traffic. This, he says, is a particularly smart piece of work, as the bridge ha 6 been completed several months ahead of time. It is expected this news will be well received by motorists, as it means that a shorter and better route is now opea to them.