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Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 73, 26 March 1923, Page 4

Most encouraging at the territorial and cadet rifle shooting meeting at Penrose on Friday and Saturday was the keen interest taken by the younger cadets. Rifle shooting has many qualities to commend it, and the rising generation could not adopt a better pastime. Under service conditions (which govern all such territorial meetings) rifle shooting is an admirable training for the young, and the use of the rifle is very much like swimming, once learned it is never forgotten. We are fortunate in having at district headquarters and regimental headquarters officers who have an aptitude for interesting the cadets in this valuable part of their training.

The high standard of the New Zealand Police Force, and the excellency of our good system, were matters commented upon by the Rev. Jasper Calder at the Princess Theatre last evening, when delivering the second part of his sermon entitled "When Winter Comes." The most hardened criminals, he said, generally began with the most trifling offence. When they came out of gaol there was no one to help them to get back to the paths of rectitude, or to regain their position in social life. It was a mistake to say, as he has often heard remarked, that the Police Department was ever ready to hound these men down. He had never come across anything of that kind anywhere ; oh the contrary lie had always found both the members of the police and detective forces ever ready to assist any young fellow who had foolishly got himself into trouble, often going out of their way to give him assistance. "As for our prison system and our probation system," continued the preacher, "I think it is the finest in the world. I have studied it and I can find nothing in advance Of it to be found anywhere." Such an excellent system as they had in New Zealand wa6 bound to bring good results. It gave young men a chance to make good, and was judiciously exercised by the magistrates presiding.

The spectacle of two business men settling their grievances by resort to the old-fashioned method of fisticuffs under prize-fighting rules in the middle of the 6treet, is not often witnessed nowadays, but this was what happened in the peaceful village of Ohaeawai Up north on sale day this week, general regret by the cattle men, etc., being expressed that they were not among the priv : leged few to see the "combat." Howev.r, it provided an interesting topic oi conversation, eclipsing the usual rise or fall in stock prices. There was no elaborate ■stage setting. One of the business men is somewhat short in statue, but is supposed to have had a boxing record way back. His opponent was on the large side, with a long reach and a wild swing. The cause of their difference does not transpire, but a Jew heated words led to an adjournment te the middle of the road where they stripped and went at it. All Ohaeawai in. sight was flabbergasted, not to say shocked, and excitement ran high. At first the big man had all the fortune, and the little man bit the dust. But in the end science told. Ducking under the wildly swinging arms, the small man landed a hefty one on his big opponent's temple, the impact being heard a block away. It was the finish. With a grunt but no spoken word, the defeated one gathered up his traps, and disappeared into the sanctum of his show, there no doubt to have the bleeding staunched. Harvest thanksgiving services held at St. Paul's Church, Devonport, yesterday. Never before in the history of the church had so much produce, jams, and fruit been gathered together and placed at the disposal of the management. The reason for this being that after the services the whole was to be handed to the Presbyterian Orphanage at Vauxhall Road for the use of the children there. The commodious church was filled to overflowing at both services, and it was difficult to get seating accommodation. In the morning the Rev. J. Lamb Harvey, of St. Andrew's, preached from the text "Give us this day our daily bread." In the evening tho* Rev. R. S. Watson, the minister of the church preached on "Fallow ground." Special music was provided at both service* and special collections to reduce the debt on the church produced a large sum. That Justices of the Peace are very evenly distributed amongst the sporting societies of the province was shown by a statement made by a leading jeweller this morning. He said that not many men nowadays liked to wear a lot of pendants on their watch chains, and since the medallions had been given out to the justices, a great many pendants and medals of all descriptions had been taken off to make way for the judicial sign of office. Most of the medals were to be made into ladies' brooches, and ranged from bowling medals to prizes for good conduct at school, and not a few were curling medals which bad been -won on the ice°covered lakes of Scotland, but all classes of sport were represented. The jeweller with a twinkle in his eye, said he wondered if when the day came for lady justices to wear medallions they would scrap any of their jewellery. The danger in administering anaesthetics while a patient is sitting or half reclining was stressed by the coroner, Mr Wyvern Wilson, S„M., at an inquest held m Chnstchurch. The case was that of i-mily Bnmicombe, aged 19, who died under a_n anaesthetic while having some teeth extracted at a surgery. Dr Pearson, pathologist at the "Christchurch Hospital, who made a post mortem examination of the deceased, said death was due to heart failure accentuated by the anaesthetic. He pointed out that an anaesthetic administered to a patient in a dentist's chair might be dangerous. It should be administered with the patient reclining in a proper manner on the operating table. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and added a rider embodying Dr Pearson's statement as to the method of administering the anaesthetic.

A large and enthusiastic meeting of residents was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Penrose, on Thursday evening, with the' object of considering ways and means for erecting a public hall. Mr. Purchase occupied the chair. An active committee was elected from the meeting, who hope, at an early date, to bring forward a scheme for the erection of a hall which will fulfill a long-felt want of the district. A subscription list, which was handed around at the meeting, resulted in over £25 being promised.