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Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 248, 18 October 1924, Page 6

When a tramcar ivas proceeding to the Epsom barn at about 10.45 p.m. yesterday, it crashed into a horse which had strayed on to the tram line at the corner of Owens and Manukau Roads. The horse was caught under the front bogie of the car, and, after some little time it was released, but was so seriously injured that it had to be destroyed. The front of the car was considerably damaged, while the motorman and passengers experienced a rather forcible jolt. The tramway service was delayed for about a quarter of an hour. An outward-bound tramcar collided with a motor bus which in order to allow passengers to alight, yesterday afternoon, had stopped near the tramraila at the Herbert Uoad stop in Dominion Road. Little, damage was done to either vehicle, and no one was injured. The road at the point where the accident occurred is in a very rough state, and it is stated that it was necessary, therefore, fur the driver of the bus to stop almost alongside the tracks. The motorman of the car, evidently not realising how close it was, endeavoured to pass the bus, with the result stated. A fire which lias been burning in the Chamberlain coal mine at Albury, South Canterbury, for several years past, lia-s now reached a critical stage (states an exchange). An inspection has been made by an officer of the Jlincs Department, a≤ a result of which an effort was made to stop the fire by cutting clay away and placing it over the burning seam of coal. In its progress the fire ha 3 caused a«considcrable amount of damage, and, asi the coal has burned away, the clay, overburdened, has fallen in, in many places leaving cavities. in the paddocks above the team large enough to dump a house in. A | great danger lies in the fact that the I h're has been gradually eating its way toward the workings which pass underneath the Mackenzie Pass road. To get into the United States from Vancouver is no easy job, as a young 'Opotiki man recently discovered. As the law now stands a British-born can't "cross the line," so the New Zealander proceeded to beat the law, and accomplished his object. He says that his only way was to walk for a considerable distance in the night, and his experiences dodging revenue officers were thrilling. A town called Bellingham was his objective, but his local geographical knowledge being scant he had some difficulty in locating it. After some exciting experiences in dodging suspicious individuals in motor cars he reached his destination. He says: "1 was walking for about 12 hours carrying two bags witli only one rest. My arms just ached, but my legs felt all right. I had breakfast, got a shave, and my boots cleaned, and caught the 10.30 a.m. train for Seattle.'-" The vga (as known to the Niue Islanders), or the rob lie r crab, recently nientioned in the "Star' , is a most interesting creature, writes a correspondent. It is practically unknown exse-pt v> -those interested in tropical countries. It grows to a considerable size and is quite at home when climbing a coconut tree. It is very powerful and after nipping off and dropping a nut it will descend and unhusk it. It always attacks the end of the nut at which the eyes are. It is provided with an instrument similar to a wood rasp and after tearing a-way the husk ajid exposing the shell it rasps the soft eye of the nut sufficiently large to allow jts powerful nippers to be inserted inside when it quickly cats the contents. These are the crabs whicli consumed the remains of the sailors washed ashore from the Emden at Cocos Island. One fireman in the Auckland district owed his death to a maliciously-given alarm. Despite the stern warning issued at the subsequent inquest by the coroner, who said that the person who gave the alarm was as much responsible for the fireman's death as he would have been had ho deliberately shot him, there are persons who continue to call the brigade out on false errands at late- night and earlly morning. The City Fire Brigade report that they received another such alarm at 1.34 a.m. to-day to Campbell Road, Surrey Crescent. It is always presumed that amongst those whose sense of humour is more or less based on weak mentality that the ringing of fire alarms is funny. It may even have been considered thus when it meant the loss of a life. It is regarded as a great pity by the brigade and others that the police have not yet apprehended any of the depraved humorists, so that the magistrate can fulfil Ms threat and give them an opportunity of seeing the humour in the breaking of stones rather than of alarm glasses. Mr. F. J. Penfold, guard of the inward slow train on Tuesday evening, had an unenviable experience (says the "Taranaki Herald"). Shortly after leaving Lepperton and while the train was travelling at about twenty miles an hour alongside the Waitara train, which pulled out of the junction simultaneously, the guard missed his footing and fell on to the permanent way between the two trains, but fortunately clear of both sets of rails. No one saw the accident, and it was not until the New Plymouth train stopped at Corbett Road that the absence of the guard was discovered. The train went back to Lepperton, and in the meantime the guard had walked back to the station. Beyond a few bruises and the loss of several teeth he was little the worse for the accident, and was able to resume the journey. A Palmerston North man interested in native plant life, when speaking with a "Manawatu Times" reporter, said that New Zealand has a genuine cotton plant, which grows freely near the sea coast in the far north. It is known to the natives as kahakaha (to be strong), and to botanists as astella solandril. Placed upon a mantelpiece, a well-grown pod has been known to open with the lieat and throw out silky white threads five feet long. Possibly if cultivated and improved, the Forestry Department might produce something , of commercial value from it. "Are you prepared to tell the Court that all the members of the family would tell a lie?" asked counsel of a witness in a case that came before the Dunedin Magistrate's Court (reporte the "Star"). Witneea (nonchalantly): "I suppose blood's thicker than water." Counaol: "Would the members of your family do so?" "My fani'.ly will tell tho truth," said witness, who added, after a eignlftcant pause; "To a certain extent." . * . _