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Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 83, 8 April 1925, Page 4

The "Auckland Star ,, will not be published on Good Friday. Advertisers should make their arrangements accordingly. Referring to the old days of St. Andrew's Church at the 7.5 th anniversary last night, the Rev. J..' Lamb Harvey referred to the interest taken in their old church by members of other churches, and he referred especially to the author of the articles on Old Taranaki which had been appearing in the "Star." That gentleman was present with them that night and when he looked at him after reading some of his articles dealing with the old cannibalistic times, he thought that the only reason he was left alive was because, like himself, he was not fat enough for food! The result was of course the interesting articles which everyone of them read with much interest and which told more about the every day life of the people at that time than 'anything else that he had read. °

Speaking at St. Andrew's Hall last night Mr. A. J. Entrican said he hoped the day was not far distant when a central office for all Presbyterian activities would be established at St. Andrew's Church. The social service office should be there and they should call the building St. 'Andrew's Cathedral and make it the trysting place of all Presbyterians who visited the city. The Rev. J. Lamb Harvey said he thought the idea a good one and it would give the old mother church her proper place in Presbyterian activities, and he humorously added: "I would have no objection to becoming the first bishop!" The dry season has been the apparent cause of the stags in the Wairarapa "roaring" later than usual (says an exchange). Several local parties* have so far not secured any good heads, but a Mauriceville party stalking in the vicinity of Mount Ruapai secured two magnificent heads on Saturday, one of which is thought to be the equal of anything shot in the North Isiand for some years. They will be taken out through the Ohau Gorge to Levin.

An American journalist who has been travelling through the Dominion was expressing his admiration of the scenery and then spoke of the refreshment room's at the railway stations. What he could not understand, he said, was why, since New Zealand exported such a huge quantity of dairy produce in which cheese came second on the list,, cheese was never obtainable at any of the restaurants no the railways. And no one could tell him why.

Four boys who were about to go in for a swim in the estuary at Woolston were attacked by a young octopus. The octopus was in the sand close to the water, and the boys did not see it until it moved. The octopus suddenly shot out a tentacle at one of the boys. One lad stabbed it with a sharp stick, and pinned it to earth. The party then dragged it some distance and "hacked off its tentacles.

It is doubtful whether the Great North Road between the Whau Bridge and the Avondale Post Office will be open to traffic for at least another two months. So far concreting operations have not commenced. In the meantime the Avondale Borough Council has considerably improved the new route, the bad surfaces at St. George's Road, Taylor and Karaka Streets, have been remetalled, blinded with shell and rolled. On the New Lynn side of the Whau Creak, Portage Road and Totara Avenue are in a bad condition and in urgent need of repair. In fact if wet weather sets in motorists will experience considerable difficulty in negotiating Portage Road.

As two Chinamen named Ring Goe and Wang Jang were proceeding through Queen Street. Onehunga, yesterday afternoon, to Mangere. with a horse and cart, the horse to"ok fright at a steam roller opposite the railway station. It ran on to the footpath and ripped the wooden palings on" the railway fence for a distance of about 30 yards, and dislodged a gate post at the entrance to tlie°stationmasters residence. Both men were thrown out of the cart. One got clear but a wheel went over the other man's foot. After the runaway had got clear of the fence the collar and harness gave way. setting the horse free and leaving the cart and harness behind. One back spring was broken and one side of the cart bent over. After these had been repaired find the horse caught, the men proceeded to their home in iluir Road, Mangere.

A Wanganui business man had an experience recently which he is not likely to forget (says the "Herald"). He was a guest at a club along the- coast where sleeping; accommodation is provided. All went splendidly until next morning, when ho awoke and found blood smears on the bedclothes. Closer investigation, however, relieved his mind considerably when be discovered that he had only been sleeping on pome young mice about a day old. In his hurried retirement on the previous >evening he had not noticed how snugly mother mouse had catered for her offspring. This was evidently another clear-cut case of the best laid plans of mice and men going all agley"

Telephones in local residences where there are schoolchildren have been ringing more than usual of late (says an exchange). When the school work presents insurmountable difficulties to the youthful students, the telephone directory is perused, and in a few moments the mysteriaes of square root and the metric system are being unravelled over the wires. In cases where parents are unable to impart the required information to their children, the telephone is used to "crib' , whereby notes are compared and unruly figures are soon put in place, and the answer is arrived at without any undue fatigue. This system is not. of course, adopted by all students, but while the school is temporarily transferred to the home, it is only natural that children should enlist the aid of fellow students when they are convenient.

The Sumner life-boat was signalled for about 3 p.m. on Saturday, says the Lyttelton "Times." It appears that, in spite of a bar that was obviously impassable, the power boat Enquirer, with a crew of two, attempted to cross to the open sea. Before they were half way over, they shipped a breaker, -which caused the engine to stop, and a strong ebb tide carried the craft towards broken water. By the time the life-boat got out it had drifted towards the North Spit. The life-boat crew passed a rope aboard, and commenced 8. heavy pull back. Wind and tide were so strong that when abreast of Beacon Rock the tow-rope broke, and there was considerable risk of the rescue party lwing dashed xipon the reef. Eventually another line was passed nboard, and the party landed at the pier.

"The recent Sir Sam Fay Railway Commission gave a clean bill to ail departments except the transportation, and in this thing soundly condemned the whole show," states the April number of '"The X.Z. Locomotive Engineers' Journal/ "The rank and file could easily have given this decision; at least the locomotive men could have answered the question," declares the "Journal."

"For years, this branch of the service has been most obsolete and yet they continue to pick men to manage the whole railways from this side of the railway work. Their whole methods are out of date, and it is a wonder Sir Sam Fay did not insist upon a new 'lock, stock and barrel' for this branch of railway work, and debar any member of such branch from becoming: part of the administration of the whole."

A claim resulting from an alleged misrepresentation of a land salesman occupied the attention of Mr. F. 1C Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court for the greater part of yesterday, when E. V. White (Mr. Terry V sued Fred Ball, land agent, and C. Grut, salesman (Mr. Matthews), for £37 10/ deposit paid together with £9 12/ legal costs incurred in respect of a sale negotiated by the defendant Grut, who was in the employ of the defendant Ball. The sale was subsequently cancelled with the consent of the vendor. The plaintiff, in evidence, stated that- lie purchased through the defendant Grut a property at Cockburn Street. Grey Lvnn, for £1.300 on a £50 deposit. He alleged that it was represented that the total outgoings would not exceed the sum of £1 15/ per week. After signing the agreement he discovered that the outgoings amounted to £2 2/ per week and he thereupon saw the vendor and arranged for the cancellation of the sale The defence was a general denial of the allegations and the defendant Grut stated that he advised the plaintiff that the weekly cost of the property would be 3</0 plus rates and insurance. His Worship, in giving judgment, held that the weight of evidence was on the side «- t ! l n, pU ! intiff and = aye judgment for £3, 10/. plus costs, £7 19/. Security for appeal was fixed at £10 10/

A native from the Ratana settlement was watching with great interest the operation of concrete mixing done at Ratana, where a new building is in the course of erection (relates an "exchange). As the mixing bowl moved round and round, and the mixed product was eventually delivered where required the watcher was seized by an inspiration. Moving towards the foreman, he Rested to him that the plant be loaned to him for Easter. The foreman asked if there was to be sojne concrete done at Ratana at Easter. "No," was the reply, "but the machine would be very good for mixing the dough!"

Millions of black sandflies filled the air over Ashburton on a recent afternoon, and while they occasioned annoyance to pedestrians they were a source of danger to motorists and cyclists for they persisted in getting into the 'eves just when a clear vision was neeessarv to the safe negotiation of corners and the avoidance of vehicles and evelists The plague commenced about noon and by the middle of the afternoon the 'pests had invaded every thoroughfare in the town.