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Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 2 November 1925, Page 6

"You might ask mc the name of the man 1 work for, digging spuds," said c Alaori witness in an action in tv" Supreme Court this morning, "aud I will tell you " Counsel had been crossexamining the witness at great length, and the latter appeared to be tired of it, as was his Honor Air. Justice Herdman, who, on a number of occasions reproved counsel, and pointed out that tbe questions had nothing to do with the case. "They say there is nothing in bowls,'' said a player at Stanley Bay green on Saturday, "but on our rink we played for two solid hours, tbe teams being very evenly matched. At the last head, with only one bowl to be played, our side was two up in a splendid position. Up came the last shot; it first hit one bowl, then another and finally a third, and just rolled into shot by the llith of an inch, and we had lost the game." lt was agreed that it was the glorious uncertainty of bowls which gave the game its greatest fascination, and that it was the one game where men of mature years could hold their own with much younger men. A poll is being taken in the .Glen Eden Town Board's district to-day in connection with concreting that portion of the Great North Road from Auckland to Henderson which runs through the board's area. About eighteen months ago a similar poll was taken, when the proposal to borrow £2000 was carried by a large majority. On account of an irregularity in the voting papers the Minister of Internal Affairs would not validate it, hence the reason for taking the second poll to-day.

An interesting and beautiful astronomical spectacle will develop during November. There are in the western sky after sunset two bright stars, the tipper one being the planet Jupiter and the lower one the planet Venus. They are far apart just now, but will gradually approach each other, and on the 26th they will pass within five moons' breadth of each other. Prior to that, however, on the 20th, the young four days' old crescent moon will be close to them, and the three luminaries will show up well. On the 28th Venus reaches its widest distance from the sun, after which date it will begin to close in to the sun, increasing in brightness for some time. After the 20th Jupiter will be the lower of the two planets, and will tend to decrease in brightness. On the evening of the 22nd the planet Mercury will be very close to its widest distance from the sun, but as it sets very shortly after sunset a sharp lookout will have to be kept for it. The two planets Saturn and Mars are not well placed for view during the month, the former becoming a morning star on November 10 and hidden in the sun's raysT* Mars is a morning star, and may be seen just before dawn in front of the sun, low on the eastern sky, towards the end of the month. Many motorists who were enjoying their usual Sunday drive yesterday were interrogated by traffic inspectors, and asked to produce their driving licenses, thus being given proof that the City Council intends to rigidly enforce the by-law requiring motorists to have their licenses in their possession when driving. The chief routes in the city were patrolled, and many drivers were found to not have the necessary certificates with them, ignorance of the regulation being given as the main excuse. They were warned of their liability to prosecution. Now that publicity has been given to the by-law, motorists will find it more convenient, no doubt, to have on their persons the little official papers, rather than receive documents of a different colour, inviting them 'to the Police Court. There are many signs that we are in for a very dry summer. Seldom has the ground been so dry at this time of the year. Bush tracks that are never passable dry shod until well on towards Christmas are now caked hard. Those earth cracks, so characteristic of the hot summer days, are already beginning to appear round about Auckland, but in normal seasons they are not seen until the end of Decemlier or tbe beginning of January. "I thought we were goim* to suffer for all that wet a couple of months ago," said an oln settler with thirty years' experience of the Auckland climate. "I have never seen so many signs of dryness at this time of the year as you can sr*_ all round, not only in the open, but in the bush as well. I notice that the city has just finished duplicating the pipe line from Nihotupu to the town reservoirs, and if I am any judge of the signs of the seasons they will need all the water they can get." The new gramophones subscribed to by the public for use in the infirmary wards at the Auckland Infirmary have been installed and are the source of much pleasure to those who are con-, lined to bed. Som. of the old people' arc- very particular about the kind of record which is bought and have a preference for the old songs compared with the catchy music of a. more recent dale. Largo clocks have also been placed in the. wards and are much appreciated hy the sick old people who find the days pass slowly along. At the close of the usual meeting of the Tabernacle Christian Endeavour Society on Saturday evening, a very pleasant function took place. The members of the society and some friends took acH'antago of the fact that their leader, the Rev. J. Russell Grave, had, at the recent Baptist Conference, been received into full ministerial status, and to mark this occasion, as well as to show their appreciation of liis services, they presented him with a handsome gold watch suitably inscribed. The Rev. J. W. Kemp made the presentation on behalf of tlie Endeavourers, and Mr. Grave suitaMv replied. V.v. Crave has recently been appointed as assistant to the Rev. .1. W. Kemp, ihe minister of the- Tabernacle. David Thompson, a returned soldier, was admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital on Thursday suffering from an injury to the head, 'from which lie succumbed. In Company witli his father, deceased was eutting'firewood nt Pohangina. Tie was carrying a maul, which, by some means, struck him on the back of the bead, fracturing' tlie skull. Deceased lial previously sustained an injury to hi-; bead when on active service and the blow was apparently received on a weak portion of the skull. Policemen appeared in tbe city to d.-.v j wieir'.iii their while helmets for th',. j tii'-t tine ibis season. This uin be taken, usually, as a sure B ij_ n that sprins has really arrived. To-day was certainly a superb herald of the period so long awaited through a prolono-ed season of unsettled weather.