NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 230, 29 September 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

New Plymouth and Seaplanes. Squadron-Leader L. M. Isitt. who flew tlie Cutty Sark flying boat from Auckland to New Plvmouth this week, expressed the opinion that New Plymouth harbour is the logical stopping place for seaplanes on the Auckland-Wellington trip. It was about half-way between the two centres, and was in an admirable position for refuelling. Landings by flying boat could also be made at Port Waikato, Kawhia, Mokau, Waitara, Wanganui and Porirua, but in most cases they would depend on the state of the tide. "Touch Me Not." "Katipo" is the name of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees' Associations monthly publication, but Mr. W. McNickle, one of the founders of the association, on Saturday evening gave an historical sketch of the association and of the paper. He said the paper had been called many names, and it was finally decided to call ft Katipo, after the poisonous New Zealand spider, because that meant "something which would not interfere with you if you did not interfere with it." There are 8000 members of the association to-day. King Willow Again. Football finished last Saturday and already the small fry are thinking of the game they will play in its place. This morning in one of the suburban streets, undismayed by the frequent passage of motor vehicles, a party of youngsters had an old splintered bat. a soft ball, and the wicket was the whole height of a telegraph pole. Nor did they seem to have regard for the sanctity of people's property. "Wherever the ball vjrent there they followed, whether it was on the front lawn or the rosebed.- They were playing what they called "Tip and run," for the "field" had shots at the wicket from the "boundary," wherever that was. One such boundary was from someone's front verandah. I New Zealand Plough in Sussex. While walking across the Downs, in Sussex (reports the "Post's" London correspondent), Mr. J. B. Merrett noticed an old discarded plough lying by a fence. He knew it to be one of the earliest patterns made by Messrs. P. and D. Duncan, of Christehurch. From its design it appeared to be over 40 years old. Mr. Merrett found different parte stamped with the wellknown mark, P. and D.D. Evidently years ago the plough had been shipped from New Zealand to England. Inquiry is being made to ascertain when the makers shipped their first plough from New Zealand. One old farmer says it came over from Canada many years ago, and until its identity had been disclosed it was considered to be a Canadian implement. Strange Happening. i The incessant warfare that is waged in ! Nature's domain finds curious illustrations. A | contributor writes to the "Otago Dailv Times": In the summer of this year, while in the Waianiwa district, early one dewy morning I saw something- that I thought strange happen near the edge of a little creek running through, the tussocks. About nine feet away from the stream I saw a half-grown rabbit squealing in terror, shifting its head from side to side, and trying to | back away from the stream. I watched closely to see what was the matter with 'bunny, and presently a large black eel glided slowly out of the creek water, slithered over the nine feet of space, took a firm grasp of the rabbit's pelt, and in a few seconds eel and rabbit disappeared into the black water of the stream. The question is why the animal did not turn round and run away, as it had plenty of time. Stirred Him Up. Accidents on golf links are. comparatively rare, especially 011 well-laid out courses where the fairways are well separated, but golfers sometimes accomplish well-nigh the impossible. At Miramar recently a player and his partner were approaching the eleventh green, and just at the same time a player was on the twelfth tee. It would seem incredible that the man on the eleventh fairway was in any danger, but the golfer on the twelfth tee sliced and skied his ball, losing sight of it. From the general direction of its vanishing, however, he judged that it was wise to call "fore," but one of the approaching players wearing a cap, dropped as though shot. It was found that the ball had struck him fairly in the centre of the pate, and for a while the man responsible was very anxious, but the injured one was able to resume his name. The wonderful part of the occurrence remains to be told.- After a painful session with his head clasped in both hands, the struck player, a long handicap man. developed a wonderful run of golf and finished his round much better than he started it. Real Scotch! Mr. and Airs. L, T. Bisson, of Napier, were recent visitors to the Trossachs. 'Scotland,- from where Mr. Bisson iias forwarded an amusing "Highland Proclamation" to a Napier resident, with a postscript that he felt sure that no Napierites would care to risk the -penalties by casting for trout in the waters referred to. The "Proclamation," which is printed on the back of a post-card, with tartan border, reads: —"Tali oy, a tither ta-hov. three times to-hoy, and to-ho-wreest. By command of Her Majesty King Shcorge and Her Grace ta Tuke o' Argyll, any persons found fishing abune ta loch or pelow ta loch, afore ta loch or ahent ta loch, in ta loch or on ta loch, roun ta loch or aboot ta loch, will |be persecuted with three persecutions. First she'll be troon'd, an syne she'll be hang'd and ten she'll be prunt; and if she'll come bacjj any more she'll be persecuted with a far worse persecution tan all that. God save ta King and Her Grace ta Tukc o' Argyll." Myth and Pact. "Meteorologist" writes: The cognoscenti say there is no such thing as an equinoctial gale and laugh at those innocent mortals who regularly, about the 22nd of the present month, expect to lose their hats several times a day. at-exposed street corners, and who invariably tie up any flowers or vegetables they especially value. The amateur gardeners who hold the equinoctial [ theory believe in the truth of the old saying about it being better to be sure than sorry. It ! is true that this year the 22nd of the month and its immediate neighbours passed without I the faintest suspicion of an equinoctial anywhere [ within-reportable distance of Auckland, but,what I about yesterday and to-day? Can any of the | cognoscenti explain the quite unexpected and uriprognosticated bursts of wind and rain that I swept over Auckland? As sure as there are little apples we do get most abnormal gales and semi-gales every September, and if they are not due to the fact that we are in the period of the equinox, then the whole thing is most strange and curious. Anyhow, you will never convince any old yachtsman in Auckland that the equinoctial gale is a myth. Begging Contrasts. Mr. 1). A. Strachan, formerly senior inspector of schools at Wellington, returned to New Zealand .yesterday after a 14 months' tour of Britain and the Continent. Speaking to an interviewer, lie remarked: "In London at the present time bearing in various forms is prevalent. lon have who conies and crudely asks for money, and. then the match-soller. who would be surprised if. when you 'tendered your penny or other coin, you took the box of matches which vou are supposed to be buying. There are the street musicians and the pavement artists, who represent another class of what may be called mendicants, and a great many people seem to earn a living by offering squeaking or acrobatic toys, not so much for the purpose of sale as for the purpose of advertising their poverty." On the other hand, in Naples, which had an historical record for mendicancy, no beggars were to be found. The Prime Minister! Mussolini, had made begging a crime, and all the people were at work*/ <