NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 76, 30 March 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Church Commemoration. An unusual commemoration of the 70th anniversary of St. James' Presbyterian Church, Wellington Street, will be celebrated to-mor-row. The exact service as held on March 20, 1805. will be repeated. The psalms and hymns will be the same, and the sermons will be from the same texts. The Salvation Army. Harvest thanksgiving services wil'. be conducted by the Salvation Army, Hastings Parade, lievonport, by Adjutant C. Neeve, of Congress Hall, Auckland, to-morrow morning, afternoon and evening. The adjutant is a very capable speaker and soloist, and this is his'first visit to Devon port. On Monday night Bandmaster Pace and his octet party will render a vocal and instrumental programme Miss Ruth Parker will assist as accompanist. A Woman's Prerogative. In the Magistrate's Court at Timaru a woman entered the witness box to give evidence in an assault case in which her ljusljaiid was concerned. Before she could be sworn the magistrate, Mr. C. R. Orr-Walker, pointed out that a wife was unable to testify against her husband, unless it was a case of the husband having assaulted her. "Oh, lie's done that many a time," volunteered the witness as she stepped down from the box. The magistrate (to counsel): "You see, a lady will always have the last say."

Buller's Secondary Industry. The number of boring plants brought into the Buller district recently suggests a big gold mining revival in the near future (says the Westport "News"). It is very pleasing, indeed, to see this activity, but why should Buller ironmasters not be producing ills plant required for such operations. Formerly Buller foundries not only fulfilled local wants in the way of mining and bridge machinery, but also those for other parts of the Dominion, including as far north as Hawkc's Bay. Now that Buller is oil the eve of a gold dredging boom, it is hoped local foundrymcn will rise to the occasion and supply at least the major portions of the machinery required. Airman's Lost Dog. Seven small boys leading seven large dogs waited anxiously for the arrival of Pilot T. Pethybridge at the aerodrome at Mascot, Sydney, lately. A reward of a 50-mile flight had been offered for the return of the pilot's missing Alsatian, and every boy was certain that his was the right dog. One small boy stood apart. He had merely brought information, and his downcast expression indicated that he thought his was a lost cause. Mr. Pethybridge arrived; the boys crowded around liim. None of the dogs resembled the missing Bootlace, and most of them were given their freedom. The timid bystander then gave his information. He said he had seen an Alsatian in the backyard of a house .nearby. Mr. Pethybridge arrived there—to find that the occupant had been telephoning him. It was his dog, so the informant and the householder's daughter had a free trip next day. Compensation Awarded. Full compensation was awarded by the Arbitration Court at Napier to Herbert George Hooper, a road surfaceman, of Waikoliu, near Gisborne, in his claim against the Waikohu County Council. While dismounting from a horse, the plaintiff 'stepped on to a bank, which gave way, causing him to fall. The horse jumped forward, and plaintiff's left leg and foot, which were caught in the stirrup, were severely twisted, with the result that his knee was injured. The evidence of Drs. Harvey and Bernau was taken, following which the Court gave judgment for plaintiff for full compensation to date, based on his average weekly earnings of £3 11/9, and directed that for the remainder of the period of liability he should receive compensation based on a 45 per cent loss of earning capacity. This will be subject to review if the necessity arises. The Court allowed £12 12/ costs to the plaintiff.

The Hunter Hunted. An amusing enough incident, though one that was unpleasant for the person corcerned. was narrated at a Wangamu I'.otirian luncheon by ilr. A. C. Nixon, of Delhi. Mr. Nixon was speaking of the habits of panthers, with special reference to members °f the "man-eating family." "A doctor wei-t out after a panther that had killed a doer, and, after waiting half the night in a tree, heard a faint sound below," said Mr. Nixon. "The doctor immediately switched on a powerful spotlight, but the panther disappeared. A little later, however, the animal returned, and again the doctor switched on his light. But this time he let drive with his gun. The next thing he knew was that his shot had missed, and that the panther was hurriedly climbing the tree. The doctor fired again, this time with both barrels, but n. savage sncrt .from an unharmed panther told him that once again his shots had missed. "I don't think that doctor stopped running until he reached his car," Mr. Nixon concluded. " To Wit, an Egg." In the Children's Court at Ciiristchureh Mr. H. P. Laivry, S.M., and Mrs. T. Green, J.P., were faced with an instance of a Hi-year-old boy who threw an aged and offensive egg at the driver of a shunting railway engine. He did not actually hit the driver, but the egg burst just in front of the man's face, and tlie Railway Department wrote to the Court stressing the difficult position of a driver who, with a tricky bit of driving to occupy all his attention, had his eyes, nose and nostrils lilled with such a distracting material. The wording of the charge was that the boy tlncw "an article, to wit, an egg," at the driver. The chief cfetective, who prosecuted, said that the case was viewed rather seriously. The boy had been with three or four others, ami they had come across a lien's nest full of rotten eggs. Of all possible targets', they picked on tlie driver of a moving engine. The boys also confessed to the theft of a watch, valued at £5. The magistrate spoke severely to tlie prisoner, pointing out the possible consequences of his egg-throwing, and placed him under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer for two years.

Bellbirds Versus Weasels. Apropos of the proposal to establish bellbirds 011 Rangitoto, "Nature-lover" writes enthusiastically in praise of the suggestion, but is apprehensive of danger to the mellifluous songster from the hordes of rats and weasels which now infest the island. He says: "This tuneful bird is a tree-nester, and usually builds pretty high up. It thereby enjoys fair immunity from the rodents, which do not like to crawl about more than 20ft above the ground. On Rangitoto, however, the trees are all stunted, due to the rocky character of the island, and the nesting places will have to be perforce fairly close to the ground. Speaking from experience, I can say that there were nearly as many rats and weasels caught in the traps set for opossums 011 Rangitoto ae the desired little bit of fur. The same thing happened on Mount Egmont, a 15 was revealed in the Parliamentary discussion 011 deer and goat extermination recently. Evidence was then adduced which allowed the immense increase of rats and weasels in our New Zealand force,ts and their positive menace to all our bird life." Our correspondent concludes with sincere wishes for the successful establishment of bellbirds on Kangitoto, saying. "There is 110 music like that of the bellbird—it in the inspired chorister of our New Zealand Lush."

Anzac Day Ceremonies. It has been decided not to hold the usual afternoon service in the Town Hall for school children 011 Anzac Day, as most of the schools will be closed. The Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association has decided to ask the school authorities to arrange separate commemorative ceremonies either before breaking up, or, if convenient, 011 Anzac Day. The service in the Town Hall will be resumed next year. First Frost Reported. A fairly sharp frost, the first since October last, was experienced at Taupo yesterday. This compares with 15 registered in the corresponding period of the previous 12 months. As a result of the exceptionally mild conditions experienced so far this year, several fruit trees and beds of strawberries are bearing blossoms for the second time. Deciduous trees are still in full leaf.

Sunshine School Camps. Further children will leave 011 Thursday for the camp of the Sunshine Community Association at Motuihi. In the party there will be some 05 boys and 00 girls, 125 111 all; and that will be the last camp for this year. They will be there until the end of April. They were selected last Monday by Health Department doctors. At each of these "selection-* Cays is to be seen the spectacle of children greatly rejoicing because they have qualified for a holiday at Motuihi. At present in the camp are about 125 children, who have been there for some three weeks, and whose place the new party will take. " Send a Man." "There is a lot of smoke coming from the building next door. Could you please send a man to see about it?" This w.i-s the text of a note sent to a fire brigade s tut if 11 in a South Island town by a woman, aecoiding to a story related to the Wanganui General Fire Brigade superintendent at the gathering of firemen at Blenheim recently. Furthermore, the message was carried by a boy 011 a bicycle, who had to travel well over mile to the fire brigade station. The superintendent suggested that it would not de for Wanganui householders to follow th.; example set.

Car Charged by Bull. A bull charged a light delivery van driven by Mr. B. Brooklands, when he was proceeding to the unemployment camp at Brigg's Gully, near Timaru. He had left the main road, and was proceeding across a paddock when the bull sighted the car. The animal, which had a heavy chain round its horns, lowered its head and charged. With commendable presence of mind the driver turned the ear side on to the rush, so t.liat the boast's horns struck one of the headlights, which was badly broken, but the manoeuvre prevented the horns from penetrating the radiator or doing any greater damage than a few dents and scratched paint. The bull retreated a few yards after the rush and prepared to charge again, but Mi". Brookland opened a door, and, seizing some tyre levers and a lifting jack, which were lying on the floor of the tar, threw them at the animal's head. Startled by the countor-att?.ck, the bull retreated out of range, and, while he did not further molest the car, he watched its progress with interest from a safe distance. " All Fools' Day " on Monday. "All Fools' Day" falls next Monday, when the ancient custom of playing harmless practical joKes will doubtless be observed. April 1 is the one day in the year when a lie becomes a pardonable hoax. Dozens of little boys will tell mama that there is "someone at the door," daddy will perhaps be told that the chickens have all flown away, sister will perhaps have a bogus telephone call from her best boy, and, who knows, the spirit of levity may even enter the staid portals of business houses. In the London Stock Exchange, for instance, April fooling is a time-honoured institution. The custom is wrapped in the mists of antiquity, and its origin is uncertain, but the idea of fixing ridicule upon an unguarded individual is probably the relic of some old heathen Celtic festival in connection with the vernal equinox. In French mythology nn April fish, a "poisson d'Avril," was a foolish little creature and easily caught. An explanation of eaered origin is that the custom commemorates the sending of Our Lord from Annas to Caiaphas and back again. Whatever the source of the custom mr.v be, it is practically universal throughout Europe, and there is an exact Indian counterpart, which has held sway from time immemorial.

The Fitting of a Big Ship. Five months after her launching —an event which was outstanding amour the occurrences of lO.'t-l —the 73,000-ton Queen Mary may seem to have passed from the public mind. But to the people of Clydebank and the Clydeside she is still a lively and practical interest. Workmen arc still inarming over and inside the big vessel—carpenters joiners, engineers, electricians and other tradesmen essential to the vast and complex task of iitting out a ship of her size and importance. Actually, about 3000 men —mostly joiners and fitters of one kind or another— are now employed 011 the liner, but that figure affords but a small idea of the full total of workers who are finding employment in auxiliary trades all over tlie country through the equipment necessary for the Queen Mary. A short time ago a Govan firm was given the order for the liner's 24.steel lifeboats tunsinkable and fireproof); Belfast mill girls are busy weaving the ship's linen; at Rugby men are working 011 her turbo-generators; others in Edinburgh are putting the finishing" touches to her steering gear; and in other centres people are engaged in carrying out shares, small or large, in a variety of contracts, all of which are essential to the complete design of the world's greatest liner. Mothering Sunday. To-morrow in St. Paul's Church the old English custom of "Mothering Sunday" is to be revived. A special liymn is to be sung' during the distribution of Simnel cakes during the Eucharist service at 11 o'clock.

"Mothering Sunday" is the quaint old name given from very early days in the Mother Church of England to the fourth Sunday in Lent. It was a day set apart as a great day in praise of mothers, but not of earthly mothers only. It commemorated earthly mothers, the Mother Church of the diocese or parish, and the Holy Church, Mother of us all. Its observance has never altogether died out in England, though much of its early significance has been obscured or lost. Old records show that on this day children would go home bringing some present for their mother. This was called "going a-motliaring." Father, mother and children then went to their mother parish church to praise God for giving tliein the blessing of their enrthly home. To mark the special joyous solemnity of the occasion, wafer cakes were blessed at the altar and distributed to the congregation, who took tliem home and consumed them at their own table. Thus "God's Board" (the beautiful old Anglo-Saxon name for the altar) was linked up with the family "board," and the thought of "Mother Church" as the one great Family of God composed of multitudes of human families, was preserved and deepened. One recipe for the making of these "mothering cakes," as they were often called, is still a carefully guarded secret handed down for hundreds of years in the village of Chilbolton, Hampshire. Another variety of "mothering cakes," known specially in the north of England, was termed the Simnel Cake, and usually made of very rich and varied ingredients. The great essential is that Mothering or Simnel Cakes should bo made of the purest flour and other ingredients, for "the best alone is good enough for mother." The old observance of "Mothering Sunday" is gradually being revived throughout the Anglican communion.