NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 282, 29 November 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Season's First Mako. 'I'lie first nuiko shark captured this ?ca-O!i "ii the Bay of Plenty fishing grounds wat , caught on Sunday by Mr. W. Andrews, fi-li-inj: from a launch off Motiti Inland. The fisli was (iff Gin long mid its weight was estimated iit 11011). It was landed after fighting (strenuously for 20 minutes'. Made a Good Impression. The recent physical fitness demonstration liy pupils of tlie Onchunga School was the >übject of a resolution expressing the appreciation of the Onehunga Borough Council la*t niglit. On - • motion of Mr. S. Brown, the council eonjrratulatr 1 the headmaster, Mr. If. Minstead, and staff on the excellent results of the time and patience they had giien to the training of the children. The latter were also complimented on their steadiness and fine exhibition. A Screen Beard. "Whilr I was in Los Angele* I met Colin Tnjiley, the Xew Zealand acto-, who wa-* wen ring 11 full-grown beard." si, id Sir Cyril Word, who ias returned to Christchurch after tin extensive tour abroad. Mr. Tapley apologised for his beard, but stated that, it was ncc.-ssary for a new picture in which he was appeal ing, called "If I Were King.' , Sir Cyril remarked that he lied visited the Paramount studio, where he had seen Ronald Col man and France* Dee appearing in shot* for thin film. Mr. Brian Tapley. a brother of the actor, was also now engaged in the motion picture business in Hollywood. Dumping of Smelts. When whitebait are running in Hie rivers there is another fish called a smelt whic-li frequently becomes trapped in the nets of the whitebait fishermen. At a meeting of the I'almerston North branch of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society a protest was voiced ;it the practice of dumping the-se fcmelts on the river Imnks instead of returning them to the water. It was naid they are a valuable trout food, and so it was'decided to ask headquarter- of the- society to loke the matter up with the Department, which controls whitebait fishing, and endeavour, if possible, to make the returning of the smelts to the river compulsory. N.Z. Medicos in China. Fear* for the safety of the Now Zealniuleis, |)ix. T. F. Watson and <;. Maaka. who for ti«iiu»> time had l>een out of touch with the Red Cross uuthorities in China, where they have been serving for seven month"*, have been allayed by the receipt of a cablegram from the- St. John Ambulance Association. Hongkong. The cablegram, received by the Far Kast Relief Committee in Wellington, states that Dr. Watson iw returning to Hongkong via Peking, and is due about December 14. Dr. Maaka is also returning, lint there i« not yet any definite advice about ■ tin; (late. Drs. Watson and Maaka. both of whom were at the Napier Hospitnl before they left for China, will return to Xew Zealiind as soon as they reach Hongkong. Suitcase Mystery? Sinister whispers spread rapidly through a city building early this morning. Heads poked from every window and peered anxiously into the light-well—and there in its almost inaccessible depths ley a suitcase. Speculation wa« rife as to how it pot there. The favourite theory was that it contained a human victim. Anyone could see that from the gruesome bulge at one end. The presence of an occasional blowfly caeually investigating the suitcase called for nervous comment. Finally some enterprising tenant*, armed with ladders and necessary equipment, ecaled the slippery walls of the well. In an atmosphere «o tense that it could be felt, the suitc«se clicked open—to disclose human relics, certainly—a pair of sandshoes, a drees, a box' of face powder, and a packet of pins. The spectatone are still wondering how the ease got there, and where the body is, that belongs to the drees. Dignity and Impudence. The middle of the morning in Queen Street . . . streets full of traffic . . .traffic officers waving their arms and hand* briskly . . . pedestrian* on the march. Suddenly a siren wailed. Pedestrians forgot their shopping and lined the footpaths, and the arnw of the traffic man were busy getting the streets clear. The siren was the signal for the onrush of the fire engine. Then away up the street everyone heard its own particular wail, and. resplendent in gold, silver and red. everything shining, the la*<t word in iinpres«ive dignity, it whirled across Customs Street. So far so good. The people felt that this was a sight worth seeing. They had got something for at least part of the taxes they paid. Rut before the crowd could clear, before the vivid impression of upeed. power and grandeur could have gone from their minds, across the same intersection wandered another vehicle. It wan doing its best, but it was a slow and sad best, a meandering motion, in which the weariness of life was all too apparent. It was, further, a lowly vehicle and small. Tt was not more than a foot from the ground, and hardly more than nine feet long. It was one of those little electric runabout lorriee with the miniature wheels, and without any covering. The scene was just a vignette, and a« people turned away they smiled and said, "Dignity and impudence."

Sniffed All the Way. Rotoriia'cs endurance record it probably held by the hotel keeper who managed to refrain from laughing in the face of a, prospective boarder for fully 20 minutes in spite of uncomfortable provocation states the Eotortia "Moiiiing Post." The visitor was from Palnicrston North. She had never visited Rotorua before, but had heard of its odorous reputation. "My husband.' , the Ntid. "told me what a smelly place this wae—l've been ■itnfting all the way." Encouragement. Pleasure was expressed by the Mayor, Mr. A. (Jarside. and other members of the Onehunga Borough Council last night with n letter received from a ratepayer recording his appreciation of wui k d<lll , by Iho council to the approach to his property in Frederick Street. The writer said the work reflected <:reat credit on the engineer and stun". It had been well done, and the ratepayers were getting value for their money. The Mayor said the letter wa« rather unusual. He *"g----■rested, amid laughter, that tlie letter was •rood enough to be framed. Seasoned Air Traveller. After travelling by air from Sydney to Holland and returning; again by aeroplane from Amsterdam to Sydney. Mrs. F. W. Shelton. of Tolaga Hay. returned to Gisborne yentcrday by Inioii Airways' aeroplane. She is the fir*t woman to make the double journey by the Dutch line, and, on landing; sit Batayiii oil fhe homeward trip, she wax presented with a bouquet of orchids by the Dutch officials. Tn spite of the experience of living; in very rough weather at times, Mrs. Sheltnii thoroughly enjoyed travelling by air. She caid -he could not speak too highly of the efficiency of tlie service. In addition to thes,Iwo long journey*. Mrs. Slicltoii travelled from Holland to Southampton by the new Dutch line from Amsterdam, mid while spending; n fortuigjlit in Britain flew to <Jla«srow. Later she boarded a Dutch aeroplane at Manchester to return to Amsterdam. Since arriving: in New Zealand last week Mrs. Shelton lias flown to Oamaru and bock again to Gisborne. A Memorable Week. When visitors called on the little patients ot the Wilson Home at the weekend, the children were found enthusiastic about the happening;* during; the week. Some of them had been there for a long; time, but they had never had a better time than during; the pa*t few days. Nicola, the musician, had brought over his whole troupe of about twelve to entertain tliem. Then on the day following; they saw the children of the nearby school, under the charge of Mr. Hall, and dressed up in paper costumes, perform folk dances on the lawn under the shady big trees. Tin , ' - thought the movements of the strong-limbed children so beautiful that they hoped some day they would be ntron ■ enough to do folk daiieing. Then, to crown all, they had opened their new swimming bath, and most of them had been able to u*e the" • nrms and legs in the buoyant hot water. For the first time for a long period some of them had been able to swim faster than even their attendant, which meant that if they progressed as they had started they would soon be- able to use their limbs much better. A Curious Restriction. Restrictions on the sale of petrol «t week-ends in Victoria are now in force, stated Mr. H. Black, a well-known Wellington golfer, who lias ju*t returned from a visit to Australia. He eaid that a new law enforced the closure of all petrol station* in Victoria from 2 p.m. on Saturday until Monday morning. That meant that the motorist who intended to tour during the week-end would have to purchase all the petrol he thought he would need before 2 p.m. on Saturday, and if he ventured too far into the country and his tank ran out he would have to borrow a supply or wait where he was until Monday. It would be illegal for any station to make a sale during prohibited houre. A reason given for the action wa« the growing congestion at week-ends on the roads of Victoria. Whether it would leesen that traffic, Mr. Black Feid, was doubtful, as such action might induce people to purchase spare supplies in tins and carry them in their cars, thereby bringing about another potential source of danger. Yacht*s Fast Coast Trip. In the course of her trip from Auckland to Wellington the auxiliary keel yacht. Rover put into Oisborne Harbour on Sunday for store*. The craft left Auckland at 3 p.m. lest Wednesday, and that night was towed as far as Charles ("ove. Coromandel Peninsula, by a fishing trawler. Continuing the voyage under sail, the yacht experienced variable winds on her pa««age to Gisborne. On the second night out she was becalmed for peverel hours. Her course across the Bay of Plenty took her near White Tsland. which tlie crew inspected. Arriving off Tuahine Point about 7 p.m. on Saturday, the yacht came into the bay. but in the fading light the crew were not certain of the entrance to the harbour olid decided to put to sea again, heading for Xapier. However, before the craft reached Mahia, she ran into head winds and finally turned back for Gisborne. She entered the harbour at fi.o a.m. on Sunday, using her auxiliary engine. Stores were taken on board nnd the ynent «set sail at !)..">0 o'clock for Wellington. Hct master, Mr. D. Wellington, sair' that, as the boat was making a leisuiel; voyage, a call might be made at Xapier.