TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 191, 8 May 1924, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

Some of the permanent casuals enploycd in wool and grain stores in Christchurch who were put off during the railway strike have not yet beep taken on again (states the “Press”).

Prospecting for gold has been proceeding steadily on this side of the Longwood for some months back, with promising results (states the “Southland Times”). The party interested in the venture are engaged in putting through a driiie in promising country and are making application for a prospecting license over one hundred acres of ground in the vicinity of their operations.

A suggestion to a medical witness that a man about 70 years of age would in any event not be capable of much hard work, was made by counsel in the Arbitration Court nt Auckland (states the “Herald”). The witness replied That he thought both he end counsel knew men of 70 who were fit for a good deal, but he could agroo with the Psalmist in his reference to '‘three score years and ton.”

The Muriwai Hotel, a two-storey building, has been shifted bodily a distance of 55 chains, the biggest, job of this kind ever done in Poverty Bay (states an exchange). The hotel, which measures 58ft. by 33ft.. and weighs roughly 70 tons, wr-s on the road for eighteen days. Tho boar'lsrs slept in it every night, having meals at a temporary structure erected on the new site. The whole work occupied 20 days, and the longest distance the hotel was shifted in any one day was a little over 300 ft.

In the turret of No. 5 gun, mounted aft on the top deck of the light cruiser Dragon now at Lyttelton, is a small brass memorial plate ■ bearing the names of a petty officer and eight men. Those whose names appear comprised, the gun’s crew when the ship was in action off Riga (states the Christchurch “Press”). An enemy shell struck the base of the gr.u and hurled the min. complete with its crew, into the sea. At different ports visitors have hung wreaths in the turret in memory of the gallant gun’s crew who died at their post of duty.

“Some two or three years ago. X sent in my returns for land and income tax purposes to the Department, and about four months later received a demand from the Commissioner for £lOOO for land and income taxes,” stated Mr. G. W- Leadley. giving evidence before the Taxation Commission in Christchurch (states the “Press”). “The Department also told me to get a chartered accountant to go into the matter of the preparation of my returns. The accountant sent in the same returns as I did, and I had to pay a little less than £2O for taxation,” he concluded.

A judgment debtor, when asked at the court at Nelson how many children he had, rather astounded the Bench and counsel by stating that he had 18—“ if they were all living.” “Three' lots of twins. Your Worship,” added the debtor not without a touch of pride (states the “Mail”). It was further elicited that nine were now living, six being under 14 years of age. His Worship remarked that lie would take a tally of these, children before hearing any more evidence.

A letter from the Wollston Burgesses’ Association was received by the Christchurch Tramway Board suggesting (says the “Press”) that the Board might investigate the efficacy of emulsified oil or diluted paraffn for street watering. It was not claimed that the idea was a new one, as it was used in America with success. The proportion of oil was so small that it did not affect the rails, but it was said to be very efficacious in laying dust. The letter was referred to the Works and Traffic Committee.

A protest against th© Palmerston North Borough Council commencing trading operabions as suppliers of electrical goods and fittings was entered by the North Island Electrical Traders’ Federation, which wrote to the council in this respect (states the “Daily I’imes”). This followed upon the united protest of the local electrical dealers recently. The council merely received the letter and took no action in rescinding its previous decision.

Two young girls, with brothers as escorts, recently rode ten miles to a dance at Wairoa (Hawke’s Bay), having earlier sent their evening frocks to a friend’s house so that they could change on arrival (relates an exchange). The night was dar,k, and ono of the girls blundered on her horse into the dead branch of a tree by the roadside. A little later sho felt a tickling sensation on her neckIt persisted, and her brother struck a match to find the cause, but nothing was visible. So without any tribulation of spirit she rode the remaining eight miles to Wairoa, feeling just, an occasional repetition of the irritation. Changing at her friend’s house, she discovered the cause when something dropped from her blouse to the floor It was a four-inch centipede.

A tall man walking along Queen Street the other day became the centre of interest near Fort Street (says the Auckland “Star”). He was carrying two fairly large handbags, when one of them was knocked open. The wind immediately stirred up the contents, and what appeared to be handhills began to flutter to . the ground. A short distance behind a visitor from the country saw thq papers and, glancing at them, sho was amazed to see they were 10s. notes. Greatly excited. she grabbed as many as she could, and shouted: “Hi! You are losing all your money!” The man with the bags "stopped, and the lady, who had collected seventeen notes, shoved them into the open receptacle, which, to her amazement, was apparently full of paper money. “Hero is another,” said a passer-by, who had also got hold of cne of the notes. “Oh, thank you,” acknowledged the owner, in a matter-of-fact voice, “they are only 10s. notes.” And he turned on his heel and walked on. “Well,” remarked a bystander, “he might have given the lady ten bob for luck!”

A most unpleasant surprise awaited a young wife on her return from a visit to a Christchurch picture theatre last Saturday, says the “Press." On entering the house, she noticed a strong smell of smoke Going: into the kitchen, she looked in front of the fire to where she had placed soma washing to dry. but it had. disappeared. and in its place was left nothing but cinders. A glance at the mantelpiece showed her how fortunate she was that the house had not been burned down in her absence. Practically the whole surface of the mantelpiece was burned, "ome of it fairly deeply, and a portion of the linoleum, probably that upon which the burning garments had fallen, was also charred. The strangest part of the affair, however, was that the paper on the wall immediately above the mantelpiece had not taken fire and was in fact only slightly discoloured hr the smoke. The occupants had allowed the insurance policy on the furniture in the house to lapse a few days before, so stood to incur a fair loss had the. fire not fortunatalj burned itself out,

A highly sensational incident, and one which might easily have resulte.d in a fatality, occurred last Friday to Mr. M. Power, a well-known Dannevirke resident, who was out motoring with his son and a boy friend of the latter. The party were coming towards Dannevirke. and just when passing the site where Gamman’s mill used to stand on the main WoodvilleNapier road, between Oringi and lahoraite, a bullet from the direction of Knight’s property crashed through the wind-screen coming apparently from the rear and passing fortunately, between the boys’ heads. Mr. Power says ho is suro it was a bullet t from the holo in the wind-screen. The escape from serious consequences was very narrow, but, as Mr. Power philosophically remarked when seen by a Dannevirke “News” representative, “it was bettor to buy a new windscreen than a coffin any day.”

A Wanganui resident who returned from Auckland on Monday states that the recent trip north was the fourth occasion on which he booked seats and did not get them. Three davs before he made the trip (relates the Wanganui “Herald”), he adopted different tactics, and instead of booking at Wanganui he got a local motor service to book two seats at Marton- On reaching Marton he inquired at the office and was told the seats were in carriage “E.” “For once I have landed them.'” he remarked to his wife. But he snoke too soon. When the train pulled in to the platform there was no “E” carriage. He went back to the booking office and was told to get on the train and see what the guard could do for him. After walking through the train the guard at last managed to find two seats in lieu of those that should have bee.n reserved. The Wanganni resident is now wondering whether all other passengers who pay the extra money to book at Marton have the same experience.

Uniforms and dresses of the period of the Maori Wars, dummy rifles, marquees. stage scenes and all the properties essential to the production of a motion picture dealing with New Zealand in the early days were submitted to auction to but a small at-, tendance at Palmerston North on Monday afternoon (states the “Sandard”). The effects were those used in the production of the film, “The Birth of New Zealand,” by a company floated in Palmerston North some two years ago. A few dummy rifles—of the type used some years ago in the training of school cadets—were sold at a shilling each. Several military and naval uniforms . representing those worn in the Maori Wars were quitted at a halfcrown apiece, and ladies’ attire of the same period sold at about the same figure. There was no sale for some good-conditioned marquees, one which cost £175 being passed in at £3O, but three-ply wooden painted scenes were sold readily as odd lots. It is understood that much of the stock will be sent to Wellington for auction at a later date.

A 14-year-old boy was recently punished by his uncle for an alleged misdemeanour (says the Hawera correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald”). The boy, smarting under an imaginary griovanco, endeavoured to take revenge by setting fire to the homo of his relative. According ip a statement made by Sergeant Henry, when the matter was being investigated by two justices of the peace, the fad had ’oeeii committed to a receiving home in September, 1923, for theft at Eltham. When he was chastised by his uncle recently the lad made up his mind that he would burn down the house. He secured two rugs from his room, poured kerosene over them, and. after setting them ablaze, threw them into his uncle’s room. He also piled up a quantity of firewood against the back door, and, after pouring kerosene on it also, set it afire. Neither fire, however, obtained a good hold. Subsequently, when the boy went to the Tokaroa factor}- and made an unusual (remark, investigations were made, with the result that his misdeeds were discovered. He admitted the whole occurrence to the police. The lad was severely reprimanded and ordered to come un for sentence when called upon, a condition being made that he be kept in a receiving home.

Pleas of guilty were entered by two married women, publication of whose names was suppressed, when they were brought before Mr. Barton, S.M., nt the Wanganui Police Court, charged with stealing numerous articles of clothing, valued at £l9 18s. 2d. Mr. J. Hussev (reports an remarked that this was an extremely painful case, not only to the police officers, but to himself, who was defending the accused, as both were mothers of young families, who would look to their parents for guidance in the future. So far, the children were not acquainted with the circumstances of the case, and he therefore asked that publication of the names be suppressed. Mr Husseyl went on to explain the desires of- women for finery, and to deal with the impulses which had led these unfortunate women to commit the thefts. He asked that probation bo extended to them. , His Worship said ho would take tune to consider the matter, and in the meantime the names of the accused need not be published.

It was indeed a lively deputation that waited on the Woolston School Committee (says the Christchurch “Sun”), demanding that that body should resign on the grounds that they no longer represented the opinions of tho householders of the district. The proceedings were characterised by “fireworks” throughout, and there were times when little could be heard but tho screeching of women members above the din of heated argument. Tho meeting was reminiscent of tho old electioneering gatherings at the Choral Hall, and probably there has never Joeen a more disturbed gathering in the peaceful district of Wooston. That the police anticipated trouble was evidenced by the presence of representatives of the force. They kept a watchful eyo on the door of th© committee room, ever waiting for the moment when their services might be required. Tho storm was merely a verbal one, however, and there was no need to requisition the assistance of the men in blue.

For the theft of a butter dish, and two silver tablespoons, the property of the New Zealand Government railways, Desmond George Chandler, aged 21, was convicted and fined £lO at the Police Court at Auckland (states the “Star"). “It was the typical act of a gang of hoodlums when they have a few drinks in," said SeniorDetective Hammond, in presenting the case. Chandler, he said, travelled on a slow train from Pukekohe to Frankton, on November 10, in company with two other voung men of the hoodlum class, they had tea at the railway restaurant at Mercer, and wore the only persons in the dining room. Being under the influence of liquor, they started fooling about, and purloined the articles, which were valued at £1 10s. The two other men concerned had been arrested some lime ago, and were punished for the offence. They were ordered to make restitution and were fined 40s. The police had experienced considerable difficulty in locating Chandler.