CITY AND SUBURBAN

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 34, 4 November 1929, Page 12

CITY AND SUBURBAN

HAPPENINGS IN AND ABOUT TOWN Under the will of the late Mrs. AMoe Kreiger, of Wellington, who died on October 21, her estate is bequeathed to the Salvation Army. Under the bequest that institution will benefit to the extent of approximately £6O. The Public Trustee is executor of the will. Some motorists certainly do like to fit their cars with accessories. Yesterday afternoon there was seen a car with two green anti-glare shades, a movable spotlight with mirror attached and three rear vision mirrors. The driver evidently was taking no chances so far as traffic in the rear was concerned. “It would seem by the actions of certain persons that the traditional respect for the dead is disappearing,” writes a correspondent. As a case in point, he states, he saw a funeral proceeding down Upper Willis Street yesterday, when a motorist, evidently in a great hurry, found that he could not wholly overtake the cortege, and accordingly broke into the procession. He drove thus for some distance, and then finally accelerated past the hearse. A three-ton motor-lorry went over a bank near the top of the Mangaroa Hill on Saturday afternoon, and came to rest among the undergrowth some distance below the road. Fortunately the lorry did not capsize, but came to rest on all-four wheels. A wreckingcar was sent from Wellington to haul the lorry back on to the road, this being successfully done. The lorry remained on its wheels all the time, and was towed back to town. Mild panic broke out among the lady occupants of the dress circle of a city theatre on Friday evening when a giant rat suddenly made its appearance on the side curtain rod. With an excellent display of tightrope skill it ran to the end and dropped straight down into the circle. Fortunately (or unfortunately) it was interval at the time, and for a few moments the passage was more popular than the seats.Evidently the incident upset the peace of mind of more than one person, for when the lights were extinguished once more not a few shadowy forms left front seats on the dangerous side, for less comfortable ones at the back. The rat, which was almost as large as a kitten, evidently mistook the interval for the end of the programme, and the signal for this nightly raid on discarded chocolate boxes and dropped sweets.

The white helmets worn by the Police Force during the summer months made their first appearance this season on Saturday afternoon. The shakos worn during the winter will be given a holiday. The men in blue may be regarded in the light of public barometers during the summer, for, generally speaking, the white helmets are for fair weather and the dark helmets for dull and wet days.

If any of the many people who write to the newspapers deploring the popular taste in modern music had been on the Muritai coming from Eastbourne to Wellington yesterday afternoon, they- would have had food for thought for weeks to come. The latest dance numbers were being churned out from a portable gramophone at one end of the boat, while, only a few yards away, a similar machine ran an opposition entertainment. A youth with a ukulele endeavoured unsuccessfully to pit himself against the mechanical noises, and at the other end of the boat a brass band rendered numbers both new and old. The wailing of several tired infants put the finishing touches to. the musical offerings. What the combined effect lacked in harmony it certainly made up in noise.

As the new wharf for oil tankers at Point Howard is reaching out into deep water it has been found necessary to splice two 40-foot ironbark piles together in order to get the required length of pile for the outer section of the wharf. There is a fairly soft bottom in the locality, and the pile will be driven into the ground as far as the splice. It is understood that a second group of oil tanks are likely to be built on land adjacent to Point Howard (in addition to those already erected on the industrial area at eastern Hutt) for a company which already has tank interests at Miramar. This will be for the storage of oil for distribution by rail throughout the North Island, as there is no rail connection with the tank area at Miramar.

Last Thursday evening was the occasion of a very successful concert and social given by the choir of the Newtown Congregational Church. During the intervial Mr. Lewis, choirmaster, took the opportunity to present Miss Pennington on behalf of the choir members with a handsome silver entree dish. Afterwards the pupils of Mrs. Martin-Williams gave a most amusing dialogue. A delightful supper was handed round to all.

Counsel was cross-examining a. witness in the Supreme Court recently when the width of a road came into dispute. Counsel submitted that a neighbouring farmer estimated the road as being a certain width, but witness would have none of it. Counsel reminded him that the farmer lived near the road, and to the amusement of the whole Court witness replied: “I’ve seen these farmers before on feet!”

One of the best-known sportsmen in the Dominion is Mr. Fred Earl, K.C., of Auckland. He is a well-known patron of the turf, and owns a number of horses. Wherever clean and manly sport is afoot, there Mr. Earl is to be found. He is president of the Auckland Cricket Association, and was an interested spectator at the match between the Midland and Wellington elevens on Saturday afternoon. “I seem to remember this ground,” he remarked to a “Dominion” reporter. “I am sure it was here I played for Auckland against Wellington in the first Rugby match played between the provinces. That was away back in 1875, and I played full-back for Auckland. I remember the occasion well, as I attempted to collar the Wellington captain, a giant of a man, high, and was tossed about a dozen yards through the air.”

A bright feature at the Mt. Cook School carnival on Saturday afternoon was the Island Bay School fife and drum band, which, in true comradely spirit, marched into the city with military precision to help a neighbouring school along. The lads looked very attractive in the yellow and black uniforms, and kept excellent time in the selections with which they enlivened the proceedings, the kettle-drummers, showing out prominently. That this band is well tutored is not at all surprising, considering that their conductor is Mr. A. Dicker, who for twelve-years was a flute, piccolo and violin player in the famous Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band.