Untitled

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 84, 3 January 1930, Page 6

It is said that hobbies keep a man young, and that everyone, mau or woman, should have a few as a standby in old age. Some .families are quite hobby-less, and consequently rather uninteresting, while on the other hand soiue families can muster quite a good showing. A’ description was given in the Auckland “Star” of a remarkable aviary in Victoria Street, owned by Mr. A. E. Henley, who has made a hobby of rare cage birds from all parts of the world. Hobbies seem a strong point in the family, so there may be something in heredity after all. One of the sons, Mr, E. Henley, was the donor of 22,000 cigarette cards to the children at the Auckland Hospital. He collected that number in the year, having beaten his own previous record of 210,000. which he got together the year previous. Master James Henley, another son, has a collection of but torfiles. New Zealand insects and eggs, which is quite remarkable for a schoolboy. Mr. P. Moss, of Portobello, Otago, owns a cutter nearly 100 years old, and be is wondering whether it is worth while repairing the venerable craft. It is the powder eutter Otago, which is used for carrying explosives to various parts of the harbour. Its origin, beyond the fact that it was a ship’s cutter, is unknown to the present owner (says an exchange). About 70 years ago it was the Customs launch, and sailed out to meet incoming ships. Afterwards it was owned by the Harbour Board, and used for the lifting and laying of moorings for channel buoys. Matthew Dickson acquired it from the Harbour Board about 18 years ago. and sold it to the present owner. The cutter was built of oak timber and fastened with copper nails. The nails noy/ require to be renewed below the waterline, and it is qmibtful whether the cost of refnstoning nil the bottom planks would be justi- ( fied.