ITEMS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 144, 14 March 1931, Page 9

ITEMS IN BRIEF

About People and Events POLICEMEN’S PICNIC The Wellington Police Force will hold its annual picnic at Hutt Park to-day. The force possesses a number of promising athletes, and iu addition to children's events the programme to-day will give constables and officers an oppm - ' tunity to prove that the policemans lite is anything but an unhappy one. 85 1-3 Bushels of Oats to the Acre. Mr. F. V. Kenyston, Moron, Greytown, has thrashed a crop of oats that run out 85 1-3 bushels to the acre. "Don’t Tell Lies.” "If you are going to tell any lies dou’t step into the witness-box,” said Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday to a defendant who had given a flat denial to a constable's allegation. Witness; “I am going to tell the truth.” Injury to Nose. At the school sports yesterday at the Hutt Recreation Ground Douglas McKay. of Waiwhetu Road, a schoolboy, aged 10. fell and injured his The ambulance, which was called at 1.25 p.m., took the boy to the Wellington Hospital. Farm Hand Injured. While splitting posts at 12.30 p.m. yesterday, J. T. Hickey, of Main Road. Heretauuga, a farm hand, cut his right foot severely. He was taken to Dr. Tweed’s surgery and was attended to there before being brought in to the Wellington Hospital by ambulance. Quake Patients Discharged. Gordon Black, 14a Jull Street, Napier; C. Holland, Havelock North; William Lee, Munroe Private Hotel, Napier, have been discharged from the Palmerston North Hospital, states a “Dominion" Special Service message. No patients from the earthquake area were admitted. No Police Discrimination. ‘

“If I thought that the police were making any discrimination against any section of the community I should have no hesitation whatever in letting them know it,” said Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.Mi, in the Police Court yesterday, in accepting the evidence of one constable ai against the depositions of five other witnesses in a case of conflicting evidence. Respectable Motorists. “I believe the cars which this firm had marked down to £6/10/- were at length taken to pieces, the tires retained, and the rest thrown away,” said a police officer in a Police Court case yesterday. Defendant: “That is wrong. They are being driven round to-day by respectable people.” Entertaining Aged and Needy. Mrs. Ethel Hardie’s entertainers gave a concert to the inmates of the Home for the Aged and Needy, staff and visitors, on Tuesday. Vocal and instrumental items. and recitations comprised the programme. Mesdames Hardie and Metcalfe were the accompanists,, and supper was provided by Mrs. Hardie. . Taxi Stand Wanted. Mr. A. Morey and other taxi-drivers appeared before the By-laws Committee of the City Council yesterday with fl request that they be allowed to use a portion of the eastern side of Featherston Street near the Lambton railway station as a taxi stand on race days. Consideration of the request was promised. Weather Too Good. “I have never seen the country so bare of feed,” remarked .Mr. A. J. Giddings, prior to business being commenced at the meeting of the Makara County Council yesterday. He said that there was little time for growth before the winter set in, and this would mean that food for stock would be scarce during the winter months, Bell of Old Ship as Dinner Gong. A bell, which rings at mealtimes on the estate of the late Mr. W. Hume, “Rahu Rahu,” near Featherston, is the bell from the old Northumberland, the remains of which were exposed when the sea bed at Napier was lifted by the earthquake, states a “Dominion” Special Service message from Mastertcn. It is - believed that Mrs. Hume's father, the late Mr. Bradshaw, bought the <old wreck and the bell was brought down to the Wairarapa where it has remained ever since. Bequest to Disabled Soldiers. The will of the late Miss Selina Broderick. who died in Wellington on February 25, provides for the proceeds of tue sale of a house property to be held m trust for the benefit of disabled soldiers who fought in the Great War. One ninth of the residue'of the estate goes to the same trust. The total value of the gift is about £5OO. Wellington ’Planes for Air Pageant. Two machines from the Wellington Aero Club will attend the North Island Air Pageant, which will be held at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, this afternoon. Yesterday the club captain, Mr. G. G. Wallace, left, and to-day the pilot instructor, Flight-Lieutenant G. L. Stedman, will go to the Wairarapa. Two Government Moths will also go to-day. . The roar of the fast Gloster Grebe singleseater was heard over the city yesterday, and other machines, including the new Tomtits, also went to Masterton, but du not stop at Rongotai. Injured in Motor Accident. Mr. J. S. Mulford, a commercial traveller in the employ of Bannatyne and Hunter, Ltd., had just left his car to take samples into a nearby shop, when another car came round the corner and collided with him. He was carried along some distance, receiving cuts and bruises. After being attended to by a.doctor, Mr. Mulford was conveyed to his home a Khandallah, Speed While Going Down Hill. During the hearing of a case in the Appeal Court yesterday, it was contended by counsel that a tram coasting down a -rade of one in 80 would have a tendency to slow down. Mr. Justice Ostler said his experience was that a motor-car. traveilin" at a reasonable rate on a grade ot one in 80. would increase its speed. Work for Unemployed. * The Makara County Council has taken advantage of the Unemployment Board s No. 5 scheme. The ehairman. Mr. E. Windley, stated at yesterday’s meeting of the council that some forty men had been employed on road improvements, and were doing very necessary work in the county. It was possible that more men would be employed by the council under the scheme, and another forty would be taken on as they offered. “Not Csnstitutional.” Among the correspondence presented to the by-laws committee of the City Council yesterday was a letter from the Communist Party of New Zealand requesting permisison to be allowed to speak in many public places, as they-intend “to contest the municipal elections. 1 move that the Tequest be declined, said the chairman (Councillor M, F._ Ltickie). “Communists are not constitutional and the proposal cannot be entertained. The motion was agreed to without any discussion. Optimists’ Club. . . , The Wellington Optimists Club, -which is one of 11 similar clubs in the Dominion, and a department of the Y.M.L.A.. has commenced its 1931 season with a membership of 82 young business and professional men of the city. The programme will include the regular weekly official luncheon. 43 of which were held in the previous year, and community service tasks such as broadcasting programmes of optimism, and visiting prisons and needy institutions. At the weekly luncheon the club specialises on male singing, under the leadership or Mr. Harry E. Wilson, and the repertoire of songs includes the newer songs of optimism which make a special appeal in the circumstances at present prevailing in the community.