NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 14, 11 October 1933, Page 2

NEWS IN BRIEF

FROM ALL QUARTERS

Items of Interest With a keen eye for opportunity, a number of Auckland taxi-cab drivers profited from the assembly of several thousand Maoris at Waabi I’a, near Huntly, during the tangi following the death of "King” Te Rata Mabuta to Wherowhero. A service was operated between Huntly and Waahi, and the vehicles were extensively patronised. Instead of placiug the ordinary sign "Waabi Pa” on his car, one driver employed the words “'Waahi Ka,” evidently with a complete knowledge that “car” could be represented as "ka” in Maori.

The steamer Tees, which arrived at Lyttelton on Sunday from the Chatham Islands, brought two hospital patients from the islands, a boy aud a girl, both 11 years of age, and both suffering from appendicitis. The St. John Free Ambulance, which was at the wharf when the vessel berthed, conveyed the children to the Christchurch Hospital. Far from being distressed. the children were iu high glee, as "it was their first visit to the mainland and their first ride in a motor vehicle.

A boy who mistook the identity ol a police 'sub-inspector in Christchurch when the latter warned him not to ride his bicycle on the footpath explained his mistake in the Children's Court when he was fined 2/6 for the offence. “I did not know that he was an inspector; I thought he was a bandmaster or something, and was having a joke with me,” the boy said. It was explained that the subinspector, who was in uniform, had warned the cyclist to leave the footpath or walk, but ftie boy had ridden on and taken no notice.

Two Auckland golfers chose an unusual means of viewing the championship play at Titirangi links on Saturday last, and -obtained an unrestricted panorama of competitors on every part of the course. They took off from Mangere aerodrome in two 'Moths belonging to the Auckland Aero Club and flew round the links. The pilots were Messrs. I. Mac Ewan, who took Mrs. Mac Ewan as a passenger on her first flight, and Mr. N. Louisson. The duration of the flight was only half an hour, but in that time the fliers were enabled to fly the whole way round the course and watch the play from different angles without disturbing the golfers.

Generally considered to be an hour and a-half’s journey, the flight from Queenstown to the Taieri aerodrome near Dunedin was completed on a recent morning in the record time of 52 mln. The air mileage is 120, so that the average speed on the trip was almost 140 miles an hour. SquadronLeader T. W. White piloted the plane, whose passengers were Miss N. Huston find Mr. M. Urquhart, and left Frankton at 8.4. After a smooth trip over the mountains, a height (If 7,500 ft. having been attained to find a favourable wind, the party lauded at the airport at 8.50. To the plane’s cruising speed of 80 miles an hour, the wind meant an increase of more than 38 miles an hour.

A practical joker whose identity is unknown is now “one up” on a member of the Napier Police Force. When about to read a statement by one of the combatants during the hearing in the Napier Magistrate’s Court of charges of disorderly behaviour against two women, Constable J. R. Williamson was instructed by Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., to omit all references to bad language. The constable therefore substituted a loud cough for each unprintable word, but the interruptions occurred so frequently that he informed the magistrate that he had “not got a cold, Yoiir Worship.” Now Constable Williamson is looking for the person who sent him a packet of cough lozenges through the post.

Investors who are casting about for opportunities to lend in something safe and at a fair rate of interest may for a few months strike Dunedin Corporation bonds out of their thoughts, says the “Otago Daily Times.” It is not likely the city treasurer will be issuing debentures during the remainder of the financial year that ends on March 31, 1934, At the present time the corporation is lending, not borrowing. .Some folk have been expecting that a loan would be floated to supply the £lBO,OOO required for (he water reinforcement to be taken from Deep Stream. That scheme, however, is to occupy three years, so that £60,000 a year will furnish the money requirement, and if a loan has to be raised for this purpose the time for even considering it has not. yet arrived.

To be towed further than any merchant ship had ever been towed before was the experience of the EUerman Line steamer City of Singapore, which reached Auckland early this week. In 1924, when the vessel was only a year old, she caught fire at Adelaide and was almost destroyed. A terrific explosion three hours after the outbreak was discovered nearly blew the ship in halves, and before the fire was controlled four firemen were killed and 13 other men were injured. The damage was estimated at a quarter of a million, and it was at first thought that it would uot be worth while to repair the ship. After a long stay at Adelaide, the steamer was patched up and towed by two Dutch tugs to Rotterdam, where permanent repairs were effected. None of the steamer’s present company was in the ship at the time of the fire.

To be stranded fifteen feet above the sea on a ledge of rock for over three hours was the experience of a Christchurch youth on Saturday afternoon last. The adventure occurred in a small bay near Taylor’s Mistake. Two young men. Ramoml Burgess and Sclwvn Muff, who had been spending the day at Sumner, decided on exploring the rocky coastline between Bell's Baths aud Taylor’s Mistake. Nearing Whitewash Head it was necessary to swim in several places in order to avoid some of the more difficult rock faces. At one b.HY it was necessary to swim nearly a hundred yards through a moderately heavy sea. MulT accomplished the task, but was buffeted by the heavy surf, and shouted to Burgess to stay on the ledge until he could be rescued by other methods. Muff continued on to Taylor’s Mistake, and word was sent to Sumner and the lifeboat left for the scene. A line was passed to the jmm on the rock, who. tying the rope around his waist, dived into the water and was taken ou board the boat.