NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 287, 31 August 1935, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Maunganui’s Mail The Chief Postmaster lias been advised by the Sydney Post Office that the R.M.S. Maunganui, which left Sydney on Thursday at 4 p.m., carries for Wellington 155 bags of ordinary mail matter and 145 bags of parcels. The Maunganui is expected to reach Wellington on Monday at about 7 a.m.

Wellington Kate Demands. It is anticipated that the whole of the Wellington city rate demands for the year 1935-36 will be issued on Wednesday next. “Jeeves” in Court.

During the hearing of an action in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, Mr. 11. F. Von Haast, in the course of legal argument, mentioned an English case, “Curtis v. Jeeves.” “Decided by Mr. Justice Wodehouse, I suppose,” observed the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) amid laughter.

Sale of Pictures. The purchase of three pictures from the annual “black and white” exhibition now being held by the Auckland Society of Arts has been made by the Auckland City Council. The pictures, all of which are by Auckland artists, are to be hung in the Art Gallery. They are: “Scaffolding,” by A. Thompson; "Decoration,” by Ida G. Eise; and “Village in France,” by John Weeks.

Fell Between Carriages'. Attempting to board a moving train at Lambton Station shortly after 6 o’clock last evening, Mr. J. C. Tew, 4 Wakefield Street, Lower Hutt, slipped and fell between two carriages. The train was stopped immediately, and Mr. Tew escaped with injuries to his left hand and shock. After being attended to by Dr. Eardley Button he was removed to hospital by the Free Ambudance.

Inquiry Into Collision at Sea. Captain J. G. Watson and Captain F. Dewhurst have been appointed nautical assessors to act with a stipendiary magistrate in the inquiry to be held under the Shipping and Seamen Act into the collision which recently occurred between the motor-ship Breeze and the fishing launch Bessie near Timaru. The Minister of Marine, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, stated yesterday that the inquiry would be held shortly in Timaru.

Australian Strikes. “This is my seventh visit to this part of the world and each time I have come there has been a strike at one of the Australian ports,” said Mr. Alexander Watson, the noted elocutionist, who arrived at Auckland by the Wanganella from Sydney. Mr. Watson said the delay to the Wanganella caused by the recent slipping strike in Australia had caused a change in his arrangements, as lit had done in the schedules of other travellers. A Fine Week.

■ The week which closes to-day, the end of August, has been the finest in Wellington this winter. While other parts of the country have experienced heavy rainfalls, and in some instances exceptional snowstorms, 'Wellington has enjoyed a week of clear skies and bright sunshine; so warm at times that the little sharp-edged zephyr from the south experienced at intervals has not been unwelcome. So little rain has fallen in Wellington during Augustas a rule the wettest of months —that some gardeners are commencing to complain at the dryness of the season, A Donkey in Difficulties.

One of the “stunts” at the annual football match at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, between the police and the Press was a small and stubborn donkey which was ridden, pulled, and pushed around the ground by persons in fancy dress. Thg donkey was stubborn on the ground; but that was nothing compared with the display it put up when the time came to load it on a horse-float for its return. A crowd of small children soon gathered, and a tug-of-war failed to mave the donkey any appreciable distance. Next, an attempt w - as made to ride it into the float by the orthodox way; and, when that failed, by coaxing it backward. At last Duke of Plaza-Toro tactics were adopted, and the long-suffering donkey was lifted from behind by two stalwarts, who each grabbed one hind leg, and bundled it into the van.