NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 305, 21 September 1936, Page 10

NEWS IN BRIEF

Put Cartridge on Fire

Through putting a shotgun cartridge on the fire, a schoolboy, Philip Truelove of 14 Seatoun Road, had the first and’ third fingers of his right hand blown off when the charge exploded. In addition, he received cuts about the hand and face, and shock. The Wellington Free Ambulance was called out to take him to hospital, at about 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. Fire on Glasgow WharfFire broke out on the Glasgow Wharf, Wellington, on Saturday morning, when an overflow of benzine was ignited by an electric spark. A tractor and the exterior of a wooden shed were damaged before the blaze was extinguished by harbour board men. The fire brigade was called out, but arrived to find the fire already under control.

Line Umpire Knocked Out. An unusual diversion occurred during a friendly football match at Prince of Wales Park on Saturday afternoon. An over-zealous line umpire became involved in a forward rush, and when the scene of play moved on he was left prone on the turf —knocked out. He was speedily, restored to consciousness.

Rates and the Court. “I am not going to allow this court to be used as a debt-collecting agency fd'r a local body,” said Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court, Paeroa, when several cases were called in which the local borough council proceeded under its by-laws against residents for failing to pay certain sums for services rendered. It would be wrong, he continued, for the names of decent people to be entered in the criminal record-book merely because they had failed to pay a debt. The local body had its remedy, for it could sue in the civil court. It was doubtful if the by-law was good, for if it was, what was to prevent a local body making it a criminal offence to fail to pay rates? Leave to withdraw the cases wag granted.

Auckland's Birthday. Auckland was 96 years old last Friday. After inspecting proposed sites on the Tamaki and on the upper reaches of the harbour in June, 1840,the Governor, Captain William Hobson, selected the present location as the most suitable for a future eity, and In September of the same year the ship Anna Watson arrived bringing several Government officers, who had been instructed to take formal possession of the site. On September 18, at 1 P-m., they performed the ceremony on Point Britomart, where the Union Jack was hoisted and saluted by the guns of the Anna Watson and the barque Platina, while the landing party gave three cheers for the Queen and drank her health at the foot of the flagstaff. Rowing races between the crews of the two ships and rices between Maori canoes were held later in the day.

Unemployed Youths. Point was given to the shortage of work for youths of about 18 years and over when the serious lack of workers in the building trade was mentioned by the secretary, Mr. N. G. Gribble, at a meeting of the Auckland Boys’ Employment Committee. Mr. Gribble said that it had been suggested that tradesmen should be imported from overseas. If this was accepted as the way out, and the present attitude of the trade unions was maintained 1 and supported by legislation, then the gravity of the position from the standpoint of youth could not be over-estimated. In other countries serious' consequences had materialised when such steps had been taken. West Australia reported that many workmen in Perth could not speak English. Was this to happen in New Zealand?

Value of Military Training. “I am one who is optimistic and ot the opinion that a major war will not come,” said Mr. C. P. Worley, when an Auckland branch/ of' the New Zealand Defence League was formed. “My reason for so thinking is this, that this is the first time in history that the political leaders, who after all are the persons who make wars, are as vulnerable as anyone else.” Stating that the present system of military training was an absolute “wash-out,” Mr. Worley advocated the relrttroductlon of compulsory military training. He mentioned that the advantages of military training in moulding the health and physique of the youth of the country were very great, “As a schoolmaster I am able to say that since it was dropped there has been a noticeable increase in cases of constipation and appendicitis among boys,” he added. “This is due to wrong posture. We notice the lack of natural posture, which is mainly corrected by proper training.”