NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Fewer Bankruptcies. ,

Only one new bankruptcy was filed with the Official Assignee during May, as compared with five during the corresponding month last year. So far there have been nine bankruptcies this year as against twelve for the first five months of 1934. ; Sitting of Maori Synod.

About forty delegates from Maori parishes throughout New Zealand will visit Rotorua towards the end of July to attend a meeting of the Maori Synod, at which the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, Bishop of Aotearoa,. will preside. The synod is expected to sit for some days, during which important discussions will take place, states the "Rotorua Morning Post."

Four Hundred Policemen,

Referring to the Anti-War League in Japan, Dr. Kagawa in his address at the Opera House, Wanganui, told how he had addressed a meeting of this organisation in Tokio. Outside the building, and on the streets were displayed posters: "Kill Kagawa—an enemy of his country." The police,' however, had taken measures to protect Dr. Kagawa, and when the meeting commenced there were 400 policemen in the hall, all of them facing the audience. "It was funny to think of 400 men to protect one man—me," said the speaker. The "Talking" Parrots. When the New Plymouth Canary and Cage Bird Club drew up its schedule for its third annual show it made provision for a talking-parrot class. Two entries were received, one a green parrot and the other a cockatoo. The stage was set for the contest, and the stewards, the judge, arid a bevy of people gathered around, states the "Taranaki Daily News." However, the contest early gave indications of becoming one of dumb show. The cockatoo resolute* ly kept silent, and any amount of coaxing and feeding had little effect. The green parrot was obviously interested in the crowd, but was apparently not on talking terms with the judge. Finally a casual "Hullo" by a young man as he passed the cage terminated the I deadlock. The parrot immediately re-] plied, and the two, man and bird, total strangers to one another, chatted away in friendly style. The cockatoo had nothing to say when the parrot was awarded the prize.

Produced His Licence.

A laugh was raised at a meeting o£ the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society when the report of the ranger was being read. The ranger, in describing his visits to the various shooting localities, stated that at one lake there was only one shooter. "This was a police constable," the report read, "and he produced his licence without being asked for it." Dangerous Practice. What in the opinion of Mr. W. Storey, the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society's ranger, is a dangerous practice is that of shooting from launches in the river. Mr. Storey stated in his report received at a meeting of the society, that during his recent tours through the district farmers had complained of the dangers arising from stray shots. In some places the road is in close proximity to the river and on one occasion a farmer had a narrow escape. The ranger considered the matter to be one which should be brought under the notice of the society. Prison Life Enjoyed. When he was cast into prison he found the prison cell much more comfortable than his own home, Dr. Kagawa told a Napier audience on Wednesday. He explained that he was living in the slums of Kobe in a room nine feet by six. Actually he had two such rooms, but he "rented" one free of charge to a family of nine, while in his room, after he had packed his books, etc., he and his family had an area six by six in which to live. And then often the bed bugs were terrible. They had killed eighty on occasions before they could lie down to sleep. "So when I was' put in prison I found the room much wider, and it was also clean and contained no bugs," smilingly remarked the doctor. "While there I slept well, put on weight, and got much fatter."