NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday's Eclipse. The sun yesterday morning, on the authority ■of astronomers, rose in n state of partial eclipse. Corroboratioh of this was not obtainable locally, as the weather in Wellington early yesterday morning was so thick and hazy that the sun was totally eclipsed by cloud at the time of its rising. That kind of eclipse, however, is not the sort that interests astronomers and they were disappointed, their early rising having been wasted. Up to the present no reports have been- received from other centres in reference to the eclipse, which, when all is said and done, would not have been a particularly exciting one. All that was visible in New Zealand was a partial phase of an .annular eclipse which could only be seen as an annual eclipse from regions round the South Pol-3. As modern science is so exact in its calculations, it may be taken for granted that the eclipse duly took place, even if not actually .seen. Cattle Smuggling in Ireland. The tariff imposed by England on cattle from the Irish Free State, which is also payable on cattle going from the Free State to Northern Ireland, leads to a considerable amount of smuggling, according to Mr. T.v Ritchie, of Scotland, who has spent some time in Ireland and was recently in Christchurch during a visit to New Zealand to studyagricultural conditions. He stated that cattle are frequently smuggled from the Free State into Ulster, though heavy fines are imposed when offenders are caught. One-man was given the option of a fine of £1000 or six months' imprisonment. He chose to be imprisoned, leaving his sons to carry orphis work. Mr. Ritchie, who said that he had paid £4 10s a head for tariff, considered that the smuggling of cattle in Ireland was almost as bad as that of liquor in the United States during prohibition. Hawk Carries Oft Quail. A farmer sitting quietly on a small hillock on the outskirts of New Plymouth recently was idly watching a hawk gliding overhead when it suddenly swooped to the ground and reappeared several feet above him carrying a loudly-protesting quail, states the "Taranaki Herald." • The same farmer said he knew of an instance when a hawk had carried off a young hare. Monetary Reform. "It is grand to feel that we have the farming people with us, and it will fortify us in the big fight ahead," stated the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture, at a" complimentary smoke concert tendered to him in the Ohaupo Town1 Hall, about 70 settlers being present (states the "New Zealand, Herald"). ; "We placed a definite policy' before, the electors and in the front of it was monetary reform. No power will stop the Government from doing what the people have given us a mandate to do." In appealing to the farmers to co-operate with the Labour Party, Mr. Lee Martin said the Government couid not do the job entirely by itself and must have the people behind it. The farmer's income would be assured in return for the work he did by means of the guaranteed price. He asked them to keep their organisations intact, whether under the Labour Party or the Douglas, Social Credit Movement, for the keynote of the Government's policy was monetary reform, and it was the biggest job of the lot. Tortoise as Pet.. • A most unusual pet for Southland, a tortoise, is owned by a small girl. Brought as a present to her by Captain Williams, of the guano trader Nolisement, this, land tortoise was born abbut half a'century ago in the Seychelles, but,' states the "Southland Times," it is, taking very kindly to its new home, 7000 miles away from its parents, brothers, and sisters. Lettuces, green peas, and sweet peas, if it can get at them, are favourite items on its menu, and in very few days it was content to feed out of the hand of its proud owner. It is about 15 inches in length, nine inches in width, arid seven inches high. Its shell is mest attractively marked and almost completely encases its body. Its hind legs re, semble those of an elephant, but its front legs are more crab-like. In top gear it can attain a speed of two miles an hour. Missed by a Day. Mr. T. P. Hughson, a Taranaki business man who has returned after nine months in Britain and the Shetland Islands, believes he missed seeing the Loch Ness monster by one day.v reports "The Post's" New Plymouth' correspondent. Mr. Hughson said he was told "the monster had appeared" the day after his visit. Extraordinary tales were still being told of the appearances of the monster. Mr. Hughson said that many people believed it was a myth engineered by ferry steamer owners, who were enjoying a roaring trade on the Loch, but others believed as devoutly that it was genuine. One man swore to Mr. Hughson that he had seen-the monster on the surface of the Loch for twenty minutes. Quick Work. An example of how modern means of communication have cut'down distance was provided by a sequel to the Empire Christmas broadcast yesterday. Speaking from 2YA on behalf of New Zealand, and in response to greetings from his grandchildren in London, Sir Harold Beauchamp was on the air at 3 o'clock yesterday morning. At 3.14 o'clock yesterday afternoon he received a cablegram from a friend in Boston, Massachusetts, informing him that he had heard every word that Sir Harold had spoken. ; Well Tanned. . Every bay around Wellington was' fully occupied yesterday by bathers and picnic parties. ' The water was warm and the sun was hot,- so was the sand, and the net result to many whose first outing of the season it was. now consists of a.. well-tanned epidermis and a soreness which made it almost agony to put on respectable clothes this morning. It was, however, one of the best Boxing Day holidays Which has been experienced for many years, and the enjoyment derived yesterday is in most cases held to more than compensate for any discomforts felt today. .-.