NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 110, 5 November 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

An Enemy of Cats. Cats are not safe in Richmond (states the Christchurch "Press"). They have a determined enemy in a boy living there, who was reported at the last meeting of the Animal Protection Society to have a mania for shooting cats. Although he had been cautioned, he said that he intended to shoot a cat whenever he saw one. Rights on the Road. A lawyer who said of a motor-driver who had admittedly been driving on the wrong side of the road that he had "no right to be there" was promptly corrected by Mr. Justice Callan in the Auckland Supreme Court (reports the "Herald"). "There is no law to say you must not go on the wrong side of the road," said his Honour. "The point is you must get off it in good and sufficient time. To be caught in the act of getting back when you ought to be back, that is negligence." Naval Reservists to Train. A draft of 27 ratings from the Wellington division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve will leave for the south tonight to carry out their annual training on board H.M.S. Achilles and H.M.S. Leander. Most- of the men are signalmen or wireless telegraphy ratings, and will receive training in these two branches of work. A small number are seamen who are being trained for a higher rating. New Stamps Next Year. Early next year New Zealand is to have two new stamps bearing the head of King George VI. These will be of the halfpenny and penny denominations and will replace the present fantail halfpenny and kiwi penny. The new halfpenny is likely to be introduced towards the end of February and the penny a little later. The new design will be similar in both stamps, his Majesty's portrait being taken from a photograph by Dorothy Wilding. The printing of the stamps is being done in England. Forty Million Silver Coins. It was stated at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Numismatic Society that since New Zeaalnd adopted her own distinctive silver coinage in 1933, approximately 40,000,000 silver coins had been imported into the country. The threepence is the most popular coin, over 13,000,000 having been minted. The sixpence comes second, totalling 8,000,000. Over 7,000,000 shillings, nearly 6,000,000 florins, and just over 5,000,000 half-crowns complete the tally. The new George VI coins are expected early next year. Headaches in Court. Plaintiff in a Supreme Court case heard before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury at' Auckland was complaining that an accident in which she had suffered head injuries had resulted in a number of permanent ill-effects, including recurring headaches, when his Honour asked her if she was suffering from one while giving her evidence (reports the "Herald"). She admitted that she was. "I am not surprised," said his Honour. "In fact I would have thought you were in exceptionally good health if you could come to Court and not have a headache." Relief for the Jury. Many times in the Supreme Court, doctors, in an endeavour to convey to juries the extent of injury caused by broken bones, produce X-ray photographs. Often, the doctor in the wit-ness-box indulges in patient explanations from the photographs, and the jurymen try hard to look as if they are following him. On Wednesday at Christchurch (reports the "Star-Sun"), an innovation was introduced by Dr. J. Leslie Will, who brought to the wit-ness-box with him a simple apparatus by which the X-ray picture was placed in a frame and a strong light projected through it. Thus emphasised, the exhibit really did mean something to the jury. Pheasants and Earthquake. Members of a Waihi household where home-reared pheasants are kept were made aware of the approach of recent earth tremors by the harsh croak of the male birds of a nature which is well known to sportsmen, writes the Auckland "Star's" Waihi correspondent. The owner of the birds states that pheasants are peculiarly sensitive to earthquakes, and on this occasion considerable commotion took place amongst the birds. Members of this household are invariably made aware of the approach of a 'quake in this manner. The recent slight shake was experienced throughout the Bay of Plenty, and thermal activity was noticeable at White Island, over which was a heavy column of vapour. School Games. A proposal for the allocation of a part of school time for organised school games was put before the Auckland Education Board on Wednesday in a letter received from Mr. H. C. Mabbett on behalf of the combined executives of different associations controlling primary school sport in Auckland (reports the "Herald"). A report on "school games in school time" was forwarded for the board's consideration. The aims of the reporting committee of the Auckland Public Schools Sports Association were supported in a further-' communication from the Auckland branch of the Educational Institute. Without discussing the proposals, the board decided to refer the letters to the Education Department. Later in the meeting it was decided to co-operate in making the forthcoming national "learn to swim" week as great a success as possible. A Matter of Guesswork. An amusing example of the misinterpretation of his signature has been received by the secretary of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr. J. Roy Smith). Some time ago he had occasion to write to the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and a reply which has just come to hand is addressed to him as "Mr. J. Ray Linnet." As the official letterhead of the Canterbury Chamber has not the name of the secretary printed on it, the secretary of the Edinburgh Chamber had no option but to guess at the signature of Mr. Smith, and "J. Ray Linnet" was as good a guess as any in the circumstances. Many business men whose signatures are difficult to interpret take the precaution of having their names typed above their signatures, and it is likely that Mr. Smith will adopt this safeguard in the future (states the "Star-Sun"). Bang Goes Saxpence. It is safe to assume that income tax returns will not disclose the amount collected this morning by the small fry of the city in response to their appeal for "a penny for the guy, sir," but whatever the amount, it will, with additions from the family purse, all go up in smoke tonight. Sundry poppings and hangings, foretastes of which have been heard for several days recently, will show that all the available cash has been converted into fiery elements designed to commemorate the misguided efforts of the original Mr. Guy Fawkes to blow Parliament and all its assembled members sky high. It is a custom which shows no eigns of demise, albeit the champion way of wasting money. But even if breezes blow the rockets all askew and, rain causes set pieces to splutter and fizzle, it is a glorious night for the youngsters (and for not a few adults as well), as well as being an' anxious night for fire brigades. However, the weather prospects for tonight seem propitious, and the purveyors of pyrotechnics report good business. Celebrations' tonight may therefore be expected to be on a grand scale.