NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 12

NEWS OF THE DAY

Centennial Stamps. A graceful wool clipper is likely to figure as the design on one of the Centennial postage stamps, states the "Post's" Dunedin representative. A beautiful square-rigger under full sail is well within the scope of a stamp designer. In reply to an inquiry from the Mayor of Port Chalmers on the subject, the Hon. W. E. Parry has stated definitely that in a projected series of commemorative stamps the part played by sailing ships in New Zealand's history will not be overlooked. The Avt of Kissing. A confession of ignorance of the modern practices in the art of kissing was made in the Supreme Court yes-! terday afternoon by Mr. Justice Blair in his summing-up in a case of alleged I breach of promise. "There are ap- j parently two ways of kissing," said his Honour, "either you mean it or you j don't. There are brotherly and sisterly j kisses, something like women give each other when., they mcct —it looks all right, but doesn't mean very much. I'm ashamed to confess that I'm not up-to-date in these matters; I was once, but I'm not''now." It might be, added his Honour, that an exchange of kisses was not so significant today as it was in the old days, but he could not assist the jury in the. matter. Applications from abroad. Reference was made by the Chancellor (Mr. W. J. Morrell), at a meeting of the University Council to the unfortunate position of many scientists and other scholarly men who have been compelled for political reasons to leave their native countries and seek appointments in other parts of the world, leaving most of their possessions behind them, states "The Post's" Dunedin representative. The remarks were, prompted by applications which came before the council from two professors, each with excellent credentials, for positions as lecturers in economics or sociology and a teacher of Italian language and literature respectively. The council regretfully decided it was not in a position to do anything about the matter. After Twenty-four Years. J While serving in Prance during the j Great War, Mr. Arthur C. Venus, of j Wanganui, lost his personal effects, in- j eluded in which, were three old medals won by him in the 1913-14 boxing season. He was only Bst 21b in, weight, but he was one of the cleverest and gamest boxers of his day. At the Wanganui championships that season he won the bantamweight and the featherweight titles, receiving two medals, and at the New Zealand championship tournament held in Wanganui just before the outbreak of the war, he won the bantamweight title, receiving a third medal. Going to France with one of the first contingents, he had the misfortune to lose the medals with other effects, and heard nothing more of them until a week ago, when he received a letter from the office of the High Commissioner in London to say that they had been discovered. A few days later the medals arrived, together with a note stating that they were to come into the Dqminion duty free. Needless to say, Mr. Venus was delighted to get back the medals which he lost twenty-four years ago, and which he naturally prizes very highly. Higfc Chimney Doomed. Quickly, scaffolders are working up the 150-foot high chimney of the Christchurch destructor, which is doomed for demolition. By the beginning of next week the top bricks of the chimney will be removed, states the "Press." As the scaffolders have moved upwards, they have found the brickwork to be in excellent condition, allowing for the heat it has undergone since the stack was built in 1904. In the preparations for the destruction of the old stack, modern methods are being employed. The holes to take the pudlocks, the butjutting joists used in the scaffold, are being bored one foot through the bricks % by a pneumatic drill. From the 16-foot square base of the chimney, 10 double poles will rise to a height of 150 feet, above which the scaffold will be of single poles. The structure is clamped together witn U bolts. An estimate has been made that 172,000 bricks are contained In the chimney. When the demolition men begin work, probably on Monday, a winch will be ready for operation. By it the bricks will be carried to the ,ground down the gentle decline of the exterior of the chimney.

Unauthorised Collector. A letter has been received by "The Post" from the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society stating that reports have been made to the society that a person has been going from house to house in the suburbs, particularly Miramar and Rongotai, purporting to be collecting money for invalid chairs for cripples. "1 haVe been authorised by the superintendent of the Public Hospital and by my executive to state that no such person has any authority to be collecting for such purpose,, and if either of these organisations had a collector on the road such person would be carrying an official authority," states the writer of the letter (Mr. J. Meltzer). "It may be that a number of people will be victimised by such a person, and for that reason I would appreciate your giving prominence to this matter. This letter is sent with the approval of the Police Department, which has already been advised." Insect Ravages. The ravages of insects, commonly believed to be white ants, to buildings in New Plymouth, and the question of whether they have been brought into the country in poles imported by the New Plymouth Tramways Department, is to be investigated by the Chief Borough Inspector (Mr. R. Day), states the "Taranaki Herald." This decision was reached by the Borough Council at its meeting on Monday night when Councillor H. H. Moller referred to a house in St. Aubyn Street which was badly affected by such insects and also to the fact that tramway poles in the locality which had been affected had been trimmed. It was stated that the house had been riddled and poles badly damaged, and that a sleeper taken up from under the tram track was honeycombed by insects. Mr. F. T. Bellringer, Town Clerk, said there was some doubt as to whether the insects were white ants. There had been similar trouble in an Auckland district where it was thought it may have been caused by termites, which were native to New Zealand.