LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18158, 26 December 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The first ■win by MacDarcn’e team of cricketers in New e aland, against tho Minor Associations’ team at Wanganui a week ago,, was recorded on the twentyeighth anniversary of tho _ English captain’s first appearance in test cricket, when tho Englishmen at Sydney, on December 20, 1894, won a sensational game against Australia by 10 runs. Tho Australian team on that occasion required IT7 runs to win, but after 110 had been obtained for tho-loss of two wickets Briggs and Peel captured the remaining wickets, leaving Australia still 10 runs short.

A,. suggestion that a matriculation examination should be held twice a year ivas made by the liev. E. 0. Crosse, head master of Christ's College, at tho break-ing-up ceremony. Ho said it was rather hard on those who had just missed) securing a pass to have to wait another year, and lie thought tho examination should be held every six months. There were cases in the college of boys who hqd missed the pass by three or four marks. Tho Treasury acknowledges receipt of tho following amounts forwarded by persons unknown as conscience money to tho New Zealand Government: —2s 6di for credit of the Electoral Department; 2s 6d for credit of tho Public Account; 12s 6d for credit of tho Education Department; El forwarded to Chief Postmaster, Timaru ; J3l forwarded to tho Accountant, Public Works Department, Wellington.

A woman who was proceeded against at the Auckland Police Court for having an unregistered revolver in her possession asked that the weapon be not confiscated, as it was a keepsake from a brother who went away to tho war and was lulled. “Surely you have a .photograph or something more suitable in tho way of a keepsake,” observed Mr Poynton, SAL “You know how frail human nature is. One of ■these days you might lose your temper and shoot somebody with that revolver. You are probably shocked at ,the suggestion now, but such things have hap.pened.” The defendant was convicted and an order was made for costs and confiscation of the weapon.

An interesting sketch of tho birth of the system of savings banks has been given by Mir G. E. Emery, Inspector-General of State Savings Banks of Victoria. About 130 years ago, he said, there were no savings banks. Then an ambitious clergyman, believing that ho could best save souls if ho flmt saved some bawbees, started the Sunday bank, from which the present savings bank system has sprung. Not long after, this particular parson delivered a sermon on free salvation. After tho sermon lie announced that a collection would “now be taken,” and that after tho service lie would receive tho usual deposits for the Sunday bank. At this juncture a member of tho congregation, in whom thrift had been greatly stimulated by tho new Sunday hank, asked why should a collection have to bo taken up if salivation was free, as tho parson had suggested in his sermon. “Well,” replied tho clergyman, “ the water from heaven is free. It fills you tank without charge. But if you have it laid on to your house you have to pay for it. In this caso tho salvation ia laid on.”

Two Auckland lads spent a long and dismal night of sleepless rest when compelled (on Tuesday last) to put up in a small tumbledown hut that stands close to tho shore In one of the most exposed parts of Rangitoto, stretching away towards the beacon in tho north-west. Tho lads, who are about eighteen years of age, set out in a 14ft centre-board sailing boat on Tuesday morning (rays tho ‘ Star ’). After an easy sail they reached their fishing ground before lunch and dropped anchor. When they thought of returning homo they found it impossible to make any headway. They cooked some fish and took up shelter in the hut, in which they spent tho night. It was cold and wet, and a heavy thunderstorm accompanied by lightning passed over them ..during tho night, making tho conditions more miserable in their rough-and-ready dwelling place. Meanwhile their parents had become concerned about their safety, and the police were informed 1 of their disappearance. The boys’ father get out in a launch, and found them at about 11 o’clock near their boat, which was dragged up on the shore and was undamaged. A peculiarity of constitutional practice is (says the ‘ Dominion') that Vice-Regal proclamations are issued monthly in New Zealand informing members of the Legislature that though they have ■ been summoned to meet on a certain date, His Excellency has thought fit to relieve them of their dttendauce until another date about a month off. That is to say, Parliament is prorogued 1 from month to month.. It cannot ho summoned before the date on which its prorogation expires, and the choice of a month gs tho period for each prorogation’ is indicated by considerations of convenience. A proclamation issued last Tuesday told members in archaic and dignified’ language that they need, not meet bn December 21, as they had been sum inched to do, but that they should meet instead on January 15. Tins docs not mean that Parliament will meet on January 15. If it were to have mot, His Excellency would liavo used in the summons the magic words “for the despatch of business.” Tho oldest living officers and ex-officers of tho New Zealand Parliament tell of an occasion when the Wellington members, availing themselves of a eummons which did not contain these words, but which through inadvertence had not been followed up by tho announcement of a further prorogation, soJcinly assembled in Parliament and elected a Mir Waterhouse Acting-Speaker. An old parliamentary official who referred to tho incident remembered Jt as a jest played upon the Government of a day Ibng past, lie could no doubt have provided some interesting details of the sitting had he kept a dairy, unfortunately, he had omitted to do.

Notwithstanding (says q Sydney paper) that -the water police have given it out that the fracas in ■ the vicinity of that well-known landmark, the Argyle Chit, between George street north and Miller’s Point, was merely an ordinary “ ronghup,” having nothing to do with the shipping_ strike, some experts hold a different opinion. It is well known that there is a bitterness of feeling between the English sailors and the local ones, who thrust them out of their jobs and expected them to remain workless. Miller's Point neighborhood is just Hie pla/Co for such antagonisms to culminate in- fighting. This quarter of the city, known to several generations as “ The Rocks,” was long noted for two things-—“ The Rocks ’’ push, which flad fame for using the boot on police even to the death, and as the birthplace of Australia’s greatest light-weight boxer, known as "Qriffo.” An early Australian poet also lived in that spot, but he never had much mention.

A ’ Masterton resident (relates an exchange) had a premonition the other even-' ing that an earthquake was going to take place. Shortly before dark he procured a ladder and removed from the top of a chimney some brides wnich had become loose. He then retired, feeling more secure, and was quite pleased with his action when he was awakened shortly before 4 o’clock by a severe shock of earthquake whidi occurred. The small town of Braidwood has little excitement nowadays since its one-time prosperous mines were closed down, but it got a pleasant ebook (slates tho Svdney ' Sun ’) when the nows was circulated Unit Miss Marie Coffey, of the Royal Hotel, and Miss Kate Gannon, oook at the same hostelry, had drawn Yacaimmda in a Bendigo Oup sweep. The prize was £5,000, but the Government will tqke about £7OO of that. A fortnight ago the girls drew a £lO prize, and invested 5a of it in the Bendigo consultation. Miss Gannon has been very lucky, winning many of the sweep prizes, btft this is the first time she lias exceeded £lO, igho is a levelheaded girl, and was going about her work on Thursday if nothing had happened. "What am I going to do? Make good uee of it, I hope, was all she would cay.