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Evening Star, Issue 20374, 4 January 1930, Page 10

Strange friendships have been known to exist among animals, hut an unusual spectacle was witnessed on a farm at Palmerston North, states the ‘Manawatu Evening Standard.’ Passers-by on the Main road at Newbury saw a sheep standing on the back of a horse which was at rest in a paddock. The horse made no effort to dislodge the sheep, which seemed to be quite at home. When the travellers passed out of sight the sheep was retaining its strange resting place. The Postal authorities advise that the mails despatched. by the Makura from Wellington on December 3 reached London on January 2. ‘ Trips to the gannet rookery at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay, were very popular over the week-end, the tides being suitable for an easy x jassa S° along the beach. The birds are now in various stages of nesting activity, some being still cn the eggs. Some chicks are quite young, whereas others are large and just spreading their wings preparatory to learning to flyA regular visitor to the gannets expressed the opinion to a reporter of the ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ that there is no sign of their numbers. decreasing. How many white people who have learned to play the ukulele have any idea how the native instrument received its name? Here is the story, as told by tho Rev. Father Valintin, who has been a missionary at Honolulu for over forty years.' The present-day instrument is modelled on the . Portuguese guitar. Many years ago a Portuguese ship called at Hawaii, and a member of the crew exchanged his guitar for a big basket of fruit. When the natives settled down to strum a flea was observed to hop out of- the inside of the strange contrivance, and the player promptly named it ukulele. “ Uku ” is the native word for a small insect, and “ lele ” means “to jump,' Popular interest in the new War Memorial Museum at Auckland is reflected in the attendance figures lor the Christmas holiday period. Visitors on Boxing Day totalled 3,822, on Friday 2,711, on Saturday 2,850, and on Sunday 8,976—a total of 18,359 for four days. “I think I can go so far as to say that it is common knowledge that our sendee car drivers are the most competent and careful of drivers, and that the public has tho utmost faith m them,” said Mr J, Miller, S.M., at Masterton, when giving reserved judgment in a case wherein two service car proprietors claimed against each other following a collision. “A lot of people have been ruined by the recent stock depression in New York, but tho collapse will probably react to the common good,” said Mr H. G. Miller, who arrived at Auckland by the Aorangi last week, to direct tho New Zealand activities ot the Firestone Rubber Company. “ The scare is diverting money into the banks and. has given a check to the Irantis speculative investment which had developed,” ho added. “Business is going to. be slower in U93l\ but it will bo healthier business.”

Shortly after noon to-day the City Fire Brigade was called to the Corporation Tramsheds in Market street as the result of an automatic false alarm.

Taranaki Oi- Fields report: At Gisborne No. 2 well the water has been shut off and the caving in overcome with nnid drilled to 3,212 ioet through sandy shale; now in hard material with increasing gas.—Gisborne Press As.sopiaiioa belegrania

The Wairoa freezing works, which commenced the season on December have been kept very busy and have put through 4,000 carcases more than last year, when they closed down for Christmas. It is thought that the reduction in the price of wool is largely responsible for this (says the * telegraph/ Napier). The Magistrate of New Plymouth, in his efforts to teach intoxicated motorists the error of their ways, has announced his determination to give every convicted delinquent “ a kind of deferred imprisonment,” that is, to place the offenders on probation. His experience (says the Auckland ‘ Herald’) appears to justify the drastic, and general imposition of this sentence, no matter what else may be suffered by way of penalty. It will be remembered that some other magistrates, having found the exaction of a fine ineffective, have sent certain offenders to gaol. For regarding the offence as serious there is ample warrants and motorists generally, as part of the public needing to he protected from the driver muddled or elated with liquor, will approve this view. A young woman caused an alarm last night by throwing herself into the River Avon from a bridge. Though the water was only 2ft 6in deep she persisted in . keeping her head, immersed. Three raen-eventuaUy dragged her out and took her homo in a taxi. When the matter was referred to the police it was stated that they did not intend to take action against the girl, as she suffered from insomnia and was subject to fits.—Christchurch Press Association telegram.

The Postal authorities advise that the Ulimaroa left Sydney on Friday for Wellington with twenty-nine bags and fifty-one parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The mail should reach here on Wednesday afternoon, and the parcels on Thursday. A fire in the upper floor of Wallace’s Buildings, in Cameron street, Whangarei, at 1.30 this morning caused damage to the extent of £I,OOO. One office was gutted,, and several other offices, including the Ritz Restaurant, on the same floor suffered through smoke and water, while on the ground floor the stock of Wallace’s grocery and Crosby s millinery shop were extensively damaged by water.—Press Association telegram.

At the Port Chalmers Court this morning ten seamen from the steamer Cornwall were brought before Mr J. Watson, J.P., and Mr J. Tait, J.P., on charges connected with broaching cargo at Lyttelton about December 20. They all pleaded guilty. William Jackson and John Horrell were ca,ch sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for stealing perfumes, soaps, and .other cargo valued at £5. John Comer, Richard Bugless, Clifford James mlliams, Frederick William Simmons, Leonard Williams, Thomas Joseph May. Donald Richardson, and Ernest Parnell were each fined 20s for receiving the goods knowing the same to have been stolen.

Notifications of Sunday services as enumerated below appear in our Sunday services advertising columns: —Anglican: St. Paul t Cathedral, All Saints’, St. Matthews, St. Peter’s. Presbyterian: First Church, Knox Church, St. N Andrew’s, St. Stephen’s, Port Chalmers, Northeast Valley, Mornington, Gaversham, South Dunedin, Chalmers, Musselburgh, Maori Hill, St. Clair, Green Island, Kaikorai. Methodist: Trinity, Central Mission, Mornington, Cargill Road. St. Hilda, N.E. Valley, South Dunedin. Baptist: Hanover Street, Caversham, N.B. Valley, Mornington; South Dunedin. Congregational: Moray- Place, United. Church of Christ: Tabernac e. Roslyn, N-B. Valley, Filleul Street, York Place Hall, Playfair Street Hall,-Salvation Army, Christian Science, Thoosophical Society, Spiritualists, Ghristadclphians, Gospel Hall, Evangelical Hall, Higher Thought Centro.

Resolve to be punctual' during the new year, and let one of Williamson's watches guide you.—[Advt.] The innovation of using the Western Electric sound producing equipment for' a programme of sacred music at the Central Mission last Sunday evening was a decided success. By special request another programme'will be submitted at the service tomorrow evening by the kind permission of the theatre management. The Railway Department advertises in this issue that special trains at cheap excursion fares will run from Invercargill and Oamaru to Dunedin on Sunday, January 12. ’ ' ' The Railway Department advertises in this issue that, commencing oh Sunday, January 5, the Dunedin r Oamaru and Oamaru-Dunediu Sunday trains will, if required, stop at TeschemakerS. Your eyes are Nature’s most precious gift. Take care of them. Consult W. V. Sturmcr. optician, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.— [Advt.]