LOCAL & GENERAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10474, 3 January 1928, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

A law. recently passed by the North Dakota (U.S.A.) legislature makes compulsory the display of a copy of the Ten Commandments m every schoolroom, in the State, beginning with the current term.

The Poverty Bay allotment for the next Napier wool sale on January 16 was filled on Saturday morning. Originally 8,000 hales were allotted to this district, hut this was reduced to 7,000’ on account of the increase oi 1,000 hales at the December sale.

The battle over the route of the Gisborne-NVairoa railway is not finished so far as Mr. \V. D. Lvsnar, M.P., is concerned, and when in Wellington will endeavor to fix a suitable date for head officers of the Knilwiiiy Department to visit Gisborne to hear further evidence on the subject.

There are 13 men at present out of work, in Gisborne, according to the Labor Department's register. Of those, seven are married. Th’is time, last week there were 17 unemployed, hut lour have since secured jobs, whilst, this week’, thro- carpenters will he taken on. at .Waikaremoana.

To Karaka closed its sports day yesterday, with a very enjoyable (lance at the Wuikohu Hall' which \\*is very well filled, despite the heat of the evening. Messrs. J. Bennett, R. Brown and \V. McGrannachan very capably carried out the duties of M.’sC.,* while Morrow’s jazz orchestra supplied the dance music. The function was carried on until the early hours of this morning.

A steam-powered motor-bus has been designed in Detroit (U.S.A.) for elimination of noise, vibration and odours. According to reports of drivers who have l>een operating the 'bus. on one of the busiest lines in Detroit for nearly a year and a half it is very easy to handle, and on account. of its absence of gear-shifting and its rapid acceleration is considered by its backers ideal for traffic.

“Fall and Paint” pedestrians bid fair to become the bane of Siam. Their method is to pick out n slowly moving motor-car, dart out from the sidewalk, stumble against the car. and fall in a faint by its side. A policeman appears, puts himself and the half-conscious victim in the motor car, and proceeds to a police station. Rather than go to court on a charge of reckless driving, the motorists will usually pay the damages asked.

“’For use in the chapel of Tauranga on the occasion of dedication. December 11th, 1844.” 'Flic original service book, which bore this inscription in the hand of Bishop Seiwyn, and hi.s signature, “G.A. New Zealand,” played a part in the ceremony of re-dedieation of the historic chapel at St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Judge’s Bay. The service hook was used by the Primate (Archbishop Averill). Associated with him were Archdeacon Simian, Canon James, Canon Hasclden, and the Eev. W. E. Lush.

Upon entering one of Berlin’s large picture' theatres one’s attention immediately is attracted by a low buazing sound; at the same time one discovers a strange fish-shaped metal body suspended by a long rope from the ceiling, whirling around in a circle over the heads of the audience. Each time it passes the seats on the balcony—and it passes by so near that one could almost catch it with the hand—it leaves a line aroma in its wake, it- is a new air purifier which is the delight of all who visit ths motion-picture theatre. Shortly before the performance begins its humming ceases, its circles become smaller, and slowly it is drawn up to the ceiling. ' .

Perhaps the most remarkable novelty in the London Dairy show was a ’machine for plucking fowls, the invention of Commander Kingdon, of Springfield, Stockbridge, Hants. It is a combination of a suction fail and plucking device. The bird is held over the machine, and the feathers disappear, apparently, swallowed by it. Only small hunches of feathers are caught at a time and drawn to the plucking device; but they are en light at a speed of 600 revolutions a minute. Mine thousand such bunches are seized in one minute, but as the bunches plucked are small, the danger of tearing the llesli is eliminated, it is claimed that fowls can he plucked at the rate of one in 30 to losco., and ducks in If to 2min. .The feathers are bagged up automatically. The subsequent stubbing also can be done by the machine with a little practice.

An unusual idea comes from Italy. The 10 best-known novelists arc to combine to write a. long novel in collaboration. Each of the ten is to write, two chapters of the novel ni succession. Each author will have the fullest possible liberty of treatment, and may develop flic story in any way he decides, no plot having been previously agreed upon. The only restriction' - imposed is that no .character may lie killed, off by- any of the; writers without the consent of li is collaborators.' So keen is the interest aroused in Italy by this “freak” hovel that a first edition of at least 100,OGO copies is anticipated. A similar experiment was once tried by. Mark Twain. If popular opinion is any indication the festive season of 1927 will be known as the “Book Xmas,”, for of late book* have occupied the premier position as gifts. This has occasioned no great surprise, for this year astonishing value is given for a small .sum. Leather-bound classics and piiems can bo purchased from 5/6 upwards, which is considered even bet--t jr .than pre-war value. Then every Xmas sees, one particular novel by a well-known -writer placed on the market, but this season there are fully a dozen popular represented, the niqst ; prominent being 'S'abatmi, Michael Geoffrey Moss, Zane Grey, Temple Thurston, Margdrev Bedlar, and, Robert HichinsGall with novels appearing for., the first time. New Zealand books, also claim their devotees. The children’s annuals, of coupe/: are almost innumerable, and exceptional value is seen-in volumes of stbries of school life, adventure, etc., a bulky-size book being.retailed at 3/6. Eastwood’s Book Stores, at the corner off Derbyrby street and Gladstone road, and in Gladstone ropd; next to Mrs, Greig’s, have an unusually largo assortment, of all literature, and issue an invitation > to the public generally to pay a visit to brouse over the latest books, no one heing pressed to buy.*;*'

“Hindus are like blackbirds,” said Mr. O. Heerdegen at the White New Zealand League’s annual meeting at Pukekohe. *‘Wheri you chhse them out of your orchard they go elsewhere.” In that connection he point! ed out Hindus who had migrated from Pukekohe in the last few years had instituted early potato-growing in other centres.

Tiie Christmas gathering at Katana this season was somewhat smaller than usual, the visitors aggregating 3000. This is no doubt accounted. for by the fact that another big gathering is to be held on January 25, when another ceremony will take place in connection with the templf?. Last year is was officially opened, hut the interior was not then complete. The Christmas gathering is said to have, been most enjoyable and, lidded one of the permanent residents of the pa, “there was heaps of kai.”