Local and General

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11095, 3 January 1930, Page 4

Local and General

, Tho Daily Express /states that it is not generally known that AirMarshal Sir Hugh Trenchard was offered the Governor-Generalship of New Zealand, but. declined.—P.A. Copyright. Charged with drunkenness and resisting a constable in the course of his duty, Frank Button appeared before Messrs. F. W., itiuch aim rl. M. Porter, J.’sP., in the • Police Court yesterday. When arrested tor drunkenness oin / New Year's -Eye, Button struck Constable* Gatehouse, who was taking him in 'charge. Tor resisting arrest, Button, was fined £2 and for drunkenness was convicted and discharged.

In consoqueneo of t1i0,./- suddon death of the Pope’s brother, Count Pernio Ratti, the usual New Year festivities at the Vatican liavo been ’ cancelled.—R. A. copyright./ The New Year holiday in' Opotiki was completely spoiled by rain which fell almost incessantly all day, ,no outdoor games being possible. Yesterday, however, was beautiful, sunshine prevailing, with the result that the beaches were crowded.— Special. The Opotiki correspondent of the .Times states , that the holiday traffic#sipce just before Christmas has 'l»u exceptionally heavy, all records ■ .Being broken by tile different motor Services operating, and hundreds of private touring cars have travelled through Opotiki, large numbers camping in the camping ground every night.. The new super Royal Scott engine to he used on the 'London-Midlaud and Scottish Railways express trains between London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, is ready for a trial run on a non-stop route of 402 miles.—British Official Wireless. r Gisborne's rainfall in 1929 totalled 43.38 in. compared with 50.66 in 1828, 42.28 in 1927 and the annual average, over the past 50 years, of 45.82. December’s total was 1.67 in, the .third lowest for any month of 1929 and a considerable decrease on the corresponding months of 1928 and 1927 when the respective totals were 0.24 and 8.09. The average for December is 2.81 in.

General Jan Smuts, who is on his first visit to Canada in the interest of the League of Nations in a talk to newspaper men at Ottawa, said the basis of the League was the British Empire, and the. Imperial Conferences. held since the eighties were the foundations upon which the League was built. He declared that in South Africa secession was a dead issue.—P.A. copyright. During the past few days drillers in charge of the oil exploration work at Mangaone, near Morere, have experienced difficulty owing to tho caving of the wall of the well. Tho matter was referred yesterday to tho general -.manager 'of Taranaki Oil Fields, Mr. A. IT. F. Moline, who claimed that the steps taken to check the ingress of mud and water were attaining success, and lie considered he was justified in stating that they had overcome the trouble ■with the caving at 3050 feet, mentioned in the report in yesterday’s Times.

An English newspaper gives particulars of the case of a two-year-old Belgian boy, Andre Lenoir, who is able' to multiply accurately any two live figure numbers without hesitation. His is not the only case of phenomenal power in this direction —usually lost as soon us a roan knowledge of mathematics is gained. One ot these calculating boys was George Parker Bidder, who was exhibited in Ins childhood as an arithmetical marvel. He became an engineer and was associated with Robert Louis Stephenson, lie was a founder of the Electric Telegraph Company and became president of the Institution ol : Civil Engineers. Another wizard who could do anything with figures was Jacques Inaudi, who visited London in 1893. Ho did not lose his gift as ho grew up. New Zealand has an equally remarkable mathematician, in a WestCoast (5.1.) resident, whose feats in this direction liavo amazed thousands.

Cyril Walker, a- sevonteen-year-old onaineller at a foundry at Bolton, England, can, among other things, lift a four hundred-weight girder with a finger-tip hold; hola six men on his chest, pull a motor ambulance with his teeth : resist six men with the grip of one hand; tear a. new pack of cards in a few seconds ; pulp and apple with a singlehanded. grip; bend steel bars with the nuked hands; and hammer steel nails through two-inch boards with tho palm of his hand. Once this modern Samson amazed the driver of a ton fruit lorry winch had broken down by lifting the 'orry wnde Supports were obtained. Walker, who never drinks tea, only discovered his strength when he took up physical culture. It is thought that as lie grows into manhood his strength will increase.

Do the mild discharges of electricity which reach the ground through the earth-lead of a wireless set act as a stimulant to plant life f The experience of a Beckenham (Kent) resident does something to support the theory. Mr. Humphrey G. ltussell in 1926 planted the stone of a “Gape plum/-’ and it started to grow in a cold greenhouse, lie told a “Daily Mail” reporter: “In the spring yf 1927 I planted the small tree in the herder at the back of my house facing south. Within a few months a wireless earth, consisting yf a wire attached to a metal rod, was put into the ground about 18in from the tree. The tree has grown at an amazing rate. It is now about 9ft to 10ft high and nearly 12ft' across. This spring the tree was covered with bloom, and bore about 10 fruits. About 15ft away from this tree there is growing an ordinary peach tree which has been planted for at least ten years. Tt is not a quarter of the size of the other.” At Seven Sisters, Glamorgan, a man who only a tow years ago was part owner of two coal mines and a stone quarry, and in his own words “could iiavo signed a cheque lor £30,000 without a qualm,” is working as a labourer ,in the colliery ho once owned. His name is Henry Thomas. To an interviewer ho said: “I suppose like Borneo, I am fortune’s fool, Five years ago I was part owner of two collieries and a stone quarry and I could write a cheque, for £30,000 without a qualm. 1 lived quietly, comfortably, happily, and worked hard. And then, ‘suddenly, everything went wrong at once. Troubles came thick and fast. Tou know what coal raining is to-day—and men I trusted failed me. By sheer „ bad luck even, my quarry failed, and disaster stared me in the face. It scorned at if the hand of fate had struck me down almost in a moment. ' JNow I strugglo to earn £2 os a week as a screen labourer in. the Dillwyu Colliery which once was mine. But even that is denied to me, for the men who once worked for me have gone out on strike, and next week; like them; I shall bo oh dole. However,” he added proudly, ‘‘them is no good worrying is theref” Beside a wellfcliicked stove sat the daughter of the house, lier thick . hair falling over her face as she attended the little pile of cakes cooking on the fire.

. .A euro for a. penny. Tes, 100> per pent'.’ of cures /guaranteed. Hukus 'affects sheep December, January' and Februar® fp#d one dos#of Carbon Tetrachlfrifikin capspSle form is sufficient forjfa tufre. Jfio measuring guessing or «wa,sTe Jw this method. Tlie sheep show improvement at once, they fatten qus®y and are worth shillings head. Fluke.cap- . sules, not ,«®y cure fluke but eradicate wormsT ail'd intestinal parasites, ptfee 8s 6d pok hundred. Special quotations for quantity.-—A. M. JMann. Agent, Chemist, B*x 2-10 Cishbme.®

. Customs and excise duties collected in Gisborne during the 12 months ended December 31, 1929, showed good increases compared with the figures fop last -year. The December . returns, which were slightly better than those for the corresponding month last year, were as follow, the December returns last year being given in parentheses: Customs, £6068 13s 3d (£6040 14s); excise duty, £1286 19s lid (£957 3s 10d). For tho 12 months ended December 31 tho figures were: Customs, £75,981 5s 10d (£69,718 10s lid); excise duty, £10,794 3s 3d (£10.282 4s 4d).

Speaking at the V.C.’s dinner in London, Lord Jollicoe when he rose to propose tho toast of “I.h© Queen the Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family, said:— “Some of us, 1 am sure, led great difficulties in being present at such a gathering as this. In my own case I recall an incident of 191/, when two small boys were introduced to mo and told by their mother to shake hands. The cider said at once: ‘Arc you a V.G. ?’ 1 had to confess I was not. Both boys then said: ‘Wo only shake hands with V.O.’fc." (Laughter).

Lack of interest in town planning is evident in South Taranaki, says a New Plymouth correspondent. At ITawcra, Air. J. W. Mawson, director of town planning, was to have addressed a meeting. Invitations were sent out, representatives of the local bodies being asked to attend at the IJawera Borough Council Chambers at 3 p.m. At the appointed hour there were present Mr. Mawson and two Press representatives. At 8.30 p.m., the Patoa representatives, rather than return without any information, requested Mr. Mawson to address them, which he did. One apology for absence was received.

A bride left King’s College Chapel, at Aberdeen, with tears pouring down her cheeks, on the day lollowing her father's death, bays an English exchange). 81 u: was Dr. Peggy Mitchell, ■ assistant medical officer of health for Aberdeenshire, and, at her father’s express wish, she was married within 24 hours ol his death. Her father, Dr. Peter Mitchell, one of Aberdeen’s most prominent medical men, had died, in a nursing home, and his brother. Dr. Alex. Mitchell, was critically ill. The bridegroom at this tragic ceremony was Dr. J. D. Gordon, of Ellon. There were only a few relatives present. One of the bride’s uncles'is Sir William Mitchell, "ViceChancellor of the Adelaide Imversity.

Following upon the ol the acclimatisation societies of New Zealand held last September it has been decided to appoint tvo naturalists to carry out research work into the habits of trout and the conditions under which they live. Steps have been taken to get reports from anglers in all parts ol the Dominion. The initial work will be done in the Selwyii River and the lake waters of Canterbury in order to obtain a definite basis for comparison .with dition. of the fish. The naturalists lv in regard to the weight and condition of the fish. -The. naturalsts have not yet been appointed and applications* are to be invited by advertisement. Tlie allocation of the men appointed will be decided upon at a later stage.

A novel missionary enterprise has been started by Canon Mutter, _or Christchurch, says the ‘•Christchurch News.’ We have heard of missionary teas, and missionary liens, and missionary daffodils, but Svdenham has now evolved the missionary potato. On Sunday. 13th October, the Canon solemnly presented each member of the congregation with a potato, with instructions not to boil it. or make chips out of it. but re plant if carefully in a corner of the garden, protect it- from frosts, and bring the produce to the church at Easter, when the accumulated crop will be sold for the benefit of the Melanesian Mission 1 If every parish in New Zealand did the same, there is no doubt that Melanesia’s extra £2OOO would be found, and more than found. But. there would be a glut in potatoes !

A bankrupt- Marlborough Sounds farmer told a meeting of his creditors in Blenheim last week that the failure of Ins venture in stock dealing was partly due to the wild state of%ome of the cattle, which escaped to the rugged fastnesses of his property, and could not bo captured and sold.' “1 know where some of them are now .and if the can get-them they can have them,” he offered. “Can the Assignee issue dividends in kmdf” asked the legal representative oi a creditor. “If so, 1 would suggest that those wild cattle be distributed!” The Official Assignee observed that if the cattle were equal in value and their number exactly coincided with the number of creditors, he might consider it. Otherwise he was afraid it might not be strictly legal. The matter was not regarded very seriously by the creditors.

Mr. Murray Fuller, who suffered great misfortune by tho wreck of the Manuka, losing the bulk of the extremely valuable collection of British pictures he was bringing to the Dominion for exhibition purposes, is now at Okawa, watching the wreckage come ashore. Especially strong cases, costing about £3(X>, were made for the pictures, and Mr. Fuller hopes that at least a few paintings may come ashore undamaged. However Mrs. Fuller has received a letter from Mr. Fuller in which lie states that so far those pictures which have been washed up are so badly fcuoeked about through the cases being smashed open and then dragged through tho sand that he lias small hope of being able to salvage any of them. If tho cases could only reach shore undamaged there might be a chance of saving the contents, as possibly the effect on the paintings of immersion in salt water could bo rec-tiled by skilful treatment. It has been reported that, somo of the pictures have been pilfered, in which ease there may bo some chance of ultimate recovery.

For Summer Wear nothing can equal the splendid Macclesfield English Spun Silk Frocks, which Mathewson’s Ltd. are now showing. They are renowned for serviceable wear and it is no trouble to keep them smart and bright, for they wash beautifully and -retain .-.their color, too. These frocks are all included in tlie 4/- in tlie £ discount wliicn Mathewson’s Ltd. are offering on all purchases during December. 4 *..* JPbe game was long, the.muri was ok , TThe fbozler had an awful cold, A hewer of the divot, he, liis handicap was twenty-three. Said Plus-four Percy: “Mark this well. I cure my colds with M.L.L.” Lung .Linctus forthwith he procured, and freedom from all colds ensured,. He now plays scratch, and glad to tell.' he holds the Captain’s prize .as well. . • ' - —McDonald’s Lung Linctus for Coughs, Colds, ’Flu. 2/6, Chemists and Stores, or direct, from McDonald, Chemist, Tokomarn Ray.*,*

A now invention alluded to as <» “whv didn’t someone think of that* years ago?” article has just been announced. On the assumption that table knives have long had too much uhecessary cutting edge, an artisan has designed a knife in which the blade is relatively short, wth a keen cutting edge, while the handle is of generous proportions, enabling one’s linger to press on the back of the handle instead of on the blade.

Making bis second in the Magistrate’s Court this week, •John O’Brion, 52, was brought before Messrs. F. W. Riach and H. M Porter, J.’sP., yesterday morning ou charges of drunkenness and theft of an overcoat belonging to Walter John Simpson. On the minor charge, tlie third similar one within six months, O’Brion was sentenced to 14 davs’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty*' to the theft. Senior-Sergeant Wade explained that the articles had been removed from a car left in the street, a very mean form of theft and one very difficult to detect. On this charge, O’Brion was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, the sentence to be cumulative.

“In most cases a hoy over Ihe age of 17 is wasting his time at a secondary school,” wa3 the opinion expressed by Mr. J. R. Murdochprincipal of’ Scots’ College,. at the annual distribution of prizes at W ellington. There were, of course, exceptions. Firstly, there was the boy who , intending to enter professional life, wished to gain some higher leaving qualification, and the boy who, intending to enter profesThcn there was the bov who returned to school to fit himself for the response bilitv that would fall upon him later. I.t was significant, though, that when business men sought to fill a vacancy through the college the usual formula was: “Under 17 and matriculated if possible.” He was not suggesting for a moment, however, that boys over the age of 17 should he driven away from the schools.