GENERAL NEWS

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1917, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

It is quite possible that very soon the neat and efficacious saving* boxes issued at. the General Post Office will no longer be available for general ilistributioi? (says the Wellington "Post"). What a boon these, boxes aro in increasing savings balances may be ganged from the fact that a very large proportion indeed of account owners in the Pcftt Office Bank made use of them, as' by the deposit of a single shilling the thrifty one had the means of accumulating every spare coin, with no possible, chance of being able to extract it at a later day. These most handy "banks" are not manufactured, in New Zealand, but have to be imported, and -prevalent conditions hove made it impossible for the authorities to secure additional supplies, despite the fact that' an order for 10,000 has been. on hand for over two years.

On the question of glaring headlights (says the annual report of the Mow Zealand Automobile Union) most of the Town-autlioritfps have prepared, or are preparing 'by-laws prohibiting their use, and it has come to the knowledge of the secretary of this union that some country outhorities are seeking to limit the use of headlights in country districts also. It is generally considered that from .*WO to 500 Oct ahead is a sufficiently safe range for a beam of light when travelling on country roads. In the case, however,, of two cars meeting" neither one can properly see the other in the glare of t-ach other's; light, and it would seem that some arangement must be made by which this can be overcome. The general practice throughout. America is to permit in country districts the use of as powerful headlights as 'motorists desire, relying on the almost universal custom; of switching down on to the "dimmer" light when two cars approach close to one another. This wiild appear to be an excellent practice, 'and one to be strongly recommended to the members of the aihliat--1 ed associations.

Mr. F. A. Wright, M.P... is quit*-, an adept at .telling stories to small boys. He. told a good one to the boys of the new Salvation Home »t Island Bay on Thur'sdav anent the vlue of obedience. When he was » small boy ' he lived on the \Vcst Coast, in Hokitika, at which time all the world was rushing there to ffCt the gold that was in the ground. 1» those days men without any skill at all could make a pound a dav with a cradle, which threw off the earth 1 and allowed the gold to sink to the bottom of the cradle through a fal*»bottom. On one -occasion a ship arrived off the port crowded witb nven. who were anxious to get ashoy* to make their fortunes, but the weather was very rough and th** signals told the captain that the bar •was unwbrkble. '.Hie men. feeling that they were wasting valuabletime, pleaded • with the captain to take the vessel in, but he wa* determined "to -run no risks. They then asked to be allowed to _o<* ashore in one of the ship's boats. Ac first the captain refused the request, but 'the men were so insistent that sit last, after -warning theni o~ the danger and that he took no r«* sponsibility for their rash act. allowed them to lower the boat and leav» for the shore. There vyerc twelve men in the boat. \\ r hen the boat rcchdd /the broken waiter she capsized; ten men were drowned, an« only two were saved. The wholfragedv took place before the eye* of hundreds of people who \ye.r* watching on the shore. Of the two men saved one happened to get ■-_.»»; hand "or finger foul of the boat'rudder, and was thrown ashore witU the boat: the other was waved by » dog. It .was a fine big. brave do s , which went into the water and pulled out one of the men from a watery grave. Als a reward for that *<rt the Hokitika Council solemnly decided that the faithful animal ne^**** never again wear • a collar nor .need his owner Pay a dog license.

: In the House on Tuesday Mr. J. A. Young in defending General Godley from criticism said" that Mr. Parr had declared that General Godley was not a good soldier, but the statement Avas not supported by evidence. Mr.. Young quoted an extract frojh a letter . writteii by General Bird wood in which, he said that m:o re than once he, had had. to' ask General Godley not to unnecessarily expose himself, which effectively disposed of the charge which he had^ reputedly heard that General Godley was a coward and stuck to his dug-out. Whoso opinion was to bo -taken, General Birdwood's or Mr, Ear*-'. f..asKft_ tbft, speaker. .