LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 27 January 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A fractured left arm was sustained this morning by Mr Samson, an engineer employed at the South Taranaki Power Board’s generating station on the Normanby-Okaiawa. Road. Mr Sanson was making adjustanents to a Diesel engine when the accident occurred. After receiving medical attention he was conveyed l to his home. The weekly Thursday evening performance by the Hawera Municipal Band was held at King Edward Park last evening and attracted ‘a large number of people. The progrmme included. the following- nnumbers : March, “The Britisher”; waltzes, “Cinderella” and “A Dream of Youth”; selections, “Spirit of Youth” and! “The Shamrock”;, one-step, “Hearts and Hands”; fox trot, “T|s za,t so?”; cornet solo, “Alpine Echoes,” by Mr H. O. A. Fox; march, “Light Infantry.” The selections were much enjoyed and a number of the young people present took part in dancing in the waltzes and fox trot.

“The law does not forbid the taking of alcoholic liquor by motorists, but any person m charge of a motor-car who takes liquor runs the risk of being arrested,” said Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court on Monday, at the conclusion of the hearing of a case against a motorist accused of intoxication (reports the “N.Z. Herald”). ATr. McKean added that .the word “intoxication” did not imply “drunkenness,” hut rather it implied inability oil the part of the person concerned to carry out what physical act he intended to do. A motorist could be convicted of intoxication if his judgment in driving had been impaired by the effects of liquor, even if he was not drunk in the ordinary sense.

In a case in the City Police Court at Dunedin last week where a Chinese was accused of theft evidence was given by two of his fellow-countrymen, on account of whose meagre knowledge of the English language the services of an interpreter were required. The interpreter (Harry Kwok) explained in each case that the witness was not a Christian, so' that the Chinese form of the oath had to be administered (reports the “Otago Daily Times”). Each witness was first asked whether he understood what was meant by telling the truth. Then, lighting a match, which he held up before the witness, the court orderly quoted: “I tell the truth, the whole truth. If not, as this match is blown out so will my soul lie blown out.” After the witness had blown out the match the orderly asked, “Are you bound bv -this oath?” and when the witness had answered “I am,” the oath was complete. Before Mr G. H. Buckeridge, J.P., in the Hawera Alagistrate’is Court this morning, a Maori residing at Normanby named Tauke Kapa, more familiarly known as Billy Kapa, pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness. Accused was arrested by Constable F. A r . Healy in Princes Street, shortly after five o’clock last evening and spent the night in the Hawera police lock-up. Kapa- was convicted and sentenced to 24 hours’ imprisonment, a condition being that he takes out a prohibition order against himself. It was mentioned by Sergeant J. Henry in conducting the prosecution that Ivapa had 34 previous convictions. All trains north and south of. Hawera during the past fpw days have been well patronised by holidaymakers returning home after the summer vacation in time for the opening- or schools next week. This morning’s southbound Taranaki express train was well filled, a large proportion of the passengers being children thoroughly browned after holidays spent at- the seaside or on farms throughout the province.

About four mouths ago the Ashburton County Council liberated parasites .n a pinus insignis plantation at Cavendish to combat the horn-tail borer, which has been playing havoc in plantations throughout the country during the. last two or three years, and although' no definite results have been detected, it is believed that the parasite is doing good work (states the Christchurch “Press”). The parasites were obtained from the Cawthron, Institute, Nelson, where a series, of cxpelaments were carried out, and it was discovered that by a peculiar sense they could detect the position of the grub from the borer which was thriving in the heart of the tree. They then worked their way through the tree in a similar manner to the borer, and laid their eggs in the grub, which acted as host until the parasites also into the grub stage, m the process of which the horn-tail borer grub was consumed. The parasite then worked its way out of the tree as a fly. The borer does not seem to affect the live trees, but attacks those which are either fallen or have been broken by the wind.

Tlie annual picnic of the Eltham Salvation Armv Sunday school was held at Ta.umata Park, Eltham, yesterday.

The Eltham Presbyterian Sunday school held its annual picnic at New Plymouth yesterday, leaving Eltham at'B a.m. and returning at 7.30 p.m.