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Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1713, 2 January 1920, Page 4

In 'view cf the predictions that jjisra'ritic .sun-spots would occur last month it is of intcrost to state the actual position. Mr E. 0. L. Morlry, who is a constant observer at thte Atkinson Observatory, Nelson, in reply to a question put by a Colonist representative., said that tho solar activity during Doc'unbcr had , been distinctly loss than that experienced for some time past. A group of spot/J appeared for a tune earlier in the month, but otherwise tho sun had heeii, clcur.

,' k ,,„\-„.J ■'Jljjiii'';;mi .'.""'. m.n "" Recently, a; party jof alpirio ••climbers reached a point within 50 foot of tho crater on Mt Egmoht. ' '• A Maori boy, cycling with bare feet at Port Nelson on Sunday evening, lost a big toe through tho member being caught between tho chain and tho driving wheel. Taihapo/has lately boon visited by a number of loafors who objected to leave the town. Tho police decided upon a clean sweep, and tnirteon individuals were rounded up and deported. On December 1 thero were 59 patients in tho Palrnerston North Hospital, 100 wore admitted during tho month, 88 were discharged, and 7 died. Yesterday there w.ere 64 patients in the institution.

Tho following figures, supplied by the local superintendent of telegraphs, relate to the work carried out by tho telegraph office in Palrnerston North on December 24:—Forwarded telegrams, 1994; telegrams received, 1524; transmitted, 2100; telephone messages forwarded, 500; received, 845; and transmitcd, 394.

On her trip from Auckland to Tauranga, the steamer Ngapuhi picked up a flatbottomed dinghy, containing a fishing not, on Wednesday morning ofF, Karewha Island, and near tho harbour entrance. The boat had the anchor down, so it is presumed it had drifted from some adjacent beach. Tho boat has not yot been identified.

Among the spectators at tho Chess Congress at Wellington this year is the oldest congress player in New "Zealand, Mr W. Brown, of Wellington. Mr Brown is the enly survivor of tho players who met at ♦he coi.gress of 1888, and ho still plays a strortg game, despite his four score years. The present position of the congress is that Mason is loading with.seven and a half wins. Ho has two dangerous opponents to meet, but tho championship seems assured for him. A New Zealand merchant, writing to a New Plymouth friend from Vancouver, under date November 28, states inter alia: "Paper is going to be dearer, the demand being greater than tho supply. Everything is booming viciously. T have been told by everyone in the trade that paper is better than sovereigns, and wijl be so for two years. There is /a great opening here for our butter, meat and tallow."Meat is over 2s per lb, butter 3s, eggs 4s to 5s per dozen. Labourers arc receiving £6 per week." Some two dozen of tho New Brighton (Canterbury) Boy Scouts, under Scoutmaster G. W. Bishop, sot out on Boxing Day on a trek to tho Clarence river. The boys, whoso impedimenta in the shapo of tents, kits and food, was packed on to their trek cart, for which they themselves supply tho motive power, intend to visit various places, including Parnassus, Kaikoura and Cheviot, tho whole march covering about 300 miles, tho longost yet accomplished by a troop of scouts in,' New Zealand.

I have heard (writes a London eorrespondont) of a fine old man who claims to bo the oldest man to have served in any of the forces during the war. Having been most of liis life a captain in , the Mercantile Marine, lie had retirod not long beforo war broke out. Although approaching 80 years of age, ho joined up again for seivieo and became a pilot, in which capacity he piloted vessels in and about the Channel and the stormiest and mo9t' submarine-ridden coasts throughout'the war. Ho has now finished his services at 80 odd years of age, but remains halo and hearty. Can his record bo equalled V . •

A Christchurch firm (according- to the Press), desirous of obtaining a j moneyorder for a small sum for remittance to a resident in Vancouver, found that the charge for remitting the money, which used to bo 3d in the pound, is now 6s 8d in the pound. On enquiry being made none of the officials at tho Poet Office could explain the charge. About fourteen days ago orders to this effect came from Wellington, but no reasons were given. However, British postal notes, bearing a poundago of 3d. in tho £, are accepted at 'about 25 of the chief Canadian towns and cities, and money could bo sent by this medium.

Tho shortage of bronze is causing much trouble in Melbourne banks, and was keenly felt recently. Ono, institution which required between £IOO and £2OO worth of pennies and halfpennies sought in vain for supplies. It is thought (says the Argus) that almost the only source from which stocks can bo immediately replenished is to be found in children's saving boxes, and several of tho banks are offering to pay something over and above tho valuo of bronze delivered to them. The demand for copper coins is keen on account of Christmas trade, and supplies for shopkcepors havo beon depleted by the extension of electric tramways and the 2d telephone charges, penny-in-tho-slot machines, and fractional prices at hotels and restaurants.

A number of people on tho wharf at Bluff latciy witnossed a passage between tho Captain and mate of a windjammer leaving port that was redolent of old tales of the high scaa (sevs the Southland Times). It is said that the argument had its genesis on shore, but by the time the two principal actors had reached the sea it had grown to quite a size. The comment of ono man on the other was lurid and vigorous, it nothing else, and it could not have been expected that it would pass without being backed by something more substantial. Neither it did, and pooplc on tho wharf were'the interested s)>ectators of quite a struggle, Which culminated in tho persuading introduction of an automatic p'stol from the skipper's hip pocket. Comparative calm was restored by tho timo the police arrived, and the vessel was towod seawards followed by many curious eyes.

It is not generally known amongst tho travelling public that their excursion railway tickets do not entitle them to travel on every train. Tho other night when the through express from C'hristchurch to lnvercargill left Dunodin (says a southern exchange) it tarried away a number of passengers who learnt this lesson by experience. About ten minutes before the train left the guard announced through every carriage that thoso holding excursion tickets would have to pay full fare to travel unless they ivaited for tho next train. , A few joined the express after the information had been given, and others lay back in their seats" with the declaration 'to their friends th.it, so far as tho official's words of warning were concerned th'oy were quite deaf. But no assertions of such a kind availed when tickets wore collected, and, if tho same procedure is followed in connection with every train when "reliefs" are running, the concessions should not moan tho monetary loss to the Department that thoy appear to be. The following story concerning Sir James Carroll, who was defeated for tho Gisborno .-eat, is related by the Eltham Argus: He was oiice on board a steamer on an ocoan voyage and, in response to a request, he gave a lecturo on "Maoris." There was a certain English war correspondent on board and he, a few nights afterwards, had the -■weeding bad taste, at a smoke concert, to burlesque Sir James Carroll's lecture, in' a vulgar, caddish fashion that disgusted and annoyed all except Sir James. He listened quietly, with a faco as stolid a3 that of a sphinx. When the war correspondent had finished Sir James quietly rose and said that he hud been asked to contribute to cho evening's entertainment and ho would give a lecturette,- "My Experiences as a War Correspondent." And then he started (iff with an imitation of a lecturo that had been given in Palmorston North by the famous war correspondent. There was not one rough word in it. Delicate satire and irony poured forth in choicest diction. The. audience reared, ■ the war correspondent wriggled and squirmed, but Sir James Carroll kept going until tho war correspondent jumped from his seat and ended the "lecturette" by Sir James by the 'iahd, giving it a shake, admitting that ho had been beaten at his own game, and vowing that ho would retire from the lecturing field. Sir James scored heavily that time.

Bevlei Bninssieres, the latest bust bodice, is a perfect figure mould, and a decided inquisition to ladies of taste., May wo demonstrate the advantages of Berlei designs on Monday next; prices 6s lid to 6d.— The C.' M. Ross Co., Ltd.—Advt.

Croquet is the .ideal game, for young and old; ior tho enjoyment of this game wo have landed some good English croquet jots, complete with # all ; mallets, hoops, balls, etc,; best quality and finish; prices, £5 19s 6d to £8 lQs per set.—Collinson and Son,; 11 Broadway and King street, Palmerstoi) North —Advt. Children like Wade's worm figs-sure >uid certain, Price la 6d.~Advt.

•' . A Paris cablegram dated., the '3j«t ult j states that influenza-has ro-appcarcd and a number of deaths aro reported^ Patriotic zeal led to some.excitement in a little settlement in South OtagO Q recently. According to the'story told to a-Southland Times representative, the settlement was arranging to hold tho annual concert., and danco m connection with the school breakup. A pianoforte was required to complete tho arrangements, and a music agency, on being communicated with, sent j a secondhand instrument of German make from the nearest town. The pianoforte ' was muoli . older than tho war, and had been paid tor with British money in the first place, but he good people of rose in indignation at the idea of its being placed in the same hall as the district roll of honour. They threatened a boycott of tho entertainment, only one man stating that lie would attend, evidently realising that tho pianoforte, if need be, would be only a visitor to the settlement. Tho teacher (a lady), who had gone to great pains working up tho concert, was in a quandary, and she had to do much reassuring before she could prevail on a neighbour to lend her pianoforte at the last moment to take the place of the foreigner. But even after the alien was evicted, tho people of the indignant district were represented at the concert by the settler who had previously declared, his intentions of being present., Speaking of the babies of England brings ,to mind the fury all decent Englishmen and women are feeling just now at the presence of Geimans in London at this "Fight tho Famine!' Conference. This discussion is over the 140,000 cows which the Germans stole from France and Belgium during the war, and which tho peace terms demand to be returned. The Huns arjrued they did it to save the lives of the German babies. Wo now intend to save tho lives of Belgian and French babies, who are sadly noeding good, pure mill:. But this is not tho only ' thing which is infuriating British people. but the fact that peoplo like Lady Courtenny and Lord and Lady Parmoor aro actually entertaining these brutal people, to dinner. The former actually gave a dinner party to the Germans at her house in Cheyne walk. "Chelsea, only last evening. The Press here is naturally ringing with denunciation. It was kept very dark, or I fear the Huns would have had a bad time, for dozens ot demobilised men, and fathers who had lost sons in the war, were waiting to give these men—wJl, not the sort of welcome they would havc«carod about. I for one feel ashamed to think these people, who-want to mako friends with a nation who have shown themselves to be without Or even respectability of any sort should.call themselves British—London correspondent.