Offer of Trees to Lord Bledisloe.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 24, 28 December 1942, Page 4

Offer of Trees to Lord Bledisloe.

Five native trees suitable for planting in Lyilney Park, Gloucestershire, will be offered to Lord Bledisloe, a former Governor-General of New Zealand, by the Temuka Progress League. Bowling Club Tourneys. No allowance of tea and sugar will bo made to bowling clubs for Saturday afternoon or club tournaments, according to advice received by the New Zealand Bowling Association from the Rationing Controller, However, a reasonable number of permits was promised for centre tournaments. | Appeal For Caution, j Recent drowning accidents have prompted the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry) to call for the exercise of great care by bathers during the holidays. “There is no greater tragedy to a home than a drowning,” bo said, “and often a venturesome spirit, which leads to the taking of risks, is the cause of tragedy.”

Ten Months’ Motor Accidents. For the ten months January to October inclusive, 2081 accidents have been attributed to motoring, and ol these the Government Statistician rejjorts 123 fatalities with 936 serious injuries, the rest being described as “minor injuries”. There were 1332 collisions and 208 other accidents, in all 1540. Of the 123 fatalities 34 were pedestrians, 29 were drivers of cars, and 25 were, passengers, 14 were cyclists, and 19 motorcyclists. A Well-Guarded Japanese.

i A strong United States bodyguard protects one apparent Japanese at Buna—in case any American or Australian soldier should make an embarrassing mistake (says the special Australian correspondent of the Press Association in a cable from Sydney). The closely-guarded personage is 26-year-old Sergeant Fred Nishitsuji, a former Los Angeles liquor salesman and now an interpreter on General MacArthur’s staff. With no close relatives in Japan, Nishitsuji is a true American, born on his father’s Colorado farm. He enlisted in the United States Army in July, 1941, and was given special training as an interpreter. He has been in New Guinea since last September. Long Journey by Horse.

i After a journey on horseback of I nearly 200 miles a young girl, Miss M. Sorenson, arrived at Stratford last week from Te Kauwhata, Waikato. She carried her bedding, cooking utensils, and supplies with her and, except when weather conditions forced her to seek shelter, she camped out at night. Miss Sorenson left the Waikato early in the month. A foal which was too young to be weaned insisted on accompanying its mother and the party was completed by a dog which deserted at Otorohanga 'As she rode through Hamilton Miss Sorenson took up a collection for patriotic purposes. She spent Christmas in the Stratford district and will return to Te Kauwhata early in the New Year. I Shower of Frogs,

It rained frogs in the Sydney suburb of Sydenham on Boxing Day (says the special Australian correspondent). Hundreds of thousands of inch-long frogs fell from the skies in a heavy early morning downpour. Professor E. A. Briggs explains that frogs are often swept out of shallow ponds by whirlwinds and carried for many miles. The phenomenon has occurred in Sydney previously, but a coincidence with the festive season gave the latest frog visitation an especial significance for some tardy homing revellers. A brewery worker first sighted tlie frogs bouncing out of the rain splashes—and his natural scepticism was dispelled only when children later exhibited hundreds of little frogs which they had caught. Advance in Air Armament.

The power turret, an advanced phase of ail armament which is second only to the famous bombsight in making American aircraft supreme, was recently used against the Axis, enabling the destruction of 38 planes without loss, says a New York cable. The power turret, described as o gun-mount, is power operated, callable of overcoming the terrific force of the airstream driven back, by the propellers, thus enabling the gunner to hold a steady aim on the target. The power turret is used in conjunction with the most effective sight, with the result that it was almost difficult to miss. In order to work the power turrets, the most apt mechanically-minded students are being specially trained.

.Air Accident Victims. Mr G. C. Mcßride, who was lost in the recent air fatality on the West Coast when a passenger plane came down in the sea, got his seat in - the plane through another passenger giving up his one to him because lie wanted to visit his father, Mr J. E. Mcßride, who was injured at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on December 19. Mr G. Mcßride was 29. He represented Buffer at Rugby. A miner by occupation, he also trained trotters for Dr. J. Simpson. Another victim of the same accident, Mr M. J. Hearty, a Public Works Department storekeeper at Haast, was en route to Wellington to spend Christmas with friends. He was 66 and was an officer in the Dublin Fusiliers in the Great War. Mr A. Walters, a Public Works Department employee, also lost in the accident, was on his way to spend Christmas with his wife in Whangarei.