NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 175, 27 July 1938, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Fires Worth Seeing. The early days of the city saw many fires, according to Mr. T. K. Hodder when addressing St. Andrew’s Men's Club last evening. “And they were real blazes,” he added. “Everybody used to turn out to see them because they were worth looking at. These days you never see a decent firo because our brigade is so well equipped. In those days there was only a hand pump and everybody lent a hand with little effect.’ 9

Small Boy’s Predicament. A small boy who made a seat of a wire refuse basket on a post at the corner of Wyndham street and Queen street, Auckland, created some amusement for a number of city pedestrians at tea hour on a recent evening. Losing his balance, the boy slipped into the basket, until only his head and legs protruded from the top. He was unable tu extricate himself from his awkward position, and it required the combined efforts of several persons to free him. Swamp in Square. The days of Palmerston North when there was a natural pond in the Square breeding mosquitoes and from which grew rushes and tho like, were recalled by Mr. T. R. Hodder when addressing St. Andrew’s Men’s Club last evening. Gradually the bog was filled up. Here and there in the Square were a few fir trees under which occasionally men committed suicide. Taken all round the reserve was a pretty rough looking place. There was a shop here and there and comparatively speaking quite a lot of hotels. Pacific Problems. The opinion that Australia would act as a screen for New Zealand as far as Pacific problems were concerned was expressed by Mr. T. Greenwood, lecturer in logic at tho University of London, who arrived by tho Tainui from England. “I don’t think there could bo a problem for New Zealand in the Pacific,” he said. “It will be for Australia.” He did not think that British countries in tho Pacific -would be affect- , ed by any alien race, “but, at tho same time,” ho said, “wo will have to keep a close watch for commercial purposes.” First Cricket Fitch. When cricket was first played in Palmerston tho pitch was in a paddock between Grey and Peatherstono streets and adjacent to Rangitikei street, Mr. T. R. Hodder informed a meeting of St. Andrew’s Men’s Club last evening. The difficulty was. however, that tho paddock was very rough and in addition to that used to run cows and before the players could make a start with their game they had to get spade and wheelbarrow and clear away the droppings. Lator a company was formed and £I7OO raised to put the present Sportsground area in something like order and erect a small pavilion. Estimates of Time. The difference between a minute and a moment was emphasised by Mr. Justice Callan in tho Auckland Supreme Supremo Court during tho hearing of a pedestrian’s claim for damages against tho owner of a taxi-cab involved in u collision. Several witnesses had been asked by counsel to estimate the length of time between two happenings. His Honour warned the witnesses to be very careful in making a reply, and not to say minutes when perhaps they meant moments. “A minute, as one eminent judge in New Zealand has said, is to say to yourself, ‘Jack Robinson, Jack Robinson,’ 60 times,” he said. “Do this and you get one minute.” Rat Poison Eaten. Rat poison that became accidentally mixed with food caused tho collapse of three men, members of a party spending the week-end at Tahurangi Hut, high on the slopes of Mount Egmont. Emetics were given them and all recovered without the need of „ medical aid. Poison was laid about the hut the week before last to deal with rats, which had been troublesome, but the party of nine who camped at the hut were not aware of this and somehow the poison got mixed with their food. One of the party collapsed on Saturday and was ill throughout the day, and as the cause was not suspected, nothing could bo dono for him. A second member of tho party collapsed on Sunday, while skiing on the slopes well above the hut. The cause of the trouble was then suspected and he was carried down to the hut and given emetics. The third collapse occurred on Sunday night, and the same treatment was again effective. New 1-Jd Stamp Issued. Coincident with increases in the postage rates to many overseas countries, there went cjjl sale throughout New Zealand yesterday a new lid stamp, replacing the one depicting a Maori W'ornan cooking food in a hot pool, which has been on issue since May, 1935. The new stamp is in the samo design as tho and Id stamps issued earlier this year, and as is customary with the lld denomination, is brown in colour. The central figure is a likeness of King George VI. from tho portrait by Dorothy Wilding, and portrays his Majesty in uniform. No reason has been given by the Post and Telegraph for changing the design of the stamp, but it was suggested to a reporter that, as the minimum overseas letter rate (except to Australia and several Pacific Islands) is now ljd, it was undesirable, with the greater use of this stamp, to continue to portray something that might lead to misconceptions abroad. However, there was the possibility that it might bo the policy of tho department to revert to Georgian heads for all its postage issues.