NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 174, 26 July 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

County By-Election Messrs 11. J. Fagan, W. H. Henson and K. L. Vile have been nominated to fill the vacancy of councillor for the San don riding of the Manavratu County Council caused by the death, of Cr. J. H. Pcrrett. Manawatu Touring Team Mr. W. Gleeson was appointed manager, of the Manawatu representative Rugby football team to tour the South Island, at the meeting of the management committee of the Manawatu Rugby Union last evening. On the recommendation of the sole selector, Mr. .J. A. Colquhoun, it was decided to include 2L players in the party, instead of 20 as previously agreed upon. Hissing Juror’s Pine Remitted The juryman, Frederick William Mc--1 Sweeney, who was lined £2 for non- . attendance at the sitting on Monday of the Supreme Court at Palmerston North had his fine remitted yesterday by Hon. Mr. Justice Blair, who mentioned that the juryman had called on the registrar and explained that ho was an employee ’ of the Post and Telegraph Department. His Honour said that members of the Ppst and Telegraph Department were specially exempted under the Juries Act. Plain Clothes Inspectors on Crossings A recommendation that inspectors in ' plain clothes be stationed at pedestrian crossings to detect offences in respect to them and apprehend offenders was made by Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. His Honour’s comment was made after Inspector A. Cooke of the City Traffic Department had given expert evidence on the placing of pedestrian crossings. A man was on trial for negligent driving causing bodily injury, it being alleged that the car he was driving knocked down a woman on the crossing. Few Deaths at Auckland Zoo Although temperatures at the Auckland Zoo during the last few weeks have been generally lower than in the corresponding period of recent years mortality among the stock has been remarkably small. This is largely accounted for by the provision of electric-ally-heated quarters, where many tropical birds and animals arc spending the winter. Among tho latest additioiis to this favoured family are the zoo pelicans. Recent deaths at the zoo have been practically confined to a few iinches, none of the more valuable birth* or animals being lost. Real Traffic Control The thorough control of traffic in large American cities impressed Mr D. A. Ewen, of Wellington, who returned from Vancouver by the Niagara. At important street intersections in Chicago, he said, there were not only lights at the centre of tho crossing, but also a policeman oil point duty, who blew a whistle when the lights changed. Very often a mounted policeman was stationed a few yards from the intersection, for good measure. Any driver who broke the rules heard about it almost instantly. At such intersections the volume of traffic was so great that the precautions could hardly be deemed excessive. Progress at Homer Tunnel. “Work is proceeding at the Homer Tunnel with ono shift daily,said the Minister of Public Works (Mr. R. Scmplo) in reply to a question. * ‘ The progress is naturally slow, but it is important for the tunnel is being kept free from the flooding which would otherwise occur, and would cause delay in tho resumption of the work if it wefc once ceased." Once the tunnel was pierced—and ho expected that this would be about tho first month of the New 7 Year —the subsequent Work would be much easier for tho tunnel was on a down grade, and ,the natural drainage would obviate the pumping difficulties. Tho spoil would then also bo dumped downhill and progress would be much more rapid. Dying Craft. Iu Jess than 30 years’ time handforged .Sheffield scissors and poekot knives will bo more rare than precious stones. It was stated at a recent meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Old Sheffield Tools that there are no more than 20 craftsmen in the city—tho youngest over 30 years of age—capable of making Jiand-forged scissors, and there are only 50 to 60 pocket-knife forgers—none of them young. There is still an appreciable demand for handforged articles, the secret of their superiority being that tho more steel is hammered the better it becomes, the liner and more durable its cutting edge. A hand-forged pocket-knifo blade is hammered probably 100 times iu forging, whereas a drop-stamped blade is hit only once—a heavy pressing blow. Souvenir of the War. To have a good-sized piece of shrapnel taken from his leg more than 20 years after lie had been wounded by it was the recent experience of a Hastings resident. Tho man was wounded by shrapnel during the last year of the war, and spent some time in hospital recovering from his injuries. While walking in tho street several weeks ago he was seized by a sudden violent pain iu the leg in which ho had been injured, and was unable to straighten the limb, lie was removed to hospital, the leg was X-rayed, and the cause of the disability was discovered—a piece of steel. Iu an operation this was removed, tho man has recovered, and he has in his possession an unusual war souvenir in tho shape of a blackened piece of irregularly shaped steel. Rivals in Bird-feeding Tho elderly man who regularly feeds the birds in Albert Park, Auckland, is encountering competition from several other men and a woman, who come daily lo the park with crumbs for the , sparrows and starlings. Once the centre of attraction for people resting on the park benches, lie now finds his audience divided. One competitor comes to the centre of the park shortly after breakfast, and another has selected a spot near the university grounds, where he throws bread to the birds in tho afternoon. The man who originally started tho bird-taming habit, however, continues his good -work near the library end of tho park. The attention of spectators is often distracted from the bird feeding by yet another elderly man, who walks through the park at noon playing a violin.