NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 120, 22 May 1941, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Soldier Dies While Playing Football A soldier collapsed and died while playing football a't tho Devonport Domain yesterday. Ho was Gunner Trevor Leonard Williams, aged 20, son of Mr. A. L. Williams, of Tutamoe, via Dargaville. Gunner Williams was noticed to stagger and fall and died before the doctor arrived. Monday Holiday Dominion-wide closing of shops and offices all day on Mondays in prefercnco to a general Saturday half-day was favoured at a meeting of the Whangamomona County Council this week. Thursday is observed as the statutory half-holiday in the Whangamomona bounty. It was stated that farmers found Saturday closing inconvenient. Shooting Mishap While engaged in shooting in the Lower Rangitikei district at the weekend Mr. 11. Ramsay, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Ramsay, of Featherstone Street, Palmerston North, suffered a severe injury to a foot, the charge from a firearm passing through one of the main bones. Mr. Ramsay was taken to Bulls and from there brought to Palmerston North in an ambulance. He has since undergone two operations. “Trash and Rubbish” Miss B. Cable, a candidate for the Hospital Board, told electors at Island Bay (Wellington) the opinion of a responsible officer of the hospital, where she has been a regular visitor for some years, that if mothers would only see that their children have proper food a great many beds in the children’s hospital would be empty. Far too great a proportion of the sickness treated there has its origin in malnutrition. It was not a matter of too little food, but of trash and rubbish and sweets, instead of real and less expensive food.

Another Shooting Accident Keith Robertson, aged 19, a medical student of Dunedin, suffered serious injuries in a shooting accident at Riversdale on Tuesday. Robertson was a member of a party which was hareshooting. With another of the party, John Young, a school teacher of Christchurch, Robertson was crossing a disused bridge across a creek when Young slipped on the frozen boards, the gun ho was carrying accidentally diheharging. Robertson was standing a few feet in front of Young and he received the full charge in his left ankle. Robertson’s condition yesterday was reported to be satisfactory but it is possible that his leg will have to be amputated. Basket Willow Farms

A statement by an appellant at a sitting of the Armed Forces Appeal Board at Christchurch that he was the only basket willow farmer in the South Island, prompted Mr. G. M. Hall, a member of the board, to sa>* that there used to be a farm of that nature at Hcathcote, when it was a source of interest to passengers on the Christ-church-Lyettelton lihe. Ho could also remember the growing of these special willows on the banks of the Avon between the Victoria Street and Columbo Street bridges. The appellant said that the only other farm of the type in New Zealand that he knew of was run by the Institute for the Blind, Auckland.

Aspiring Harpooner Writing home, a member of the N.Z.E.F. overseas describes an amusing incident on the Nile. His unit was crossing the river by pontoon when a big crocodile came nosing around the craft. One of the soldiers lunged his bayonet at the reptile. The bayonet glanced harmlessly off the scales, and the soldier, carried away by the force of his thrust, dived overboard, landing on the crocodile’s back. Fortunately the crocodile, more used to being the attacker than the attacked, was so astonished that it swirled away and the other troops had time to rescue their mate before the crocodile returned. In addition to a wetting and a fright, the aspiring harpooner was warded 21 days’ C.B. for “playing the fool."

Wellington’s New Tenor Private recitals given in Wellington recently have revealed that the city possesses a robust tenor of exceptional quality, who may yet be heard in tho larger world. This is Mr. Robert Wilson, who is only 26 years old. He has a ringing, robust tenor, of hearty, resonant quality, extending evenly over two octaves. The voice is forward and vibrant, and with admirable diction and pleasing open tone qualities. Mr. Wilson, with the consent of Government authorities, is to leave Wellington shortly for Melbourne to study under Mr. Heddle Nash, the English tenor, now domiciled in the Victorian capital. Mr. Nash heard Mr. Wilson when ho was in Wellington, and was impressed with the possibilities of his voic#.