Local and General

Northern Advocate, 27 December 1937, Page 4

Local and General

Combined Christmas Church Service. A combined church service, under the auspices of the Whangarei Ministers’ Association. 1 was held in the Presbyterian Church at eight o’clock on Christmas morning. Ther ewas a good attendance, the service being conducted by the Rev. O. Burnet, who took as his text, “And we behold the Glory.”

Matriculation Results

Cn inquiry being made of the University of New Zealand offices, in Wellington, it was stated that the results of the matriculation examination would probably be made known about January 21. Fell Into Path of Oncoming Car. Falling off the rear of a motor truck on the approach to Victoria Bridge yesterday morning, a Maori boy, aged about nine, had a narrow escape from serious injury. He was on the back of the truck with a number of other Maoris when, without warning, he fell off on to the roadway almost into the path of an oncoming car. The driver of the latter, however, pulled up in time. The boy was badly shaken but received only minor cuts and a few bruises. Prams Not Only for Babies. Most people have an uncontrollable habit of seeing oddities about other people. No doubt others see as much of humour in. us as we do in them; which will bo one 1 consolation for the father who was so blissfully pushing a perambulator with offspring enclosed therein down Cameron Street on Friday night. Quite a few fathers did that. This one, however, had added to his burden a large stone gingerale (?) jar, which dangled innocently from the handle of the perambulator. Perhaps it was not really funny, but the contrast created some amusement to at least one party

Pedestrians Appropriate Roadways,

Shoppers in Whangarei on Friday night were whole-heartedly in approval of the borough council’s decision not to allow cars in the main streets during the evening rush. Had motorists been permitted in Bank and Cameron Streets, it is doubtful if the footpaths would have been capable of holding the extraordinary crowds which streamed over both footpaths and roads from 7 p.m. till 10 p.m. Officials were posted at all entrances to the town, vehicles being directed to deviation routes and parking areas. A similar procedure on New Year’s Eve and on future such occasions will be equally appreciated by the public.

Looking for the Unseen.

Despite the rush and the bustle of Christmas shopping on Friday night, there were occasions when humorous incidents added a little joviality to the scene. Particularly amusing was the habit of some young men of gazing skywards as if in dilligent search of some new planet or a raiding aex’oplane. Like sheep following their mob leader, dozens of people craned their necks to see what the others were trying to see. This joke has been played on crowds in the cities by “young bloods” out for some fun and it invariably succeeds. Men and women are admittedly too curious to allow a dozen others to see something in the heavens they could not see themselves.

Traffic Jam Causes Amusement. Considerable amusement to onlookers, but not to motorists, was occasioned at the intersection of Water and Walton Streets shortly after 7 p.m. on Friday night. So great war. the deluge of traffic from the direction of the hospital that the official on duty at the intersection found himself unable to cope with the volume, and, within a short time, there was a string of traffic about quarter of a mile long. Irate drivers and taximen, anxious shoppers eager to secure the best bargains before the shops ■ were too crowded, and a much-perplexed official made a scene reminiscent of a race-day traffic hold-up. With the arrival of another official, however, traffic began to move more freely and no other hitches occurred.

Extraordinary Litter, When the remnants of Friday night’s record crowd in Whangarei had faded from the streets, there was left behind an extraordinary amount of litter, comparable with that in Eden Park after the test match. Burst balloons, remains of paper hats’ and masks, cigarette packages, lollywrappers and a host of other objects were scattered everywhere. Owing to the dry state of the roads and footpaths sweeping would naturally have been only partially effective, so a novel means was devised to clear the streets before the expected heavy tourist traffic on Christmas Day. From an early hour the fire hydrants were in use and in a short time the streets in the business area had taken on a clean, dust-laid appearance which restored “freshness” very effectively to the main thoroughfares.

School. Relay Race,

At the Waipu Spoi’ts on Monday, January 3rd, a school relay race of 440 yards, over a straight course, has been arranged. The event is for boys over 0 and under 15 years, attending primary schools. Each team is to consist of four boys, with the distance for each individual competitor fixed at 110 yards. 247

An Appreciation: Henry Wilson, the cheapest quality crraper, desires to express his heartfelt thanks for the unfailing support accorded him during the year just ending, and trusts, by strict and courteous attention to business, the same support will be extended the firm during the ensuing year. Wishing one and all the Compliments of the Season.