LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 12 October 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mr W. H. Ballinger, the Well-kilOwh Wellington racehorse owner, was attacked in his bedroom at the Grand Hotel at Dunedin early this morning. He was awakened by a noise, and on enquiring who was there, received a ginai iug blow on his head from some weapon, sustaining, however, only an abrasion. The intruder escaped without any booty.-—Press Association. $

A first offending inebriate appeared before -wr F. K iluuL, S.M., at the .Magistrate’s Court this morning, ' and p. ,-ded guilty to the charge, “>•/. away out of it and don’t come hack’, was'the, advice given by (he Magistrate in indicting a fine of 5/-. I/ihour Day, Monday, October 23vd, will he observed as a telegraph holiday, and ollkes will he closed at the hours usually observed on such days.

At. Wellington to-day, Colin Clyde Helium, a seaman, who had seven tins of opium in his possession when arrested, was lined £6O or two months’ imprisonment. He elected to go to prison.— Press .Association.

A fishing party reports having made a catch .of 1102 dogfish in the waters in ihe vicinity of Tauranga. This eaten was secured in a single “set/’ in which six nets were utilised. Beside dogfish the eateh included a large number of schnapper, mullet- and flounder.

Just, three, mouths ago the Waipukurau Dairy Factory wks totally destroyed hy fire, together with the lorries utilised tor the gathering of cream and milk (states the Napier Telegraph). Today, twelve weeks later, finds the factory re-erccted in splendid solid style, with the latest equipment throughout and a big Hoot of lorries.

‘'There is no more cruel animal in nature than' the public schoolboy,” sam ’Mr Justice Ilcvdman at the annual dihner of the Auckland branch of the Otago High School Old Boys’ Society. Of the many forms'of cruelty practised by the “young barbarians,” none was more wounding than the nicknames always found for the hoy with some peculiarity of habit, manner, or body. Tims the new boy with red hair immediately became “carrots,” the lame boy was i cehvistened 'floppy,” and the boy who did not wash was given an appellation which very soon forced him to take a much greater interest in personal hygiene.

The once-familiar half-sovereign' has become such a rarity that its presentation is apt to he regarded in certain quarters with suspicion. An Aucklander, says the Herald, who is the fortunate possessor of one of these curiosities. presented it at the counter of a Queen Street x’estaurant. To his surprise the vigilant young lady on duty politely, but firmly, declined to accept the Vtrange-looking coin. Her decision was confirmed by another fair attendant. Fortunately the customer was able to obtain the necessary financial acconinjodation from a friend to enable him to discharge his obligations; in acceptable currency. Ho still retails the ha it-sovereign.

Mrs Burnett, of Dovedale, met with a painful accident at Dovedale the other evening. At the conclusion of a local dance, Air Burnett went to get his ear, but with the heavy rain that had fallen during the evening the wheels had sunk into the ground. When the engine was started, they simply slid round, failing to grip. Airs Burnett, noticing the trouble, went to her husband's assistance and endeavoured to turn a wheel by taking hold of the spokes. Mr Burnett, not knowing 'Airs Burnett- was there, put on the engine again, with'the result that the wheels slid round at a great rate, breaking one of her fingers. Nurse Sloan, wiio was present, rendered first' aid, setting the linger and making the sufferer as .comfortable as possible. A sensational experience, which emphasises the careless use which is being made of firearms, was reported on -Monday by Air and Airs A. Wadsworth, of Pine Valley, reports the Express. While driving into Blenheim about 8.30 in the morning in their car, a bullet penetrated the wind screen just in front of Air Wadsworth, who was at the wheel and missed him by inches. The incident occurred -when the car was crossing Maher’s Flat, on the far side of the Wairau Bridge, and as the bullet drilled a neat hole clean through the heavy glass of the wind shield, hardly marking the’glass otherwise, it is fairly obvious that it was fired at close range. Those - who have seen the_ hole in the glass, just in front of the driver’s seat, are amazed that the bullet could have missed Air Wadsworth. It seems apparent, from the size of the hole, (hat it was caused by a pea-rifle bullet.

Some satisfaction was expressed at lliis week’s meeting of the Board of Governors of Marlborough College at the virtual abandonment of the junior high school scheme, at least as far_ as it applies to the smaller communities, reports the Express. Mr R. McCallum, M.P., said it could now be stated that the scheme, which he considered wasteful and unnecessary, would not be inflicted on towns with a population of under 10,000, and he believed that it was intended to introduce only _ one junior high school outside the cities—probably at Wanganui, or Napier, or some such place. —Mr C. Ferguson: “Perhaps at Palmerston North? —Mr McCallum: “Perhaps Jo, but we rigidly abject to any further money being spent at Palmerston.” He added that he considered that the Marlborough College Board’s prompt attitude in condemning the scheme had had much to. do with its abandonment by the Minister, and in this connection they were indebted to their Principal (Mr J. Stewart) who had lost no time in making them acquainted with the full facts of what lay behind the proposal. The chairman (Air R. Tl. Penny) said it was undoubtedly due to the objections raised bv the various boards that the Minis-, ter had agreed not to interefere witii the small towns, and he thought the Marlborough College Board had been first in the field.

The people of the Port realise that there is something good coming if it is organised by the Sea Scouts, and that, no doubt, accounts for the largo .lumber of tickets that have been sold for the lantern lecture to be given in the Port Mission Hall on Friday night. Full particulars appear in the. advertising columns of this issue.

An unusual incident- occurred during the voyage of the Wainmna from London to Dunedin direct. When the vessel was 200 miles off the. Otago Heads u. homing pigeon alighted on the ship, and was found by an officer. On the bird’s leg was a ring nmrged “Ale. A.H.P.C. 11.73” (Auckland Pigeon Club), showing that the pigeon had llcnvn n very considerable distance. The bird was slightly injured, and had evidently been attacked by a sea Ijird, but, uncler the care of the officer, it recovered its normal condition.

Emma’s mail oars leave -Nelson for Motueka, Takaka, Coiliugwood; Rockville and Bainham daily, from the Booking Office, 29 Hardy street (’phono 527), at 7.30 and'B a.m., arriving in Takaka at 1 p.m. Leave Takaka for Nelson at 7.45 a.m. and Motueka fof Nelson at 10.45 a.m. and 3 p.m., arriving in Nelson at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.*

Laugh and the world laughs with you; rub, and you rub alone until you awaken to the folly of rubbing and nao "No-Rubbing” Laundry Help.-—F. W Lambert.

It is understood (says the Christchurch Press) that in a day or two aniilhot member who sits on the Opposition benches will make an announcement that he will vote for Mr Massey on a no-confidence motion.

.At .Auckland, Percy Christie, charged with negligent driving of a motor cycle, by which a passenger in a side-car was injured and had a leg ainp.m.iicrl abo"c the kmc. was found to have driven at a. dangerous speed. He whs ordered to pay hospital charvcs £o3 2s, and damages £166

When yon conic' to think tlpit all the benzine and kerosene tins used in Auckland in a year would make a stack about as big us the Ferry Buildings, the puzzle about the flies and winter time isn’t in it compared with the fate- of these, thousands of empties (says the Star); To start off v.ith, thA-e is no reason whatever jor having these benzine tins. Kerosene, penetrating as far as it does into remote backbiock districts, must be packed in convenient form, but benzine in four-gallon tins is a 'waste of time and money. And that is one reason why wo in Now Zealand have to pay about three times as much for our benzine as people do in America, there are other reasons, but the lact that wo still consent to tootle round with tills and wooden eases shows that the capacity for long suffering Which is one of the characteristics of our British ancestors lias not been eradicated by acclimatisation. In America no motorist, would be bothered mossing round with tins and strainers; oil is handled in bulk, and a man fills up his tank at the hulk tap.”

The sight of a fish that was unknown to him prompted Air Evans, chief ranger for the Southland Acclimatisation Society, to stop outside an Invercargill shop window a day or two ago (says the Times), and while lie was looking nt the piscatorial stranger a passer-by stopped beside him and said, “That’s a plaice.” Ihci two of them wont into the shop and had a good look at it, and the informant then told Air Evans that he was a British fisherman and had caught plaice so often in Home waters that he knew the fish lit once. A good deal of interest was roused by the appearance of the fish in the shop, as if it had been conclusively identified the fact that it had been captured would have been important, because plaice were reported to have been liberated at the Portobello hatchery many year,s ago, and disappeared. The fish "weighed 4.) pounds, and was caught by a fisherman named Bellman while netting at the -Riverton beach.. It was unfortunate that by the time the president of the Acclimatisation Society and others heard of the find and went to make inquiries the fislr had been sold. Doubtless it has now been eaten by mortals who will surely be surprised to know that possibly they have devoured an interesting piscicu Rural novelty. A very sad affair is reported from Lcvuka (Fiji). On September 24th a little boy named Eddy Peckham, aged seven, was shot through the head by a bullet from a loaded revolver. One report is that flue weapon was lining returned to a drawer by another child when the unguarded trigger , .struck the edge of the drawer, causing the explosion. Another report alleges that the children were emulating some “star” heroes they had seen at the movies, and, not knowing that the weapon was loaded, it was fired, with fatal results.

An elaborate test of the durability of con T >te pavemenl has been .mdortaken at Pittsburg, California, With the co-operation of the Federal Government, motor interestv, load building firms, and others, an elliptical road has been built, comprising 13 sections of plain and reinforced concrete of varying character. Forty motor trucks are being used to test the construction to ihe point of destruction, and if necessary suen l.ei'w 'ralfh. a B tractors, gun-carriages and a military tractor weighing 28 tons will be employed by various ingenious do-ices, continuous observations will bo made of the mo/ements of the pavement rnd the subsoil under traffic, changes in tempera/mre, am l ’.he cous'-quences of the .übioil becoming saturated with water. Tire test highway cost about £20,000 to build, and it is expected that : t will cost many times this {.mount to destroy it by motor truck traffic, but the results shoyld be a. valuable contribution towards knowledge >f concrete paving A meeting in connection with the candidature of Mr A, Gilbert is called for to-morow evening at 7.30 o’clock. A full attendance of members is requested. The annual general meeting of the Nelson Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society will be held - in the Institute on Monday evening next.

Tlie VVairau Hospital Board on Monday appointed Mrs 1. Redwood one of Lite signatories to tlie Board’s new set of by-laws, which ’'after irtany days’' are now complete, states the Express. “Is there any t money attached to this?” inquired the lady member as she took up a pen. Mr E. S. Parker said there might not be any payment a cached to the little service Mrs K-M----wood was doing the Board, but he suggested that there was a little honour. VVhy, lie exclaimed, tlie by-laws would be in use probably twenty years’ hence and Mrs Redwood would have the distinction of her name appearing on them. “In twenty years,’ added Mr Barker, “someone may be asking: Who passed this fool by-bi/w.'’ and they 11 bo able to look at the back and say : “Well, Mrs Redwood'signed them anyway!’ ” (Laughter). “We may. bo an dead then and that s one consolation, retorted Mrs Redwood, a little morbidly perhaps.

The convict ship Success is at present lying at anchor in New York Harbour. i his vessel was built in the year a t Moulxnoin, India, and is, no doubt, the oldest vessel afloat. She is in » wonderful state of preservation, Pl’°b‘ ably due to the fact that she is built throughout of solid Burmese teak, a wood that for resistance to decay is hard to equal. After going over her one realises that she was built as a symbol of beauty and strength. nor solid sides are 2ft. 6in. thick at the bilge, and her keelson is a solid teak baulk of tremendous thickness, # with sister keelsons little less massive, in 1912 this vessel crossed the Atlantic under her own sail. She made the passage in ninety-six days. At, (he Wanganui Police Court Kwong Chong, market gardener, was fined and costs for having an unregistered automatic pistol and ammunition in his possession. It was stated that Kwong Chong had a pistol in his possession for about 10 years. He used the weapon to destroy horses and also to frighten away people who-steal vegetables from his garden. The magistrate said it was humiliating' to think with bur-standard of morality that people were continually thieving from gardens. However the remedy for this was not automatic pistols. He ordered the pistol and ammunition to be confiscated. - Despite the heavy rain the dance held at Dovedale last week was successful in every way. DAWSON’S, Beef ton, the leading hotel on the West Coast. Patronised by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales—Francis B. Stalkrd, Proprietor.*

Bssssssssessesi*sssss&sasmm „ In Mr H. V. Berryman’s letter re wool scouring, one passage was rendered; meaningless by a printer's error. Not enough over” should have appeared as "Not enough water,” given as an excuse at meetings of the company.