GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 May 1941, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Ancient Maori Game In remote Native schools in the north the ancient Maori game of top whipping is still played in the same manner and with the same materials as were used generations ago The tops, which are larger than their European prototypes, are painstakingly carved by hand from pohutukawa, manuka, or totara. The whip is made from flax or cabbage tree leaves, tied to a manuka

handle, and the method of spinning is to roll the top in the fibres, then set it in motion with a deft flick of the | wrist. Thereafter it is a matter of , whipping, and the children expend vast energy chasing the tops as they spin in j playgrounds, down tracks, in paddocks ; and even along beaches. Veteran Tops the Poll Placed at the top of the poll in Wei- ; lington’s Municipal elections on Satur- ] day was the veteran R. A. Wright, who j has a very long record of service to his \ credit in both national and municipal politics. He is a former Minister of Education. General surprise was caused when, at the last Parliamentary elections, he was beaten in the contest for a Wellington city seat he had long held by Mrs C. C. Stewart (Labour). Electors Oust M.P.’s. Labour parlitmentarians and other prominent members of the party received a severe rebuff at the hands of Wellington municipal electors on Sat- j urday. Mr R. McKeen, M.P., the Mayoral candidate, Messrs C. H. Chapman, M.P., and T. Brindle, M.L.C., who had served long terms on the City Council, were defeated, as also were Messrs P. Butler and A. Black, Trades Union officials, and Mrs R. Semple, wife of the Hon. R. Semple, Minister for National Service, and Mrs C. C. Stewart, M.P. Lights Out The danger of showing a light in Eritain, even in a country district, is referred to in a letter received in Dunedin from relatives in the Old Country. An extract states: “We get the ‘Jerries’ over here frequently, but they do not often drop bombs, as we have been evacuated to the country. In any case, we have a lovely shelter and the children and I sleep there. There is an electric heater and a fan for ventilation, and it is as dry as a bone. It is lovely to get out of a town and to be able to sleep in real peace. We never bother here even when they are droning overhead for two of three minutes, because we know that they are taking their beastly loads to poor Liverpool or Manchester. They, however, dropped a land mine near here one night. It was very dark, and I think they had seen some one’s light showing carelessly. People have been more careful since they saw the crater. It gave a former 12 days’ work filling up the hole. Old Lady’s Paintings Several water-colour landscapes and a still-life in oil, shown in the Auckland Society of Arts’ annual exhibition, represent a remarkable achievement by an Auckland lady of 85, Miss Minnie Walker (states the “Herald”). Until a few years ago, Miss Walker had done only a little painting in water-colour, and before reaching the age of 80 she had never handled oil paint. Nevertheless, a series of sketches executed recently on the West Coast shows a vigour and sureness that most younger artists might envy. One study of seas breaking on a rocky coast under a grey sky has received the highest commendation from authorities in Auckland, who regard it as an almost masterly statement of the subject.

Troops Marching at Night The most suitable means of revealing to night motorists the movement of troops were discussed at a meeting of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, states the Christchurch “StarSun.” The question arose when a letter was received from the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson) calling attention to the many accidents which had been narrowly averted | at night with motor vehicles approaching marching troops. “Put white trousers on four or five of the rear troops,” said one'member. “Use hurricane lamps at the front and rear,” said several. Mr C. Holsey: We tried that the other week. After a hundred yards the lamp blew out. And the.i hast night, we went on a march, tut the lamp got so hot that we could not carry it.” Crocodile Took Fright An amusing incident on the Nile is described by a Christchurch soldier in a letter home, states the “Star-Sun.” His unit was crossing the river by pontoon when a big crocodile came nosing around the craft. One of the soldiers clapped the bayonet on his rifle and, standing up in the boat, lunged downward at the brute with all his strength. He had, however, much underestimated the toughness of crocodile’s armour, which will turn a bullet; the bayonet i glanced harmlessly off the scales and the soldier, carried away by the force of his thrust, dived overboard fairly on to the crocodile’s back. Fortunately, the crocodile, more used to being the attacker than the attacked, was for the moment so astonished by the reversal of roles that it swirled away, and the other troops had time to drag their mate back into the boat before the crocodile returned to snap at the proffered meal. Besides a wetting and a fright, the would-be harpooner got twenty-one days’ C.B. for “playing the fool.” Metal Scraps from Roads In 25 working days the Main Highways Board’s magnetic truck recently swept up 16861 b of puncture-producing metal scraps from 603 miles of road, according to information received by the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland). The association had written to the board inquiring what slops were being taken to deal with such scraps. One of Auckland's oldest identities lias been telling an interviewer about the early days. There were-no attractive shops in the “Queen City” in the long ago—just a few general stores, “and sometimes ” said the veteran, with a smile, “when ships from overseas were delayed as often happened then, we had to do without things it was hard to do without. I remember once all the storekeepers ran out of tobacco, and we had nothing to smoke for a week or two. It was poor stuff, that tobacco, anyhow. You're better off than we were, for 'toasted’ is sold everywhere now—as fine stuff as money can buy." Such reminiscences are always interesting. Yes, and the difference 'twixt Auckland ancient and modern is hardly greater than that between ordinary tobacco and the genuine “toasted-.” “As fine stuff as money can buy” certainly aptly describes Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead). Navy Cut No 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish. Riverhead Gold arid Desert Gold —so fragrant and delicious, so soothing and solacing, and—being toasted—so comparatively harmless!* Cold weather demands warm woollies! Twin sets from 45/-, Jumpers from 19/6. Cardigans from 25/6. See these attractive styles at McKay’s Knitwear Shop.*