LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18779, 5 August 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A historical fact of interest to Aucklanders was brought to light by Mr. Dion Boucicault at the Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday. The well-known actor-mana-ger was dealing with the visit to Sydney of Robert Louis Stevenson, when he mentioned that Austin Strong, the American playwright, who accompanied Stevenson on that visit, was identical with the Austin Strong who was the successful competitor in the design competition in connection with the laying out of Cornwall Park. Mr. Strong was educated partly at Wellington, and made a study of landscape gardening.

A portion of the plaster ceiling in a new lavatory in the Supreme Court fell yesterday, fortunatsly without injuring anyone. Some few months ago another part of a ceiling came down, and prior to that one o'i the massive upstairs windows was blown in. It has frequently happened that- the rain penetrates to the inside, and oil one occasion the Judge's desk in the Arbitration Court was deluged with water. These untoward events all seem to indicate that this old historic building would be none the worse for a thorough inspection and overhaul.

Discussion regarding the suggested central cash-receiving offices for the Auckland Electric Power Board took place at the meeting of the board yesterday. The chairman, Mr. W. J. Holds worth, said there had been more difficulty than was anticipated in getting a central building where people could pay their accounts. Two floors in the new building of Messrs. Thompson Brothers, in Queen Street, just above the Town Hall, had been offered. Discussion on the suitability of these premises followed, the matter being referred to a committee.

It is reported that a hardy Marlborough farmer took drastic measures a few days ago to free himself of a bout of lumbago. He instructed a relative to rub him down vigorously with a veterinary embrocation generally used for horses. The cure was a complete success, but the sufferer is now in hospital undergoing treatment for a blistered and highly-in-fiamed back. It appears to be another case of the cure being worse than the disease.

A resident of Leicester, in writing to his brother at. Wanganui, states that the. prospects of the New Zealand wool grower receiving a high price for his output during the coming season are exceedingly good, as his firm was unable to secure raw material in sufficient quantities to build- up tt reserve supply. Other parts of England, he says, are similarly affected, and the British manufacturer will have to rely for supplies upon the wool that will be offered during next season.

A calf with five legs and six feet is at present owned by a Takanini farmer. The calf, which seems quite healthy in spite of its adnormalities, has its fifth leg on the forequarter. The leg is shorter than the others, and has two feet.

It seems to be fashionable with Chinese at Wanganui who wish to dispense hospitality in the way of beverages for a consideration not to give clients overdoses. They have evidently gleaned this idea from some of the hotels, whore the glasses for spirits are tapered to a fine point in the interior and provided with a substantial thick glass bottom, also the " pretty" mark which the customer in pouring out is supposed to take particular note of. The Chinese does not go to the expense of buying thick bottom glasses, for he merely uses an egg-cup. In two cases against Chinese in Wanganui for selling liquor, the egg-cup has figured, and for the contents of this ninepence is charged. If gin is being served, it is also possible whilo washing the egg-cup to leave a small quantity of water in the bottom, and this makes the profit more handsome to the vendor and the drink less harmful to the purchaser.

A singular complaint was made to the stationmaster and police by a passenger on the south-bound express on arrival at Ashburton recently. The authorities were led into a second-class carriage and shown a window pane which had been cracked when the train was travelling at a high speed some three miles from Ashburton. The train was passing a plantation at tho time, and suddenly the passenger was startled by a sharp crack. The missile did not pierce the window. He was confident it must have been shot from a pea-rifle or shotgun, though he saw nothing beside the nature of the crack to lead him to this belief. It was suggested at the time that the train might have thrown up a stone, but the passenger did not think it was possible for a stone to curl up to the window.

Some beautiful waterfalls have been discovered on the upper reaches of the Nuhaka River. They are in three terraces and of a height of about 120 ft. Those who have viewed the falls state that they are quite picturesque and could be used for power purposes.

A Canterbury motorist recently had a peculiar experience. Travelling between Cust and Ohaka in his car he encountered a flock of poultry on the road. The fowls scattered with the exception of one hen, which, taking fright, dashed against tho thick plate glass wind-screen and shattered it. Fortunately the motorist and a companion in the front seat were not injured by the flying glass.

An East Coast native old-age pensioner, being unable, through illness, to get her pension, sent her daughter to the Wairoa office to draw it. The clerk in charge informed her she would have to get someone to identify her. Constable Torr did so, but the clerk said: "We can't pay out like that; that woman might be dead for instance, and then, where would I be?" A form, it was stated, would have to be obtained frajn the pensions office and signed by the registrar. Constable Torr then went to the Maori kianga with an application form for the old-age pensioner to sign, but when the attendant went to wake up the woman, she discovered that her spirit had fled to a land where there are no pensions.

A Wanganui resident who recently visited the Wairarapa district remarked that he came across an old and wealthy pioneer there who had farmed one property for over 40 years. For a farmer to remain on the same place all his life is quite common in England, but it is rather unusual in New Zealand. *

To speak of a "white blackbird" seems an absurdity, but in all classes of animals or birds, there are "freaks." The latest is a bird of the blackbird species at Timaru, which is described as white as driven snow. The bird has frequented the home where it is at present for some years. When it first appeared it was not robed in feathers of pure whiteness. Year bv year, however, any tinges of dark colour which it once possessed gradually, disappeared, and to-day the bird is perfectly white. It is very quiet, and in the care of the occupiers in the house where it has taken up its abode, it will literally feed from the hand.