NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12102, 1 April 1925, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The opening of the Waipiata Sana-, torium will be officially performed l cm April Bth_ by the Minister for Health ; (oir Maui Pom are). The Australian athletes, in company with two local sportsmen, have had two } successful days wild pig hunting on Waiorongomai, securing nine pigs. The party were entertained at a dance at Masterton last night. The next ordinary meeting of the City Connoil takes place on April 9th, the Thursday preoedimg Good FridayOwing to the elections taking place on April 29th a, further meeting of the oounoil will take place on April 23rd to clear up outstanding business. An early autumn has made its appearance in Canterbury (saye the ’ ‘Lyttelton Times’’). Leaves have turned their colours and autumn tints are glowing in every garden, Fallen leaves are also Carrying out their annual mission of covering the suburban footpaths and choking the side channels. However, the beauty of the autumn colouring of the trees is compensation ifor some slight inconvenience. I Sand and ice yachting are populat pastimes jvhen facilities for such sport are available, and tome interesting times are spent at these (says the “Southland Times”). The Invercargill boys have devised another form of pastime, “trolley sailing,” and they are exacting a great amount of amusement out of the trolley and a, big sail. In some localities unofficial races are held, and the juveniles and: their passengers take full' possession of, the ,road or footpath during a. race. No doubt the prolonged holidays are responsible far the latest form of jnve-; nile amusement. The catching of two kingfisb by hand, without rod or line, was the unusual feat accomplished recently by Mr G. Purser, near Coromandel; - While walking along the , beach -Mr Purser saw the two fish chasing herring close in shore. Rushing into the water he grabbed the larger fish, but it got away. The other, however, he caught by the tail and threw on to dry land. The larger fish- then swam close in again, and Mr Purser succeeded in capturing it by placing his hand on its head and guiding it into shallow water. Mr W. Gardiner expressed the opinion at,the meeting of the Waitaki Qounty Oounoil that, too much use was being made by farmers, of motor-lorries for the conveyance of their produce (says the Oamaru “Mail’’). He ventured the opinion that only one or two farmers at Tokafahi sent their wool in by train; the others using the roads. He was not referring to the high country men, but to small farmers who had only a short haulage to a siding. Soma day, if the country did not support the railways better, it would wak.e up to find that the branch lines had stopped running. | An interesting point was raised at ! the last meeting of this Plalmerston I North Borough Council, when the j Miyor was 1 reminded that it'was not i usual for his deliberative and oasting 'vote to be exercised in a matter where an alteration of imethod.was ooncerned. The Mayor reported at a meeting of the council that he bad discussed this' matter with the solicitor for the Municipal Association in Wellington recently, and | the latter had said bis attitude was quite correct, and that he was entitled to do so. When the speaker had asked other prominent members of ,the association, they had agreed that it “was jnot crioket” to do so, 1 although there a legal right. I An application to come before the : Wbangarei Harbour Board is for a long lease of about 60 acres at Kioreroa as :a site for a glassworks. It is stated that : a company promoted in England, and' :with;a laTge capital, intends to exploit the sandi deposit at Awanui in the Fat North, and' to manufacture glassware and crockery at Kioreroa. The English promoters have secured in Norway a broad-beamed Diesel engine-driven cen-tre-board'ship capable of carrying 600 , tons of sand from the bank to the deepwater berthage at Kioreroa, and the representatives declare that good Water, coal, burned. lime, cement, and bricks being within easy reach, the Whangarei harbour {port is an ideal site for the bwiness. I Any cf the old shipmates, who arrived in Auckland by the ship Ganges, in October, 1863, and who chanced to be . at the diamond jubilee commemorative (service of the opening of St. James’s | Presbyterian Church (says the Auckland (‘Star”), must have had old memories revived' when the first hymn, “G God of Bethel by Whose Aid” was sung. . When; the Pollock-Shaw settlers landed in Auckland from the Ganges they had with: them their (minister and also the preoentor. The Rev. A. Smith culled his flock round him and nhe precentor struck fhe key, after which all joined in singing thcold ■ hymn as a thanksgiving after a lengthy voyage in a sailing snip. Many of the passengers by the Ganges were amongst the founders of St. Jameß' Church. A remarkable sight was reoently witnessed by the crew of. a Bluff cutter while oruising off the Heads, at Bluff (states an exchange). One of the members notioed a seagull unable to rise from the water, and apparently sick. He steered, in its direction with the humane object of knocking the bird on the head and putting it out of its agony, but on approaching saw that both its legs were held in the mouth of a young shark. The shark made away as the boat approached and the unfortunate gull rose and flew away, when it was seen that both its legs had been taken off. Apparently the shark had not bepn strong enough to drag the resting bird under the water, and had, therefore, been patiently hanging on its legs waiting until its strength was gone and it could he devoured.

If yop were asked: What is the best eleven, would, you say the Victorians, the Englishmen, or New Zealanders P Supposing yoti were asked: What is the best sculling team, would you say the “All Blacks”P But presume you were asked what eleven is represented on nage 12 in this issue, you would answer R-. Leslie Jones, , ©state agent, 101, Willig street. He advertises eleven houses in Newtown. —Advt,

The Eketahuna War Memorial having now been completed the committee has decided to hand the building and land over to the Eketahuna Borough Council. The gates, presented by Miss Anderson, are being erected. Out of the balance of £39 in hand, the secretary was voted £25 in recognition of his sterling work.

Waipukurau showed an increase of 65 in its population during 1924. Though the busy centre is one of the smallest boroughs, so far as area is concerned in the Dominion it leads the way in the increase of population as compared with towns of a similar kind in the North Island, the percentage of increase being 3.2 per centum.

Although many months have elapsed since the Eon. J. G. Coates brought, down his programme of railway improvements, including the duplication of the Lyttelton tunnel and new works at Christchurch and Lyttelton, no action has yet been taken by the Railway Department in the direction of giving effect to the programme. Several works have, however, being started In the Auckland district (states a Christchurch exchange). Some amusement was caused at the meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union last night by an application for the right to sell hot pies during football matches. The chairman raised the question of whether this would interfere with an existing contraot at Athletic Park. Several members thought the idea quite a good one, and it was decided to grant permission on grounds under the control of the union, while the application with regard to Athletic Park was forwarded with a favourable recommendation. If business is good the pieman promised a contribution to the funds. In reference to city reserves the writer was referred to* the City Council.

Not many years ago Adelaide tram travellers handed their coppers to a studious-looking conductor who was a brilliant Egyptologist and archaelogist. While working as a tram conductor lie wrote a guide book on. the Adelaide Museum and its Egyptian exhibits. He was summoned to Melbourne to advise the Australian War Museum on a mosaic when it was brought from Palestine. An Adelaide paper says that it has now transpired that the erstwhile ticket-seller is Mr Allen Rowe, the Australian who proceeded to Egypt on research work, and who was fortunate in discovering at Giza the fourth dynasty tomb which may be that of Sanefru.