NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22718, 2 November 1935, Page 28

NEWS IN BRIEF

When Denis Ronald Bisset, aged 23, picked up a wristlet watch in a picture theatre he gave it to a young woman, instead of handing it over to the theatre attendant. As the result he was convicted of the theft of the watch at the Police Court in Auckland and placed on probation for two years. It was decided at the annual meeting of- the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Association at Wellington to approach the British Medical Association with a view to getting permission to summon medical assistance in the event of an accident on a beach by flying the Jack" from the flagpole of the surf clubhouse on the beach. Several instances were cited where doctors, unknown.to the surf club, had been on the beach where an accident had taken place. In a sermon at Whiteley Memorial Church, which had some reference to the dignity of labour and also to the fact that work for material things not the chief end of life (states the Taranaki Herald), the Rev. F. Copeland stiid that " any State which failed to provide its citizens with the opportunity to work was heading for disaster." A six-year-old girl who had to give evidence during a trial in* the Auck.land Supreme Court recently had her ordeal lessened at the outset (states the New Zealand Herald). When the child entered the Court with a police matron, Mr Justice Callan, removing his wig, invited the girl up to the Bench. The child stood at his Honor's knee, and was told by him why she should speak the truth.

Just landed, latest designs in English Striking Clocks; prices from £3. Timepieces from 26s 6d.—Peter Dick, jewellers and opticians, 490 Moray place, Dunedin... That a blue costume with three diagonal white stripes shall be adopted throughout the Dominion as the uniform of lifesaving patrols on duty was the decision of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Association reports the Evening Post). The value of having such a uniform lay in the fart that the public would more readily assist and respect those so attired in the case of a rescue.

Amusement was . created recently at Lyttelton when a Blue Peter, the nautical signal indicating that a vessel will sail that day, was 6een to be flying from the flagstaff of a local hotel near the waterfront. Inquiring the reason, a pressman found that the proprietor had sold out, and was leaving the hotel at 6 o'clock that evening. The flag had been hoisted by a practical joker. Referring at his meeting at Masterton to the allegations made by Mr T. C. A. Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, that members of the " Brain Trust" were Socialists, Mr J. G. Coates 6aid: "I do not know if they are Socialists or not. Further, I do not care what you call me, either. I only ask that I be judged fairly and by results achieved." A voice: "You are being a bit hard on yourself, aren't you? " It was reported to the monthly meeting of the Patea-Waitotara Rabbit Board (states the Wairarapa Daily Times) that the strychnine poisoning campaign in the Waitotara district hacj been completed and 17,000 rabbits destroyed. Many rabbits had also been destroyed by shooting and trapping. A rabibt smoker is to be purchased and two men employed under the Unemployment Board's subsidy scheme. It was reported that in the Wanganui district 10,300 rabbits had been poisoned and many thousands killed by shooting and trapping. In the two districts it is estimated that over 50,000 have been destroyed.

Goodwill among nations &■ a solution toward the absorbing of surplus populations was mentioned by the Rev. T. W. Armour in an address which he gave to the League of Nations Union at Christchurch. The world would have to l-.mi-sider, in a spirit of goodwill, he said* the problem of Japan with teeming ""I" lions of persons in a very small country. In New Zealand to-day statesmen had refused to take .their own kith and kin us emigrants because they claimed that our own interests came first. A spirit oil goodwill was needed. Grandism (2716): A practical gill io every man from the finest stocked cellars in the Dominion. Our Christinas price list free on application—ready shortly... A five-seater touring motor car.owned by Mr J. H. Reid, toheroa dealer, became a total loss when it was caught by the tide on the West Coast beach. Mr Reid was driving, and attempted to negotiate the beach on the 6eaward side of Mamari Rock in the face of an incoming tide. A sweeping wave obliged him to turn back (writes the Auckland Star's Dargaville correspondent), and he drove the car on a shelf of rock in an endeavour to cross it by that means. One of the rear wheels caught in a cleft, and all efforts to dislodge it were unavailing, the tide eventually sweeping over the car, which was smashed beyond repair. . Kenya coffee, a good medium; Mysore, a better body and richer flavour; and Blue Mountain Jamaica, the world's best, all obtainable from " Durie's," coffee specialists, 32 Octagon, Dunedin... A remark that scientific investigation tended to show that oranges, grapefruit, and lemons equal to the imported could be grown in New Zealand was made by Mr Coates in an election speech at Khandallah. Later in his speech he told a story about a dinner of bankers he attended when abroad, and found that one did not eat meat, another did not drink milk, and another did not eat apples. "No wonder you took to growing oranges," came from the back of the hall from a man who had made himself heard with frequency during the meeting. "Well," responded the Minuter, "if they grew lemons round here 1 would certainly pick you." The coming election will be a mixeu one. ' But note: It is notified that an parties are welcome to discuss matters at the Waterloo, Caversham... A terrific explosion startled race-goers at Trentham recently just as the horses were lined up for the start of the last race. It also startled the horses (states the Dominion), causing several of tliem to break through the barrier. Several distant and similar explosions had taken place during the day, but the final one was very close, and it shook the whole racecourse and buildings. It appears that the Corps of Engineers is undergoing a course at Trentham camp and setting off' land mines and demolition charges was part of the routine. The effect of the incident was not noticeable among the horses, as the first and second, Valarth and Mount "V'al, ran as backed, and, in fact, Valarth was the only favourite to win on the day. A new use for electricity was mentioned by the chairman of the Taranaki Power Board, Mr H. G. Carman, who told the board that a consumer had installed a contrivance for the warming of his garden soil by electricity for the purpose of bringing on the growth of plants earlier. The tariff did not provide for that class of consumer, added Mr Carman, and he wondered what rate should be charged. The engineer, Mr B. A. Goldsmith, said the soil warmer was similar in power consumption to brooders, and he suggested that this charge would be appropriate. This rate was agreed to. For successful baking the housewife must have the best quality in the ingredients. Milton people can get the right goods at Gray's Big Store... An ingenious device on the newlyinstalled warning signal at the Portage road railway crossing, New Lynn, automatically switches the signal over to a battery circuit in the event of an electricgower failure (reports the New Zealand terald). The batteries are sufficiently powered to operate the alarm for a week with a normal number of trains using the line. A Scots story that came all the way from Iraq was." related at the Hawera Rotary Club's luncheon this week by Mr S. Launder, in the course of an interesting address on his travels. An old Kurdish sheik was explaining to the speaker the difference between the Kurds and the Arabs. The burden of his story was the immeasurable superiority of the Kurd* as a people, and he illustrated his point by adding, " The Kurds are to the Arabs, sahib, what the Scottish people are to the English." He subsequently found, said Mr Launder, that a Scottish intelligence officer had been stationed in that particular part of the country during the war. It is not very often that a courthouse has been used as a church; this is ths case, however, in the Oxford district (states the Christchurch Press). For many vears the inhabitants of Carleton and Bennetts have been using the Carleton Hall as a place of worship. Within the last two or three months, however, the vestry of the Oxford parish has purchased the old courthouse in West Oxford. This building has not been used for some years, as the court cases of the district have been conducted in Rangiora. The building was recently moved from its old site to Carleton and placed on a piece of land given by Mrs R. Reid, where the future church services for the people of Carleton and Bennetts will be conducted. What he referred to as rather a hard rule in connection with the unemployment scheme was instanced the other day by the Mayor of Greymouth (Mr W. Meldrum). He stated that three men had arrived on the West Coast, from Dunedin, in search of work, but they could not be put on until 14 days had elapsed .after their registration with the Labour Department. Meanwhile, they were without means, and would have to look to charity. It was impossible to help such men from the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund, which was at a low ebb, and had to ba reserved for distribution among local unemployed. It seemed an absurdity thiit men who were willing to work, and work was available, could not be allowed U> start until the 14 days' registration period had elapsed.. Spring Cleaning Specials from the Mosgiel Warehouse. White and Biscuit Curtain Nets, from Is 3d yard. Fancy Coloured Nets, 2s 6d yard. Silk Nets, from Is lid yard. 27-inch Runner, 6s 6d and 8s 6d yard. Hearthrugs, 5s lid up. Electrolux for hire, 5s full day.—A F. Cheyne and C 0... How Shanghai is being developed into one of the greatest cities in the world was described by Mr G. B. Marsh, an officer of the Municipal Council there, in a letter to the Sanitary Institute of New Zealand, read at a meeting of the Canterbury branch. With a population of 4,000,000, he said, Shanghai was nearly the fifth largest city in the world. Huge new buildings were going up, some of them more than 20 storeys high, and smart residential areas were replacing slums. The city was the aviation centre of China, with two big national services operating from it. With the regular trans-Pacific air service on the way, Shanghai would gain added importance. Another point mentioned by Mr Marsh was that, in the absence of a good milk supply, dried milk was being imported from New Zealand and reconditioned in Shanghai. Why burn your fingers with broken pet or kettle lids? Bring the size—we can supply.—Dickinson's, Ltd., 245 Princvs street... After nearly four months in the Dominion, Mr Lloyd Powell, examiner to the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London, is an enthusiast for the charms of New Zealand's scenery. So far he has had little time to visit the tourist resorts of the country, but he intends to spend some time both at the West Coast irlaciers and at Mount Cook before reluming to England. "Your native bush is wonderful," said Mr Powell, in an interview on bis arrival in Christchurch (states the Press). "I think, however, that New Zealanders might do more in the way of planting native trees and shrubs in their towns. Some New Zealanders pride themselves on their country's similarity to England, but the English visitor would rather flee something characteristicnliv New Zealand." Please. Mr Grocer, mother told me to say You sent the wrong bacon last order day. I've brought it back, and please understand, Mother won't use any but Hitchon'B brand...