NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 18

NEWS IN BRIEF

Comment on the fact that practically everywhere to-day the radio was used as a numbling undertone to conversation or background to meals was made by Miss N. Scanlan during an address to the Palmerston North Girls' High School. She stated that to develop tne sense of appreciation that one had to listen with discrimination. Analogous to this, she said, was the munching of biscuits all day until one had no appetite or taste left for food. The mumbling of the radio could be regarded as a " biscuity noise." Children playing with boomerangs have become a nuisance in several of the Christchurch parks and reserves, and in one instance caused injury to a child. The Reserves Committee of the City Council in drawing attention to the practice in a report to the council, said that it wanted to give publicity to the provision in the city bylaws prohibiting the throwing of missiles in the parks. Special showing of New Spring Goods in all departments. Call now while the assortment is at its best. First in 1882; still leading in 1938. Mosgiel's Drapers. A. F. Cheyne an<S C 0... It is much to be hoped that revised legislation will make it possible for secondary school pupils to complete their courses w'ithout fear of being considered too old—not at 40. but at 17 or 18—to obtain employment in certain trrdes and professions," said the headmistress of the Auckland Girls* Grammar School (Miss E. M. Johnston) in her report at the annual prize-giving at the school. A Maori boy, Wharepiki Turunui, was presented with an engraved watch at the annual prize-giving ceremony of the Mohaka Native School in. recognition of his bravery in rescuing three children from a burning house on September 23. Making the presentation on behalf of Mohaka residents, Mr W. A. B, Goodwin said that the boy's bravery was undoubtedly responsible for saving the children s lives, as their Darents were away at the time of the fire. . . ''■'. Quality Coffee! The world's bestBlue Mountain Jamaica freshly roasted and ground daily, is only obtainable from A. Durie and Co., coffee specialists, 32 Octagon, DunPassengers who travel by the Railways Department's steamer Earn slaw on Lake Wakatipu will appreciate the provision of a first-class wireless installation to replace the electric gramophone used on the vessel since 1929. The equipment now being installed consists of a locally manufactured radio gramophone set with a power amplifier, and three loud speakers for diffusing the programmes throughout the ship. The voltage power of the Earnslaw's own electricity supply is 110 volts, d.c, and there is a good rotary converter on board which will "step up" this power to 230 volts, a.c. The provision of firstclass music (including dance items on special occasions), as well as current news of the day, to excursionists on the 10 hours' trip from Queenstown to the Head of the Lake and back, and on moonlight trips, will add to the enjoyment of tourists and others who use the Lake services. Make your work lighter—have your blunt tools sharpened by our experts. Saws, scissors, mowers our speciality. Satisfaction assured.—Dickinsons Ltd., 441 Princes street, Dunedin... " I have been looking over these papers, and there seems to be a strange suggestion of telepathy about the way in which, after a lapse of six weeks, one lawyer suddenly decides to write to another, and does in fact write, on a certain subject, when at that very moment there is a letter in the post for him from the other lawyer on the same subject," remarked Mr Justice Callan in the course of argument before him in the Supreme Court at Auckland, commenting on an explanation why an application to the court had been delayed. " It seems like telepathy or television to me." \ One of the counsel in court suggested that the explanation was realfy telephony; that the writer of the letter then in the post suddenly informed by a third interested party of delay, had first communicated by telephone his intention to prosecute the matter and then had written the letter, and that the other lawyer, on receiving the message .by. telephone, had hastened to turn the information into a written reply. "Ah, that.seems a plausible explanation," remarked Jus Honor. One of the barristers engaged on the other side of the case admitted that his learned friend's explanation accorded with fact, and his t Honor smiled. . Macpherson is a mon sifter ma am, heart. He bought a bottle o' Crossan 3 best whisky 'oot o' the cupboard, drew the cork and thru it into the fire... , The custodian of the Provincial Council Chambers, Christchurch is feeling rather pleased with himself over the " red-handed "-actually dirty-handed-capture of one of the sneak thieves that are the bane of his existence It happened that he was potterfn around in the wood and coal shed at the back of the building, when a woman, strolling, apparently casually along the path at the back of the building, turned off the path opposite the shed, and grubbing in the human heap, unearthed two dahlia tubers, which she slipped into her handbag. Having watched the whole performance from the shed, only two or three yards 'distant the custodian met her as she wa "hastening away withthe.tootand insisted that she shou d not only .return the tubers but replant them. Last summer such sneak thieves not only stole a lot of the best plants out of the gardens between the building and the river, but broke down more than they took n forcing a way through the beds to the plants they had selected Grandism (3686): New Year coders are now being packed for later de-Hvery-don't delay. Place your order to-day-Grand Hotel Home Supply... An* indication that some English narents were considering sending their chUdren to school in New Zealand because of the fear of war was given by Christchurch manager of Thomas Cook and Son. He .said that there had been inquiries about the schools? and it spoke well for he -education given in the Dominion that this course was being considered Actually a Singapore man, who visited the Dominion recently, told a reporter that he had brought his son with him and intended to put him to school in Christchurch.

"A schoolboy who is taken away from school too soon is like an egg that you have taken out of the pot too soon, and in which you find nothing but liquid," said Dean Julius at the break-up of the Christchurch Grammar School. "When you have cut the top off you may put the egg back; but it is never the same. A boy may be sent back to work in a night school, but he is never the same. Education should always be earned as far as it can," the dean said. James Gray and Sons, Ltd., Milton wish to thank their many patrons who have backed their efforts, to m.the best values available during the year just ended, and they look forward to the same hearty response for 19.39... A strange phenomenon was witnessed from Takapuna Beach. Auckland, late one recent afternoon, Just after an unusually brilliant rainbow had faded away. The sky was heavily overcast, and there was scarcely a break in the clouds as the multi-coloured arc slowly disappeared, but when it had completely vanished it seemed to form again behind the blanket of mist higher up in the heavens. Only a small portion of it came through, however, and this did not hang low. The resultant sheet of coloured light break« ing through the cloud bank created t most unusual sight, and. for the few moments that it remained, seemed like a miniature aurora borealis over the harbour.

A home that's neat; a fire that'f bright, With Hitchon's ham for tea at night A wifie good, and children fair. What better is there anywhere?..