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Opunake Times, Volume LVV, Issue 3675, 26 October 1923, Page 3

John Rigby, Lancashire's oldest miner, has died in his gist year at his home at Billinge, in the Wigan Coalfield. He began workin the colliery as a child of 10, and worked continuously at his underground occupation into his old age. Asa pit boy he worked 12 hours a day for 4d a day. In those days coal was .brought out of the colliery in backers, and the collier had to buy his own Davy lamp, and also take it home with him each night to clean it and provision it with oil in readiness for tb" next day's work. A f.-esh arrival in a certain town, who had just a grocery establishment, was anxious to show off Observing a rran enter the shop, he went over to the telephone and pretended to confirm an order for £SO worth of provisions. He then turned to the man and asked him what he wanted. "Oh, I've come to connect the telephone," was the reply. " Yes, miss," said the Old Country woman to the lady visitor. " I've worn the same pair of stockings for twenty years." The visitor was astounded. " However do you manage that, Mrs Smith?" she a<?ked '■ Well, you see, miss," answered Mrs Smith, " one winter I knits new legs in them, and next year I knits new feet in them." A sensation has been caused in Labor circles in Johannesburg by a proposal of the South African Mine Workers Union, one of the strongest unions in the country, to _ admit natives to trade unions organised for that purpose. It is believed in some quarters that the proposal was inspired by the Communists. It is also suggested that financial, reasons are at the bottom of the suggestion. A fine of £2 with costs 9s, was iqrposed on K Champion, of the who placed a i|d stamp in a receipt for jSt3 12s, instead of ; a 2d stamp. The Only Way "His wife is trying to induce him ■to go in for geology." "What's that for ?" "She can't make him keep himself .tidy, and she thinks if he is scientific it won't be noticed.* 1 -