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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18764, 22 July 1935, Page 6

The three tramwaymen who have been advised by the Christchurch Tramway Board of their eventual dismissal from the service—as part of the board’s plan for staff retrenchment—have not yet received definite notice of the date of the termination of their employment. The men now slate that immediately they receive his definite advice of the date of their dismissal they will take action in the Supreme Court to seek an injunction.

An answer to some.of the questions asked about the fate of aged horses was given in evidence before Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M., in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court. A. Bunvood pigi farmer who appeared on a charge brought by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he obtained old horses, shot, them, and fed them to his pigs. It was stated that he did the same with aged cows also, and that people about the district often advised him when they.had an aged animal that he could shoot and give to liis pigs.

Mr T. W, Downes, of Wanganui, who has made a complete and intimate study of New Zealand birds, discounts the theory that once upon a time the inoa, that gigantic species of New Zealand bird life, had wings, but- lost them through having little occasion to use them, says the Wanganui Chronicle. “Xbat theory is a foolish one, I think,” tie said, “because we see from the skeleton of a, moa that there was never a sign of wings being articulated. To me it is more likely that the birds never evolved them.”

A very modest young man is jn Wellington. He is also very earnest, and has set his heart upon the accomplishment in New Zealand of the beginnings of a new order, the beginning of changes in the lives of people of all classes and nil creeds. The young evangelist is the Hon. Miles Phillimore, of Trinity, Cambridge, son of Lord Phillimore of Hen-ley-on-Thames, London, and he is representing the Oxford Group Movement in New Zealand. It is proposed to form a fellowship in New Zealand and pave the way for revival, revolution and renaissance of the spiritual makeup of individuals and of the community. Already beginnings have been made in several centres —Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Motueka and Oamaru. Mr Phillimore has called upon prominent members of the House of Representatives, and is hopeful of creating real interest in the movement.

Once the property of a famous novelist and now in the possession of Mr T. 11. Hammond, of Merton, a walking stick with a curiously romantic history was taken to the Otago Times Office. Made from a plain piece oT wood, the stick’s only ornamentation is the carved crest of Sir Walter Scott, its original owner —a shield surmounted by a crown. Sir Walter left the stick to a family living in his native district, and many years later, in ISOB, the surviving member of the family gave it to the local minister, the Rev. Mr Or, who, at ati earlier date, had been stationed at Warepa, in South Otago. When handing the stick to Mr Orr, the donor made the curious prediction that there would be a great war in which many of the Dominion’s soldiers would take part, and she requested Mr Orr to present it to the first-New .Zealander who called upon him during lho r war. It- happened to that Mr Hammond, who had known Mr Orr daring the years he had been stationed at Warepa, was the first, and the gift- was accordingly handed to him. Dm authenticity of the stick’s history was established by Mr Hammond before he left Scotland, the Heraldry Office in Glasgow assuring him _ that it, was undoubtedly the stick which had originally been one of Sir Walter Scott's most eherhhfd 'possessions,