LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 25, Issue 41, 29 May 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Slightly Mixed Opponent.—At the Town Hall last night, Sir Joseph Ward, after the motion had been carried, said he had seen that night, for the first time in his political career, the mover of a hostile amendment turn round and cheer for the motion!

Trains that will Fly.— Mr Esson, an engineer, of Birmingham, at present residing at Cape Town, says a recent cable, has designed a train equipped with propellers and an aeroplane device, driven by electricity. When it attains a sufficient velocity it will lift itself from the buffer springs and fly. Mr Esson believes the train will reach a speed of five hundred miles an hour.

A Strong Heart.— ln recounting the “broken piomises” of the present Administration Sir Joseph Ward said that “Mr Massey’s heart throbbed for the people so that one could hear it from Auckland to the Bluff.’’ A voice: A strong heart! “A strong heart is no good if the valves are' not in order ! ” replied Sir Joseph,

Methodist Gift Afternoon.— The Mefhodist Ladies’ Guild had a very successful afternoon on Wednesday, It was the first gift afternoon of the season, and many useful articles were brought by the ladies. Solos were rendered by the Misses Lucas and Campbell, and Mrs Gore gave a mandoline solo. Refreshments were provided by Mrs Boagey, who, as President, welcomed those present and hoped that the next gift afternoon (on Wednesday, June 10th) would be as well attended.

How about a nice pair of reindeer gloves suitable for driving—Father will appreciate oar lined at 6s 6d, or fur lined at 10s 6d—Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Wellington. South Island Railway.— ln reply to a questioner at Blenheim on Tuesday Sir Joseph Ward said the Liberal Government had brought down a vote for the South Island Main Trunk every year. His view' was that it would have paid the country better to apply its energies to the completion of , the main lines, as it did to a great extent in the case of the Aorth Island railway, than to purspe a scattercash policy ; and, as for the South Island Trunk line, what he had to say was that it should have been pushed on in preference to railways that had been taken up since.

“ Topsy - Tujrvey Arrangement.”— Speaking at the civic reception accorded io him at Blenheim on Tuesday Sir Jpseph Ward, referring to the Welling-ton-Picton boat said: “ That steamer leaves at the wrong time.” He landed at Picffin at 5 a.m., and this seemed to him to be a sort of topsy-turvey arrangement. He had a strong impression that if the steamer left at 5 p.m. and got to 'Picton at 9 p.m. the trip would be more acceptable. It was not the most pleasant thing in the world to be aroused at 5 a.m. and turned out into the frost. If the steamer left Wellington at a reasonable hour one would be able to see the beauties of the harbour and travel comfortably, instead of being disturbed at an inconvenient hour bv the rattling of the cargo and a determination to get one off the ship as soon as possible.

A cough remedy of estimable value is “NAZOL.” Specially good for children—even babies. Wise mothers everywhere keep “NAZOL” handy. Sixty doses in every i/6 bottle. The Latest Fish Story. Our truthful contemporary, the “ Free Lance ” saysPicton mourns its Pelorus Jack, but it has its friendly substitute in a huge conger eel. A well-known solicitor of Blenheim, who has a weakness for Picton and its Sounds, tells the story of how his man.' was one day cleaning fish on- the little jetty at his (the solicitor’s) seaside residence, when he was surprised to hear something in the water evidently trying to attract his attention. He looked and beheld a large conger eel. The man held out a peace offering in the shape of a blue cod, which the eel took, and wriggled his tail by way. of thanks. When he had digested the cod, the eel lifted his head, and the man stroked his—the eel’s —back and fed him up with ffish until the monster could eat no more. The solicitor declares this is a true story, and, moreover, that the eel comes regularly, whenever the party has been out fishing, to be fed and have his back scratched.