IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 20527, 2 July 1928, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY. Building Demolished. The work of completing. the demolition of the old building situated at the corner of Kelvin and Esk streets which was so badly buffeted about by the exceptionally strong wind prevailing on Friday evening, was carried out on Saturday morning and now only a large pile of rubble marks the site of an old landmark in Invercargill’s streets. Fast Work. An Invercargill business man who had occasion to communicate with Christchurch by telegram in connection with an important business matter between 4 o’clock and four-thirty on Friday afternoon was sur. prised to receive a full letter dealing with the matter from Christchurch on Saturday afternoon. The quick reply savoured of magic, until the business man gave a little thought to the problem, and realized that the Christchurch people would catch the night express leaving Christchurch late on Friday night and arriving in Invercargill on Saturday morning. He is now an ardent supporter of the night express. * . * * * Port of Bluff.. That Bluff as a port is not always neglected is instanced by the fact that the s.s. Waikawa which berthed there yesterday has 2700 tons of cargo to discharge—the largest cargo for any of the New Zealand ports at which she has or is to call namely Napier, Lyttelton, Dunedin and New Plymouth. Of this cargo 1100 tons consist of pulp for the Mataura mills but even with this amount subtracted the cargo still retains its precedence. It will be at least four days, with four hatches working, before she is cleared.

The “Puni” Controversy. Different meanings have recently been given to the Times of the Maori word “Puni” following on the publication of an article concerning the creek of that name. It has been suggested as meaning “blocked up” or “a crowd of people” and “dark.” A certificated Maori interpreter stated to a reporter at Bluff that the full name was “Te Puni” but through familiarity the “Te” had been dropped. The words meant “a place of encampment.” Its association with the Puni Creek arose from the fact that bands of Maoris used to camp on its banks when cutting flax which many years ago grew profusely there. ♦ • * * Love’s Labour Lost. There was a gentleman at Bluff who desired to help along one of the princesses in the civic carnival at present in progress. He was the owner of a prize Persian cat and not without heartburnings, carried it down to the wharf to make the presentation and incidentally to receive the adulations of his workmates. He was proudly displaying his £lo’s worth of cat-flesh when with a sudden bound it escaped from him and landed in the “ditch” as the harbour is affectionately termed by local residents. When recovered “life was found to be extinct” as scribes would put it. Pride cometh before a fall. It is understood, however, that he was able to produce another cat of humbler breed. • • • • A Tramcar and a Cart. Counsel for plaintiff in a collision case at the Magistrate’s Court on Friday afternoon, was endeavouring to re-construct the collision. With a large book he illustrated the progress of a tramcar and with a smaller one, he depicted a cart, the end of an eversharp pencil representing the wheel concerned in the case. A witness was much interested in the demonstration, but a slight nudge with his elbow caused the wheel of the cart to rattle on to the floor. While the lawyer was busy reclaiming the fallen wheel, witness leaned forward in his enthusiasm and, unfortunately, precipitated the tram car to the floor with a crash. At such a chapter of “accidents,” those in the court could not restrain a smile.