IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 20539, 16 July 1928, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY Much Surface Water. Evidence of the good soaking that most parts of Southland have received is the large amount of surface water to be seen everywhere. Many paddocks contain miniature lakes while roads in some instances are partially submerged. Yesterday’s sunshine, however, exerted a drying influence. Visitors to Bluff. The fine weather experienced yesterday afternoon tempted a larger number of people than usual to patronize the train to Bluff, while more motor cars were seen on the streets than has been the case for some time. There were only two cargo steamers, the Karetu and the Kurow, in port in the afternoon. “Going, Going, Gone!” Two cows that were about to be put up to auction at a Spey Street Saleroom on Saturday morning anticipated the auctioneer’s “Going, going, gone!” by themselves going full ospeed out of the yard. A cow can travel much faster than most people think, as the many schoolboys who pursued the animals as they tore eastwards along Spey street realized. It was only after an exciting chase that the cows were recaptured and brought back to be put under the hammer. Summer Time Yet Again. In the closing stages of Saturday’s meeting of the Southland Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union Mr L. Woodfield inquired whether it was too late to pass a further protest against the re-enactment of the Summer Time Bill. He remarked that the measure was coming before Parliament and the farmers should reiterate their opposition. The suggestion did not meet with much favour, the majority of those present seeming confident that the Bill would not have much chance. “The thing is dead now and anyway Mr Sidey is leaving the House,” remarked a member. * * * * Winning Races. A reporter caught a Biuff resident in reminiscent mood on a recent occasion, and this is the gist of the story told. The man concerned was in his younger days a jockey and he was accosted on a course one day and asked to pilot a certain horse over the jumps. He agreed and all went well until the second fence was reached when, as he expressed it, “I went over before the horse and when he followed he planted a hoof on my back.” Full of apologies he went to the owner to explain matters, but was cut short. “Oh! That’s all right young chap. You did very well to get him over the first one. He’s never been over the sticks before!” An Unusual Collision. An unusual type of motor car collision occurred on the Makarewa bridge at Wallacetown shortly before dusk on Saturday. A taxi from Invercargill had just about negotiated the bridge when the driver noticed a rather dilapidated model car being driven towards him and but 10 yards away. Sensing danger the taxi man shot into reverse and backed his car on to the bridge, but not before the other car had collided with his car and the bridge. There is a grade on the road leading from Stiven’s hotel to the bridge, and it appears that the brakes on the bld car would not respond, with the result that the driver practically lost control and crashed down on to the bridge and the retreating taxi. The taxi man’s prompt action saved what otherwise might have been a nasty smash. As it was his taxi’s mudguards were dented and the steering rod slightly damaged. The old car suffered greater damage. Fortunately no persons were injured. * * • • Champion Girl Footballer. From Pukemaori comes the story of a primary schoolgirl who plays for the school Rugby team. Not content to be just an ordinary playing member of the team, she creates a whole lot of trouble by playing “brilliantly and being largely responsible for the Pukemaori school team’s victory over Tuatapere school.” Yes, it’s true. The trouble part of it comes in when the Tuatapere team’s charges seek higher authority to ascertain whether a protest may be lodged against the playing of the girl! That’s the story. Pukemaori school team recently played and defeated Tuatapere school (last year’s premiers) by six points to three, and as previously stated the girl member of the Pukemaori team was largely responsible for the victory. This female “Cooke,” it is stated, really plays well and has played in other school games. But what will the world think of the Tuatapere school team, or those in charge, for seeking to have the match annulled because a youthful descendant of Eve played for the opposing side? Shame! Honesty Rewarded. In these days of hard times a person in the position of having to choose between “find’s keeps” and “honesty is the best policy” would almost be pardoned for adopting the former, especially where a tidy sum of money is concerned. It is to the credit of of Invercargill, however, that one of its number was recently able to withstand a temptation to make himself suddenly rich by pocketing a find and saying nothing about, it. He was a lad employed by a local mercantile firm, and on entering the Post office one day recently found the sum of £ls in two notes (£lO and £5) lying on the floor. The lad without hesitation handed the money to a postal official, explaining how he had come by it. Not until several days later did the owner of the money, a recent arrival from Dunedin, miss the amount from his wallet. Tracing his movements back he finally approached the Post Office people and to his joy recovered the lost £ls. Within ten minutes of the handing over of the money another person shared the elated one’s joy. The lad in the mercantile office was the recipient of an unexpected pound note. Man and lad shook hands over the “deal” and two instead of one were happy. * * * * The Steamer Service. Just before the monthly meeting of the Southland Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union broke up on Saturday the subject of Mr Hinchey’s proposed scheme to create a rating afea in Southland to subsidize the Bluff-Melbourne steamer service was introduced and from the brief discussion which ensued it was evident that the scheme has not been favourably received in all quarters. Mr A. R. Johnston, who brought up the matter, after briefly outlining the scheme said: We are the people who are going to have to pay for this and I don’t know whether we will receive value for our money. I think if Mr Hinchey attends to the Power Board worries he will be doing very well without putting anything else on to us. Mr G. Calder: I think we should nip the thing in the bud and lodge a protest against the scheme. I move that we record a protest against the proposal. Mr W. H. Ward remarked that the matter could be left for the present. There was bound to be a poll, he said, and the scheme could be “killed” then. Mr H. Smith agreed with this view and suggested that the matter be held over and fully discussed at a later meeting. This suggestion was adopted. Honesty’s Worth a Reward.” According to a statement made to a Times reporter by a young lady resident in Invercargill there is a certain person in the city whose views upon meum and teum are not clearly defined. The young lady happened to lose her purse last week containing some papers of no importance to anyone save the owner and some money. Upon discovering her loss the young lady advertised in the paper. Later a telephone call was ’received from a person who was acting on behalf of

the finder, and who, on seeing that the purse found corresponded to the owner'e description, asked how much was the reward. On learning the amount which, although small, was quite reasonable, the person remarked: “That’s not enough. I’m sure the finder will not part with the purse for such a small reward.” Although momentarily dumbfounded the person at the other end of the wire suggested that such an action would be, to say the least, dishonest, whereupon the voice replied: “Oh,

honesty s worth a reward. I m sure the finder will think the matter over before returning your purse.” Next day however the purse was returned by a deputy who claimed the reward for the finder, but as she refused to reveal the address and identity of the finder to whom the money waa to be forwarded, she departed—without the reward.