NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13051, 10 March 1911, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

According to -the statement made by a woman in the Feilding Court, last week, her husband, who preferred following np racing to work, sold a pig belonging to their little boy for £5, and took another £1 from the children's money-box, and went racing with the £6.

Kaiapoi boasts a young man who is almost amphibious and can live under water (says the "Press"). For a minute and a-half on Saturday, J. TIuH remained swimming about the bottom of the swimming bath picking up tin discs, throe inches in diameter. Whon ho had collected seventeen he came to the surface, and some of those who could see him below the clear water felt relieved that ho had not sank for the last time.

A strong plea was put forth by Mr J.A. Hair at the Dental Association dinner in Auckland last week, in support of the claims of the dental profession, to receive equal recognition with the nicdicail profession from the Government in the way of the appointment of dentists to the staff of the territorial forces. It was high time, lie thought, that such recognition was made. An army, as they all knew, crawled on its stomach, and when the teeth of that army were bad it would not crawl'very fast. (Laughter and applause.) Was it not an excellent reason, therefore, why the forces should be supplied with dental officers as they' were with medical officers ?

At a meeting of the United Fire Brigade Conference at Hokitika, Pastpresident Robbins referred to the newspaper report of an heroic act by a boy in the Chatham Islands. The lad had discovered the house to be on fire, and after removing tho younger members of the family from the burning budding, had returned, and, after a gallant struggle, succeeded in extinguishing tho flames. Mr. Robbins said that thley, as an. association, should do all they could to encourage such acts of gallantry, and he moved that the executive inquire into the truth of the report, and if it was verified, that a letter bo engrossed and si?nt to the lad complimenting him on Ill's bravery. The proposition, which met with the universal approval of tho conference, was agreed to.

Mr. Justice Denniston was yesterday presented with a pair of white kid gloves by the Grand Jury at Hokitika, there being no indictments to present to the jury. His Honour congratulated the district on the absence of crime.

Fourteen bodies have boon cremated at Karori since the building was erected The most recent occasion on which the plant was used was on Monday last, when the body of a late resident of Christ-church was cremated.

In view of the new legislation which determines that a director of a private body or company doing business with a public body cannot hold office on the latter, Mr. J. 0. W. Aitken lias resigned his position as chairman of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr. Aitken has taken this step as lie is an executor and trustee, in an estate the beneficiaries of which do business tvith the. board.

Myriads of small flies filled the air in the Palmerston North and Mairiwatu districts the other day, These are said to be the flics which are affecting the turnip crops. In one locality a field of turnips had been absolutely destroyed.

The Masterton ambulance brougham was called into commission on no less than 211 occasions during the year of 1010. On country calls alone tho brougham has travelled 911 miles.

Miss Blanche Wiekstead, when walking along Prospect Terrace, Jit. Eden, Auckland, was attacked by a horse, which had escaped from a neighbouring paddock. The animal seized her with its teeth, and knocked her down, with the result that she sustained injuries to her head and oiio shoulder. The animal was eventually driven off by a passer-by.

That the labourer is worthy of his hire is thoroughly endorsed'by the Wostraliau parliamentarians, wlio, in the dying hours of the. recent session, increased their own pay by 50 per cent, raising tlin honorarium of botii branches of the Legislature tv £300 ayear. The Le.ador of the Opposition (Mr Scaddon), while- supporting the Bill, declared his individual opinion that £400 was little enough. It was successive!}' moved that the increr.scl k should not take effmct till they had been approved by the. electors, or should be deferred till after the ensuing general election, but both propositions were negatived, the amendment of tho Leader of the Opposition that the additional "screw" should operate from tho commencement of this year being carried by a large majority. Tho allowance of the Leader of the Opposition was raised to £500; Ministers ware given tho parliamentary honorarium in addition to their salaries, and the salaries of the Speakers of both Houses increased tv £700.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will hold stock sales as follows: — To-day, at Tapawera ; Tuesday next at Ngatimoti.

Messrs. Dalgety and Company will hold a stock sate at Tapawera to-day, and at Ngatimoti on Tuesday next.

The Temperature.—At t'irjo o'clock this morning, the tlermonjeter ouUide this office registeroi 60 degrees.

At Mrs Anstice's you'll find some vfcry choice moirette underskirts. Each one of these garments is beautifully out and made in many handsome, plain and dressy stylos, and you'll find tho prices temptingly low. These are worth your inspection.*

Nothing is more useful for wear between seasons^ than a. smart tweed skirfc. At Mrs Anstiee's you will find a big choice of wall cut, well made, stylish skirts in all shades of light and dark tweeds, marked at really small prices. It will pay you to got in and look them over. One of these smart skirts is just what you're wanting for present wear.1