NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13052, 11 March 1911, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The dangerous practice of carrying but one light on vehicles, and that not infrequently on the wrong side, nearly resulted! in a serious accident on the Rocks road, tho other evening. A motorist rounding the cliffs came uptui a trap so lighted, and found, in attempting to paas, the trap interposed between the ear and tho other vehicle's lamp. Only the. skill of the motorist and the action of the driver in pulling his horse back on to its haunches averted a collision.

An Ashburton wire says that Mr. W. Nosworthy, M.P., delivered a post sessional address at the Oddfellows' Hall last evening, .occupying himself chiefly with replying to the speech delivered by tlue Premier a fortnight ago. About 450 people were present. A vote of thanks was passed.

A Westport press message says that at tv large and representative gathering in the School Ground ycsteiday afternoon 126 Fire Brigadesme;i on the way back from Hokitika being aan'ougst those present, the Mayor, Mr Greenwood, on behalf of the citizens presented Scout James Ronnie with a handsome silver watch, chain and pendant, inscribed, in recognition of his courageous conduct in rescuing a schoolmate from drowning in the Orawaiti river last month. The Mayor also presented Joseph Anderson., a.nother lad, with a wallet' of coin of the realm for valuable assistance given to Ronnie. The siv raters r.t the gathering included Mr. :';..ve?;, president of the New Zealand lire Brigades' Association, Mi. Gotha,;d, chaiimr.n, the Rev Mr iXirt, member cf the school committee-, Xir Karkness, principal of the scl'.ool, ajid Lieut liinvisu, provincial scout ro;;imir:--io:i.er for the Uuller district.

F:;:;iv!i p0:.r;"2«3 a debt collector v.iiosu bold Ciii:n;:i'ici;'.l methods would put mercantile oi1 commercial agencies to shame, says the "Manawatu Herald." He is original; decidedly so. A bicycle, is brought into requisition, on which is attached a .notice triangular in shape and suspended from the front bar, which bears in bold letters tho words "debt collector." The bicycle, v hen left outside a debtor's house,, becomes' a conspicuous and suggestive object.

A Dunedin wire states that tha attention of the Minister of Marine is to be directed to what is said to be an omission in the Harbours Act_ in its application to elections. It is said that tk« Act does not specify that boroughs in counties shall form part of the counties, ass a result of which four boroughs in the Dunedin province will be deprived of voting power at the elections. It is considered that the omission might be rectified by the issue of an Order in Council .

A "Wellington telegram says that at a recent conference- of the Seventh Day Adsvntists of New Zealand, held at "retone, it was decided to send_ a letter to the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister of Education, expressing appreciation of the stand recently taken by him on tho broad principles of religions liberty in refusing to sanction in any way the altering of tho present system of education which conserves to the Church alone the privilege and responsibility of imparting religious instruction.

It seems it is lucky for ladio-s, according to the "Echo do Paris," to bo kissed by soldieis as soon as possible after tho New Year. Mdlle. Cleo tie Merode and MdUe. Boauvais, of the opera, not being nursemaids, were wondering how to propitiate fortune at five minutes past twelve on Sunday morning, January 1. They had just left p. theatro with an escort, who, unhappily, was not in the "milingtry." "Oh,, for a soldier's kiss!" they lamented to him. He saw two troopers passing in tho street, and went up to thenl.. "Would they oblige two ladies?" and ho explained how. The two troopers' were willing to oblige. One was fair and the other dark. The dark trooper gallantly kissed Mdllc. Bcauvais, who is fair, and tho.fair tiooper shyly kissed Mdlle. da Merode, who is dark. The ladies' escort thanked them and raised his hat. The troopers saluted, and said: "Don't mention it." The ladies also thanked the troopers, who said: "Not at all, anything to obhgci," and the two parties went their way, the ladies elated because they are now sure to be in luck all tho year.

Modesty in the matter of titles for institutions and enterprises promoted in Wellington was advocated by Mr. A. A. Corrigan at the meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association the other night, say.s the "Post," when the question of a title for the coming Industrial Exhibition was being .'onsidi.Ted. He declaimed against tiie too free use of the words "New Zealand" by local bodies. He. instanced the "New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts" which, he averred, owned a picture and a half. Ewry other town of importance in New Zealand owned a decent art gallery, but it was reserved for Wellington to arrogate the title "How Zealand." The association, however, decided to name its exhibition "Tho Coronation New Zealand Industrial Exhibition."

A new business notice from R. Hannah and Co. appears to-day, to which attention is directed.

Messrs Bisley Bros and Co announce the following stock sales for next week: —Monday, at Golden Downs; Tuesday, at Belgrove; Wednesday, at Rdchmond; Thursday, at Thorpe; Saturday, at Murcliison.

Mr. Alfred Gould will sell freehold property at Takaka on Saturday next.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Ag-ncy Company will hold stock sales as follows: Tuesday next, at Ngatimoti; Tuesday next, at Wakaptiaka.