LOCAL AND GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 8 August 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“The police say that you were travelling at from 40 to 50 miles an hour. At what do you estimate your speed?” asked counsel of a motorist in the Police Court at Auckland. “About 15 to 20 miles an hour, I suppose,” smilingly remarked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.

■Evidently the League of Nations, the Kellogg Pact, the Disarmament Conference and . the “No More War” League’s efforts have not wholly converted one scoffer in Thames, says an. exchange. Pinned to the door of the Drill Hall on Monday morning was a piece of paper with the laconic remark scrawled thereon: "Closed. . . . till the next war.”

“It is just as well your cycle is paid for, as you may have to get a loan on it presently,” said Mr. F. K. Hunt, M.M., in the Police Court at Auckland to a motor-cyclist charged with negligent driving. The defendant, who was involved in a minor collision, was convicted and ordered to pay costs, and to make good damage caused to others. “The most drastic piece of musical criticism I ever heard of was published in the Birmingham Post,” said Sir Hugh Allen, the distinguished English musician, at a reception held in his honour at Auckland. A certain lady had given a song recital in the city, and next morning the paper’s musical critic wrote: ‘Miss So and So gave a vocal recital last night. Why?’”. i A member of the New Plymouth Boys' High School first fifteen, C. T. Cave, while playing in the forwards against Wanganui Collegiate School on Wednesday, sustained a knock on the head. Cave was able to continue, but later showed signs of slight concussion, and on the return-to New Plymouth was admitted to the school hospital. Inquiry last night revealed that his condition was satisfactory.

He had been interested to find it was not a new idea, said Mr. J. A. R. McGregor, last night, when the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce was discussing the policy of supporting home-made goods. In Greville’s memoirs he had recently read that at a levee held by Queen Victoria in 1848 an edict was made that everyone was to appear in clothes of British manufacture.

Mr. W. Kenny, when returning to Opunake on Monday evening on his motor-cycle and side-chair, met with a serious accident on the main road. The side-chair became detached and Mr. Kenny was thrown violently on to the road. Ho was taken to relatives’ home and medical attention given. He is now’ in the Stratford hospital and his condition is reported serious.

The severity of last week’s frosts is well illustrated, says the Auckland Star, by the present appearance of many shrubs and.hedges in the suburban areas. The tops of hundreds of hedges have been “burnt” black, and some shrubs appear to have been ruined. As is usual, the tecoma has fared particularly badly, and the tops of many hedges of this popular variety look as if they have been blackened by fire. The number of copies of “Hansard” of each issue printed last session was 7000, and the number of subscribers was 204. The amount received from subscribers and sales was £2lB. A thousand copies were printed of. each “Gazette” issued, the number of subscribers being 529, and the amount received £2981. The Government Printing Oflice yielded a profit last year of £7611 18s. lid. after charging interest on capital and depreciation in full, In the great majority of cases a fracture of the spinal column has fatal consequences, but the plaintiff in a Supreme Court action heard at Wellington on Wednesday is one of the fortu-

nate exceptions. He is the son of a well-known Wellington headmaster, Mr. J. B. Hopkirk, and had his spinal column fractured in a motor accident in January last. He was for a considerable time in Wellington Hospital, and although not yet fully recovered, is able to walk.

“That-reminds me of the story. . said a speaker in emphasising his point, at the surveyors’ conference in Wellington this week. With a broad smile he was proceeding with his “story” when an alarming tug at his coat cut his remarks short. There was a whispered consultation, ending in the speaker remarking: “Yes, I know there is a lady present, but this is a drawing-room one.” Both the men and the lady laughed heartily. A Morrinsville motorist, who parked his car in one of the streets of Hamilton, took the precaution to lock one door of his closed car p and secure the other doors and windows by the inside catches. On returning, he found that someone had tampered with the lock, and it could not be opened with the key. Not to be beaten, he crawled underneath, banged on the floor boards till he loosened one, and thrust his arm through and undid the inside catch of a front door.

A call was received by the New Plymouth Fire Brigade about 3.30 p.m, yesterday to a Hobson Street house owned by Mr. Mills, and occupied by Mr. G. A. Clarke. Mr. Clarke discovered the kitchenette of his residence to be full of smoke, and after giving the alarm traced the fire to a linen cupboard, extinguishing the outbreak with a garden hose before the arrival of the brigade. The cause of the outbreak is obscure. Slight damage was done to woodwork and clothes.

“The teacher and committee of a school may agree as to the school hours, the board having the final say in any disagreement,” said Mr. A. Burns, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, when the Maromaku (Whangarei) school committee wrote asking whether a committee had power to fix the hours in the event of daylight saving being brought into operation this year-'at a date earlier than in previous years. Mr. Burns added that it did not appear likely that there would be any change this Tear.

Striking improvements have been made recently about the entrance to the East End Reserve, New Plymouth, from Autere Street. The committee has secured the lease of that part of the railway reserve not required for the permanent way, and this has been transformed into a pleasing addition to the reserve surroundings. One hundred and sixty native trees were planted there and at the Devon Street entrance at the Henui bridge. There is still space for about 100 ever-green flowering shrubs at the Autere Street entrance when the committee receives gifts of suitable plants. The Pukekura Park curator helped with advice, and Messrs. Duncan and Davies, J. McNeill, F. Carrington, Batey and Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Sole donated shrubs. The committee has established a nursery of about 160 plants for planting out in the future.

"A bottle of mammitis paint goes very much further than you claim for it and I wish to congratulate you on your remedy,” writes a dairy farmer to S. Lissaman, Chemist, Box 63A, Kaponga.* Last days of the Melbourne’s Great Winter Sale are announced, the final day being Saturday week, August 16. The half-price days for the final clean-up provide the public with bargains of an unprecedented character, and afford buyers really generous savings on dependable drapery, clothing, hosiery, and smart showroom goods.* The New Plymouth Beautifying Society will continue its work on Baines’ Terrace tomorrow. A gramophone and musical business is advertised for sale by W. H. and A. McGarry, Eltham. >