NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1935, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Swimming Certificates. Several primary school children swam in the New Plymouth baths yesterday for the long distance certificates awarded by the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association.

Cricket Chib at Fitzroy? There was talk of the formation of a Fitzroy cricket club next year, said Mr. W. P. Nicoll at a public meeting at Fitzroy last night in connection with Te Mete Park. There were many young players available, with a possible membership of up to 40 players, and the tramways could also raise an eleven regularly. The difficulty was a suitable playing area, but if Te Mete Park were to be available that would be the solution.

Repairs to Waitara Bridge, The Mayor, Mr. J. Hine, has received word from Mr. P. Keller, Public Works Department engineer, that, in view of the fact that the Waitara Borough Council has not the necessary plant and machinery noi- the skilled labour available for replacing the damaged part of the Waitara bridge, the Highway Board in conjunction with the Public Works Department has decided to undertake the work. Authority has also been given to raise the traffic weight limit to four and a half tons. The bridge will still continue as a one-way bridge.

“Land of Milk and Honey.” Although the dry spell which was general in most parts of New Zealand until recently caused a great deal of damage to farmers, they have apparently not suffered to anything like the same extent as farmers in Australia. Speaking at Christchurch the other day Mr. C. B. Hearn, a prominent Melbourne business man, who has been touring the Dominion, said he understood that in the North Island there had been a very dry spell, but compared with large areas in Australia the country seemed to be a “land of milk and honey.” Mr. Hearn was particularly impressed with the scenery, saying that it had thoroughly exceeded his most sanguine expectations. New Confidence Trick.

An ingenious confidence trick of which only chance prevented him being a victim was described to a Christchurch Sun reporter by a New Brighton resident. He said that a man had come to his door in great distress saying that his son was suffering great pain; and could he have the loan of a bicycle to fetch a sleeping draught from the chemist? The householder had no bicycle at home, but said he would get his car out, and went to get his hat. The man was nowhere to be seen when he came back a few seconds later, and did not return. The householder learned from some of his neighbours that the same trick had been tried on them, fortunately without success.

A Hardened Sole. Mr. D. W. Poole, the Auroa man who recently created a minor sensation by climbing to Fantham’s Peak in his bare feet, beat his own record on Wednesday by making a rapid ascent to the crater, still without footwear. Convent School Picnic.

A chattering and excited crowd, pupils of the New Plymouth Sacred Heart Convent were packed yesterday into three large buses and driven to Oakura beach, where the annual school picnic was held.

Sign of Prosperity. Business in such a definitely luxury commodity as diamonds may fairly be accepted as an accurate indication of the general prosperity of a community. It is satisfactory to learn, therefore, that the representatives of one of the great firms of diamond merchants, who are concluding a six weeks’ tour throughout the Dominion, are able to record. largely increased business, says an exchange. As compared with a similar tour they made last year, their records show an increase of 75 per cent.

“If England Fails.” “If England fails God help the world, - ” said Dr. Brenard Myers at a luncheon meeting of the Auckland Grammar Old Boys’ Club. He said that the civilisation under the British Empire was greater than that under Greece at the time of Pericles, greater than that of Egypt under the Pharaohs, greater that that of Rome under Caesar. It was the greatest the world had known. If England failed, then the world was going back to conditions that had existed centuries ago. He added that nowhere was that realised more than in America.

Over Hundred Operations. After two years in hospital, during which time he underwent more than 100 operations, Bruce Kendall, aged 11 of Newtown, Tasmania, died last month. Kendall, a boy Scout, was badly burned about the body when he fell into a fire at a Scout rally in 1933. Operations were performed at short intervals on parts of his body, but the bums refused to respond to treatment, and he gradually sink after a long and heroic fight for life. Last Y ear he was awarded the Scouts’ medal of merit, which is awarded only in the case of great fortitude and manly bearing. Too Much Sugar.

An opinion that young New Zealanders eat too much sugar, and that this has a detrimental effect on their health, was expressed by Dr. Bernard Myers, London, in an address at Auckland. While the youth of New Zealand were undoubtedly splendid stock, comparing more than favourably with tire youth of other countries, Dr. Myers said it was a pity that the young people seemed to have acquired the habit of eating too much sugar, a habit evidently acquired from the United States. “It spoils the teeth, affects the digestion and ruins health,” Dr. Myers remarked, “and I hope something will be done about it.”

A Novel Suggestion. A novel method of impressing upon members of Parliament the necessity foi legislation making the dehoming of cattle complusory was outlined by the Rev. W. Saunders at the annual meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. After referring to a recent case of a man being severely gored by a bull, Mr. Saunders said that it ' would be a “lovely thing” if the members of Parliament who had not voted for dehoming, or the Government which had not introduced legislation that would enable them to do so, were turned into a paddock in which there were fierce cows and fiery bulls and then given a race to the fence. If they felt the nearness of the horns and were given some suggestion of the pangs that the horns might cause, no time would be lost in passing legislation that would make dehorning compulsory.