NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Four Broken Car Springs. No fewer than four motor-cars were taken to one garage at New Plymouth yesterday for repairs to broken springs. “Sometimes we do not hear of a broken spring for a week or niore,” said the attendant last night. He could not assign a reason for the number of accidents yesterday. Heavy Mists at Uruti.

A heavy, low-lying mist hung over the Uruti district yesterday and was at times so dense that motorists switched cn headlights to give warning to approaching traffic and were forced to travel at a snail’s pace. The exceptionally heavy haze that hung over the district was clearly visible from North Egmont as a flat, yellow cloudbank which had a peculiar shade of gold in the brilliant sunlight.

Flying to New Plymouth. Dr. G. W. Gower, president of the Waikato Badminton Association, was unable to travel with the team to New Plymouth on Saturday as he had to attend to another practice in addition to -Ills own. That he may participate in. the match against Taranaki he is travelling by air, leaving Hamilton at 7 o’clock this morning. Dr, Gower -js an experienced pilot and will be flying his own plane. He will return to Hamilton by air to-mor-row. New Number Plates. Saturday marked the beginning of a new motor year, and every motor-car when it left its motor garage in the morning should have worn its new registration number if it wished to comply with the law. On Saturday morning the police were to be seen in Devon Street, notebooks in hand, jotting down the numbers of the cars that still bore the previous day’s number plates, and if they noted all the car. with old plates they certainly required substantial notebooks, for it appeal’d as if a large proportion of motorists had overlooked the change of numbers. Many Visitors to Egmont. Nearly 400 pepple visited the northern side of Egmont National Park yesterday. In addition to nearly 200 visitors who climbed to Humphries Castle for the opening of the Tahurangi Hut, the areas about the old house were the scene of many picnic parties and walking expeditions. Mr. $. J. Wood, manager of the hostel, stated yesterday that the hostel accommodation was fully booked and accommodation in the camp houses severely taxed. The interests of Stratford Mountain Club members were divided yesterday, some tramping round to the northern side for the opening of the new hut, and others visiting the No. 3 ski-ing ground above the Manganui Hut. Conditions were ideal, and visitors were numerous, particularly in the late afternoon.

“Urgently Awaiting.” “Urgently awaiting your most needed assistance according to Rugby football honour and glory” was the quaint manner in which a letter written by the secretary of a Maori football club, tabled at a recent meeting of the Waikato Rugby Union,- concluded. Lighter Paper for Air Mail. The need for business firms, such as shipping companies and insurance companies, providing bills of lading and policies on lighter paper to keep down the weight when the documents were for transmission by air mail was mentioned at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The chairman, Mr. Gainor Jackson, said that supplies of suitable lighter paper were now reaching New Zealand. Strenuous Walking on Egmont. Although as far as is known there were no ascents of Mount Egmont yesterday, several large parties made strenuous walking trips on the mountain. Parties of alpine club members made trips from the Stratford house and Dawson Falls to Humphries Castle for the opening of the Tahurangi Hut and returned before dark. Several large expeditions made the trip co Bells Falls and at least one party set out with the intention of making a tour of all the mountain huts, Manganui, Tahurangi, Kahui house and Syme Hut on Fantham's Peak? thus completely Circling the mountain. Originality and Initiative.

After having been unemployed for two years a young American secured a post through the insertion in a newspaper - of an unusual advertisement. Instead of cataloguing his virtues and accomplishments, he drew attention to some of his defects. The announcement read: “Worthless youth seeks job. Will not go anywhere and will not do anything unless conditions reasonable. Knows no foreign languages except high school French. Memory poorish; only moderately punctual; a 'white liar.’ Wants big pay, short hours and long holidays.” Before midday fifty employers had made him offers by telephone.

Notes Thrown on Fire. A i well-known Hastings business man recently left a roll of notes on some newspaper on his kitchen table. A busy housewife, gathering up the paper, bundled the lot into the fire. A minute or two later a very excited husband returned in search of his notes. Fortunately the newspaper had been rolled into a ball. It was hurriedly removed from the fire. One of the notes of one pound denomination had been destroyed but the others, although somewhat mutilated, were accepted by the bank. May Rainfall Heavy.

Rainfall at New Plymouth for the month of May this year amounted to 7.55 inches, considerably higher than the May figure last year, when only 3.69 inches were recorded. An average mean temperature was maintained, though the last days of the month were unusually warm. The highest thermometer reading was 67.2 degrees end the lowest 32.7 degrees on May 6. There was a heavy frost on May 26. The lowest reading on the grass was 26.9 degrees. Despite the heavy ramfall, there were 59 hours of bright sunshine. . -

Knocked Over by Motor-car. , Knocked over by. a small car as it was rounding the corner of Brougham and Devon Streets, New Plymouth, on Saturday evening, Mr. J. Knowles, an elderly man, struck his nose on the kerb and received bruises about the body. The accident occurred about 5.45 p.m., when Mr. Knowles, who was talking to two companions, stepped backwards in the way of the car. The driver of the car, ■ifr. H. C. Collier, took Mr.. Knowles to his home in Davis Lane and later to a doctor for attention to his nose, which bled freely. Fracture of Leg.

Knocked from his motor-cycle when he collided with a car on the comer of Opunake Road near Stratford on Saturday night, Mr. A. Finch, blacksmith at Cardiff, fractured his left leg. He was taken to the Stratford hospital and was reported last night to be making satisfactory progress. Mr. Finch lives at Miranda Street, Stratford, and was gonte home about 5.30 p.m. -when he met the car, which was driven ,by Mr. T. C. Perrett. Mahoe, who was going out of Stratford.

Public Works Tenders. Among the ,numerous tenders passed recently by the Public .Works Department are the following important contracts! Waitangi, wash-out bridge on the NapierWellington main highway, via Wairarapa, £8790 15s 6d, the Rope Construction Company; single men’s quarters at Narrow Neck military camp, Auckland, £17,041, A. G. Chapman; hangar No. 1, Wigram aerodrome, £14,580, C. S. Luney; new lock-up at Palmerston North police station, £3344, A. W. Wood; Tangahoe stream bridge .on the Auckland-Wellington main highway, via Taranaki, £4148, General Construction Company. ‘

Fashion and Produce. Amusement was caused at the annual conference of the mid-Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, when during his presidential address Mr. Raymond Oakley said: “Fashion has a big influence • on the value of our produce. If woollen clothes became mere fashionable with our women folk wool would rise in price substantially. The latest fashion notes indicate that curves are becoming more fashionable, so. if the women drop this slimming craze and eat more in an endeavour to produce the desired curves perhaps the value of our products will rise accordingly. • Young Artist’s Inspiration.

The unusual talent shown in drawing, particularly in the difficult field of anima! studies, by a young New Zealander, 14 years of age, Miss Mollie Macalister, of Invercargill, has been recognised by the Royal Drawing Society. For her contributions to its exhibition at the Guildhall, London, she was recently awarded the society’s silver star. Several drawings of her own Aberdeen terrier, a delightfully expressive and animated series, were selected for the cover of the society’s catalogue, and were also reproduced in a well-known illustrated London periodica!

Mr. Polson and the Camera. Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union for nearly 16 years, and one of the best-known public men in New Zealand, is still cam-era-shy, Recently Mr.’ Polson was speaking to a meeting of farmers in the Chamber of Commerce hall at Christchurch, and a newspaper photographer- was sitting in the front row patiently waiting for Mr. Polson to “register” an interesting expression, The photographer held up his camera and adjusted his electric flashlight, but Mr. Polson was unwilling- “ Don’t fire that thing at me again, ’ he said, cutting short his address. “Last time you nearly blinded me.” The farmers laughed and Mr. Polson himself was induced to smile. The photographer seized his chance and “fired” his charge. Mr. Polson started back and the farmers had another laugh. “It’s all over now, remarked the photographer. .

Advice has been received by the New Zealand office of the Australian Institute of Secretaries that the Public Service Commissioner has decided to accept the certificate of an examination pass of the institute for classification purposes in the public service.