NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Did Not Care for the Cows. “Why did you leave the farm? Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., asked a farm labourer in the Hawera court yesterday. “I did not care for the cows,” was the reply. Portrait of King. A new portrait reproduction of King George, handsomely framed and hung in a prominent position in the main banking chamber, is the latest acquisition of the New Plymouth Savings Bank. The portrait was unveiled at the last meeting of the trustees by the president, Mr. Richard Cock. Head Injuries from Fall. A 12-year-old schoolboy, Stanley Aked, was admitted to the New Plymouth hospital yesterday afternoon suffering from a probable fracture of the skull received through a fall from a bank in the grounds of the West End school. The seriousness of the injuries will not be ascertainable until it is possible to take an X-ray photograph, but the child’s condition was last night reported to be satisfactory. Old-time Duel Recalled. The recent fighting of a duel at Auckland recalls that it was not the first of its kind, one being fought on the Auckland waterfront in 1846, says the Auckland Star. The scene was almost opposite the present railway station, where the tide used to come up to the foot of the cliff, which had at that time some fine pohutukawa trees growing on it. The duellists were a barrister and a surveyor. They used pistols, and when they fired nobody was hurt. The seconds then called the duel off. World Shrinking. “The world is shrinking and the signing Of a tariff at Washington may mean the wiping out of a village in the Punjab ftr of a city in Japan,” said Mr. E. C. Carter, secretary-general to the Institute df Pacific Relations, in an address at Christchurch. The nations were interlocked in modem civilisation, he said, and it was not possible for a nation Simply to work on a line for itself. Fortunate Recovery.

While visiting Temuka last week a reAident of Oamaru spent some time near the railway yards, and realised later that he had lost £4O in £5 notes. He made a careful search the folldwing morning, but found no trace. Before returning south he revisited the spot where he had been Sitting on a loading bank, and there he found the roll of notes fidt far frOtn the Denmark Street crossing, which is one of the main thoroughfares of the tdwn.

Strange Distinction. The difference between a schoolboy in a country district riding a bicycle to school over a long distance and one riding a horse was critically. niehtioned by a delegate to the annual 'conference of /the Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Wellingi n. She said her son rode a bicycle to the nearest secondary school sOme miles away. He received no travelling grant. But, she said, if he had ridden a horse to school a grant would have been made.

"Seven Acres a Child.” Amusement was caused in the Te Awamutu Magistrate’s Court when a middle-aged Maori appeared on a judgment summons before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M. Questioned by counsel representing the creditor, the Maori said he was a fanner artd had 17 children and 15 cows. “That’s about a cOw a child,” replied counsel. “How many acres have you?” Defendant said he had 119. “That’s seven acres a child,” remarked the magistrate, amid laughter.

Speech of New Zealanders. In an address at Devonport on the importance of correct speech Professor Maxwell Walker suggested a method by which the speech of New Zealanders could be developed, made a source of pride to the Dominion and a model for the Empire. The idea was to appoint a professor or lecturer on speech at each of the four university colleges, and to require all candidates for the teaching profession to take a course for one pr two years. Speech was largely imitative, said the speaker, and it would be through those properly trained teachers that to-day’s children would reveal progressive improvement in the spoken word. Archbishop’s Enthronement.

The new Roman Catholic Metropolitan of New Zealand and Archbishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. Dr. T. O'Shea, will receive the pallium, the insignia of his office, and be formerly enthroned in his new dignity at a special service at Wellington on August 15. The new Archbishop of Wellington is the second to hold the position since 1887 when the archdiocese was created and Archbishop Redwood was to its. head, and the ceremony next month will be one of the most important in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand for many years.

Literary Men’s Interests. The conversational interests of authors seem to be anything but. their literary interests, according to Mr. lan Donnelly, who spoke of literary men he had met in England at the Christchurch Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Association dinner. He said Mr. W. W. Jacobs would discuss his rheumatism but would never crack a joke, though he was one of the best humorous writers in England. Mr. Walter de la Mare, a great poet, would discuss politics and economics but never poetry. '.Mr. E. V. Knox, the editor of Punch, had the air of an undertaker. Incidentally, Mr. Walter Elliot could not be induced to show any interest in the meat question, said Mr. Donnelly. He merely asked, “Isn’t the price of your land in New Zealand too high?” Half a Shave.

A motor-car ran away at Ellerslie on Thursday and, mounting the pavement, smashed the plate-glass window of a shop. The car had been parked by the owner near a fruit shop. It suddenly decided to move, and, travelling zig-zag across the street, cleverly swerving round a bus, bounded over the footpath and crashed through the window. The window happened to be that of a barber, Mr. L. Pilkington, who was shaving a customer, and the customer was not, accustomed to being shaved while things smashed in at the window. He leaped out of the chair, and the barber lost trace of him. Not so the delighted crowd, for that customer was later seen in the throng inspecting the car. One half of his face was lathered, while he grasped firmly a barber’s towel.

The committee of the Caledonian Society- has been working hard to make the fourth Ingleside an outstanding success. A special invitation is extended to the general public to be present, as it is not generally understood that the inglesides are open to all, and the committee is anxious to prove that a very enjoyable time can be spent in a truly Scottish atmosphere.*

At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the New Plymouth Savings Bank recently it was decided to reduce the interest on all the bank's mortgages to 4J per cent, as from September 1 next.