GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 19999, 5 January 1935, Page 10

GENERAL NEWS

Criminal Offence. The Timaru police yesterday arrested a man who will appear before the Court this morning on a charge of criminal assault. Bowling Tournament. Two rinks from Timaru, one from West End and the other from Kia Toa will take part in the Dominion Bowling tournament, to be held in Auckland next week. The rinks are —West End: T. Currie (s), G. Blackham, A. Manning and T. Stewart. Kia Toa: J. Gray (s), H. Lister, R. Watson and D. McNab. Most of the players left for Auckland yesterday. More Sunspots. * The recently-renewed activity on the part of the sun in the direction of producing spots shows no sign of abatement, rather the reverse. Mr G. V. Hudson, of Karori, reports the appearance on the eastern rim of the sun of two new and large spots. There are no grounds, however, for associating these spots with the recent break in the weather, it is more than a mere local effect. Experience Tells. “It has often been said that the success of isolated gold prospectors in the Moonlight district is due to luck.” one man prominently connected with gold mining on the West Coast told an “Argus” reporter, “but to my mind ;t is not luck, it is experience that tells the tale. The other day an old miner, working a few yards from a party of younger men. recovered fifteen ounces of alluvial gold, in a patch, in a short time, while the other party did not get as much as a colour. They were bemoaning their bad luck, but it was not luck, it was experience that taught the older man where to look.” Sheep-shearing Contest. A novel event at the Taihape sports on New Year's Day, states the “Star’s” correspondent, was what was billed as the New Zealand sheep-shearing championship, which attracted a very large crowd of spectators and twenty competitors from all parts of New Zealand. On a raised platform in front of the grandstand a machineshearing plant was installed, and the competition was keenly followed by the crowd. The cash prize and cup for first place were won by W. Yendell, of Kaitai. G. Stewart (Mohaka, H. 8.), and E. J. Dickinson (Mangaweka) were bracketed for second place. A Domestic Victory. "I have had a great domestic victory,” said a Wanganui resident last week, “and I have to thank the Duke of Gloucester. My wife and I have been happily married for many years, but we have always kept up a certain dignity in the home. I have never once had a meal at the table in my shirt sleeves. I have never dared to suggest it, but when I opened the newspaper, I read that the Duke had dined in his shirt sleeves on the East Coast. I put blue pencil round the paragraph and underlined every word. My wife made no comment at all. and we finished the meal in silence. It was a great victory! ”

Fire Follows Capsize A car, driven by Mr Cecil Arthur, of Waitakaruru, containing three other persons, capsized on the WaiomioTapu road and caught fire, just after the occupants had managed to scramble free. No one was injured. The car was proceeding from Puru, and when about a mile from Tapu was pulled too far to the left while passing another car, with the result that it capsized over the embankment. While one passenger, a young woman, was being extricated, the car burst into flames, caused evidently by spilt benzine. Vain efforts were made to check the fire, which destroyed the woodwork and upholstery. The damaged car was brought to Thames. Doctor Athletes Three New Zealand Rhodes Scholars, Dr A. E. Porritt, Dr W. E. Henley, and Dr J. E. Lovelock, are on the staff of St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. London. Dr Porritt was a front rank sprinter a few years back, while Dr Lovelock, as a mile runner is among the world’s best. Dr Henley won his Oxford Rugby blue in 1929 v 1930, and 1931. Both Dr Porritt and Dr Henley are old boys of Wanganui Collegiate School. Pumice Land Production Approximately 50.4501 bof butter-fat was produced from the recently developed pumice lands, comprising Ngakuru, Guthrie and Horo Horo settlements in the month of November representing. £1.576 in cash to the district (reports the Rotorua Morning Post). Forty-eight thousand pounds of butter-fat was produced in the corresponding month last year, and in the same season the highest production for one month was in December, with a total of 51,200. War Against Eels War is being waged by settlers ir the Putara, Eketahuna, district, against the numerous eels in the Mangatainoka River at present. Eel baskets are being used with good effect, many big catches being recorded. One large eel caught recently turned the scales at 20i pounds. This monster was observed for some hours trying to gain admittance into the basket before it finally managed to force its way inside. The eels in the river are held responsible for the greatly decreased number of trout usually seen at this period. A Good Swimmer “I’ll give £5 to anyone who can recover my false teeth,” exclaimed a horseman as he reached the bank of the Rangitikei River near Omatene during the holidays, after swimming his horse, and, by an unlucky mischance, losing his teeth, (says the “Taihape Times.”) Several children were swimming close by, and one. Myrtle Johansen, aged 13 years, a pupil of the Utiku Public School and a member of the life-saving class suited action to the word and dived into the river. A moment or two later, and to the utter amazement of the horseman, she emerged with the teeth. The horseman kept faith, and paid £5 to the plucky girl-