GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20107, 14 May 1935, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

Mayoral Installation. The installation of Mr T. W. Satterthwaite as Mayor of Timaru, and the councillors elected last week, will take place to-morrow evening. To Forfeit Deposit. An official count of the votes cast for the Dunedin City Council election does not change the personnel. The only candidates to forfeit their deposit were two Communist representatives. Timaru Maligned. Writing to an Ashburton friend, a resident of Brisbane remarks that there must have been considerable excitement in Timaru on the occasion of the Duke of Gloucester’s visit in January. “Our newspapers stated that the mounted police had to be called out to prevent a riot,” she said. “This does not sound like the quiet Timaru I knew.” Rangitikei Seat. Advice has been received that Mr E. H. Whiteman, of Kakatahi, intends to stand for the Rangitikei electorate at the forthcoming general elections as an Independent candidate. Mr Whiteman has announced his intention of supporting the new political party which is likely to be titled as the Democratic Party. The present Rangitikei member is Mr A. Stuart (Coalition). Arowhenua Pa Gates. Regret that the Maoris at Arowhenua Pa, in erecting something which would remind them of their ancestors, had built a gate of concrete, was expressed by Mr Sholto Black, M.A., in an address at the Rotary Club yesterday. He contended that the gate should have been of carved wood, and said that the fact that it had been made of concrete showed how far the Maori was forgetting himself and was adrift. Wanton Mischief. A serious act of vandalism was reported yesterday, when a weighing machine was discovered in three pieces near the railway track at the base of the cutting before the Grand Hotel. The machine was apparently lifted bodily over the fence and hurled over the brink. The machine is extensively damaged and the platform and indicator have been completely broken from the pillar. The police are investigating. Costs Compared. “In Australia it costs £l/4/3 weekly for the upkeep of a man in gaol, 14/9 weekly for the warming of water to keep a shark in an aquarium, 6/weekly to keep a dog in a dog’s home, and 5/9 weekly for an unemployed single man; it would be interesting to know the relative costs in New Zealand,” said Mr H. Atmore, M.P., -in the Civic theatre in Tauranga. “Some of our sharks cost us much more than that,” said an interjector, a remark which provoked loud laughter.

Sportsman’s Run of Luck. A phenomenal run of luck in shooting on the Waikato River on Sunday morning enabled a Putaruru sportsman Mr M. St. J. Paxton, to secure the remarkable bag of nine ducks with two shots. Mr Paxton, who was accompanied by Mr R. Lee, also of Putaruru, was waiting in a maimai when six ducks flew up. Five of the birds fell to the gun. Shortly afterwards four more ducks flew up and the entire flight went dbwn. Considering the present shooting conditions, the bag was outstanding. “God’s Children.” Referring to the Maori custom of assessing a man’s importance by the antiquity of his ancestors, Mr Sholto Black, M.A., speaking at the Rotary Club yesterday, said that he had once asked an old Maori how old his family was. The Maori recited his ancestors for thirteen generations, and said he could go back even further but it was too tiring. “We go back as far as the moon,” he said. “Even further than that. We go back to Heaven.” When he expressed surprise, Mr Black had been told: “The white man he hope to go to Heaven, but the Maori, he come from Heaven.” Invaded by Birds. About 200 goldfinches and chaffinches descended on the deck and rigging of the motor-ship Maui Pomare while she was proceeding from Wellington to Apia. The birds arrived in an exhausted condition during torrential rain. Some, seeking shelter from the weather, invaded the smoke room and saloon of the vessel. Two entered tho captain’s cabin and roosted there for the first night. Others were blown off the deck by the very strong wind. The Maui Pomare was at the time about 300 miles off East Cape. The crew are at a loss to understand whence the birds came. They flew away from the vessel after the weather had improved.

Stag Mounts Guard. An unenviable experience recently befell two women trampers in the Routeburn district. A large stag appeared in their track and evinced as much interest in them as they showed towards him. Then when feminine curiosity had been satisfied they attempted to “shoo” the animal from their path. The deer had other ideas, however, and suddenly charged. Fortunately an overhanging rock provided timely shelter, but the stag kept them imprisoned for over three hours. The trampers ultimately made their escape, but it entailed a two days’ detour through the bush to Paradise. There they met an unsuccessful party of deer-stalkers who escorted them back to the spot where the stag was still mounting guard. A bullet soon disposed of the animal and provided the deerstalkers with a magnificent 14-pointer head.