LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20850, 5 October 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Pigs Enjoy Covering of Used Oil To give pleasure to pigs is no concern of the average person, but on a dairy farm in the Woodbury district over the week-end, boars, sows and piglets grunted with delight when the time came to give them a periodic brush over with used motor oil. The purpose of the application was to kill lice, but pigs waiting their turn would rub shoulders with oily compatriots, so keen were they to have the treatment. One large boar conveniently rolled over on his side with a pleased facial expression, and turned over after he was sure the job was half done. Waterside Dispute The executive of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce met to discuss the effect of the shipping hold-up in Gisborne through the dispute on the Karepo rendering that vessel, the Mako and the Margaret W idle. It was pointed out that the Chamber was adverse to taking sides in the dispute, but no one benefited in such matters, the shipping companies and workers losing and the consignees being inconvenienced. It was decided to send a telegram to the Minister of Labour asking him to use his best endeavours to expedite a speedy settlement. A call for labour for the Karepo was made yesterday, but brought no response, and the manning of the Mako and Margaret W was not attempted. Brutal Assault On Woman Although inquiries were continued yesterday by the Wanganui police with the utmost vigour, no fresh developments occurred in connection with the brutal assault made on Mrs Una Thompson, aged 25, on the footpath on Anzac Parade early on Sunday morning. She is still in a state of semi-consciousness in the Wanganui Public Hospital suffering from the effects of at least five blows on the head administered by some heavy blunt instrument. Her injuries consist of a fractured skull, scalp wounds and an injury to her left hand. Her condition is showing a slight improvement., but until she fully regains consciousness sufficiently to tell a connected story the police will have little of a concrete nature to work on. The detectives in Wanganui have been augmented by the arrival of a further detective from Palmerston North. Bridegroom Disappears Guests who gathered in a Hastings church one afternoon last week for a wedding to which they had been looking forward for some weeks, saw the church picturesquely decorated in white jonquils and pink blossoms, but there was no wedding. At the eleventh hour the wedding had to be cancelled because the bridegroom had told the prospective bride that he was not prepared to go on with it. Everything was in readiness for the ceremony to commence when the news was conveyed to the assembled guests. The minister who was to have officiated, unaware of the course which events had taken, was waiting at the church. The wedding breakfast was prepared, and the organist had actually commenced to play. Early in the morning a taxi driver arrived at the residence at which the bridal party was preparing and handed in a note from the bridegroom conveying his intention not to be present. Believing that the bridegroom could be found and prevailed upon to change his mind, the bride’s relatives made no arrangements to cancel the ceremony, and a search was commenced, but the time passed without any trace of him being discovered. Responsibility of Motorists The proposal of the Attorney-General to introduce a BUI removing the necessity of proving negligence in claims for damages by persons injured in road accidents was discussed by the executive of the Automobile Association (Wellington) last night. It was stated that both Motor Unions had protested against the principle. The secretary reported that representatives of the North and South Island Motor Unions had interviewed the Attorney-General regarding the proposal. The Minister wanted to obtain the opinions of the Unions and they told him that they disagreed with the principle of holding motorists responsible for all accidents whether to blame or not. The Minister replied that he would consider the subject further and allow them to have the Bill after it had been drafted. He believed the BUI was now in draft form and he expected it would be received this week. “With regard to the premium, which we think will be considerably increased, the Minister seemed to think that there would be an increase of a few pence yearly to motorists. I think there is room for disagreement there. The Minister did point out that the premium would have to be increased in any case because it is not on a payable basis.”