LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16644, 14 November 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bumble bees have completely destrayed some of the early crops of broad beans in Oamarn. In their pursuit of nectar they have punctured the flowers to such an extent that they have failed to germinate. Within the last day or so a big sunfish has been washed up on the beach in Fairy Bay, Pelorus Sound (states the Marlborough Express). The fish, which was dead when stranded, measured about 10ft. in length, oft. in breadth, and 2ft. in thickness. From the extreme tip of each fin it was about 10ft. wide, and its weight in the vicinity of three-quarters of a ton. A Taihape minister who is spending % few days in Wanganui relates an interesting experience he had the other day. He was approached by a small boy, who remarked: “Please Mr. , could you teach me to play poker?” The minister naturally wanted to know why the lad wanted to learn, and the little fellow, with an honest look, replied: “Please Mr. , so that I can win marbles from other boys at school.”

“There is an impression amongst several people that as long as there is a boy lying on the road alongside cattle they are not liable to be impounded. I would like to ask tlrn Clerk if that is correct,” said Cr. Todd at the Borough Council recently (re ports the Gisborne Times). The Clerk stated that cows had to be kept moving, and that it was not legal to herd cows on the road. The beautiful white clematis is blooming this year at Stewart Island as it has never before been known to do (states the Southland Daily News) Every little plant on stump and shrub and up on the towering rimus has its snowy bunch of white gracefully droop ing from the branches. The rata also is giving promise of one of its periodical years of exceptional bloom, and should make a picture soon to dazzle the eyes of the visitors to the Island. Cats climb into peculiar places, but how one got on to the stern post of tho big steamer Port Darwin, berthed at the Glasgow Wharf, Wellington, is a mystery. Early the other morning when the watersiders commenced work the cat was noticed couched up on the stern post with the water lapping about it. One of the men dived off the wharf and rescued the cat and brought it back to the wharf. The unfortunate cat turned out .to be the ship’s mascot, and is very much prized bx’ the seamen aboard.

A Sydney paper states that the Presbyterian minister at Rylstone (the Rev. C. E. Riley) strode bodily through the town on a recent Sunday with a fishing net, three fishing rods, and a bag. Rylstone, gasped. The minister went doggedly on. But he did his fishing in church. He draped the pulpit with tho net, pulled the Bible out of the bag, and began to hook cardboard fish bearing “messages from the deep.” “Children, obey your oarents in all things”—he hauled up sh of this sort, one after the other. “The Church ha<Tbeen fishing in shal low water,” ho explained. “It’s got to be deeper.”

There are still some people who do not believe in the power of advertising. Surely (says tho Plains Gazette) the results of the general election will convince them that when one has goods to offer it pays to advertise. The Reform Party, at least, can he in no doubt about the matter. “From what little 1 have seen of the country on my way down from Auckland, I believe secondary industries will be one of the solutions of tlie future development of New Zealand, together with it's tourist attract tions, for the simple reason that in the North Island especially there are not so many agricultural areas available,” remarked Mr. George W. Sanborn, of Los Angeles, in the course of an interview with a Wanganui Clironi-’ cle reporter. “It seems absurd to spend the’money we do in building those large permanent schools in concrete and brick, which will last for 1.00 years, when wo know perfectly well that in a quarter of that time, with modern science and knowledge, our ideas about housing will entirely change, when we have buildings put up at such low expense,” declared His Excellency the GovernorGeneral (Sir Charles Fergusson), when he performed the opening ceremony of the Cashmere Open-Air School (Canterbury). Some Government officials' were engaged on survey work in a certain district. They entered the land of a farmer, who furiously ordered them off'his farm. They showed him their blue paper credentials, and the farmer, very angry, turned on his heel and went into another field. A minute or so later the roar of infuriated bulls was heard, and a couple of hefty animals tore towards the surveyors, who had to run for their lives. “Show them the blue paper!” shouted the farmer from a point of safety. “Show them the blue.paper!” A horse attached to a milk cart evidently with a bit of thoroughbred blood in his veins became imbued with the racing fever at present m the air, and went for a headlong gallop down Thames Street the other morning (states the Oainaru Mail). The galloper dashed past the telegraph post and turned into Itcheu Street, but did not like the hill, and was caught by a youth near the fire station. Those who saw Comic Song win on Saturday last (without their money on, of course) and returned by car from Christchurch state that the outsider was not in it with the local flier. A remarkable coincidence in connection with the recent election in New Zealand was (reports the North Otago Times) that a fatality seemed to attach to those candidates whose surname began with the letter “M.” In the Nationalists the defeated included Murdoch, Morton, Milner, McKay, Masters, McGrath, McCallum and Macpherson. Of the Reformers, Miss Melville, Massey and McNicol failed to materialise; while the Labourites lost Mason, McClymont, Martin, Mcllvride, Monteith, Munro, McManus and Mackenzie, with the seat of McCombs in doubt.

Shortly after tea on Saturday night last several of the boarders residing at 145, Union Street, Dunedin, kept by Mrs. Munro, were attacked with severe pains and dizziness. Dr. G. Fitzgerald, who was promptly called, diagnosed the trouble as ptomaine poisoning, and so acute was the agony of five of the sufferers that they were at once taken by motor to the hospital. Those admitted to hospital were James Duffy, John Lang, Jackson Munro, Nicholas Howie and Mania Dickson, the first four being middle-aged men and the last a girl of 17. The four men were discharged next morning, and at the latest advice the girl was progressing favourably. Those who were attacked, but did not go to the hospital, have all since been able to resume work.

An American who has not been long in the Dominion, speaking of the recent hold-up of a bank manager at Newmarket, Auckland, says that one of the things which has surprised him here has been the loose way money is sent to the bank to be lodged hv various business people. The .money is often carried quite loosely in the hand, and only a day or two ago he saw a young girl go into a tea-room and lay what looked a big sum of money on the table while she enjoyed her afternoon tea, after which she turned her back to the table, where the money was lying, to adjust her hat and put a little powder on her face, and then went to complete her job of banking the money. If some of the American crooks knew such laxity existed, a few of them would come across to try and reap a big harvest. In all his travels he had never seen more free and easy banking methods that we have in New Zealand.

The lad, Stanley Morrison, who endured four days of hunger while lost in the scrub at Otepopo some time ago, was in Oamaru last Sunday afternoon with his mother and father. The dog which was responsible for the lad’s recovery was also present with the owner. The lad looked the picture of health, which .is indeed marvellous, after his particularly trying time in the rain and without food. The father, in conversation with a reporter of the North Otago Times, stated that the mother and the lad would leave shortly for a trip to Auckland and the hot lakes district. He spoke in very appreciative terms of the manner in which the public had treated his sen. Mr. Nathaniel Stevens, the man who discovered the lad, said he passed the spot where the boy was discovered on two or three occasions. The dog came in for numerous caresses by the people, and it appeared to enjoy them immensely.

Referring to business prospects for the following year, the executive of the Wellington Land Agents’ and Auctioneers’ Association states in its annual report:—“Your executive hogs to report that during the year a considerable number of very large transactions in real estate lias taken place in the main thoroughfare of the city—both in warehouse and shop- property—and sites; also a fairly good demand throughout for the better class of residential property. There has been great activity in the building trade in all the suburbs, and sections that are at all accessible by train or tram have a tendency to rise in value. There is still a scarcity of dwellings, but not to the extent some of our politicians •would have us believe. Although there has been a large number of immigrants to Wellington, possiby larger than in any other centre, it is pleasing to note that we have pulled through the winter with little or no,unemployment.”

The Rev. J. A. R.vbnrn (To Aroha) moved at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Dunedin that the standing orders be amended to curtail the length of speeches. Dr. Gibb opposed the resolution, and it was lost.

' “For how long did the two cars travel along locked together?” asked counsel of a witness in the Supremo Court at Palmerston North. “It seemed an eternity,” answered witness feelingly. His Honour laughed outright. “We want it in cold blood,” he said.

“The successful contractor,” opined Mr. Oudaillg at the Te Awamutu -Power Board meeting on Tuesday, “is tho man who can keep his men going full speed every hour of the day.” “Yes,” returned Mr. Lorigan, “and he’s a pretty good man who can keep his men going full speed every hour of tho day nowadays.” A London Magistrate recently commented on tho numerous razor assaults committed by hooligans. Ho said the razor is a distinctly un-Eng-lish weapon, and that it belongs really to the American negro, who specialises in throwing it. Criminals are known by their weapons and their methods of attack. In London, the metal knuckle-duster is a fairly common weapon. Tho Paris apache uses a knife, and generally carries a revolver as- well. The desperadoes of Italy and Spain favour the stiletto and knife respectively. The knife of the Spaniard is a deadly implement; it consists of « a sharp, broad blade, that folds into the handle and can be drawn and opened in one movement.

An interesting and beautiful astronomical spectacle will develop during November. There are in the western sky after sunset two bright stars, the upper one being the planet Jupiter and the lower one the planet Venus. They are far apart just now, but will gradually approach each other, and on the 26th they will pass within five moons’ breadth of each other. Prior to that, however, on the 20th, the young four-days-old crescent ' moon will be close to them, and tho three luminaries will show up well. On the 28th, Venus reaches its widest distance from the sun, after which date it will begiu to close in to tho sun, increasing in brightness for some time. After the 26th, Jupiter will be tho lower of the two planets, and will tend to- decrease in brightness. On the evening of the 22nd the planet Mercury will be very close to its widest distance from the sun, but as it sets very shortly after sunset a sharp look-out will have to be kept for it. The two planets, Saturn and Mars, are not well placed for view during the month, the former becoming a morning star on November 10th and hidden in the sun’s rays. Mars is a morning star, and may be seen just before dawn in front of the sun, loiv on the eastern sky, towards the end of the month.

“In England,” said Mr. E. Page, S.M., who has just returned to Wellington from a trip abroad, “a first offender is nearly always given a chance to redeem without going to prison, and very wide use is made of the Probation Act before wrongdoers are dealt with harshly. I had a chance to sit for one day at-the famous Bow Street, with another Magistrate, and made the most of tlie experience. The thing was unique. I visited tlie Old Bailey frequently, and listened to many interesting trials. The impression I formed regarding tho Old Bailey was that they were somewhat less lenient in the methods of dealing with offenders than we are in New Zealand. This, however, may be an unfair opinion, as I did not have time to go into the matter thoroughly. Court cases in England seem to be dealt with quickly and correctly. They are put through in no time, and opposing counsel do not hold matters up with useless talk. As soon as the evidence is taken, the Judge sums up himself, and the matter is then handed over to the jury. The Court of Criminal Appeal in England is made very wide use of in the graver sort of cases. Although in New Zealand there'is an Act giving the right to appeal in tlie same way as over there, it is very seldom that three Judges are called together for the pin-pose of dealing with such things. It happens now and then, of course, but, generally speaking, tlie Criminal Court of Appeal there is used very little.