HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18189, 23 June 1927, Page 8

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. Beatles 1200 Tears Old. Wood-boring beetles that remained hermetically sealed for 1200 years in a giant sequoia tree were discovered recently by Dr E. P. Van Duzee. Compared with modern specimens, it was found that there had been no appreciable change in the species during the 12 centuries. After the tree was struck by lightning the beetles entered and bred in the wood. Some failed to emerge and were sealed within the wood as new growth covered up the lightning scar. Here they remained until brought to light by Dr Van Duzee. who estimated the number of years of their imprisonment by a count of the annual rings of the tree. X X X London’s Oldest Bank. Child’s Bank, in Fleet Street, is the oldest banking house in London, having been established in 1599. The old banlc, pulled down in 1579, was the building which figured as “Tellson’s" in Dickens’s "Tale of Two Cities." Here Nell Gwynne, Cromwell, William 111., and Mary had their accounts. Indirectly-, "Child's" was responsible for the pulling down of Temple Bar. Several tons of the bank's old ledgers were stored in a small room above the central arch, and their weight caused the keystone to sag to such an extent that removal of the entire structure became necessary. x x x Express’s Escape. The London night express from Scotland had a remarkable escape from dis-

aster at Stafford- When rounding a bend at Trent Valley Junction the four front wheels of the tender left the running rail and tore up check rails for a distance of three hundred yards, when the wheels jumped back again to the running raiL The train was travelling 30 miles an hour at the time, and the check rails probably prevented the engine and coaches from being derailed. The accident is regarded as a complete mystery by railway officials. The middle axle-box of the tender was broken as a result of the derailment, and hundreds of chairs on the permanent way were damaged. Passengers iri the sleeping-cars were awakened by a bumping noise, but none complained of any injury. XXX Motor Collides With Elephants. Two sisters motoring along the Great North Road to London in the early hours of one morning had an adventure more suited to the jungle than to a prosaic English highway. Their car was a sports modeL “It was pitch dark and raining hard," said one of the sisters to a "Daily Chronicle" represer. tative, “when ten yards in front of the bonnet loomed two elephants, a camel, a spotted horse, a zebra-donkey hybrid, and a keeper. The next moment there was a crash into the elephants. Y> awe recovered ourselves our heads were sticking through the roof of the car, the axle was broken, and the elephants were frisking about amongst the wreckage and venting their displeasure with their trunks." Men in charge of a lorry some distance awav gave the sisters shelter, and later 11 the morning their brother, who was in search of them, was alarmed to find the ruins of their car by the roadside. XXX Altar Robbed. Thieves entered St Boniface, Catholic Church, Mitcham Road. Tooting, and carried away from the altar a valuable gold communion bowl. The loss was announced publicly from the pulpit. XXX Thirty-five Miles Unwillingly. Tired after picking primroses, a bright and intelligent ten-years-old boy. Jack Wingate, of 66, Malthouse Road, Land port, Portsmouth, climbed on to the back of a loaded lorry, travelling very slowly up Portsdown Hill. When Jack was about to jump off at the top of the hill, the driver suddenly put on speed and did not stop until Aidershot was reached, thirty-five miles away. Here, Jack, holding a bunch of primroses, was discovered by the astonished driver, who handed him over to the police. After the boy had been given something to eat he was sent back by train. Remarkable Rifle Score* By the bare margin of half an inch, Mr J. R. Hayes, of the South London Rifle Club, just failed to register a world’s record rifle shooting score with 104 points out of a highest possible of 105. at Bisley. Mr Hayes was shooting under King’s Prize, first stage, at 200, 500 and 600 yards. After scoring a highest possible of seven consecutive bull’s eyes at the first range, he had three more bull’s eyes at 500 yards and a "wart” inner with his fourth shot. His next three shots were all "bulls,” and at 600 yards he again scorfed a highest possible of seven consecutive bull'seyes—2o bull’s eye* and an inner with 21 shots. XXX Unpopular Place Names. A recent case of a town wishing to change its name is that of Oswaldtwistle, The inhabitants say it is "a name of fun," and that strangers laugh when they say they live in Oswaldtwistle. They would have it renamed "Oswald," but it is improbable that their wish will be granted. It is easier to sympathise with the desire of those who live in Bugsworth to have the name of their town changed to Limedale, quite an appropriate title, seeing that it is situated in the limestone hills of Derbyshire. Similar requests have been made by the people of Wormwood Scrubs. The presence of a convict prison gives an import to a name w hich is not relished by residents. X r X "Too Many Nabobs.” "Officialdom triumphant" should be the title of the Commonwealth Government film, illustrating the visit to Australia of the Duke and Duchess of York (says the S3'dnev "Sun”). It shows a long and wearisome series of official functions with the same faces and tvpes getting into the picture time and again. Of Governors* aides de camp, Federal and State Ministers, Mayors, naval and military officers and all the rest of them, of bowing and curseying and saluting, there is a sug* feit, and its tiresomeness is bv the agitated shuffling and side step ping of many of the people concerned. Of real Australia there is not even a suggestion. The Canberra series* except for the military review, is dull and gives a bad impression of the capital. The film was privately screened by tha Development and Migration. Commission.