News in Brief

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 368, 9 March 1932, Page 6

News in Brief

Births on Leap Year Day. In a New Plymouth nursing home three baby girls were born on February 29. They will therefore only have a birthday once in four years. “ Complaint ” of Youth. During the cross-examination of a doctor in a claim for compensation heard at the Arbitration Court at Auckland, counsel for plaintiff asked how long he had been in practice. Mr Justice Fraser,* who presided, ruled the matter out as being of little importance, and said: “We will not blame Dr for his youth. That is a. complaint that he will get over in time.” Boycott by Chinese. A shipment of Japanese oranges, which arrived at Auckland by the Melbourne Maru, was boycotted by Chinese fruiterers at the Auckland city markets. When the fruit was offered the Chinese, who had gathered round the buying benches, withdrew and left the competition to the Europeans. A previous shipment of Japanese oranges by the Brisbane Maru was also boycotted by the Chinese both in Auckland and in Wellington. It is stated that the boycott is being extended to all imports from Japan. Unusual Insurance Case. An insurance case of unusual interest, in which the company concerned was a heavy loser, was referred to by Rotarian A. S. Clark in the course of an address at the weekly luncheon of the New Plymouth Rotary Club. The case was handled by a company which is still doing business in New Zealand. An old couple, both of whom were over 70 years of age, had a very valuable estate which, in the ordinary course of events, would go to a nephew, as there w r ere no children. The nephew was Scottish in descent and in instinct, and approached an insurance company with a request for a policy of £200,000 in case a hitch occurred to prevent the estate coming to him. The company made very careful investigations and was so satisfied that the risk was very small that it accepted the proposal at an almost nominal premium. Not long afterwards the aged couple went for a drive. An accident occurred and the lady was killed, her husband escaping unhurt. Within a short time he married one of his housemaids and a son was born to them who became the new legatee. The Scottish nephew thereupon aplied to the insurance company for the £200,000, and was paid.