People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 884, 4 October 1933, Page 6

People and Their Doings.

Christchurch is On the Verge of a Hot Spell : Wrecks On the Sumner Bar Recall the Fact that the Mullogh was Once Sunk and Refloated.

M R F. L. WOOLES, the “ Star’s ” weather expert, has cheerful news to-day, for he sees every prospect of two or three days of very warm weather, “ with fair heat,” as nor’-west conditions are building up. Whether it will be'" a blustering wind or a moderate he cannot safely predict. Considering the season of the year, he has noted that the snow is well off the ranges, recalling mid-November rather than early October, but whether this indicates a hot or an early summer he does not venture to say, because there are no means of making long distance forecasts, and the possibility of a wet spell in the middle of any summer season is not to be ruled out. 9 9 9 STUMP of a wreck that used to show at Sumner in the little bay on the south side of Cave Rock is the subject of an inquiry by Mr Charles F. Hines, honorary secretary of the Sumner Lifeboat Institution, and the inquiry has led Mr W. H. R. Dale, a frequent contributor to the “ Star,” to look up his records of wrecks and strandings on the Sumner bar. These records show among other things that the famous s.s. Mullogh, one of the first iron vessels ever built, which tendered so many of the immigrant ships in Lyttelton Harbour, was once sunk on the bar, but refloated. The list, as far as Mr Dale can trace it, is as follows: 1855, June 6—Sea Bird, driven on rocks, but refloated. 1855, September s—Sea Serpent, driven on rocks, but refloated. 1856, February 27—Father Thames, driven on rocks, but refloated. Late ’sixties—s.s. Mullogh, sunk on bar, but refloated. Late ’sixties—Connayght Ranger, total wreck. Late ’sixties—s.s. Alma, stranded on rocks, but refloated (afterwards became a total wreck). Late ’sixties—Excelsior, stranded on rocks, but refloated. The wreck on the east side of Cave Rock, Mr Dale always understood, was that of the Connaught Ranger, and this is probably the vessel to which Mr Hines refers. The Excelsior came from Melbourne and traded to the Peninsula bays. She was stranded on the rocks at the Sumner bar. refloated and towed round to the east side of the Heathcote bridge, where she lay for some years till broken up. Mr James Penfold, who came from Melbourne in her, was the man who built the sod house on the eastern side of the bridge. This old house still has the walls standing.

‘‘ A DICTIONARY of To-day,” suggested by Mr J. B. Morton, the well-known' London writer:— Angel—a small dog. Autobiography—a book of gossip about other people. Clue—What the police find when they fail to arrest a criminal. Disarmament conversations between politicians about the next war. Economy—cutting down other people’s wages. Indispensable—anything anyone wants to sell you. Park—a space reserved for motor-cars. Prince—any exiled Russian. Fiasco—see Parliamentary Commissions. m 9 © TN ACCEPTING an appointment as a professional, B. J. Smith, jun., the brilliant young Auckland golfer, has followed in his father’s footsteps. Smith, who has been a member of the Akarana Club for some years, will compete in the New Zealand amateur golf championships at Titirangi before he takes up his appointment as professional to the Invercargill Club. Attired in white plus-fours, which are not uncommon in Auckland, Smith was a prominent figure at the New Zealand championships at Shirley in 1931. He is a stylish player with a good match temperament, and in view of his consistently good performances, he was unlucky to miss a place in the New Zealand team that visited Australia last year to compete for the KirkWindeyer Cup. 9 9 9 TTAVING achieved greatness with the A bat, the New Zealand Test cricketer, C. S. Dempster, has had further greatness thrust upon him by a football writer in the “ News of the World.” In a spirited moment the writer set his pen to paper and produced the following: —» C. S. Dempster, the New Zealand Test cricketer, who is at present playing for Blackpool, may turn out for the Fylde Rugby Union Club in the coming season. Dempster had a distinguished playing career as a full-back in New Zealand, where he played for his State and was one of the players considered for the English tour in 1926. Nepia, however, was preferred. Seeing that Dempster played Soccer and not Rugby, that there are no States in New Zealand, and that the English tour was in 1924-5 and not in 1926, some doubt may be created in the minds of readers as to what Dempster’s intentions really arc.

JJOLSHEVIKS, having spent much of their loot, are now indefatigable in their pursuit of all possible treasure, says the London “ Truth.” There have, of course, long been many legends of priceless hoards and surprises to be found in the tombs of the Czars, rivalling, perhaps, those of the Pharaohs. So the Soviets appointed a commission to plunder and desecrate. Alexander 111. was torn out of his silver coffin, reft of priceless rings and ornaments, then flung into a deal chest and a nameless grave. Nicholas I. and Alexander 11. were treated in the same way, and much plunder was found in the coffin of Catherine 11. The face of Czar Paul, it was known, had been covered with a gold and jewelled mask to cover the terrible mutilations inflicted by his murderers, but this was found to have been stolen already. Perhaps the most dramatic discovery was that of the empty coffin of Alexander 1., apparently confirming the general belief that he arranged a mock funeral for himself and ended his days peacefully in private life. It will be interesting to see what happens to the glorified corpse of Lenin in the event of a counter-revolution. 3F ® CIXTY YEARS AGO (from the “Star” of October 4. 1873) : Mr Plimsoll.—Mr Plimsoll met with an enthusiastic reception at Bristol recently. The sailors understand and appreciate the work he has in hand, even though the shipowners refuse to do so. hon. gentleman was escorted through the streets by a procession of sailors and trade representatives, 15,000 strong. Addressing a public meeting in Colston Hall in the evening, he said if Mr Gladstone would not help them, they must get someone else w'ho would, but he chained the whole responsibility upon the Premier, who held complete control over his Cabinet. The New Zealand University.—On the 10th instant a return was laid upon the table of the House of Representatives, to a resolution agreed to on August 20, on the motion of Mr Bradshaw', “ That with a view to ascertaining without doubt the exact status of the New- Zealand University, the Government be requested to lay on the table of this House the opinion of the Attorney-General on the following point: Whether the requirements of the New Zealand University Act, 1870. are complied with while the University is without professors, officers, servants, students, etc.’’