In the Dominion

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 258, 1 November 1932, Page 11

In the Dominion

Scare Headlines. 44 A Town Moved Inches,” 44Earthquake Havoc in New Zealand,” 4 ‘Shocks Every Five Minutes,” are the big black headlines appearing in the London Daily Mail regarding the recent earthquake at Wairoa.

Charges for Tools. “Threepence per week for a shovel? That’s ridiculous!” said Mr. J. Macdonald at tho Birkenhead Borough Council. The subject under discussion was the charges made by the Public Works Department for the lending of tools, about whfch the Birkenhead borough had made inquiry. Threepence a month would be more equitable, he thought. 44 Is the Public Works Department becoming a moneylending department?” he asked. Horse In Difficulties.

A Maori horse was found grazing on the Te Poi tennis courts last week with the door handle of a car firmly embedded in its nose, states the Thames Star. The poundkeeper from Matamata was called out, and with assistance from residents the horse was caught and the handle pulled out. It would appear that the horse was grazing on the road at night when it was struck by the car. It is stated that the owner of a local «car missed the handle from one of his doors after returning home one night, and had no knowledge as to how it came to be lost. Interesting Event.

The dignified and unromantic chamber of the House of Representatives on Friday afternoon witnessed the birth of something more tangible than political policy or forensic oratory, in the shape of a litter of kittens. The proud mother is Bellamy’s favourite domestic pct, and the big event occurred in a corner near the rear of the chamber which is curtained off for the visitors. Unprotestingly, the cat and her offspring were removed by an orderly to more suitable nursing quarters.

Phar Lap’s Hide. The stuffed hide of Phar Lap, the famous ravehorse, who recently died in California, has been shipped at San Francisco for Australia. Phar Lap died on Mr. E. D. Perry’s stock farm, Mento Park, California, in April last, presumably from arsenate of lead, which it was thought he took into bis system with grass taken from the vicinity of trees which had been sprayed with the poison.

A Miracle Man? The statement by the driver of a heavy-type service car that he was able to operate for an all-in cost of 3.3 d per mile caused some incredulity at a sitting of the Transport Appeal Board at Whangarei last week. 4 4 Unless he is a miracle man, I don’t know how he can do it. I would like to get a few tips from him,” said Mr. Justice Frazer. Subsequently it was ascertained that the accountant, in coiV piling the costing sheet, had inadvertently omitted to include a substantial account for repairs.

Gisborne-Opotiki Highway. The district agent for the Auckland Automobile Association at Gisborne, Mr. G. Crawshaw, who is visiting Auckland, advises that the construction of the three bridges near Otoko, on the Gisborne-Opotiki highway, is well in hand, the driving of the piles being almost completed. It. is expected that the bridges will be open for traffic by Christmas. They will complete the all-weather access from Gisborne to the north.

Culling Deer. Over 600 deer have already been shot by the two parties of cullers operating for the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. One party has just moved from the Mathias country into the head of the Rakaia, where deer are plentiful. The other party is in the Algidus region. The skins of some of the big stags have gone as much as 9|lb dry weight, the average of the skins being about 4}lb. The men should secure a satisfactory return for the hides, at the Government’s bonus rate of Is 4d a lb dry weight.

Unappreciative Public. 4 ‘l cannot help feeling that some social services aro "being taken too muvh for granted by the public,” said Mrs. A. M. Bisley, of Hamilton, at the annual conference of Auckland branches of the Plunket Society on Friday. She quoted as an instance the fact that at the Waikato Show the society had arranged a rest room for mothers and a creche for babies. For a week six of the committee members worked each day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and at the end of the week the sum of 2s lOd was found in the vollection box.

Jurors and their Duties. Two men summoned to act as jurors in the Supreme Court in Christchurch last week were exempted from service on the grounds that they conducted single-handed businesses, which would have to be closed in their absence. Tho manager of a large hardware establishment asked for exemption, claiming that his staff was depleted owing to the depression, in consequence of which he vould not very well be spared. He added that he had given a good deal of his time to public work. The application was refused.

A Diver’s “Catch.” When Harbour Board officials were taking .soundings on the western side of the Central wharf on Friday afternoon. the lead line they were using fouled some obstruvtion. A grapnel was lowered and an attempt was made to pull the obstruction to the surface, but without result. Next morning the board’s diver went down to investigate, and made a successful 44 catch,” four pieces of bar and flat iron, which had fallen from some unknown vessel discharging at the berth, were 20ft. In length, and the fourth piece was longer. From tho number of mussels attached to the iron, it was obvious that they had been in the water for some time.