LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20388, 31 December 1937, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Year’s Day.—Saturday being New Year's Day, the Waikato Times will not be published. The weekly supplement will appear 10-day (Friday), on which night the offlee will be open for the convenience of advertisers between 7 and 8.30 o’clock.

December Fires Increase. The Hamilton Fire Brigade received eleven calls during December. These comprised tw r o property fires, one chimney fire, six grass flre-s and two false alarms maliciously given. In December, 1936, eight outbreaks occurred.

Oldest Named Street In Australasia. —Pitt Street, Sydney, is the oldest named street In Australasia. George Street, Sydney, is older, but was not so called till 1812. Pitt Street was named in 1807.

Duke of Windsor Denies Report.— The Duke of Windsor’s equerry at Cannes states that a report that the Duchess Is expecting a happy event in the first quarter of 1938 Is “ entirely without foundation.”

Heavy Betting In Britain.—The committee on gambling of the Christian Social Council, surveying the year's betting in Great Britain, estimates the annual turnover to have been between £350,000,000 and £500,000,000.

Health In Royal Navy.—The high standard of health in the British Navy was exemplified In the new low record for Invalidity attained In 1935, for 1 which an analysis of the complete health statistics has Just been published.

British Retail Trade Better. —Tho value of retail trade In Britain in November was 7.1 per cent higher than a year ago. Stocks were valued at 5.6 per cent more. Employment was 3.1 per cent greater.

Bowling at Auokland.—Playing In the post section rounds of the Auckland Bowling Centre's annual tournament J. Connew, W. Blair, V; Platt and G. Smith, of Glen Massey, were narrowly defeated in the first round by 19 to 14.

A Lucky Find.:—A woman resident of Hamilton during Christmas week lost an envelope containing a pound note on the pedestrian bridge at the Frankton Railway Junction. The following day her sister was walking over the bridge when she noticed an envelope lying at one side and upon opening it she found it contained the lost pound note. In spite of the hundreds of holiday makers w'ho passed over the bridge, the envelope had not been picked up.

Mechanised Armies and Oxen.—A curious contrast of life in the Austrian Tyrol forcibly Impressed a Christchurch visitor, Mr W. P. McKay. Farms were tilled by the most obsolete method's —at one place he saw a horse and an ox yoked together to the plough—and no use at v all seemed to be made of scientific mechanical aids to farming. Most of the people seen in the fields were old, the youth of the nation apparently being away at soldiering, or in the national camps. The contrast lay In seeing whole armies, mechanised to the last word in modern army practice, on the same roads that bisected farms worked by such old-fashioned methods.

Elderly Woman’s Death.—At the inquest concerning the death of Mrs Elizabeth Boon, of Palmerston North, an elderly woman, who died as the result of a bone sticking la her throat, the coroner, Mr A. J. Graham, closely questioned the house surgeon as to why the operation of tracheotomy was not performed. The witness stated that the X-ray examination showed that there w r as ample air passage and such an operation was not necessary nor warranteq. “ 1 do not want to comment on the hospital treatment, althouyh I feel a little bit uneasy, but possibly there are good reasons why a although I feel a little bit uneasy, but said the coroner, at the conclusion of an inquest.

A Travel Party.—There is a possibility that a party of up to 50 members under the auspices of the Workers’ Travel Association, Limited, will visit New Zealand towards the end of 1938. The High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, with Government officers in London, has discussed the proposal with the- chairman of the association, Mr J. W. Bowen, the general manager, Mr E. W. Wimble, and the assistant general manager, Mr Creech Jones, M.P., and it is now under consideration. The association organises tours on a large scale both within England and overseas.

Intruder In the Chicken Pen.— Blackbirds are “game." Anyone who doubts it should have seen the fight the one put up ttiat got into the Christmas roosters’ pen, says the Wanganui Herald. For a while the two threequarter grown young Leghorns stared at the intruder, and then they both attacked him. But the blackbird did not take it lying own. He flew savagely at the larger birds, pecking their heads and pulling feathers out of them. Weight and numbers being much against him, he probably would have got a rougn time if the housewife, hearing a rumpus, hadn’t come to his rescue. On her entry to the scene the blackbird flew off. minus some of his tail feathers and obviously sorry he had been tempted bv the dainties of the chicken pen. A great sale of dress goods commencing the New Year on Tuesday at, Hooker and Kingston’s. Four "big groupings of materials comprising ginghams, silks, crepes, fancy linens, and other interesting fabrics, and all this season's latest goods. Prices almost cut in halves and ranging from llid to Is lld yard. See the windows and how cheaply you ran get a new dress. A McCall pal tern recognised as the best pattern on the market will help you cosiderably. \s lliese values are extraordinary eariv purchasing is advised. Hooker and Kingston. Ltd., for better values always.***

Mail In London.—Mails which left Auckland on November 30 via the Van-

couver service, arrived in London on December 29.

Currency In London.—Fine gold wis quoted in London yesterday at £6 19s 6d an ounce (£6 19s 6£d on Wednesday), the dollar at 4.99 13-16 (4.99 11-16) and the franc at 147 7-32 (147 9-32).

Reunited at the Look-up—Two brothers met for the first time in 25 years when they were arrested and taken to the Christchurch police station last evening. The men were arrested for drunkenness in different parts of the city and taken to the station in two taxis which happened to arrive at the same time. It was then that the police were surprised to hear the two men greet each other as brothers, who had not met for aquarter of a century.

Intoxicated Motorist. —At Kawhia yesterday before Messrs H. H. E. Watts and G. McD. Robertson. J’s.P., P. J. Neustroski was fined £2O, in default one month’s imprisonment for being intoxicated whilst in charge of a car. His license was cancelled for two years. The charge was the outcome of an accident on Christmas Eve, but Neustroski was unable to appear earlier as lie suffered injuries when his car fell over a 30ft. bank. Two passengers had miraculous escapes from serious injury.

Light Falls in Hospital.—When the electric power suddenly failed at 11.15 p.m. on Sunday, an appendicitis operation at the Waimate Hospital was completed with the aid of electric torches. The operation was successfully carried out by Dr. A. G. Pitts and the patient is reported to be making a good recovery. With the theatre in darkness it was discovered that the stand-by 6-volt battery was flat, and a number of electrio torches were hastily requistioned.

Pugnacious Sparrows.—lt Is a common sight to see sparrows fighting, but It is not often that .the antagonists will continue their aggression until touched by a human hand. A Wanganui resident, walking along a suburban pavement last evening was attracted by two birds fighting furiously on the path. The man approached quite close to the sparrows, but they did not show sign of ceasing hostilities. It was not until he touched one of the birds that they flew off.

Big Game Fishing.—The season’s deep-sea fishing has opened well on , the grounds off Mayor Island, four swordfish and a mako being caught , yesterday. Mr R. Beaumont, of Huntly, j, landed tho first swordfish of the sea- \ son. Its weight being 3641 b. The \ other swordfish were of 2231 b and , 2341 b, Swordfish were very numerous and acres of schoolflsh were seen , breaking the surface. A 32ft. launch to be known as Waiinarea was launched yesterday from C. T. MiUett's , yard at Tauranga. The boat, originally the Elsma, of Auckland, has been reconstructed, She will be used by her owner, Mr T. G. Reynolds, of Hamilton, for deep-sea fishing off Mayor Island.

A Brave Aot.—According to The Albertan, an li-year-old school safety patrolman at Detroit, who saved two pupils and then flattened himself between railroad tracks while a train thundered over him on October 18, was awarded an American Legion gold medal for valour. The medallist, William Chundrlik, was hustling the two pupils across the track when his heel became caught in a railroad tie. He pushed them to safety, pulled out of the shoe and “pancaked” into the roadbed just ahead of a train. He w-as unhurt'. “Sure I was scared,” the boy said. “I knew’ the train would hit me If I didn’t get under it right. I just kind of made myself thin and prayed.”