Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 280, 7 March 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Chinese Scholar's Success. J. Hoc, a 17 year old Chinese pupil of Wanganui Collegiate School who has won a university bursary this year, is one of three members of the same family who gained matriculation last year. The other two were his sisters Ruby and Patricia. Their parents are Mr and Mrs J. Hoc, Swiss Avenue. J. Hoe was 147 th in the list of 209 bursary awards. The Hope far Democracy. The hope for Democracy is the victory of those Powers which believe in our way of life and in a peace that really assures the principles of free enterprise throughout the world; the re-opening of the trade routes, the re-establisli-mcnt of the open markets, anil the re-birth of the confidence of men in one another. —Wendell Wilkie. Research on Milking Machines. Research work on milking machines is being done at the Animal Research Station, Wallaceville, where experiments are being concluded, to determine the possible effect of various adjustments in the operation of milking machines in the production of mastitis. Investigations are also being made Into the relative efficiency of the different types of accessories available. What Difference ? A conscientious objector was askr ed by the Crown representative to define why he declined to give service actively in non-combatant units, when he did not object to paying taxes which were devoted to war purposes. Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining a reply. "Put. it to him this way," said the Bench. "Ask what is the,difference between murdering someone or paying someone else to do so."

The Chewing Gum Habit. Reference to the practice on the part of some people of spitting chewing gum on the street pavements was made at a meeting of the Wellington Citj r Council. The by-laws committee reported that the surfaces and pedestrian crossings, where a new type of brick finish flagging had been laid were severely discoloured by chewing gum. "This is not a nice habit," said Mr M. F. Luckie, "and it does not reflect credit on the citizens responsible." 1 Overseas Letters. A scheme has been formulated by the Post Office, whereby senders of letters to overseas destinations can be assured that duplicate copies of such letters will not go forward by the same mail as the originals, according to an announcement by the Postmaster-General, Mr P. C. Webb, recently. The sender must post the original and duplicate copies of the letter in separate envelopes, which must be endorsed "original" and "duplicate," respectively. The two letters must be sent by registered post and be posted at the same time, so that they will go to the final despatching point together. Sydney Reunion. Two brothers, who last saw each other in Glasgow 31 years ago, w-ere reunited in Sydney recently after a dispute in a taxi. O'ne was the driver and the other was the passenger. Both Scotsmen — Eldward Bell and Robert Bell*—lost track of each other before the last war and neither knew where the other was living. Edward Bell, who has been farming in Queensland for the last 15 years, arrived in Svdney and called a taxi to take him to the Wentworth Hotel. In George Street, the passenger told the driver that he was going the wrong way, and a dispute arose. Ke said —incorrectly—that the Wentworth was in Elizabeth Street. The driver asked him to show him his room ticket. When he examined it he found that his passenger was his brother.

"Into Thin Air." Two small areas of white clover crop cut for seed at Lincoln College disappeared during a nor-west-erly gale last Sunday. In reporting this loss to the board of the college, the director, Professor E. R. Hudson, said the aggregate area was eight to 10 acres. "The strange thing is that the crop didn't pile up against the fences/' he said. ''It simply disappeared." Mussolini Unpopular. "It is no exaggeration to say that* 75 per cent of the Italian people are now opposed to Mussolini's Government," said the Rev. C. W. Armstrong when speaking at the Miiddlesborough Laymen's Overseas luncheon early in November, ac-< cording to a report in the New Zealand Methodist Times. Until the war broke out,, 'Mr Armstrong was chairman of the Italian district. He said that despite the fact that Italy was at war with the Empire, Britain was still popular with the Italians. Many who had been with the Duee up to the point of ISis alliance with Hitler then deserted him in disgust.