ITEMS OF INTEREST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 65, 18 April 1944, Page 3

ITEMS OF INTEREST

March Road Fatalities Eleven jjeople 'were Killed in ten fatal roacl accidents throughout New Zealand in March, compared with 15 in the corresponding month last year. They were four motor drivers, three pedestrians, two cyclists, one motor cyclist and one passenger. Seven of the deaths occurred after dark. Sheep and Men "Does it take four years: to learn to cut hair?" was a question asked by Mr V. W. Simms at the sit.tlitog of the No. 4 Armed Forces Appeal Board recently. The question arose out of a statement that, a young man engaged in hairdressing, who was being appealed for, was due to complete his four years' apprenticeship this month. "Why it takes considerably less than that to learn to shear a sheep," was Mr Simms' concluding comment.

"How Are You, General?"

An interesting reference to Lieu-tenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C., is made in a recent letter from a driver serving with the New Zealand Army in Italy. Writing of the arrival of a troopship which Avas met: by Lieutenant-Gen-eral Freyberg, the soldier say s: "When they recognised their leader some of the boys yelled out, 'How are you, general.' Lieutenant-Gen-eral Freyberg grinned and waved back like a big schoolboy."

Heavyweig[ht Potato

A product of digging for victory on Stewart Island is a potato, 11 inches long and six inches wide at its broadest point, and weighing 3 lb loz. The potato was grown by Mr Thomas Bragg, of Stewart Island. Many other well-developed specimens of vegetables and plant life have been sent to the Southland Times from the island, where the fertility of the soil and conditions generally seem to foster the growth of plant life.

Freak Sheep

A freak sheep was noted in a line which was slaughtered at the Kaiti freezing works. The animal had three hooves on one leg, but was otherwise normal. The three hooves were all fully developed, and had been used by the sheep. The veterinary officer in Gisborne, Mr R. E. Alexande, stated that the presence of a second hoof on the one leg was rot very uncommon, hut a third was most unusual. He had sent the specimen to Wellington.-—Her-ald. John McCormack Retires A report from London states that after a severe illness John McCormack, the Irish tenor, has decided to retire, and will probably never be heard in public again. Since the. Avar began he has resided for most of the timj in London and has sung on many occasions to soldiers. McCormack, Avho is 60 years of age, mode his debut at Covent Garden in 1907, since when he has: been heard all over the world. Some 25 3'ears ago he sang in grand opera with Melba, in Australia, and later gave concerts in Wellington and Auckland en route to America.

The Disappearing - Trick

It is related in; the coffee houses of Prague that two Germans met and the following conversation took place: The. first German said: "Conditions in Germany now are very bad. Once we had real law and order in the Yaterland, but now? Listen, yesterday I left my satchel in the railway station for a few moments only to find upon my return that it was gone," "That is nothing compared with my experience," said the other German. "One Aveek ago I also left my satchel in the railway station for a few moments, only to find upon my return that both the satchel and the station ■were

gone."

Manpower and Wesjtfield'

The following clipping, taken from rt farming journal, has been handed to the press for publication: "When a skilled radio operator, engaged on essential work, was directed a fortnight ago by the manpower authorities to the Wcstfield freezing works, and his appeal came before the Auckland Manpower Committee, the manpower officer's representative, Mi> R. Lydford, sakl that Wcstfield was in a serious position as regards labour, and that the direction should be upheld. In case the appeal was allowed." The journal added the following comment: "What about sending some of Auckland's army of illegal bookmakers along to Westfield? They have had any amount of experience of skinning the poor punter: how about giving them a chance to skin a sheep or two, for a change."