Local & General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 73, 26 July 1948, Page 4

Local & General

Out Of Mint Coin Found An English four shilling piece ’ minted in 1911 with the heads of the late King George sth and Queen Mary on one side and the same design on the other face as the present day half crown was found by Mr G. Brassey, of Whakatane, when he was digging a garden at his home. Application For Empire Games With the probability of Government assistance being available in the event of a successful application, the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association rat Wellington decided to confirm its application for the 1950 Empire Games to be held in the Dominion. Black Market Counter British police are enforcing a scheme to prevent private motorists from using commercial petrol bought in the black market. Commercial petrol will be dyed red. Any private motorist found with red petrol in his tank will be put off the road for a year. Motorists will have to keep a petrol buying record on forms to be available at post offices. Saucy Retort Two snpwy-haired old ladies jouncing along in an antiquated automobile through York, Pa., made an illegal turn. The traffic cop had to blow his whistle- vigorously and repeatedly before they came to a stop. “Didn’t you hear my whistle, lady?” he asked. Wide-eyed and innocent, one little lady looked at him. “Yes, indeed,” she said, “but I never flirt while driving.” The amazed cop waved them on with a grin. l Candid Bookmaker “Occupation . . . Bookmaker.” -Thus openly and unafraid did Mr George Conners describe himself on the list of passengers who arrived at Auckland from Sydney by Skymaster. “It’s legal in Australia,” pointed out Mr Conners gently when it was hinted that New Zealanders v/ere unaccustomed to see their turf commissioners acknowledge their profession so boldly. He had, he added, simply come over with his wife for a three months’ holiday. He agreed that he might occasionally visit the races but disclaimed any ambition to set up a stand here. “I know what it’s like—l’ve been, here before,” he explained gloomily. Playing ‘Possum’ Amusing—to the layman at least —was the opinion of a legal adviser forwarded to the Electric Power Board and Supply Authorities’ Association which was read at the monthly meeting of the Wairoa Electric Power Board. The board had written inquiring as to its liability to pay compensation for the loss of a cow killed by a falling electric power line. This line had been caused to fall by a tampering opossum on the cross-arm. The reply, inter alia, stated that the board would be liable to pay damages if the cow’s owner could prove negligence on the part of the board in that it was known that the opossum was on the cross-arm. .