BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 128, 28 February 1928, Page 10

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR

Sports Postponed—The evening meeting of the Lower Hutt Amateur Athletic Club, which was to have taken Pl ac ° last night, was postponed. It will b® held on Friday.

New Destroyers for Britain. —The Admiralty announces that it has placed contracts for eight destroyers.—A.l’.A. and “Sun.”

Children Die After Eating Watermelon. —Two children aged three years and eighteen months, sons of Mrs. Costick, of Wybong, New South Wales, died from gastric enteritis after eating watermelon. —Press Assn.

Driving Licenses.—Motor-car and vehide drivers are notified that the issue of new licenses for the year 1928-29 will be made at the Concert Chamber (lown Hall), as from March 19. The new registration number plates will also be issued by the Government from the Concert Cli amber.

Cyclists in Camp.—A successful weekend camp at Faekakariki was organised by the Cyclists’ Touring Club. A large number of members turned out on Saturday, including a detachment from the Hutt Valley, who proceeded by way of Haywards and I’aliautanui. and joined the others on the Main North Road. An enjoyable lime was spent at I’aekakariki, and ideal weather prevailed throughout.

Sleep Walker Injured.—Alexander Wallis Hare, a delegate to the Fire Brigade Conference, at New Plymouth, when sleep walking on Sunday night, fell over Hie fire escape at the Grosvenor Hotel, anil was removed to the hospital. His injuries, it is undertood, aro not very serious, but may confine him to bis bed for four or five days.—Press Assn.

Over the Century Mark. —Mrs. S. J. Ilayzen, of Canterbury, England, _ has celebrated her hundred and first birthday, She participated in the gold rush in 1852, when she went to Australia in a windjammer, the voyage taking six months—in striking contrast with Hinkler’s record.—Press Assn.

Danger to Navigators.—The Secretary, General Post Office, advises that the following warning message has been broadcast by .Sydney Radio ; “S.S. Coolana reports 11 a.m.. February 24, passed number of logs and driftwood, dangerous to navigation, lat. 3*2 39 S-, long, 152 29, east.’*

Swedish Labour Dispute.—The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times’* states that owing to the deadlock in the pulp industry dispute the employers in allied industries, including paper mills, have locked out their employees until the dispute is settled. The decision affects 57.000 workers, including 13,000 paper mill employees.—“ The Times."

Capital Punishment in England.—ln the House of Commons. Sir William Joynson-Hicks, in answer to a question, said that he was not. considering ths abolition of capital punishment. The latest figures showed no increase in tho number of murders with firearms. — A.P.A. and “Sun.”

Princess Mafalda Disaster.—A Rome message states that the Marine Inquiry Court into the disaster to the Princinessa Mafalda in October last found that the disaster must be attributed to defective workmanship in certain parts of the mechanism for closing the watertight compartments.—A.P.A. and “Sun.”

Mystery of Unclaimed Machine-gun Parts.—The unclaimed macliine-guii parts found at St. Gothard, which have' been the cause of international trouble/ were sold as scrap iron for £69. The purchasers agreed at the request of the Hungarian State railways not to remove the Jois pending a League of Nations inquiry.—Press Assn.

Lower Hutt Street Lighting.—"l do hope this rain has readied Mangahao. If it has we shall have street lighting as usual.- But ■ do not wish to harass the Power Board, and I know the people will have patience,” said. Mr, W. T. Strand at Hie meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council last night. ’*Wa are not as badly off as some districts,” lie added.

Dame Nellie Melba.—After spending a very enjoyable holiday in Honolulu, Dame Nellie Melba is returning to Australia by the Niagara. So delighted was she with the charms of the Islands that she purchased a cottage at Honolulu, and hopes' to spend many happy days there. She was greatly looking forward, she said, to coming to New Zealand with a company later in the year, reports our special correspondent at Auckland.

Primary School Syllabus.—A conference of primary school inspectors will he held to-day in the Parliamentary Buildings, commencing at 10 a.m. An opening address will be delivered by the Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright). The chief object of tlie conference is to deal with the drafting of a new syllabus for the primary schools, and incidentally consideration will ba given the report of the Syllabus Revision Commit lee.