NEWS OP THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 152, 24 December 1929, Page 8

NEWS OP THE DAY

Questions in Court,

When giving evidence in a divorce case at the Nelson Supremo Court the other day, a polico constable asked Mr Justice Ostler whethor he must answer a certain question. His Honour directed that he should. Afterwards his Honour explained that a document taken by a constable for his suporior oflicer was privileged, as it was for the detection of crime and in the public lutorest. But no policeman, any more than anyone else or a judge himself, was privileged from answering a question as to facts which came to his knowledge. The interests of justice were paramount, and Judges as well as °ucstion Cs° Uld be com PeUed t0 answer

Remember Poor Pussy.

.T'"l s-p;p-A. is appealing to owners of cats and dogs not to neglect their animals by leaving thun unattended over the holidays. In tho past the society's inspector, has investigated numerous cases where cruelty has been caused to animals as a result of owners going away without making arrangements for the animals to be fed, and°it is hoped that a reminder will impress upon people the necessity of making adequate provision for their animals.

Village Well and Great War.

An amusing story of his experiences in India was related to a Morrinsvillc audience recently by Mr. S. N. Ziman. When the war broke out it became necessary for Englishmen to explain to the simple Indian villagers the reason for Britain's entry into tho conilict. On one occasion, after Mr. Ziman had tried to explain to the natives what tho war was all about, he asked if there were any questions. With a splendid disregard for foreign affairs, ono old villager inquired, "Sahib, what we want to know is when, are you going to repair our village well?" That, Mr. Ziman added, was the attitude taken up by many people' in the matter of international peace.

A Slip of the Tongue.

A slip of the tongue on the part of Dr. Hugh Douglas (formerly of Masterton) while speaking at the Hamilton High School break-up ceremony cr.used great amusement. "People are continually passing the Cenotaph in Whitehall," ho said, "and as they pass, off conies every man's head." The remark was appreciated, as the i doctor had just finished speaking of the statue of Charles I. gazing towards the scene of his execution.

Both Wanted Work,

A man and his wife called at a! house in an Auckland suburb recently but in search of work. The woman said they had not tasted meat for the past three, weeks. She was willing to wash, iron, darn, or clean the house, and the man offered to do any work in the garden. He said it was better to go out ant] hunt for work than wait for a job at the Labour Bureau. Fortunately three lawns wanted cutting, so the man got a few hours' work to help him along.

After the Big Ones.

The deep-sea angling season at the Bay of islands is in full swing and some good catches haVo already been i-ecovded. Amongst tho successful anglers have been Mr. and Mrs. H.-C. Parr, of England, who have had good sport off Cape Brett. Recently Mr. Parr hooked a fine mako which turned the scales at 350 pounds. This mouster proved to be a stubborn fighter, and it took an hour's hard work before rod and line won. On tho same day Mrs. Parr had her turn, and*experienced all the thrills that a deep-sea angler can hope for. Her prize was also a mako. This fish, oire of 237 pounds, was also a game fighter, and it took the lady angler over half an hour before the fish could be brought alongside the launch to receive its final coup do grace. Both anglers were warmly congratulated when they returned with their prizes to Otehei Bay. The jaws are to be mounted and shipped to England as trophies, whilst it is Mrs. Parr's intention to preserve the skins with a view, to having shoes and other articles made from them.

Subsidised Road Works.

A warning to local bodies against accepting tenders for works subsidised by tho Main Highways Board without first obtaining the approval of the board is contained in a circular letter to such bodies from the Public Works Department. In future, tho letter states, tho recommendations of tho local bodies concerned must be sent to tha Department, with a list of all tenders received, before final action is taken. In all cases the approval of the Highways Board must be obtained to the appointment of the clerk of works on any contract, and the full qualifications of any man proposed to be appointed must be submitted. This letter came before the Upper Hutt Borough Council last night, but was merely "received," the Mayor (Mr. P. Robertson) stating that it did not affect the borough, as there were no subsidised works at present in progress.

Aerodrome Charges.

■■ Further amendments to the bylaws for tho control of the Eongotai "aovodromo were adopted at a brief special meeting of tho City Council yesterday afternoon. Charges for admission are fixed at one shilling for adults and sixpence for children, but power is given the council to fix any other or additional chtavge for admission to stands' or enclosures on particular occasions. Another new clause- prohibits tho sale or delivery of petrol at the- aerodrome except with tho consent of the City Council.

Mr. Murray Fuller at Okawa,

Mr. Murray Fuller, who, as mentioned in "The Post" last Tuesday, suffered great misfortune by the wreck of the Manuka, losing the bulk of tho extremely valuable collection of British pictures ho was bringing to the Dominion for exhibition purposes, is now at Okawa, watching the wreckage- come ashore. Especially Btrong cases, costing about £300, wore made for the pictures, and Mr. Fuller hopes that at least a few paintings may como ashore undamaged. However, Mrs. Fuller has received a letter from Mr. Fuller in which he statos that so far those pictures which have been washed up are so badly knocked about through the cases being smashed open and then .dragged through the sand that ho has small hopo of being able to salvage any of them. If the cases could only reach shore undamaged there- might be a chance of saving the contents, as possibly the effect on the paintings of immersion in salt water could be rectified by skilful treatment. It has been re-

ported that some of tho pictures have beeii pilfered, in which case there may bo some chance of ultimate recovery.

C.T.s Charity Efforts,

The practical sympathy of tho Wol-

lington Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association with various charity efforts is again manifested in tho annual report for the past year. As the result of MJoy Night No. 8," a mock court, and a street day, £500 was distributed to Wellington hospitals, homes, and orphanages, and the sum of

£.200 went to. the Commercial Travelleva' and Warehousemen's Blind Soldiers' and Sailors' Fund. The surplus plus interest of New Zealand Government Inscribed Stock was invested, making a ttoal reserve fund for charities of £3650. Recently the president (Mr. Arthur Jacobs) and his assistants maintained the standard of previous efforts with Joy Night No. J>. The sums of £5372 and £1000 havo been distributed for children's Christmas cheer, and for the Blind Soldiers' and Sailors' Fund respectively since the association's charity fund was inaugurated. As the result of an appeal to help tho sufferers from the disastrous earthquake some months ago, the sum of £287 13s 6i* was handed over to the Mayor's Earthquake Relief Fund. Blind soldiers or their dependents were assisted in some form or other by the association during the past year to the oxtont of £517 15s sd. In addition, tho association's choir aird orchestra gave successful concerts in aid of charities and for the benefit of the inmates of various institutions.

The Parking Problem,

"I am firmly of the opiuion that ears should bo allowed to be parked nnywhero except in the main street." siiid Mr. ¥. H. Blundell at a meeting of the Taranaki Automobile Association last week. "The whole question of parking is a nightmare, and is becoming worso and worse every day," said Mr. F. Amoore, a member of tho New Plymouth Borough Council. <

"Considered by Cabinet."' Asked by a Christchurch "Press" reporter on Monday to express an opinion on the future policy of the Eailway Department regarding the protests of churches against the running of Sunday excursions, tho Hon. Mr. Taverner, Minister of Railways, said that tho whole matter had been considered by Cabinet, and was now entirely out ci bis bands.

A Disappointment,

A few months ago tho Christchurch branch of tho Plunket Society forwarded to a dealer in England eighteen cases of silver paper, which local citizens had generously helped to collectNews has just been received that the dealer's factory in which the cases wero stored has been destroyed by fire, and nearly all the silver paper burned. The collecting, sorting, and cutting of the paper had entailed a groat amount of work on the part of the sub-com-mittee, who hoped that the financial result would amply repay them for their trouble. They were greatly distressed at the news, especially as the society has urgent need of additional funds.

Hare Smashes "Windscreen.

An accident with unusual features befell a J?atea resident when motoring at Whenuakura the other day. Maoris were working in paddocks adjacent to tho road, and their dogs had been searching the gorse for hares, of which there are large numbers in the locality. Ono haro .rushed into the roadway in the path of the car, and endeavoured to avoid being run down by leaping into tho air, but it crashed through the windscreen. The driver was showered, with flying fragments of glass, but was unhurt. The haro was killed instantaneously.