NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1932, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Rangitikei Election Petition. The- date for the hearing 'of the Bangitikei election petition has not yet been "definitely fixed. It is understood that there may be some interlocutory proceedings before the trial. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) and Mr. Justice Eeed tvill presido at the hearing. Eival Ambulances. The Hon. G. J. Smith, M.L.C., who was elected patron at a recent meeting of the Christchureh Free Ambulance Society, has declined the office (states "The Press"). Mr. Smith stated that, while appreciating the honour of election, he must decline the office on the ground that he was a supporter of the St. John Ambulance Association. "Socfctrarn" or "Wigram"? A suggestion by Mr. F. Thbmpson, general manager of the Christchureh Tramway Board, that the namej of the suburb of Sockburn be changed to Wigram was considered by the executive of the Canterbury Progress League on. Wednesday, and referred to the Paparua County : Council for consideration (states the "Christchureh Times"). Mr. Thompson, who .made his suggestion by letter, stated that such a course would be a recognition of the public, services of Sir Henry Wigram in the cause *of aeronautics. The recent additional gift of land to the country gave greater emphasis to the suggestion. "I am unable to discover the origin or meaning of the word Sockburn or whether it has any significance. If there is none, the case for a change of name is oven stronger," he stated. Mr. G. Maginness, representing the Paparua ' County Council, said the suburb of Sockburn was called after the homestead which once stood on what is now the site of the abattoirs. The namo was attached to the district just as that of the Beans' estate, Biccarton, had come to mean the whole of that suburb. While recognising Sir Henry's services to the public, the County Council was apt to look at gifts of land to the Crown as a loss in rates, Mr. Maginness said. Ihe gaol, which is a trading institution and the asylum, are both within our territory, and we are apt to loot a little bit sideways at these institu" euphonious name than Sockburn, and he believed that the council would eive serious consideration to the suggestion! A Fish Story. This fish story differs from some other fish stories, in that it is true says the "Auckland Star." One of the amateur fishermen in Auckland who believe that fish are to be caughf off the Auckland wharves, was rewarded by catching ono reasonably-sized snapper_ off Prince's wharf. He caught it in the morning, and fired by his success, determined that the whole of the day would see him at his post. He thought that ho. ought to make provision for the preservation of his catch, so, through acquaintance with the powers that be on one of the ships lying alongside that wharf, he arranged that the fish he had caught should be placed in their cooler. Another of his friends had seen the catch, and he also went to the freezer, and came out with a smile on his face. That afternoon the owner of the snapper went to the cooler, took the parcel, out of which stuck an unniistakable tail, and went home to show it to his wife. Shortly after his friend went to the samo spot and collected another parcel—the fish minus the tail. As ho went home to tell his wife of the much larger one that he had got to the surface and then missed, he reflected how easy it was to fool a man with a fish's tail nailed on to a small piece of wood.

Like a Bacehorse. Tho most impressive thing about the fire at Rolleston on Wednesday was tho speed at which it travelled over tho ground (states the "'Christcliurch Times"). There was a north-westerly gale blowing, and this, with the dry state of tho grass and gorse, made the outbreak very dangerous. The lire leaped across a chain road, and as one resident remarked, "flew along like a racehorse.'' Shrovetide. Shrovetide, the name given to the days immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, which falls on 10th February, was, in ancient times, a period of preparation for the penitential time of Lent. To-morrow is Shrove Sunday, and Shrove Tuesday ("pancake day") falls on 9th February. The name of Shrovetide was retained in England after the Reformation, although the practice of shriving was abandoned. The duty of confession having been fulfilled, the faithful, upon the eve of entering upon the Lent, were allowed to give themselves up to amusements f.nd to festive celebrations. In England football, cock-fighting-, bull-bait-ing, etc.,' were long recognised usages of Shrovetide. Even at the present day festive banquets are still represented by pancakes and fritters from which Pancake Tuesday took its name. The Mardi Gras of France is held on Shrove Tuesday. It is a popular festival at New Orleans.