NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1923, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

At the Wanganui court on Friday morning, a defendant witness in a breach of the peace action stated that included in their Bacchanalian party was Venus. A gasp of astonishment came Irom everybody in the austerelooking room (states tlie "Chronicle’') Yenu-7 Did one hear right) No, no. Venus was the name of a man, who win described as a comic-looking iellow, about live led. "It seems to mi'," remarked Hie Magistrate, "that il was a mixture of Venus ami Bacchus that night." All ministers know the importance oi selecting hymns appropriate to the occasion, hut sometimes it happen* (remarks the "Otago Daily Times") that the choice falls upon one that can only be de-i ribi il a- too appropriate. This was the experience ~f a subm-

hnn ,-oiign gal ion la -1 Sunday evening when the sudden heavy hailstorm 1 made .-uch a noise upon the root that the preacher cnuld scarcely make himself heard, lie decided to give way to the storm for a lew minutes and to cccttpy the interval with the singing of a hymn. The number ol the hymn j was duly announced, loit many ol the congregation pnTe failed to conceal their aniu-ement. when they found that the hymn they were being asked lo -ing was none other than "Lord I Hear of Showers of Blessing." The application of the words to the eir-i-uinsta in es required no enforcement Irom the preacher. A case ot enthusiasm in the game e) howls, which is probably Without parallel m the Dominion. was mentioned at the f’ieton Hospital Board's meeting (records ail exchange). It was stated that a local gentleman, who was handicapped hv a contracted linger recently went to his medical adviser, and asked that the olfending linger

he amputated, a- it interfered wiiJt his game ol bowls. The cpernMoti was accordingly -ueee--t ully performed, and the patient is now progressing lavotirahly. Members of the hoard were highly amused al -itch a -portstinnilikc action- being undertaken, and one -; 11 ,1 "ii showed what some sports would undergo for I lie sake of howls." I her suggested thal the amputation would inleiTeie with 1 lie bowler's bin.'.

"I do not know the rapaeilv if Hie-e "11am11 e- ’ oi beer. nor the strength of t lie hquor," -aid Mr .lns-in-e Stringer when hearing an assault j ea-e. in which drink figured. in the i Auckland Supreme (nurt. Ili- llon- ! our expres-ed the opinion 1 hat live j "handle-" in the eout-e oi an evening, consumed .by u waterside lahmirer <-u----geged in strong physical work during Ihe day, would uol upset hi- equilibrium very much. Still, be did not know, but perhap- some of the jurv did. He did not think, however, that counsel had a light lo a-siion that l ---- cause a man had consumed live “handles" of beer in tlie cour-e ol an evening he was under the influence of liquor. "New Zealand 11, raid." The cause of the model 11 boy was ably championed by M.r .1. Armstrong. headmaster of the local school, at the IVvnnporl "l-’alher and Son" banquet on Wednesday uiglil Against llm-e dctraeior- of modern, youth who averred that the boy of the present was -mailer than bis pi'nti.iyp, of a pa-t generai'un, and was worse in In- manner- and liubil s. Mr A rnisl rung wa- prepared t" pit. hi- | inat it red opinion, based on forty year-j experieiiei’ of iniinuite association with met- | urn young New Zealanders. "Roys and girls are pretty well the same as they were thirty year- ago," declared Mr Armstrong: -their liehaviour i- id, 'll I iea I. and a- for llieiri sil would iinlie-italingly refute j the possihilit v i-i the taee degrnerai - j in; into clwarts and pigmie-. tor my I I'ceollect ion rat ! io; me hack to ether bin's who a.- men w, r,. admired on the bait!,-lields of Europe a- line spueimens of humanity. In comparison with these and with all v.lm went before them the boy ~! I lie present day is every hit as big and a- good. [ have ihe highest hopes lor even 11 it' hoys oi the present year," declared Mr Armstrong, amid great applau-c. "Auckland Star."

Thai ignorailie exi-is regaiding lln situation ot New Zealand ami the tow ns in i in- country i- not a mere fallacy, says the Dunedin "Slur." Whether the -yGi-m of tombing goo grapliy in other countries leads lo thiresulf is not known, but many who travel abroad ami it was particularly noti' 0,l by members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force—find that there is a decided lack of knowledge in oilier euunlries of ihi- part of the world. The mosi reeenl example of ibis i- shown in a letter which a loea.l firm received from a large firm in England with whom it- has deall for years. The lei ter was no-led w ith the address; “Messr-. . merchants. Dun odlu. Soul h Africa." As tlie post mark -lews, (lie b-lter travelled lo Beaulcrd West, an inland town of 211(19 inhabitants in Foil!!! Alrica. Why it should have been sent to that town Inot dear. The postmaster there, however. evidently has Imf a vague idea cf ib‘- -it mi t ion if oi-.r town, lor ha readdresscl the loiter to -Dunedin, Australia." eventually i! reached the addressee here. This incident i- further evi'leiK-e ei' tl-e need for an extensive publieiiv camnai-gn by Hie (lovernment of New Zealand.