NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1924, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

Tlicie are still some honest people in the world. Recently a Cure iii tu sold a considerable quantity of goods and i'li"iged them up in the usual course uf events, states the ‘.Matauia Ensign. ’’ Tiie hill was sent out. hut was returned “address unknown" from iw.i or three localities by the Post 01liee olfuial.s. Later the pniehaser of the goods (idled in. and stated that as lie hud no bill and the money for bis eld* r bad been owing Ini a go. d many months he would settle up. It was then discovered that a mi-take had been made in the name, and the goods had been . barged to a person who did not exist. The malinger was exceedingly pleased to find that honesty does occasionally assert itself.

Can ally town in .New Zealand show a record like that of an Auckland family, which i- composed of six whose

aggregate age- ale l!<!l yciii-.' (n.-ks the ‘•Star”). The eldest is only -ix years olf the century, and the yonng-•-t i- (li). The family is not only lunglived. hut is extremely virile, and two of the "hays” R2 and till still play lawn tennis. Though they do not aspire to Davis Cup reputation, they aie (juitc capable ol dcloiuliug their Umiia against players very much their junior. It i- perhaps unnecessary to add that the family comes from Scotland.

A oniiple of rabbit catchers in ( etttral Otago have recently been killing hotween 81)0 and 000 rabbits per week, the pay being £2 per IHO skins. The method of “catching" (states an exchance) is to tt.se a single furrow plough, one of the men following up with carrots. soaked in strychnine. Many farmers there make a practice of hanging skinned tahhils on their lonces to demonstrate that they arc dealing with the pest. The sight is not attractive, ami the stench is oven more unpleasant.

A joyful Wanganui father who had given his daughter away at her wedding. celebrated the event to such mi extent that he was found late that night with his arms round an electric light pole on Diitie Hill, evidently waiting for his own house to come past, (relates an exchange). Tts delayed arrival appeared to move him to wrath. Imt a policeman arrived in due course and gathered him in. His next recollection was waking up at the police station. He did mil appear when his name was called at the Magistrates Court, preferring to forleit 10s. which lie had deposited as hail.

Excitement was caused at le Awamiiiu for onlookers at the work ol excavating a cellar at ihe Commercial Hotel (.states an exchange). A dray which was carting away the spoil was hacked in further than was intended, and disappeared into a cellar with a resounding mash. Fortunately little damage was dune, and willing hands -con had the vehicle hack oil the ntad-

A South Canterbury on-hardist stales that for the first time in his experience he has 10.-t fruit this year through the depredations of starling' (relates an exchange). I'.* did not know why these birds had taken to fruit this year, hut supposed it was on account of the excessively dry weather amt the absence of grubs. Orchardi'ts in Central Otago had had a similar experience this year in the matter olios' ~f fruit through starlings.

••The ino-t southerly lamp post m the world i- at Bluff," said Mr .T. -T. Dongall, president of the Navy League, when speaking of the wide range of the naval cruise at Christchurch trelntos an exchange). “Some ot the. ships will see that lamp post." "Two of the ships of the squadron." said Rear-Admiral Brand, in Id' -peeelt “ have passed the lamp post referred to, and from what 1 can gather from wireless messages about the weathei they have seen quite enough of it.”

Whnngnrei, resulting in the loss of an eve. He and a companion named Wells (states the Auckland “Star”) were trying to catch a horse, anti Wells threw a stick at the animal. It missed the horse, but hit Mnunsell, striking one of his eyes, the eyeball being ruptured. Mnunsell was conveyed to the Whangarei Hospital, where an operation was performed on Saturday, the eye being removed.

[ A rather unusual .sight was of daily occurrence on a farm tit Tikornngi lately (writes the Auckland “Star’s” correspondent). A farmer had u sow which, after rearing the voting to a good size, quietly lay down and died. The young pigs, bereft of their mother, looked around for' another source for their daily milk, and every milking time they besieged the quiet cows and drained till possible dry. Every teat would have a pig and it was soon apparent to the farmer that the pigs were Particularly dry strippers. The position was quickly met, and for some time pork will lie a favourite article of diet on the farmer’s dinner table.

A long figure in kilts trolled through an excursion train as it left for Waiktiia the other day. and. although he made a diligent search of iis whole length (with, of course, the exception of the truck accommodation in front), he was unsuccessful in locating a seat. In his hand he curried an oblong leather ease, which he set down on the lloor of the last carriage of the train. A few minutes passed and then, with the air of one bestowing an inestimable boon on his companions the tartan-chul traveller unlocked his leather ease and lovingly withdrew a bundle of tartan ribbon and reeds from a bed of newspapers. After “sloping arms" in the approved Scottish manner bis modestly smiling countenance became suffused with a brilliant scarlet hue as he set about inflating the portion of the instrument reposing under his arm. Followed a series of sharp piercing screams and the carriage was transformed into

a chamher of tiii'lmv, Tin* journey further was occupied in adjustinp the ■‘pipes." wliieli had apparently to Iks poked and pulled and pushed to the aceoiupatiituelil of a continual druuiup and a shrieking; and screaming in every known (and unknown) register. Then lie repeated a feu liars some two or three dozen times. The ioltino ol the train hrniiphi him to a very slinky lini.di and an elderly auditor exclaimed: ‘‘lt’s awfa’ paid, laddie. It's awfa' paid, that music." “I!ut I can't smoke in here. I think I" po where I rail." lie disappeared and thereafter the pipes were deposited ill the oblolip leather case apnin.— “.Mataura Knsipn."