LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1927, Page 3

LATE LOCALS.

Notice of a strayed cow and two calves at Woodstock appears in this issue.

In the past ten years the level of Jaikc I'upuke has dropped 10ft. and now is only 2(>in. above sea level (states the Auckland “Star”). The position is regarded as a serious one in view of the fact that the lake supplies the marine boroughs with water, the combined draw-off for a fortnight being about 12.600,000 gallons. At the hoginning of the year the lake level was 2lt. Sin. above that of Rangitoto Channel. The DeVcinport Borough Council decided to notify all users of hoses that water could not be used unless it was metered.

A warning to Sounds picnic mid camping parties to beware of sharks was conveyed by Mr A. 11. Derbyshire, of Oitapun, Tory Channel, reports the ‘■'Marlborough Express.” Air Derbyshire stated that there were more sharks in the Sounds this year than had ever been known and it was common to see them 11 or 16 feet in length, while he had seen an 18 footer. .Mr Derbyshire said visitors to the vicinity of Tory Channel would he wek advised not to bathe anywhere in the vicinity of whale flesh, so there was almost sure to he a shark in attendance. A I’ieton resident states that a sft shark was seen off Wedge Point.

A perverted sense of humour was exercised on Grafton Bridge in the early hours one morning recently (says the “New Zealand Herald”). Held down on the parapet of the bridge by a piece of stone was an envelope, an inscription on which advised a late heme-goer that “1 have gone over the bridge. Please inform the police, farewell.” The epistle liore a signature purporting to be that of a resident of To Aruba-. while on the flap was a further request to the finder that he .should write to another resident of that centre. The behest to inform the police was obeyed, but a prolonged search of the gully failed to reveal the presence of Ihc titan who hail proclaimed his intention of “going over the top” in unorthodox fashion. This is the second 'time recently .that the police have been put to trouble and inconvenience by such spurious farewell messages.

The appointment of Air Stanley Logan Paterson to the magistracy will lie a very popular one in legal circles says the. Auckland “Star.” lie lias had a wide and useful experience at the bar, and during the last few years has appeared as assistant Crown Prosecutor in Auckland, his partner, Mr V. It. Meredith, of .Meredith, Paterson and Hubble, being the Crown (Prosecutor. A returned soldier. Air Paterson has a good knowledge of men and the world. He is a good, care lid, conscientious lawyer, and this fact, together with his high personal charade!' must have mi uplifting died on the magistracy. Ilis experience embraces all branches of the common law. Those practitioners who. have had to deal with him will say that he is a man they could always trust, and put all their cards on the table, knowing that he would never dream ol taking advantage of a fellow-lawyer, or the opposing side--cither in criminal or in civil cases. Mr Paterson was horn in Napier, and was educated in Christchurch. He obtained his degree of LL.B. at Canterbury College in 1916. and was admitted a barrister and solicitor in the same year. I*font 191(5 to 1918 he served with the X./.E.E., and when he returned from the war lie practised in Auckland, eventually joining Air Meredith in 1921.