NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1928, Page 3

NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

AN ANCIENT COURT. 'J he death of the official vcrdcror of the New Forest calls attention to one ol the oldest of the many legal bodies that remain as links with the past. The Verdure rs* Court, which has its home in a delightfully old-fashione:l house in Lyndhurst, meets every six weeks, ft is composed of six verderers, elected hy those who possess common rights in the New Forest, and is presided over by the official verderer, who represents the Sovereign. To-day this little court deals with the rights of the commoners lor the most paid, and such ofienees as pony stealing, damage to trees and undergrowth, illegal trapping or shooting of deer and other game, and similar offences.

PACE FOR LINER.

An exciting race for Ho miles in n taxi to catch an Atlantic liner at Liverpool was won by the taxi with live minutes to spare. .Mrs Torkington, an American woman, of .Maryland, who had been visiting Bury, left there hy train in the company of a friend who was making the journey to Liverpool to sec her off. As the train was approaching. Wigan, Mrs Torkington discovered that she had left her passport and ocean ticket behind. Thereupon it was decided that her friend should alight at Wigan Station,charter a taxi to Bury, and then attempt to '•ateb the liner. Meanwhile Mrs Torkington proceeded to Liverpool and awaited on the landing stage.. Five minutes before the vessel was due to sail her friend arrived with the all-im-portant papers.

HIM DOE MYSTERY

The London City Police are investigating what is thought to he an attempt—luckily unsuccessful—to set fire to staging on Blackfriars Bridge. In the early morning one of the workmen engaged in painting and repair work on the bridge found a large tin containing magnesium powder on a plank f the staging 20ft or 80ft below the "''ondway. A fuse of string was chared, and had evidently gone out be!ore /teaching the powder. The tin had beentowered to its position by a cord. Mr Percy Beaumont,' of W .0. Beaumont and Son, Bow, the contractors, told a Press representative that this was the first attempt to fire staging reported to him. “We frequently have had lines cut—both wire and rope,” ho said, “ and lines are often untied. Wo take the greatest precaul ions to prevent such troubles.” About filtv men are engaged on Blackfriars Bridge, and similar work is being carried on at Southwark and Tower Bridges, and at Meibom Viaduct.

PARALYSED DRIVER IN CRASH

Seventy-six years old and paralysed in the logs, Charles. Cornwallis Knapp • a, retired civil engineer, of Old By fleet. /Surrey, was lined L2 and had his (.license suspended for twelve months by r-Oie Woking Bench for driving a motor cCar in a dangerous manner. \ ireAdmiral Caulfield, of .Midhurst, said he was driving, his motor car along the Lomlon-Portsmmitli road, and oil ronf'H ing a part of the road which was being made up near Ripley he stopped to 1 1 low traffic in the opposite direction to pass. Knapp’s car crashed into him from behind, afterwards mounting the until., narrowly missing the ditch. ”1 was flabbergasted.” said witness. Scout rushed up and said. ‘Alter him •mhl take his number.’ 1 said, ‘Bv Gad. 1 will, when 1 got a chance.’ ” When he caught Knapp he found the old man was hardly able to speak, and was absolutely unfitted to be in charge of n car. Knapp’s defence was that although he was paralysed in his legs, he had driven a car and motor cycle for 23 years. He had only had the car for three weeks, and in attempting to apply his fbotbrake he put Ids foot on the accelerator and crashed into the Admiral’s ear.

BABY UNHURT IN LEAP TO DEATH.

A five-week-old baby’s remarkable escape from death was described at a Margate inquest recently on Miss Hannah Zimmer, aged 32, of Burma Bond, Stoke Newington, who leapt from a top•siorey window in Godwin Road, Margate, with her sister’s child in her arms. Airs Alder, Miss Zimmer’s sister, •■mid she heard .Miss Zimmer get out of bed and p'ck up the ha hy. .Miss Zimmer tried to get out of the window. I here was a . long struggle, blit Mrs Alder could n'ot restrain the'woman, who leant out. She was found lying in the street, and died soon after admission to the hospital, but the baby was lying hy her side, unhurt. A verdict of suicide during temporary insanitv was returned.

CURATE WHO FORGOT

Owing to the failure of a clergyman to attend a wedding to St. John’s Church, Moordown, Bournemouth', was delayed for over an hour. Search was made for a clergyman, and finally the organist found one of the assitant cur. ates as he arrived home after his holiday. The curate hurried to the 'church tyid was a/blc to conclude the ceremony just before three o’clock. The bride and bridesmaid, while waiting for a clergyman, kept up their spirits by singing songs. The vicar later stated he had asked one of the curates to perform the ceremony but owing to pressure of other work the curate ha< apparently overlooked it.

A NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

‘‘The first demonstration of the talking film lias been successfull; ma.de and favourably received in England,” says the ‘‘Sunday Dispatch” (London) “and it may he said that the new art is now launched on its career. Where that career may lead we can but speculate, but he would he a hold man who would place limits on its possibilities. We have called this a. now art, hut it is also a now industry. Great Britain made a bad start with the kinema, for in the critical years of its development we were deeply engaged in the great war. So the United States secured an enormous lead. There is no reason why we should not lead in this now race, where we start fair. Vo believe that Britain can out-distance all competitors hy the superiority of natural talent, and more particularly because the elocution of our actors and actresses will be preferred in all lands whore the purity and beauty of the English tongue retains its appeal.”— •‘Sunday Dispatch.”

As a chan grows older many thing that formerly gave him pleasure lose their rpncal. But there’s one thing lie rarely tires of—his pipe. Vn fuel the older a man grows, the more necessary his, pipe seems to become to him. Of course the enemies of the weed will laugh. But what does the man who does not for cannot) smoko know of the joys of smoking? Tobacco is often roundly abused. Yet it’s harmless enough so long as it’s n : o‘.. beavilv charged with nicotine as ni'\

of the imported brands .are. Is there, auv really pure t.obaceO .uu the mar. ket ? Acs; our own New Zealand to buncos are remarkable lor thejv pur .; ity. And they contain, so little hi"' tine that they may he smoked freely without fear of consequences. Wfother strong point in their favour is that the leaf is toasted. Hence t.hoi fascinating flavour and de.lighiful bouquet. Where are they:'to ho had Why. at any tobacconist’s’. Ask lor “R.ivcrhead (fold” mild, “Navy Cut (Bulldog) medium, or “Cut Plug No. 10” (Bullshead) full strength.—Advt.