NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1962, 8 April 1919, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Chocolate as a rule is a wholesome sweet. Last week, however, some purchasers of bar chocolate from a shop in Nelson (reports the Colonist) received a rude shock on breaking’ a piece oil to find Unit inside it was alive witii maggots, although to outward appearances the chocolate was quite sound. The article in question, it might be mentioned, was not locally manufactured, but it was a New Zealand product.

In the demolition of the old University buildings at Auckland, which was (he House of Parliament,when Auckland was the capital of the Dominion, a great quantity of documents was scattered broadcast. Unfortunately no steps were taken to preserve or destroy some of the records, such as the gaol stockade lists. The documents dated from 1855 to 1857, and boar the signatures of Colonel Wynward, John Williamson, John Logan Campbell. A coroner's voucher of 1857 is headed “Province of New TJJsler,” the old name for the North Island.

A soldier with the New Zealand troops stationed in Germany in tho course of a letter says:—“We are having quite a lot of fun one way and another. I went to Bonn a few days ago, and strolled through the university grounds and along the riverside, it is very pretty out there. We go into Cologne frequently to (he Opera House. Of course, avo do not understand Avha'i is said or sung, but the music is beautiful. At Bonn some Canadians shot (lie spike off (lie helmet on Frederick Hl.’s statue, the nose off his face, and (lie sword from his hand. In fad,'they have now put a guard over what is left of his statue.”

Clad only in light duck trousers, with hare feel, a parly of Aucklanders made an unsuccessful a (.'tempi to ex tract honey from a heels hive one day during last week, with the result that one of the party is an out-patient of the Auckland Hospital. One of the men was endeavouring to smoke (he bees out, and the whole hive settled on tils foot. He made a rush for water, and covered the distance from the hive to the water in record lime. The reward lor their efforts and pain resulted in two cells of honey, which was indeed out of the hive with a stick.

In spile of all that Inis been said and written, there are some peoph* who believe that sharks of largo sire will- not come into shallow water. Some visitors to the Maori Pa yesterday (says Monday's Nelson Colonist) witnessed a scene which proved to them (hat, provided the shark is .sufficiently ravenous, shallow water will not deter him from pursuit of his pre.w Home fishermen left a-very large stingavee on the beach below high-water mark. As soon as the tide made sufficiently to bring the stingarce awash a 10ft. shark dashed in to snatch a meal. So shallow was the water 1 hat fully half (he body of the shark was out of the water. In fact, for a few seconds lie was actually stranded, hut Urn next roller floated him off. The shark tore the stingarce into ribbons and devoured it. He had a big tussle with the head, and one of the onlookers stoned him off, but he did not go away more Hum fifty yards, and then dashed back and finished his hundred-weight meal.