GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2114, 13 April 1920, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

The prat-lice o£ shooting' on Sundays is becoming a very common occurrence of late (says the Pukekohe Times), the number of rabbits about no doubt being (lie inducement. The residents of Karaka arc afraid to go out driving on the Sabbath for fear of slopping a bullet. On Sunday the Rev. J. F. Martin, of Pukekohe, was conducting a service at Karaka, when the congregation was startled by a bullet from a riile striking the roof of the building. Had the bullet struck the window instead of the roof there is a possibility of it having struck the preacher.

‘‘The estimated adult population of New Zealand in .December last was 050,000,”’ says the New Zealand Methodist Times. “The number of names on the roll on which the voting took place on the 17th December was about 080,000. That means that there were some 30,000 names on that roll for which there were no legitimate owners. The 1 act that the public can lace. It opens is one of the most painfully ominous up the possibility of roll-shilling on a largo scale. It may go lar to explain why it was that prohibition was defeated on 17th December. Those 30,000 ownerless names were open to appropriation by any persons who were unscrupulous enough to use them for their own ends. . .

The attention now called to the scandal, of a poll so enormously in excess of the number of people in this country entitled to vote should cert a ini v engage the attention of the new Parliament as soon as it meets. It is a question that altccts the right of existence of Parliament itself."

The yearly 101 l exacted hy the kca throughout Canterbury is estimated to be close upon 20,000 sheep, states the North Otago Times. An .instance of the difficulty of dealing with the kea pest was narrated hy a prominent member of the Gunter’hurv Sheepowners’ Union. Recenth bo shof a Toiler, and m the vicinity there were .-esefal sheep lying lhal had been killed by lo as. Owing to the bush providing plentiful cover, he round i| neve-sum. to wad in hiding !ill (Ins pari•cnlai’ bird came down to siarl las nightly operations. The kea began on a mob of sheep on a spur about a quarter of a mile from bis hiding place. \\ hen he had worked his way towards the bird and had shot it, he found that (he kea had succeeded in reaching another sheep's kidney. Last November his shepherd killed three keas whilst, eaeli was in the act of eating sheep. During the post season he estimated that he lost 2,0(10 slice]) as (he result of the kea's fondness Tor the fat in the vicinity of the kidnevs.

All instance of the difficulty lieini’' experienced by country bakers in semiring delivery of flour was given to a Post reporter by a Palmerston North baker. After some delay some orders arrived at the Palmerston North railway station in a truck. On being advised of the fact, the baker made ; arrangements for delivery, but his carter was unable to find the truck. Subsequent inquiries showed that the truck was at Levin, and would be returned to Palmerston. This was done, but alter a portion of the (lour had been removed the truck made another strange disappearance. It could not be traced for some time, and the baker took an opportuity of securing seventeen bags of flour from another source. The missing truck and its contents were eventually discovered at Foxton, lint having secured a supply for his immediate* requirements the baker did not feel inclined to pursue the elusive vehicle.

A good many years ago the councillor of the Austrian Embassy in Berlin was very deaf, and used to shout the most confidential matters at the top of his voice. One day (relates a British diplomatist, who recently published some racy reminiscences) the inmates of the British Embassy, some little distance away, heard him yelling, “If the proposal is pressed, Germany will resist it to (he utmost, if necessary by force of arms. The Chancellor, in giving me this information, impressed upon me how absolutely secret the matter must bo kept.’’ “What is that appalling noise in the Austrian Chancellery P’ I asked our white-headed old Chancellery servant. “That is Count W— dictating a cypher telegram to Vienna/' answered the old man.