NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2239, 15 February 1921, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

“The banks are not advancing' money to anyone now,” remarked the flavor of Napier at the Borough Council meeting on Monday evening, when a proposal to purchase a motor track was under consideration. “Wo are over the limit he added,' “if our deposit money is suddenly called up. We have taken over £20,000 out of revenue which we could not legally spend, and we have to wait for an Act of Parliament to get that money back. I should not like the day to come when we could not pay the men their wages.” The liner Otarama made a call at Pitcairn Island on the evening of the 24th January during the voyage to New Zealand from Home. Pockets were sent up to acquaint the islanders. of the vessel’s approach, and mails were landed. English passengers on board, who were hoping to secure a supply of fruit and island goods, were disappointed, for the islanders, not knowing if tho visitor was a cargo or passenger steamer, had made no preparations. The view was expressed on board that a wireless station ai the island would-be a boon to till parties concerned.

The menace from the drifting sand on the West Coast in the vicinity of Wood Hill, near HeJensville, has become so serious that the W'aitcmata County Council lias applied to the Minister of Internal Affairs to proclaim a special area under the Sand .Drift Act of 1908, so that rates may be imposed on the pcrlies threatened, in order to provide funds for checking Ihe onward march of the sand. This is absolutely necessary if valuable farm lands are |o be saved from being lost for cultivation purposes. The Minister has notified that (lie request is under careful consideration, and it is exported an order will be gazetted shortly.

A novel kick-off was witnessed at an international football mate!) which took place in Vienna recently between Austria and Hungary. Both teams were lined it]) ready for the start, but it was noticed that they had no ball. An aeroplane, however, suddenly appeared on the horizon, hovered over the playing pitch for a short time, and then, to the huge delight of some 50,000 onlookers, slowly glided down until it was only (iOft. above the centre. Then the pilot dropped a football, and as*soon as the ball touched the ground the referee’s whistle went, and the match was begun. Having got rid of its “bomb,” (he aeroplane mounted again and made off amidst the cheers and laughter of the crowd.

“What: do you want with that ” queried tlie sergeant, as a visitor casually laid an innocent-looking walking-stick on (lie desk (states the Southland Times). “Register it,” was the reply. “We don’t register walking-sticks,” said the officer. The visitor picked up the walkingstick, and, giving it a sharp turn, revealed to the astounded onlookers a breach capable of taking a .410 cartridge. The curious arm was inspected with interest, and its owner said that lie still used it for rabbitshooting.

A “Back to Maryborough” (Victoria) movement has been launched, and is being strongly organised. The celebrations will begin on Saturday, April 23rd, and terminate on Saturday, April 30th, the programme for the week consisting of Anzac sports, carnivals and gymkhanas. Entertainments will be held every night. All former residents are requested to forward their names to the secretaries, when an invitation will be immediately posted (o them. The joint secretaries are Messrs J, P. Richards and J. L. Drew, “Advertiser” Office, Maryborough, Victoria.

A peculiar thing happened to a horse that had been left attached to a dray in Ha/vera the other day. The street had recently received a coat of tar which had not had time to dry properly. When the driver got into the dray and started the horse the animal appeared to make a tremendous effort to move, and when it did so it was found that it had left two shoes, which had been torn off nails and all, behind. Though only an eighth of an inch deep, so iirinly .embedded in the tarred street were the shoes that it was only by the use of an axe that they could be removed.

■ Mr C. R. Bossenee (Dunedin), referring at the Education Inspectors’ Conference at Wellington to the responsibility 7 of the inspector for seeing that the public was getting value for its great expenditure on education, said that it must not be forgotten that one part of their duty was to keep the teachers up to their work. A Chinaman, lie i stated, had travelled all over the

world, and when he returned to his native village, a philosophic old Chinaman asked liimNf he had noted any trait common to all mankind. The traveller thought long. It was a hard question to answer; but at length he replied, “Yes; no likee work.” (Laughter.,)