NEWS AND NOTES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2619, 14 August 1923, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES

Amusing' stories of notes received by school teachers, explaining the absence of pupils, are frequently told. Here (says the “Gisborne Tirrtes”) is the'text of a note that came to the Gisborne main school last week: “Please excuse John for being away half a day; his mother is in hospital with a little baby. I will see it doesn’t happen again.” The record of three sisters, Ettie, Myrtle and Ada Kush, of Paeroa District High School, who hold unbroken attendance certificates for years, was brought to the notice of the Auckland Board of Education by the headmaster who stated that Mr Kush was very proud of his daughters’ record, and would like to know if it had been beaten by any other family. So far as the Education Hoard's files show, the Rush record is unique. The winter is undoubtedly a hard one (says the Hawke’s Bay Tribune), as is shown by the number of native birds that are visiting the suburbs and partaking of the food that kindly disposed residents place outside for the feathered fraternity. In some parts native birds are to be seen eaifiping with sparrows, blackbirds, and chaffinches, especially in those districts where there are trees affording them shelter. The use of motor-cars as “sitting out” places during dances is a practice which motorists believe should be discouraged in Gisborne, says the “Poverty Bay Herald.” Last week a car was left outside the City Hall while its owner attended a dance, but he contends that the lights were switched on. When the policeman came along, however, the lights were out, and the owner was accordingly charged with the offence. 'Counsel appearing on his behalf alleged'the practice of “sitting out” on the part of loving couples as the cause of the car owner’s trouble. ‘He Explained that such a couple had apparently used the car, but before doing so had of necessity to switch off the inside light, thereby also turning out the headlights.- IVhen they left the car, they omitted to switch the lights on again, and hence the absence of the lights when the policeman came.