NEWS AND NOTES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2681, 10 January 1924, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES

The jubilee number of Ihe Poverty Bay “Herald” contains the following reminiscence:—“The Herald of November .12, 1878, was mostly advertisements. The first local explained the reason why: There is a holiday look about our paper this evening'. We can’t help it. Printers are but mortal. They will be loyal; in fact, our experience to-day is that compositors are about the most loyal fellows going. The editor and foreman have been doing all they could do to explain to the compositors that Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, did not want such a display of loyalty, but our boys replied that the “PrihshofWales-wasa-realigenl-innn.” This is our apology for the extraordinary appearance of the “Herald” this evening. A Main Trunk guard reports that a young man —apparently a new arrival in this country —becoming separated from'his luggage, ordered the guard to recover it. The young man had left a car forward of the carriage reserved for ladies (through which no male traffic is permitted) and entered the train again at the rear of (he ladies’ compartment. He made several furious and noisy attempts to storm the forbidden place, and each time was routed by the female attendant. Later in the night the guard missed the young passenger and discovered him, much soiled bv dirt and “black” forward of the ladies’ carriage. Another passenger related that the young man had arrived by way of the roof! He had risked his life to rejoin his possessions (states the “Auckland Star.”) It was just a piece of good fortune that the train passed under no bridges during the desperate journey over the carriage roof. When Mr Lloyd George was initiated at Minneapolis into the Sioux tribe, the chieftain, as described in a local paper, “towering head and shoulders over his English brother, withdrew an arrow, ‘touched it to earth and heaven,’ and placed it firmly in the hand of the awed Lloyd George.” The long curved pipe was next withdrawn from beneath the chieftain's multi-coloured blanket, and, facing the east, Brave Eagle proffered it to the candidate, for initiation. The former Premier is described as puffing the pipe reluctantly at first, but then with his typical smile. This seems to indicate more than one puff, hut the same account states that by special dispensation he was permitted to take his vow with only one puff of the great pipe of peace, whereas the ritual calls for not less than four puffs, each one having a special significance. Some of the American papers comment sarcastically on the choice of a word meaning Two Eagles as the Indian name for Mr Lloyd George. “One for war and one for peace,” is the explanation given by the chieftain. “Also, two eagles can look both ways at once,” remarks the New York World. A worthy Father Christmas was found to do tho Yuletide honours on the Niagara on her journey from Suva to Auckland. This was Mr. James Palmer, who has lived 53 of his 83 years in Fiji. The passengers on the boat subscribed the money to till Father Christmas’s bag and great was the delight of (lie 25 to 30 children on hoard to enjoy all the season’s festivities, not forgetting a special dinner, and also to receive at the hands of a “real” Santa Claus tlic gifts hung on the Christmas tree. Mr. Palmer seemed to enjoy the occasion as much as the youngsters. “One of the prettiest girls on the ship came up and kissed me,” he said, “and I did a little in the same line myself.” From that the octogenarian had no! vet lost his taste for such things (states the New Zealand Herald,. Mr. Palmer, who is accompanied by his second wife, celebrated his golden wedding before the death of bis first, and he has eleven children twentysix grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He looks more like 63 than 83 in spite of half a century spent: in the tropics. “1 am still going: strong,” he said. “How do I do it? Not too many whiskies and sodas, of course, hut I’m not a teetotaller. I have been retired ahout twelve years and married lot the second time, about four years ago. Previous to that I was a copra buyer and contractor. My wife and I are off to Sydney for a holiday, my fifth since I landed at Suva.”