Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2688, 29 January 1924, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1924. LOCAL AND GENERAL

The report of the commission of inquiry into the Dixmude disaster does not arrive at a definite conclusion, but is inclined to believe the craft was struck l»v lightning, and fell into the sea from a 'height of approximately six thousand feet.

On the morning of the local first day’s races, Mr T. M. Syme sold the Advance mare Advent to Mr -T. If. Burns, the price being £l5O, with contingencies. Mr Burns made a profitable start as Advent won the Hurdles and paid a substantial dividend.

The tota lisa for stall’ at (he Metropolitan Club’s Summer meeting, held at Trentham, which concluded mi Saturday, handled £179,790 for the three days’ racing as against £185,424 last year, for flic whole meeting, this shows a decrease of £5,084 on last year’s figures.

Tn accordance with a motion passed at the last meeting of the Borough Council, the road staff has commenced the work of asphalting a. strip of Johnston Street from Cook Street junction towards the windmill. This work is of an experimental nature ami should it lie found successful ii i-; probable that the borough roads will lie asphalted in the near future.

A Foxton vomig man named Phillip Bright, employee at Air C. U. Speirs’ flaxmill. Sha miioii. met with a painful accident yesterday. Ilis injuries consisted of a compound multiple fracture of (lie left arm. He. was attended by Dr. McDonald and removed t<> the Palmerston North Hospital. Upon enquiry this morning we were informed that he is progressing satisfactorily.

A new Masonic Podge under the name of Lodge Awalea, was eoiceerated at Palmerston North last night, after which the installation of the first W.M. and invest if lire of officers took place. The ceremonies were conducted by Brand Lodge officers. There was a large and representative attendance of Freemasons from all parts of the province, including members of the local lodge.

Messrs Hamilton Nimmo and Son circulate with this issue an inset drawing attention to the fact that, their great piano sale closes on Thursday evening of this week. This firm is offering the easiest terms obtainable in New Zealand to purchasers of their reliable instillments. Mr Light, who is representing Messrs Nimmo in Foxton, will he pleased to receive enquiries from intending purchasers, and will g’ive full details of the system of easy payments under which all makes of: instruments are being offered.

Mr F. Woods, of Moluiti, Foxton, received word from Whangarci this morning that his father had passed away (lie previous evening. The late Mr G. H. Woods was a wellknown figure in the Bay of Plenty district. For upwards of half a cen tury he had been a schoolmaster in various parts of the Auckland province, having at dill'cront times controlled five schools. He spent many years in. the Bay of Plenty district where he won the esteem and respect of both European and Maori settlers. Pie was a prominent Freemason. Deceased’s age was 80 years and his wife predeceased him about 2J years ago. lie leaves a family of five sons and many grandchildren. Air I’’. Woods left today for the north to he present, at the inferrment.

The death occurred in London recently of Alfred Russel Price, and passed almost unheeded, whereas it was worthy of special notice, tor he succeeded in accomplishing wlmt thousands of people have itched to do, but could not; lie gave the hoy who later became German Emperor a good sound thrashing (says the Christchurch Star). It happened ears ago, when Wilhelm was the Crown Prince, and was visiting Ilfracombe, an English seaside resort with his tutor. Wilhelm in a playful destructive mood, began to throw stones at some bathing machines belonging to Price’s father. He was told to slop hut look exception to this infringement of his regal rights. Young Price took oil his coat and began to belabour the royal youth so successfully that he had admin-i.-tered a black eye and several cuts and bruises before the tutor succeeded in calling off hostilities.

Ten years ago William Rage killed .lames M’Nair in Pennsylvania. Tie escaped and began a new life in California. Recently lie paid a visit to his estranged wife, who betrayed him to the police who arrested him. He has been convicted and has received a life sentence.

A post mortem lias established the cause of Lenin’s death as art-erio-scherosis of the brain, apparently inherited from his father, who died at the same age from the identical disease. Lenin’s body has been embalmed, 'flu* Diplomatic Corps decided to attend the funeral and to present a joint wreath.

We lia.ve received from the publishers the January number of “The Month,” which is edited by Bishop Cleary. Its literary merit is of a high order, and, although a denominational publication, it is generous throughout. Among the useful articles in this number is one entitled “The Threshold nf (he Law,” hv W. Perry, LL.B. Another on hoys’ aptitude and suitable occupations is of particular interest. In his letter to us, His Lordship says the journal is “more or less experimental.” We should say it has a hopeful future. The profits go to the maintenance and training of children in the Auckland diocean orphanages.

A hairbreadth escape from death was the astounding experience of a youth on a suburban train on Friday morning, says the Auckland Star. As the train pulled in to the Auckland station he projected himself feet foremost through the first window of the rear carriage while the vehicle was still in motion. He landed on the platform, but lost his balance and fell head foremost on to the permanent way, where, to the horror of the temporarily paralysed onlookers, all that could be seen was a pair of legs. The rear wheels of the bogie car, however, had stoplied a matter of inches away, and I lie youth crawled out uninjured and hurried off.

Speaking on his return to Wellington on Saturday, Mr Massey said that the Labour Government in Fug-land was quite entitled to fair play and he would say that anywhere, hut there was no country in the world where Labour was so well off as in New Zealand. (Hear, hear.) He had seen what, had happened in the United States and Canada. and had read of the condition of affairs on the Continent and lie said that wo in New Zealand were well off. “We ought to thank Providence for the position we are in now," added Mr Massey. “1 do not know how long the prosperity is going to last, but this country is •.cry prosperous. 1( has never been so prosperous before. 1 remember when I came book three years ago, the country was in the throes of a -ad ami sorry, hut we threw it off depression. That time made us very and we have left the depression behind ns, and we are a prosperous people. I believe the outlook is very good indeed, hut we must remember that if there is depression in Fngland the difficulty will affect us here. That is what I am anxious a--1)0 at at the present.”

A day at the seaside is iloi alwnvs enjoyable, as a Palmerston N. resident learned a few days ago, when lie visited the local bench, says the Times. The wind was bitterly i old and the sand was blowing around in cartloads, but despite these facts he decided to brave the elements and have a dip in the briny. He stripped and left: his apparel unattended on the beach. When he returned cold and shivering for his clothing, he discovered le liis utter dismay, that it had disappeared. The bather, of course, jumped to the conclusion that some person had relieved him of his garments in iiis absence and commenced to picture the cold and cheer-lt.-s ride he would have to endure going hack to Palmerston North. He was literally tearing his liair with rage when he noticed the end of a bootlace protruding out of the arenaceous waste. He pounced upon it as a tiger would upon its prey and began to burrow furiously in the sand. His labours were rewarded for gradually lie unearthed the whole of his apparel. After shaking the sand out of his garments the bather donned them with a sigh of relief, but consigned the mischievous eiciueiits to many unheard of places.

The report of the recovery of the ship's safe from the wreck of the steamer Wairarapa, which is unfortunately not true, raises an important question, remarks the New Zealand Herald. ’’ Canon Haselden, who was with the rescue party for twenty-one days at the wreck, writes : "i think that besides much belonging to the Union S.R. Company, there would he in the safe a good deal of money and valuables that belonged to the passengers. We recovered an astonishing amount, and the Public Trustee received it from us and took much pains in restoring it to the heirs and friends of the lost. But probably experienced travellers gave a lot to the purser and he would lock it up in the ship’s safe. I do not know of the law on the subject, but I think that the divers, if they recover the safe, will probably have to send all the passeugers’ property to the Public Trustee. I have lists of all the passengers, both saved and lost, and many particulars, and shall be quite willing to let the divers see them. 1 will he delighted if Mr Veur is successful. I hope he is being very careful, as the sea gets up very quickly and the currents are dreadfully strong at times round Miners’ Head. The Wairarapa struck at eight minutes past midnight on Sunday, 28th October, 1894.”

The King and Duke of Devonshire each own four deer parks.