NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3696, 27 September 1927, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A Maori named Te Retiu Reripena, of Watipiha, who died recently, was 109 years of age. The Auckland Rugby representatives have a fine record this season. They have played 10 matches, won 10; points for 241; points against 33. An enviable feat was performed by the first 53 ewes of an Ashbuiton farmer’s flock to lamb this season. They presented their owner with 53 sets of twins, all said to be doing well. The printing, publishing, and bookbinding industry of New Zealand in 1926 found employment for 7,233 hands. Next to the sawmilling industry it employs the largest number of hands. Mr. P. L. Roband, of Morison’s Bush, picked up a freak of nature

on his farm the other day, says the Wairarapa Standard. This was a lamb that had its legs on its hack and its ears under its head. The freak was normal otherwise, arid was dead when found. It is understood that the slate • deposits in Buller Gorge have been purchased by a Wellington syndicate, which proposes to form a company to develop them. The imports of whisky, according to a recent return, shows a decrease of £90,505 as compared with the years 1925-26, while in the same period the imports of petrol and kerosene showed an increase of £295,344. , I A new law has been instituted at Flint (U.S.A.) which, in part, reads: —It shall be unlawful for any person to drive an automobile on the streets of Flint while being subjected to the embraces of any other person; it shall be unlawful to embrace the “driver.” A successful charge of driving to the common danger was recently secured in England against a motor- j ist for a similar procedure. Up to date, 190,000 copies have been sold of the airman, Lindbergh’s book, entitled “We,” which 1 was published on July 27, being an ' autobiographical narrative on the flight. The flyer after writing the j volume, suddenly decided it must 1 be rewritten, and made a hurried trip from the Middle West for this purpose. His royalties are estimated at 95,000 dollars, and may reach many times that figure before active sales end. There was a startling but somewhat amusing interlude during the (.progress of the City Council ,v. Tramways football match at Wanganui last week, says the Chronicle. A hefty tramways player was very effectively “dumped” by an opponent, when, on contact with the ground, he became enveloped in a cloud of smoke. The spectators gaped in amazement, but the strange happening was explained when the player drew from his hip pocket a box of matches, the contents of which had been exploded by the rough treatment received. Speaking to a reporter a day or two ago, Mr. W. H. Skinner said the question had often been asked him as to which were the oldest trees in St. Mary’s churchyard, New Plymouth (says the “Herald”). He had just been looking through an old dairy, and came across an entry which showed that it was just 80 years ago two Cyprus trees were planted at the request of Mrs. Bolland at the foot of the late Rev. AY. Bolland’s grave by Mr. John Nairn. These two ' trees would therefore be the oldet at St. Mary’s and probably the oldest imported trees in Taranaki.