NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3712, 3 November 1927, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

Waikiti Geyser at Rotorua started to play again on Labour Day (says the Te Arolia News), and has continued to do so, sometimes sending up shots as high as 40 or 50 feet. About four years ago this geyser played for a short period but at that time it had not played for 15 years. The Otorohanga District High School committee has decided to (open the school at 10.10 a.m. during the operation of -the Summer Time Act. It was stated that the adoption of an earlier hour would adversely affect those children who already rise at daylight and help in the milking sheds and have to travel by bus to the Otorohanga school.

“The Librarian, University of Otago, Christchurch, New South Wales, Australasia,” was the ad - dress on a packet from Dublin received in Christchurch last week.

It is reported that an old patient who entered a Wanganui hospital brought'her shroud with her. Fortunately (adds the Chronicle) her case was not so serious as this would indicate, and she is now well on the road to recovery.

Whilst motoring in the Oreti (Southland) district recently, Mr. Forster had an unpleasant experience, as the result of being stung by a bee, on the back of the neck. The glands of his neck swelled rapidly and he had the presence of mind to stop his. car just before he became unconscious. Fortunately, a passer-by noticed his predicament, and had him removed to a near-by dwelling, where medical assistance was obtained.

A letter posted by the Public Works Department, Pukehuia, North Auckland, on August 22, and addressed to “The Treasurer, Borough Council, Dargaville,” travelled all the way to Chicago, U.S.A., where it arrived on September 20, and was sent back again, the same day.and arrived at its proper destination on the 20th of this month. The explanation given in the North Auckland Times for its axtended tour is that it became attached to a letter for Chicago. When packing hides for export recently a resident of Wanganui wrote bis name and address on a cigarette card and inserted it in one of the packages. He has now received a letter from a German in Hamburg, an extract from the transition jof which says'.: “In Hamburg there is no money. I am lodging in a place where they do nothing else but unpack hides from Australia. 'We are practically working for what we can get to eat.” The writer also inquires regarding the prospects of work in Australia. A good story concerning a prominent Invercargill builder, and his motor cycle, is being freely circulated about the town just now (states the Southland Times). The back tyre of the bike was punctured, so, the apprentice was given the job of repairing it. He did it expeditiously and well. The builder rode about the town, but was not long in discovering that the local roads, including the recently-paved ones, werei not what they should be —too many bumps, corrugations, jolts. A day or two passed, days of most uncomfortable riding riding the like never before experienced. Then another puncture was the builder’s salvation. Imagine his surprise when removing the cover of the back wheel tyre to find the cause of the rough riding—a handy and average-sized screw driver. A trapper at Tuatapere, Southland, was greatly surprised on going his morning round a few weeks ago to discover a white-furred anijnal in one of his traps. He had seen no animal like it, but from its white fur and black-tipped tail he came to the conclusion that it was possibly an ermine, though he had never heard of that rare animal being found in New Zealand. He sent the skin into Invercargill for exports to see, and these expressed the opinion that the skin is that of a white stoat. It is about lOin. long and five wide, and although obviously not the highly expensive ermine, it has similar characteristics. The skin is a curiosity, for a white stoat is by no means common. The mother of a young lady who left Stratford one morning lately by mail train en route for Sydney was caused some excitement when, after the departure of the train, she discovered that she had forgotten to hand over the purse containing money, railway and steamer tickets, which she had been holding while her daughter was hording the train. A taxi was hired to follow the train from Stratford, and on receiving advice of the situation the stationmaster at Hawera held up the train for a few minutes to allow the connection to be made anc the precious belongings to be re-

turned to the traveller. The taxiear that made the trip from Stratford covered the 19 or so miles in a few minutes less than the half-hour. A story is told concerning a resident of Invercargill, who decided on a recent occasion to go to church. It was not his habit to do so but he managed to unearth a dusty Church Praise and so equipped he set out on a Sunday evening. As usual the numbers of the hymns were placed on a board by the organ but to his mystification the words were different and the "tune was not that which he remembered from his more pious' youth. Another hymn was sung but still he found the same trouble. When the third hymn came he turned to the person seated next to him and explained his difficulty. “Oh, you have an old Church Praise; there is a new book out now” was the reply. “How long has it been in use?” was the next question. After a few moments of thought the response came: “Just about 18 years.