NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3756, 18 February 1928, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

For many years a fire has been continuously burning in a huge open fireplace in the Mountain House, Mount Egmont.’ The fireplace is 9ft. long and 3ft. deep and one of the sights for tourist visitors.

At the meeting of the Hastings Borough Council a letter was received from a firm in Birmingham, England, expressing satisfaction at the action of the council in ordering lighting standards from a British firm, although the price was higher than foreign quotes. An attempt to emulate Hinemoa by swimming across Lake Rotorua from Hinemoa point to Mokoia Island was made about a fortnight ago by Mr. R. Morgan. He failed by only 100 yards, owing to cold water near the island... A few days later he made a successful attempt, but reversed the order by swimming from Mokoia to Hinemoa point. He did the distance in one hour 10 minutes. Five persons accompanied him in a boat.

To drop 20 feet headlong on to a concrete pavement, and live to tell the tale, is the experience that befell Edgar Wilcox, a Napier lad of 12 years. On Monday morning, Wilcox was carrying out his customary duties on the second floor in Hannah’s Buildings, when his attention was drawn outside, in tho alleyway. Evidently he lost his balance when leaning through the window, and toppled over. Marks on the wall indicate that he was sliding down the wall, head first, and a narrow waterpipe running parallel with the ground broke his fall, sending him on his side. He landed on his knee, which was fractured, and his head struck a bicycle. It was indeed fortunate that the cycle was there, as it covered up a slab of concrete. There are indications of a fracture of the skull, but this has not as yet been definitely ascertained. The hospital reports that Wilcox’s condition is satisfactory. _