NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3892, 8 January 1929, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Announcers .of the British Broadcasting Company take singing lessons regularly to help them in producing their voices for speaking into the microphone.

The Maori alone understands the •art of cooking eels, la'econding to the Danish scientist, Dr. Johannes Schmidt. He states that he has studied .the methods adopted by the natives of this Dominion in catching .and preparing eels for the table, and whalt he has seen has confirmed ibis opinion. 'The Danish and European people consumed eels fried or cooked in jelly, and prepared by special sm'oking processes similar to those of the .Maori, though the latter’s methods were more crude. There are indications that at least some of the four English nightingales, brought to New Zealand a year ago by Mir. Angus Wilson, and released in a bush reserve in the Tamaki .district, have survived, says ithe s Auckland Herald. One of the birds was heard in the Blockhouse Bay Domain early on the interning of New Year’s Day and again later in the forenoon. On the ■first occasion the delightful notes, which distinguish this, bird from all others, eainie from a bird in a pohu■tukawa, tree, (and later .from adjacent bush, overlooking the sea, and quite near the camp of an Englishman, and li'is family. The nightingale commenced with its characteristic practice chirpings, later filling the air with its great trill of song.

An accident which had its amusing side .occurred on the Wairau Valley rtoad, near Waaliopai, on New Year’s Day, writes the “Marlborough Express.” Two Christchurch cars, after touring the West Coast, were proceeding from Tapawera to : Blenheim, having travelled via Tophouse. Nearing the Waihopai Accommodation House, the driver of the leading ear remlarked to his party: “We haven’t seen Bill for a long time. We’d better pull up and wait for him.” Suiting the action to the word, he applied .the ■brakes and the ear eam'e to a stop to “wait for Bill.” The wait was of brief duration; for Bill, doing close on 40 miles per hour, was only six feet behind. He crashed into the hack' of the first ear, and the air was sulphurous. Both vehicles were rather badly knocked about, but, .after receiving first aid, were able to proceed to Blenheim under their own power.