NEWS ITEMS.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 33, 3 December 1901, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

'Always,' said the astute city editor to the new reporter—'always be on the lookout for any little touch of humor that may brighten up our columns. That evening the new reporter turned in a story about a burglary in a butcher shop which commenced : 'Mr Hiram Cleaver, the well-knoum hutcher, is losing flesh rapidly these days.

» A writer in the Irish Times, in an article on bicycle lamps, concludes : On the whole there is nothing to beat a good oil lamp of the colza type. Acetylene lamps may be more powerful light givers, candle lamps may be a little handier and cleaner, and paraffin lamps may be easier to light and easier to find refils for, but for general »all-round utility the oil lamp holds pride of place. When kept clean and the proper oil used it gives enough light for ordinary road riding, class for class it is cheaper than either the gas or candle patterns, and as it is the oldest type it is brought nearer to perfection than either of the others.

A startling story of equine sagacity is told in the Globe. A horse was standing in the shafts of a carriage just outside a provincial theatre. It had a weary look, as of one that desired repose. Suddenly it brightened up, and before it could be stopped it made a dash for the box office. The reasons for this unexpected behaviour gave rise to much discussion, till at last one of the crowd, more observant than the others, pointed out that the legend "To the Stalls " was written in large letters over the the box office window. This must have been a u high " school "' horse.

The Spectator says that the servicesat the Christchurch Cathedral last Sunday were not crowded, and parsons, choir, and congregation all kepi their eyes ou the roof. In fact it was the most reverent congregation they've had for years.

The Hon. Secretary of the Wellington Cricket Association is to be asked by the Hawkes Bay Cricket Association to receive Mr A. E. Trott officially on his arrival in Wellington from Home to act as coach for the Napiercricketers.

The Dairy Commissioner finds that many factories which are not able to obtain milk of the richest quality areturning oat better cheese than "those which are supplied with superior milk. The explanation is that by employing better methods than others, the factories in the poorer districts are more than able to make up for the deficiencies in the quality of the milk.

At the last meeting of the Wesleyan Synod held at Wellington the other day, the session was opened by the Rev W. C. Oliver in an interesting and stirring spdech, in which, after reference to the General Conference, held withthe past year in Brisbane, he went on to refer to the prospects of Methodist union throughout the world, an omen of which might be seen in the gift of £SOOO by a Primitive Methodist in England to the Wesleyan Century Fund of a million guineas. The speaker took an even wider outlook, and hoped to see the outward unity of the Christian Church.brought about by such preliminaries as the closer association of Methodists and Presbyterians and of Baptists and- Congregationalists. In all parts, and especially in the cities, the degradation of the \jath to a holiday from its true day holy to God was a thing to i < .'■ ~>vecL One reason for the moden. neism might perhaps be found in the material prosperity of the colony turning intention away from the spiritual ne<&i of the human, heart and life.