NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 27

NEWS IN BRIEF

Old boys of Christ’s College and the Christchurch Boys’ High School in the New Zealand cricket team now touring England did not forget the High jubilee. Signed by Al. Page on behalf of I. B. Cromb and W. E. Alerritt (High School), and T. C. Lowry, R. O. Talbot, and R. C. Blunt (Christ’s College), the following cablegram was read at the jubilee celebrations by the headmaster. Air G. J. Lancaster: “Old boys of the. school, and college in the cricket team send their felicitations. Long life to the school. Altiora Peto.” In speaking at the Empire Day observance at the Victoria League at New Plymouth, Air R. Cock said he had always been an Empire man. He remembered that his father, as a cadet “on the old hulk that now lies in Portsmouth harbour,” had had to polish every day, the letters of that wonderful inscription, “ England expects that every man will this day do his duty.” Air Cock said that as a boy he had followed the doings of the naval men in Taranaki, and he remembered, after his father had landed a troop of men on the beach, following their march out to the relief of the forces at Waireka. Air Cock said he had also followed the volunteers to Parihaka and to Pukearuhe. The New Zealand Institute has for some time been desirous of having the honour of being a “ Royal ” institution. In his presidential address to a recent meeting of the Institutes’ Board of Governors, D r C. Coleridge Farr said: “ I am. greatly in hopes that this meeting will authorise your incoming president to take the necessary steps to bring about the suggested change, a change which I venture to think would clothe the institute with that dignity and distinction which by its many years of unostentatious work it has most justly earned. Inquiries which have, been made indicate that in the institute’s case there should be no great difficulties, and the steps which must be taken are now known to us.” Penguins are not uncommon in certain parts of the Hauraki Gulf, but it is seldom they are seen alive on any of the beaches n'ear the city (states the Auckland Star). In view of this fact the appearance of one of the birds at Cheltenham last week caused considerable interest. The penguin was first seen perched on a diving board, and it did not appear in any way frightened at the approach of strangers. It remained on the board for more than two hours, but when the outgoing tide had almost left its perch high and dry it made off in the direction of Rangitoto. Indications of the replacement or reconditioning of buildings destroyed or damaged by 7 the earthquake are sufficiently significant to warrant the conviction that Napier will shortly be the centre of an unprecedented building boom (remarks the Telegraph). Less, than four months after the disaster which ‘metaphorically wiped the business section of the city from its foundations, temporary buildings with a total value of nearly £60,000 have sprung up. Still another metamorphosis is to come. Property owners are considering the erection of. fine-.new permanent buildings to replace those, which they lost, and plans for many new structures have already been completed. It is safe to predict that within a month or two the desolated-looking area which .was once the commercial heart of Napier will be throbbing with activity. a

Whether the action of the Education Board, in taking portion of her property in Tory place under the Public Works Act, rendered unsaleable the part that remained, and in view of the building by-laws, had restricted building operations, was the subject of legal argument in the Supreme Court at Wellington last week when a claim was made by Mrs Alice Alerry, widow, against the Education Board for £6852 compensation. The court awarded the plaintiff £2150, no costs being allowed.

Air Samuel Yarrow, aged 94, of Trenton, Canada, who has eight children, 47 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren, recently led his third bride to the altar. She is a widow of 63, and the courtship was conducted by post. “ Aly last wife died last October,” Air Yarrow said in an interview. “Aly bride wrote to.me that she had lost her husband about a year ago, and thought that I was lonesome and wished to get married. I wrote and told her I.was lonesome, but didn’t wish to get married just yet. I thought it would be better to wait a while. Then she wrote to me again, saying how lonely she was. Aly'new wife,” he added, “will be able to take care of me ‘ when I get old! ’ 1 was married at the age of 22. I wouldn’t advise anyone to marry early. Some young fellows are too wild. ' But if a man is willing to settle down and treat a woman right, then I say the younger the better. Aly rule is alwavs to "ive them lots of love.” ’ c An instance of the manner in which the retail prices of some goods are keeping up despite the downward trend in other lines was provided to a reporter of the Poverty Bay Herald by a footwear retailer, who said that while many adult lines had been reduced as much as 50 per cent., children’s wear remained practically unaltered. New Zealand factories were able to turn out the adult wear and also the larger children’s sizes and the decreases in prices had been on the Aew Zealand manufacturers. Alo<t of the children’s boots, shoes, and slippers had to be imported, and the increased ireight, duty, and exchange charges were offsetting any benefit of price reductions made at the factories. In fact, recent arrivals of children’s wear were slightly above those of previous lots, and until freights, duty, and exchange were adjusted for the benefit of the consumer no price reduction could be looked for by the public. Though the members of the First New Zealand Alounted Rifles Contingent for the South African war have been pretty well scattered in the 30 years that have passed since they sailed from Wellington on October 21, 1899, and a number have since died, the annual gathering is a big occasion and the “Bulletin,” published in Alay of each year, is as lively a paper as ever. The last issue is full of personal interest to all Boer war i eterans and the many notes and doings show that they have kept in touch wonderfully well. The original strength was 217,and at the anniversary last October all but nine were still accounted for; 63 have passed on, there are 90 in the North Island, 33 in the South Island, seven in South Africa, England, and Australia (each), and one in India. That the men, over’ so many years, have remembered their promises, made on the return trip to New Zealand to keep in touch with their association, is the best proof of the spirit of the First Contingent Alounted Rifles. Among those who passed away during the year were General the Rt. Hon. Sir Bryan Alalion, K.C.8., K.C.V.0., at Dublin. Colonel Al. Craddock, General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, following a motor accident in England, Air S.° R. Palmer (Hawera Mounteds), at Rotorua, Air P. R. Bexland (regimental quarter-master-sergeant), in South Africa, and Air R. Steele, from injuries sustained in a glider accident in Canada. To the casual reader, perhaps, the Bulletin is not of great moment, but it. is a journal that is very carefully filed away by those to whom and for whom it is specially issued. In Sydnej',-as elsewhere, the miniature golf boom came and went. According to a Sydney writer, miniature golf may be replaced by archery (which, it happens, was a fashionable sport in the fifties), and archers are indeed now in possession of one of the late Sydney miniature golf courses. “Aliniature golf having ‘ fadsd out’ in almost every resort where it was introduced in Sydney, something else is sought to enable jaded citizens or young men and maidens requiring variety of entertainment to spend half an’ hour in an agreeable way.. It has been a shock to some genuine optimists to observe the present indifference of the public to miniature golf. I am aware of at least half a dozen men who each spent from £5OO to £7OO on suburban golf courses, and did not take enough fees to pay for the attendants. Auctions terminated their careers as public entertainers, and the proceeds of the auctions were not worth considering. The loss was almost 100 per cent. There was one golf course in the city that attracted more attention than any other. It was run by a newspaper in conjunction with the Hotel Australia, the site being the hole in the ground left after the removal of the original building of the Government Savings Bank, which hole in the ground the Hotel Australia Company purchased for £150,000 in order to extend its premises, but found that conditions were unfavourable. This miniature golf course seemed to be deserted a week or two ago. The reason was emblazoned a few days later on the outer wall. Archery is substituted for golf, and the blase are invited to experiment in possibilities of thrills. If the venture proves a success there will be a drawing of bows all over the city and suburbs. . At present, ■ however, those who observe merely shake their heads.”