NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 October 1931, Page 2

NEAR AND FAR

Roller Skates a Menace. Youthful roller skaters equipped with neither tail nor headlights are the latest menace to be encountered by motorists at night time on some of the smoother bitumen roads of the city and suburbs, says a Christchurch paper. These performers wander at will from right to wrong side of the road, and one lad had a narrow e£cape from going under the wheels of a car when he slipped while attempting some fancy evolution and sprawled sideways in front of theHncoming vehicle. Only the prompt application of bralces saved him from inj.ury. Whether a stop" can be' put to the nightfall activities of these young citU zens is a question that is concernifig numerous drivers. Not Tickled Enough. Referring to laughter in animals and human beings, Mr. H. W. SetonKarr, the explorer, said at a luneheon given by the City .of London Vacation Course recently; "We do not use tickling half enough. I suggest to the medical profession that pat-ients in hospitals should be tickled to make them laugh. ti is excellent as a therapentic. Dead but Able to Appeal. The Turkish official Gazette pulishes a summons to a dead man.to appear before the Appeal Court. It says: "To Ahmed bin Osman — Following an action brought in default against you by your wife, Azime, it has been established that you are dead. In the event of your having any objection to the verdict, you have a right to appeal within a fortnight." The newspapers say that the court is waiting for a response from the spirit world. Lions Go Cheaply. Lions are the kings of the jungle, but their value on the open market if often much less than that of other animals. A good gorilla, according to Popular Machanics, usually is worth about £200, while lions have sold for even less than £40. And a gorilla is a risky purchase because the climate of most American cities is hard on the big apes. In the zoo market, the rhinoceros brings the highest price — '£1000 or more. Snakes are sold by the foot, some of the more interesting varieties selling at £3 a foot Giraffes have recently gone up in value, and run the rhinos a close race in price. Among the birds, the little blue love birds are worth their weight in gold. "The Shakespeare Express." Thousands of Americans returning home from England this year will carry on their luggage a perjnanent souvenir of them visits to Stratford-on-Avon in the form of a distinctive yellow and black label. The labqls, each bearing an illustration of the head of Shakespeare, are proving extremely popular, especially among students. They are acquired by every passenger who travels from Paddington on the special train for American visitors, the "Shakespeare Express." Strange Meeting. The say the world is a small place, but it was large enough to keep sisters apart for more than half a century, states an Auckland exchange. When Mrs. M. A. Tyke, of 17, Park Road, Auckland, left her home in Cavan, North of Ireland, she said good-bye to a baby sister only five years of age, and the baby sister has just joined her, after what is very nearly a lifetime. The baby sister is now Mrs. E. J. Maxwell, of Englewood, 14 miles from New York. A couple of years ago she lost her husband, and as the doctor ordered a long sea trip, after a serious operation, she thought it would be- a good idea to take a run down to New Zealand to look up her sisters, for there are two more besides Mrs. Tyke.

Marry in Haste. An amazing Irish sweepstake story of a marriage with a girl who was believed to hold a lucky ticket comes from Southern Ireland, states a correspondent. A bachelor farmer purchased five tickets in the sweepstake, and with typical good nature gave one of them to his maid. On the day .of the draw he was in Dublin, and there read that one of his five tickets had drawn a iikely ho'rse. To his chagrin he discovered that the lucky ticket was the one he had given to the servant. The farmer hastened home, and, taking advantage of the fact that in rural Ireland news travels slowly, astounded the girl by a dec'laration of ardent love. Without giving any explanation for this sudden outburst, he insisted on an immediate marriage. After the wedding the newly-made husband broached the subject of the lucky sweepstake ticket, still concealing the fact that it was a winner. "And what did you do with it?" the man asked casually. "What, the ticket?" said the girl. "Oh, sure I gave it to the postman." "Reference Should be for Boys." When the chairman, Mr. A. S. Burgess, said at a meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce that hundreds of positions in offices were being held by girls that should be filled by boys, Mr. Hague Smith pointed out that few boys had training in shorthand and typing and were not educated to take the positions. Another member said that many of the girls had to assist in keeping the homes. Mr. Burgess considered that there was something to be said for the elimination of girls in favour of boys. He explained tbat the position had been brought about largely during-the war, when the boys had gone to the front and girls had taken their places. They had never been vacated and the custom had continued. As boys had the responsibility of the upkeep of homes ahead of them they should be given every opportunity to make a start in life. Two-Headed Calf. A healthy two-headed calf was born on the farm of Mr. Reeves, of Kaitangata. As the farmer had no use for such a monstrosity he rang Dunedin stating that unless the animal was accepted as a donation to the Museum of the Medical School he would have to destroy it. At the moment the fate of the calf- has not been decided.