NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 48, 19 October 1931, Page 2

NEAR AND FAR

Into the Trap. I Noticing a motor-car with dimmed ligHt^ pa'rke'd 6h th'e roadside just out lof Hawera recently, a cyclist approached the vehicle under the impression that a breakdown had occurfed'ahd proff ered his hssista'hc'e. The occupier of the car happened to be a county ranger who was patrolling the roads, and it was'paftieularly unfprtunate for the cyclist that he had no light on his machine, for instead $£« gratitude for* Well-meant intentions he later reeeived a" sunimons for his omission. An Awkward Moment. [ "We want beer." -In swift anti-cli-max to most serious "econoinie wariiing, this cry rose 'from the gallery as Presidettt Hoover concluded his openirig spefecji to the Am'erican Legion convehtion'at Detroit. The cry was taken up by others,- and spread throughout the hall in, a tremendous

roar. The president, however, gave no sign that he heard it, • , Latest in Locomotives. What is stated to be a record pull hy a railway locomotive was acconi-' plished recently by engine 8000 of the Canadian Pacific Railways. "This is the latest in locomotives. a great

three-cylmdered high-pressure engine, which acomplished the rehiarkable feat of hauling in good time 96 cars carrying a load weighing 8223 toHs from Montreal to' Smith's 'Falls, a distance of some 150 miles. * On the return journey the load Was 812!5 to'ns. The norma! train on'the ruh carries a load of about "2700 tons." *? Kiwi and Five Chicks. A service-car driver travelling on the main Rotorua:Opotiki road recently overtook an adult kiwi with fiVe kiwi chicks. He captured one of the chicks and has' taken it to Gisborne J to add to the collectidn of 'bir^ds at I the Botanical Gardens there. Human Pincushion. Due to an abnormality in his nervous system, Walter Easler,' known as a "human pincushion," can pierce his face and arms with needles with°ut feeling any pain. Physicians say his is a remarkable case of sensory anasthesia, with the explanation that the n'erves * which carry the sensations of pain as Well as of beat and cold to the brain do not function in his body. A Judgment. It seems almost a judgment that nature has given America a world's record cotton crop at the very moment when she owns all the gold with which the world could buy it'.— Dominioh.

j Travelling De Luxe. A novel eollapsible house on wheels, fully equipped for two persons on a holiday tour, made its appearance in Hawera recently and served to demonstrate the ingenuity of a Wanganui carpenter. Capable of being erected in 15 seconds, the house ls mounted on a soundly constructed trailer chassis, and provides an interior height of 6ft 6in and length 7ft. It has two comfortable bunks, ah eight-gallon water tank and cookin'g applianees ; in fact, one might say, J "all modern home comforts, ineluding electric light." The f our sides fold inward over the bunks, and the roof falls flat, while the back door is hinged at the bottom, so that the house, now reduced to a trailer, may be used for stowing luggage. A special bar-

swivel attachment connects the trailer wtih the car and facilitates the control of both when in transit at any speed. - : Divorce in Japan. "The divorce laws of Japan are interesting," said Mr. F. B. Colliver, of Chicago, who is visiting Wellington and who gave an after luncheoh address to the English-speakin'g Union. "You don't have to go to la Reno there. You all know Reno, don't you — 30 days, 30 dollars. That's all it costs. Oh, no, they are more liberal in the East. The Mohammedans are very liberal in their. views on divorce. A man who. wishes to divorce his wife has merely td go into the public street, and shout out,' 'I divorce this woman!' three times and the job is done. In Japan, they don't need to be so formal as that," said Mr. Colliver. "There a man calls in a neighbour and in his prdsence enters a complaint about his wife, and the job is done! .The neighbour is usually too much of a gentleman to

mquire into the nature of the complaint. He just lets it go at that." = Where Eggs are Cheap. In parts of the Riverina (reports a Melbourrie paper) , eggs are being sold at 41d a dozen retail; and for' 3d on the farm.' "This is the lowest price for eggs that has ever ruled in this part of the State.

A G arden Aviary. A Wanganui horticulturist who lives within a mile of the city, and whose garden contains many native trees and shrubs, observe'd the following native "birds in the garden one" morning recently: Tuis, riroriro (grey warbler, piwaka (fantail), wax-eye "(sil-ver-eye), pipwharauroa (shining cuckoo), mopoke. Ihiported' birds lioticed at the same time' include'd "the mifiaji, magpie, starling, tlirush, blackbird, house-sparrow and chaffinch. The pwhei* of the garden attributes the presence of so many birds to the fact that his garden has so many 'trees and shrubs. ■ * • Wellington Charity. Mariy charities are flourishing in Wellington in these hard times, but the oddest of all made its appearance in Wellington last week, Writes a COr- i respondent. Karori residents were troubled at the fact that a worthy young girl in the subttrb's needed a neW" set of f alse teethV She was unemployed ' and could' not alford the nbw set. The residents kneW" th'is, and they knew how to overcome' the difficulty. They held a bridge party ; in aid of her, and triumphantly handed over takings su'fficient to ' provide her with new false teeth. Baby's weight. Keep a record of Baby's progress free. We invite you to make use of our up-to-date scales and I^res&nt ydu 'yuth a card to keap particulars on. Len Fisher, Ltd., Chemist, Fenton Street.* ,