NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 61, 3 November 1931, Page 2

NEAR AND FAR

Worm Fishing AbolishecL Quite a stir has been caused in Southland recently owing to the Southland Acclimatisation Society having aholished worm fishing in certain rivers this season. Several deputations from angling clubs" affect'ed have taken up the subject with the society, and it seems safe to predict that worm fishing will be re-instated again next year. Solved Food Problem. , Whilst cleaning fish recently an angler found in two'trdut partly-di-gested eels about a foot long and ag thick as a man's finger. The trout were in splendid condition, weighing61bs and 4£lbs respectively. Evidently these fish had solved the "food supply problem for themselves. Menace to Trout. The fact that; eels in a river are a menace to trout was amply demonstrated the other evening, when Mr. Roy Gill, of Grovetown, while fishing in the Wairau River at Rapaura, caught a fair-sized eel, which, upon being opened, was found to coritain 12 young trout (states the Marlborough Express). These varied in length from liin to the size of a herring. Tongan Kumeras for Wellington. A shipment of Tongan kumeras which reached the Wellington markets last Tuesday realised fairly good prices. The fact that Tonga is able to send shipments of kumeras all this way indicates a good season in the northern islands, as when the season is unfavourable the natives cannot afford to export a keeping food like their own sweet potato. Girl Swjms Niagara River. Mary Bell, aged 14, Port Dalhousie, Ontario, recently swam the perilous stretch of Niagara River below the Falls. Mary has thus achieved two records. She ,is the first girl to cross this treacherous strip of water, and in getting from -the United States tp the Canadian bank in 10 minutes she lowered by one minute the record previously held by William Hill, the veteran Niagara river-man. Clean Schools. The Health Department has issued a circular for the information ojf school committees on clealiness ip schools. The circular gives advice on the best methods of cleaning buildings, and stresses the need for teaching children the importance of personal hygiene. Among other things the circular says, "There should be as little common property as possiblp. Common towels should be aholished. Children should be 'encouraged to have their own towels— a piece of sheeting hemmed — which can be kept in the desk of the pupil. Each child should have a peg in the cloakroom, preferably labelled." Chair as Coffin. Impressive scenes were witnessed recently at the funeral of Mgr. Damianos, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, thousands of people watching the last journey to the restingplace at Mount Zion. The body of the Patriarch, sitting upright in a chair, presented a striking spectacle with its flowing white beard and full episcopal robes. He was 84 years old. Ex-King Taken for Burglar. Amanullah, ex-ICing of Afghanistan, was nearly arrested as a burglar by mistake recently. Returning to his villa at Montreux after an outing, he found that he had forgotten his keys, and he entered by climbin^ through a window. Observing his entry, neighbours hastily called the police, and declared that the villa was being ransacked by a hurglar. The police entered the huilding to ar.rest the intruder, and it was only after a lengthy argument that Amanullah convinced them that he was the rightful tenant. The gendarmes thereupon withdrew with apologies. A close watch is being kept on Amanullah and his residence by the polic.e because of the publicity given to his recent sale of valuable jewellery. Pilgrims Visit Mecca. About 200,000 pilgrims from all the Mohammedan countries visit Mecca every year at the pilgrimage season, said Mr. Eldon Rutter before the Manchester Geographical Society, recently. But if any but a Moslem approached within 20 miles of Mecca at any time he did so at th,e risk of his life. No unbeliever, as such, had „been to Mecca in the last 1800 years. In spite of the risk several Europeans, by first learning the Moslem ritual and customs, had managed to get into the city in disguise and to come safely out again. On the other hand, a considerable number of unbelievers appeared to have ' got into Mecca and never .to have come out again. Amy Johnson's Kiss When Miss Amy Johnson arrived at Tokio by air from London she was welcomed witfi great enthusiasm. The septuagenarian former president of the Aeronautical Society, General Nagoaka, whose imposing white moustaches, measuring 20in. from tip to tip, are said to he the longest in the world, made a movement indicating that he wished to embrace her, although public kissing is not customarily indulged in by Japanese (states an overseas writer) . After a momentary hesitation at the size of the moustaches, Miss Johnson bravely accepted the salutation, amid the cheers and laughter of the crowd. Blackmailed With Snakes Not so long ago, a tea-planter in ; Ceylon was ihformed' by a band of 1 native criminals that unless he paid ] suitable toll his bungalow would become infested with snakes. He ridiculed the threat— and a few days afterwards found a king-cobra urider ais bed. Snakes dropped on him from ; J ;he rafters when he was dining, and ae even discovered one coiled in his ' jhavingmug. After a few weeks of ] ;his treatment, his nerves broke down completely, and he had obtain specal leave from his firm to return to England until his health was restored. Even then, it was a considerable time cefore he ceased to have nightmares n which snakes played[ the chief i >arts. ' ' ; ;