Shannon News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1925.

Shannon News, 31 December 1925, Page 2

Shannon News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1925.

A large number of local sports attended the Awapuni Races during the holiday, several of them participating in the big dividual on the second day.

At the People's Picnic on New Year's Day there will be a baby show when prizes will be awarded to the best babies under six months and 12 months of age. .

A watch night service will be held in Ven. Bede's Church to-night at 11.30 p.m. A hearty inwittaition is extended to members of other churches to attend.

Tile public are reminded that a dance will*be held im the Druids' Hall to-night, when those who attend will he able to dance the old year out and the new.year in. The proceeds will be donated to the Children's Home.

Mr Howard Andrew's many friends will be pleased to learn that Ms son Brian, who was recently operated on at' the Palmerston North Hospital for appendicitis, is progressing satisfactorily towards recovery.

Several of the local business people have noticed that.quite a fair amount of their business during the last few days is due to people making purchases in readiness for the People's Picnic on New Year's Day.

A local resident has at present under cultivation about two acres oi onions and the crop is looking well. If the weather conditions from now on- are satisfactory the owner should be well rewarded for his labour, as the onion crops generally this year have been a failure.

l,t has often been said that no man really seeking work has tried in Sfhannon and failed to find a job. During the holidays several men. from Wellington have secured work at the mills and are now looking forward to the New Year with brighter prospects.

The abundance of feed in and around Shannon at present would gladden, the eves of Hiawkes Bay farmers who are" just now experiencing a drought. In many places the grass has been allowed to get, away and Shannon may well ,be termed the dairy farmers' paradise.

The Mangahao hydro works have proved a great attraction to mamy people during the holidays. Many private cars f(ram. aUI parts have made the trip oyer the hill lately, and the local, taxi proprietors, have, ailso ibeen 'busy. The .Visitors are unanimous 'hi their praise of the wonderful scenery along the road to the new dam, and declare that apart from viewing New Zealand's largest hydro-electric undertaking, the scenery surpasses most, if not all, of.tlie better knlown scenic resorts. The road is good and we'll graded, and the bridges are all structures of the finest quality. When the lakes are ready as fishing grojiinds this trip will certainly increase in popularity.

The Hobart News has ceased publication. The working loss 'On the paper for 13 months amounted to £15,900. A six. days' cycle race started from Sydney at midnigiht oil Sunday. Riders from all the States 'and New Zealand are competing. The twin-screw forty-three footer Ruamango left Auckland on Christmas Day with A. H. Court (oiwner), J. Kelly (engiineer), €. J. Callings (builder), J. B. Johnston and R. Not en on a two months' cruise to circumnavigate New Zealand. She wi'll proceed to Russell, then to Wellington: via Oneliunga, New Plymouth, and thence along the east coast osf the South Island to Dunedin, Stewart Island, West Coast Sounds, Greymouth, Westport, Nelson, Napier, Gisborne, and home.

An exchange states that a Stratford monumental mason has just completed what must be a unique order for a farmer in the Pohokura district. It takes the form of a small tomb-stone to one of his sheep dogs which was. accidentally Killed.

As showing the tremendous size to which Ihe Institutions under the conj trol of'the Auckland hospital Board have grown, it may be mentioned that it took the members a whole day to, 'overtake the task of making a thorough visitation and seeing every patient and resident under their care.

The T.aranaki Oilfields- report that tlie Moturoa bore with a 61-inch oaring is down to 3186 feet. Ten barrels of oil have been bailed out and the staff is now cleaning auft the oavings. The Tarata bore has completed the strengthening of. the derrick. Both wells resumed drilling yesterday

The heat of the sun was go intense in Hastings the other day that at mid-day the bitumen surface of the streets became very soft and "was quickly decorated with patterns of different motor tyres, horses' hoofs, and footmarks from pedestrians. The position became so bad that the Borough Council found it necessary to sprinkle shingle on the surface.

'lt would make your hair stand on end if 1 told you," said a lady who gave evidence in a case heard at the Wanganui Magistrate's Court the other clay. It so happened that the presiding magistrate''was somewhat destitute of hirsute adornment and it was possibly that fact which led him make mine stand on end."

The spectacle of a bright green moon was tjhe subject of much discussion in Auckland at about a quarter past seven on Monday evening. A prominent Auckland astronomer, who was one of the observers, attributed the sight to the blending of the blue atmospheric light with the usual yellow hue of the moon, to give it a bright green appearance. It might also have been an optical illusion. He stated he knew of no precedent on record.

Earl Jellicoe spent a strenuous time in Newcastle on Nioyember 10, but there was, at least, one humorous interlude (says am English paper). Introduced to his lordship as a famous storyteller, County Alderman J. R. Hogg rose equal to the. occasion by recalling a happy tale. A little girl in a Sunday School was asked by her teacher for the names oi the three Hebrews who were cast into the fiery furnace. "Shadrach, Me shach and Jellicae," replied the child ' confidently. You could have heard the bluff Admiral's laugh yards off.

Trie present shark scare in Auckland lias no terrors lor some ot the youJh'of Devonpotrt. This lias been demonstrated by some of the sw;ianmiing enthusiasts who make use of the pontoon. anchored off the Windsor Reserve cluse to Devonport wharf, where the big fish were caught last week. These young fellows had done their best to reduce the number of genus carcharhinus by laying a.cample of lines off the pontoon, and to make sure that their fishing is getting a fair chance, they make a practice of §vvimming oat intioi deep wlater just to And out if the bait is still all right. A flashing ' movement on the overhand stroke of one swimmer the other night was, on closer inspection revealed to be the family carving knife, .evidently carried for probable use "if wanted on the voyage" had the swimmer been molested by the wolves of tire deep.

An accrediting system for matriculation does not appeal to tihe headmaster of Christ's College, the Rev. E. C. Crosse. At the prize-giving ceremony last week he sa,id:. "Before I leave the subject of . examinations may I just add this. I do sincerely hope that the day will never coime in New Zealand when any regular system of accrediting will be introduced in lieu of the ordinary examination. Accrediting, is I believe, an American idea, and in my opinion, a. bad one. The difficulties of a headmaster are already quite sufficiently great without submitting hiin to the outside pressure that would inevitably follow, the int reduction of this system. "I think an examination, is a perfectly fair test and the boy who cannot pass that, does not, in my opinion, deserve any more sympathy than the so-called excellent cricketers, who unfortunately get out for 0.

A lamp which will light at ihe word of command, mid go out when ordered, is. Hie latest electrical wonder. The uncanny device is the invention of Mr L. H. Pearson, of Nottingham, a keen wireless enthusiast, W'hQi made the discovery while transmitting from his station (SCK) asbout a year ago. At the time he did not realise its commercial value, hut he now has the device provisionally covered under the patents law. Describing his invention, Mr Pearson says: "It is an electrical switch, which can be controlled by the human voice, or airy viilbratlon or sound.'' He produced the wonderful lamp, which looks like an ordinary electric globe. "On !." he commanded, and it was at once illuminated. "Off I" he said, and rtihe light immediately went out. The experiment was repeated several times. The current "jumped to" the word of command on every occasion, to the astonishment of the onlookers, many of whom were not aware that the commands were spoken into a microphone.

A four-year-old boy whose parents reside in the Wairarapa received a nasty wound on the side of the forehead through a heavy soldering iron, in use by a workman attending to the telephone wires outside his lather's, home, falling qn him. Fortunately, the iron escaped an eye and the top of the child's head, or the results might have been more disas* trous.. I Recently in Auckland an ambulance 'driver hastening to an accident case found himself blocked by a motor bus. Though he rang his bell continuously the man ahead refused to give him passage. When, after some i minutes' delay, the ambulance found a chance to "get through, and drew level with the bus, the driver of that vehicle put x his hand to his ear in an allegedly humorous imitation of a man who is deaf, at the same time grimacing at the aniibulaniice man. Few people may have realised that Christ's college (Ghri-stchurch) is older than many public schools in England. •Christ's was established m Canterbury in 1850. Marlborough U 843) and Radley (1847) of England have a alight advantage in age over Christ's but Wellington (1853), Haileybury (1860),, Clifton. (1862), and Malvern (1865) are junior to it. The oldest in England is'Winchester, established in 1382, Eton comes next, having been founded in 1440.

Dr. Peter Mark Roget, who was born in London in 1779, read before the Royal Society a paper 1 which was destined to lead to the invention of the dnemaitograjph. In the summer of 1824 he was looking through his window at houses opposite. Passing his eye up and down the slots of a Venetian blind, he received the impression ot a stationary wheel, which he saw was revolving when he kept his eyes still. He discovered the cause and effect, and described Iris findings in his paper to the Royal Society. The publication of the paper started a new train of thought among the leading scientists of the day. But' for Dr. Roget's data and explanation of the phenomena the invention of the phonakistoscope by Dr. Plateau, and of a similar instrument, the stroboscope, by Dr. Stamfner, would not have occurred.

On Sunday a peculiar accident occurred near Newstead, Hawkes Bay, on the road to Puketitiri, in which two motor lorries were wrecked and burnt. It appears that the two vehicles, a lorry owned by Langley and Co., Hastings, and a larger one owned by Wilkie and Austin, of Hastings, were travelling towards Riissington with the former in the lead. When mounting the steep hill on the Napier side of Mr Pattullo's homestead the larger lorry caught fire. The driver of the other truick immediately went back to render aid, but the brake qn his lorry failed to hold and it ran back and collided with the burning lorry. The force of the impact started the bigger lorry running and at the same time it set fire to the smaller one. Both lorries plunged over the side, breaking the fences and falling into 1 the deep gorge below. They were completely wrecked and their loads practically ruined. Fortunately no one was injured.

A case worthy, of comic opera is shortly to engage the attention of Paris judges. It is a case of lese majeste really. A peasant at Blors recently bought- a fine young donkey, and possibly, without any thought; of harm or insult, he named it Herriot. The local authorities soon heard about it, and, as staunch political supporters of the President of the Chamber, they waxed indignant. For a donkey to be given the name of a man who was so recently Prime Minister of France, they said, was not only an insult to the man, hut to his country, and they roundly accused the peasant of something like treason. The new Herriot flaps his long ears in quiet contentment while'villagers, lawyers, and politicians discuss his baptism. The magistrates of Blois have now to decide whether the naming- of a donkey after M. Herriot constitutes an insult or injury to the ex-Premier who still leads the political bloc AVhieh wields the supreme power in France.

The Christchurch Star's Dunedin correspondent writes: Curiosity is no dowibt the reason for the large crowd that is always to be found before a certain side show in the amusement belt at the Exhibition, when most of the other shows have closed down for an hour through lack of business. Two young women are cosily wrapped up in two comfortable beds, and those in the crowd with a shilling to spare are invited to "tip them out," One young fellow, obviously from the bush, told the showman the other day that he would give him "ten bob" for the pleasure. "She's sure a bit cheap at a bob," be said, to the immense delight of the others in the crowd, as he put his leg over the rail. Had he not been stopped there is no doubt that the young women's slumbers woiuld have very soon come to an abrupt termination; but he was stopped. He did not know the rules of the game. To tip the sleeping ones out, one must have a straight eye and a very, very steady arm. The method employed involves the use of several balls, one of Which must connect wtfth a disc in a targetlike arrangement on the wall if the voting women are to go out. "When they are tipped out, as it sometimes happens, the crowds, becoming acquainted of the fact from the riotous laughter whtcih succeeds the event, come rushing from every direction, and the men are always to the fore

The Napier. Borough Councti has made a new departjuire in letting a £6OOO road-making contract. Five of the New Zealand Commissioners of Crown Lands are retiring almost simultaneously Qn superannuation. In connection with the report that there had been an infantile paralysis outbreak in Australia, Dr. T. F. Telford, District Health Officer, Christchurch, said last week that the Dominion was just now practically free j of the disease, and it was not likely I that another epidemic would sweep I the country for at least four years. The health authorities, however, were vigilant, but they expected to find only a few cases at this time of the year. , Long service, medals for cats will soon have to be presented by the management of the White star Line. Addressing members oi the Sanitary Inspectors' Association the other day, Mr S. E. Cruse (Chief Assistant Manager.) remarked that some of the liners carried as many as twenty-five pussies, and some of these faithful felines had been on the strength for twelve years.—Tlie White Star Magazine.

Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony at the Victoria Avenue School, \v.anganui, the headmaster, Mr Richardson, suggested that when the schools resumed aiter the vacation the day's work should commence at 8 o'clock in the morning and extend up till noon. The afternoon's work, during which the heat was most oppressive, cofudd thus be spent in the open. The chairman of the Education 'Board (Mr W. Collins) said he saw no objection to the scheme, providing the five hours' work was put in as usual.

The new "red cap" -railway par-' tets will soon make" their appearance. The usual .platform porter is in receipt oi a daily wage, and is required to assist passengers with their luggage as much as possible. He is not, of course, permitted to accept any further payment for this service, but the "red cap" porter is to be licensed to attend to passenger's luggage and may be hired for this work, the fe.e being limited to sixpence for a single package, or, if more than one package, to a shilling for any single journey, required about the railway station premises.

' Captain Bain, an English visitor at present staying at Feidding, tells a stoijy illustrating the bad side of the English dole system. He had an experience in tha engagement of a labourer. The latter, had been offered work on a farm, and on his inquiring he was told his wage would be 30s per week. "That would mean," he replied, "that I would be working for Is per week. I get 29s a week dole now without working, so why should I work* for Is a week?" He turned down the job.—-Star.

An eighty-three year old oak tree, which grew on the Hut* road, Petone, was recently cut down because the land whereon it grew was purchased by the Railway Department as the 'jumping off point for the new Butt railway. The tree itad grown to a considerable size, and a few planks 12' inches wide and one inch thick were cut out of it. These N will be made into small tables and will lie held by the owners as mementoes of what Mr Percy (son of the original planter) asserts ifi the oldest oak tree in the Dominion.