ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43116, 20 July 1907, Page 4

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Our Paeroa, correspondent writes: ‘ A quiet but pretty wedding took place at St. Paul’s Church, Paeroa, on Saturday, between Mr Johns, of Pukekohe, and Miss May Stewart-, daughter of Mr John Stewart, of Paeroa, the officiating minister being the Rev. J. P. Cowie. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming in a. handsome travelling costume of navy blue trimmed with white, and a white felt haib. She was attended by her sister, Miss Mary Stewart, Miss Johns (sister of the bridegroom) and Miss 'Darby. Tlie best, man was Mr Brown, and the .groomsman Mr Dean. New dick, the Thames full back, who played for Auckland last Saturday against Buller, had an experience that was rather awkward to anyone, suffering from, “nerves.” After several of the Auckland players bad failed with the place kicks and another t-rv had been recorded for the Blue and Whites, there came a howl, from the spectators of “Give it to Newdiek !” Tlie Thames player remembered the cry of last year and thought a, little. “Give it to Newdiek!” was the cry again, and the Auckland captain did a.s desired. Newdiek made a. desperate kick at the ball—and missed the goal! And thereafter the crowd: was silent with an impressiveness that was significant!

It is a popular belief that June 21st was + l '- shortest daw this year. The average person, fancied that the sun had its latest rising and its earliest, setting on that day, just, as lie imagines that the sun will reverse that order on December 21st. “In the winter,” says the New Zealand Nautical Almanac.,” the afternoon begins to lengthen after June 15th, whereas the sun, continues to rise later every morning until June 29th. The shortest and longest- days in New Zealand this year are June 22nd and December 23, the sun reaching its greatest northern declination at about 81ir lGmin p.m. on June 22nd, and its greatest southern at. .about sli'r 22m,in, a.m. on December 23rd.”

A party of three young men have left Taihape to inspect land in Queensland on behalf of a local syndicate. Inducements have been made to the party to take up land to the extent of some 1000 acres on condition that they clear it) of that dreaded noxious growth, the prickly pear, free of all charges, and with the option of purchasing at the end of 20 years at £-2 per acre. This is with the idea of encouraging closer settlement. The “prayer” fiend has found his way : to Featherston. He has been stopped in New South Wales by the Post Office refusing to deliver 1 the letters. A person, send a prayer to her friends, at the rate of one. day for 1 nine days. The persons, receiving these prayers are expected to do the same, and those: who follow 'the method, will, it is said, receive ai joy on the ninth da- while those who have disobeyed are to- expect misfortune when the ninth day arrives. Mir T. EL Donne, head) of the Tourist Department, ha,s decided that, it would be in the - interests of the department if officers whose duties bring them into touch with the travelling public, who may, in some cases, rely on Elsperanto l to assist them: in their peregrinations, learned that ‘language.’ Books on Esperanto have been procured, and the department’s representatives, including; those in Sydney and Melbourne, are to learn the ‘language’ as- soon ajs they can. Mir Hone Heke, speaking on the Divorce Bill, pointed the moral that people who entered into a solemn underbaking like marriage should do so only after careful consideration, and wanted to- know why a person who had sworn to be. faithful “till death do us part,” should be released from that oath because the other party became insane. Tlie Government, he urged, should give certificates to persons who were pronounced to be fib to many, and put; its mark on those who were unfit.

Many people are under the impression that poverty is an, evil unknown in New Zealand; ! but a most heartrending case has come to the knowledge of the Wanganui Herald. Incredible ais it may seem, there are liv--1110; at Eats own (a Wanganui suburb) a woman and one child, an invalid pari of 11 /years of ape, who have been existing on a pennyworth of oatmeal and a pennyworth of milk per day for the past three weaaks. For a beads toad a couple of logs do duty, and this is practically all the furniture (?) in the place—ai tumble down shanty. As it is a deserving case the public are now taking stops to render immediate ro