LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 October 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Clean Bankruptcy Sheet. No bankruptcies were recorded in (he Wairarapa during September, the number for the year being two. Government Housing Scheme. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing, Mr J. A. Lee, has announced the police reserve in Sedcole and Tyndall Streets, Pahiatua, had been purchased for the erection of eight Government houses. Cough that Broke a Rib. One of the most curious accidents, and perhaps as rare as any, occurred recently in Wellington when a man, in coughing, broke a rib. .He had been sbffering from influenza, which left him with a severe cough. It was during a violent spell of coughing that a rib was broken. His medical adviser said that he had never heard of such an occurrence before. “Election Eggs a Specialty.” Those who find that words are inadequate to express their feelings towards political speakers will be interested in a display in a shop window at Waipukurau. An enterprising businessman has placed in his window a large box of shags’ eggs obtained during a “drive” by the Acclimatisation Society, and labelled them: “Election eggs—prices according to age.” Call to Prayer.

The Call to Prayer services in St Matthew’s Church yesterday afternoon were attended by several hundred people during the two hours over which Tie services extended. Ministers of the various churches conducted halfhourly services, those taking part being the Revs E. J. Rich, F. J. Parker and David McNeur and Major J. D. B. Mahaffie. The arrangements were made by the Masterton Ministers’ Association. Dunedin’s Albatross Disappears. The young albatross which was hatched at the Otago Heads in February has now disappeared from the nesting ground. Its absence was first noticed last week, and, as a thorough search has failed to reveal any trace of it, those who have taken interest in the bird assume that it has at last decided to fly off and see something of the world. The public, however, will still be excluded from the nesting ground, which was recently enclosed by the erection of a fence across the headland. Whalebone Mere Found. A splendid example of a Maori whalebone mere was found recently by Mr R. Hoffman, of Invercargill, at Mararoa, near Lake Te Anau. The mere, which is 18 inches long and five inches across at the widest part of the blade, weighs three pounds, and is absolutely without a flaw. The handle has been drilled to carry a thong and is carved to a peculiar design, suggestive of two human faces. The edge is sharp and unchipped. Mr Hoffman discovered the mere among several Maori ovens and other signs of Maori life. Samoa Offers Troops. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, received yesterday the following telegram from the ActingAdministrator of Samoa: “At the Fono this morning the Faipule, with a strong expression of loyalty to the Empire, offered to make available a force of 9200 Samoans to fight in general service and in the defence of Apia.” The following reply has been sent by the Prime Minister: “Please convey to the Fono the following message from the Prime Minister—‘l appreciate very much indeed the expression of loyalty Dy the Fono, and the offer of Samoans to help if necessary. I am glaa to say, however, that present difficulties seem to be disappearing, but I shall not forget these expressions of Samoans’ support.”

Cow’s Long Swim. An extraordinary incident is recorded from Somes Island, Wellington. A white cow, one of a mob being trucked at Petone. jumped from the wharf, and swam to Leper Island, the small islet to the north. A telephone message was received by the officer in charge of the stock station on Somes Island and. was the result of a search, the .animal was discovered. An effort was made to entice it to swim to the island, but this failed and it was decided that the only solution was to kill it, as there is no forage or water on the islet. Two men came over from Fort Dorset and, after two shots missed, the stock manager succeeded in the despatch of the cow, which was skinned and the carcass thrown into the sea. The distance swum by the cow was over two miles. Pedestrian Crossings. Patented by two members of the staff of the New Plymouth Borough Council, a permanent method of marking pedestrian crossings is being used experimentally for one crossing in the borough. If the experiment is as successful as is expected, all crossings in the borough will be laid down in the same way. The advantages of the method are that even on wet, dark nights the crossings will be clearly visible to motorists, and the heavy periodical cost of painting crossings will be avoided. It is stated that the system is much superior to other patents with similar objectives that have been seen at New Plymouth. The system is the joint invention of the town clerk, Mr F. T. Bellringer, and the foreman, Mr W. G. Bethel. The patent covers oval blocks of a special white concrete mixed with marble chips, red reflectors being inset. Loan Without a Poll. In order to finance extensions to lines and the strengthening of the reticulation to deal with the constantlygrowing demand for electrical services, the Poverty Bay Power Board will apply to the Loans Board for authority to raise £75,000 by loan, this sum being estimated as sufficient to meet the requirements of the next three years, a Gisborne Press Association message states. The board does not propose to take a poll of ratepayers on the loan unless objections received oblige it to take this course. It was explained at yesterday’s meeting that while it will be necessary to provide for a rate to secure the loan, there is no more likelihood of the rate being collected in respect of this loan than there was when the board previously raised money for capital expenditure, the extension of the board’s business and revenue being adequate to cover the interest, sinking fund and replacement reserve allocations. I