Local and General.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10311, 21 January 1927, Page 4

Local and General.

An indication of the great interest in the Wairoa Racing Club's meeting yesterday was afforded a motorist proceeding from Wairoa to Gisborne yesterday morning. In the course of his run, he passed over fifty cars bound Wairoa-wards.

In pursuance of the Government’s campaign against illegal listeners-in on the radio, the Post and Telegraph Department has circularised its employees offering a reward of 5/- for the discovery of unlicensed sets. Linesmen and faultmen, have many opportunities when installing or repairing phones of discovering wireless installations, and it is hoped by the Dept, that this new attack will be successful in discovering a large number of illegal listeners in. The men, however] are inclined to resent the circular, contending that the discovery of unlicensed radio owners is no part -of their duty.—Special.

Nominations for the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s summer meeting close with the secretary, Mr. D, M. J'e Costa at 8 o’clock this evening.

n#'ements being recorded.

/ +i ic latest meeting of the Hick’s Harbor Board it was resolved tiSt the secretary take the steps towards having receipts obtain ed Tor all cargo banded ovei at the wharf and shed. —Special.

The late Mr. J. AV. Coles, of Hastings, who died in the Napier hospital orfllec-ember 24 left the whole: ot hm estate, valued at UW, to the Na pier Hospital Board. I •

mile digging in a garden at the comer of Bath and Durham Streets,, oifr istchur eh on Wednesday evenWg, a man named A. Gregory, f« un in old skull, believed to be ot a Human being. The police are investi-gating.—P-A.

On December 1 there were 100 patients in Cook Hospital. Duringthat month 101 patients had been admitted, six deaths had occurred, 120 have been discharged, leaving JN -patients in the institution at the end of the month.

Addington market will be tested m regard to the demand for North island ewes next week as a result ot a consignment shipped on th Waimea. The shipment, only a small one-and the mam ship ments will not go forward till I ebruary.

It was resolved by the Matakaoa Hospital Board at its latest meeting that the secretary furnish an application on the part of the Board to become a contributor to the National Provident Fund on behalf of its peimanent staff, namely, D. J. McNaught, Dr. T. AVißepa and Nurse Anne It. Harris. —-Special.

On Tuesday states a Dunedin P.A. wire, a message from Sydney was picked up in Masterton stating that A. A. Barnes, somewhere in >e" Zealand, was urgently required at his home in Coogee. The message was telegraphed throughout the Dominion and inquiries instituted with the result that Barnes was located, at the Carlton Hotel and was able to catch a train north on Tuesday.

The Post and Telegraph Department at Dunedin yesterday used the Kirby cable laying machine for putting dowu telephone wires near Mosgeib The machine is the invention of Mr Joseph G. Kirby, of Wyndham. it lias a rubber-shaped sock with a steel shoe attached. The chassis cuts the ground to a depth of 26m., leaving a scar only a lew inches wide and laving the cable at the same time. Press Assn.

The new host and hostess of tne Hot Springs Hotel at Morere are treating their many guests to still another innovation at this popular tourist resort over the week-end, by the special engagement of Air. Chas. Aves’ Cabaret Orchestra. Arrangements are well in hand for dancing on the spacious verandah. The orchestra will also render selections in the hotel grounds during afternoon-tea on Sunday.

While trying out a hoyse on W ednesday, Sister Turner, le Karaka district native nurse, had an unfortunate experience, the horse bolting and then throwing her. She suffereu a badly sprained ankle and was severely bruised, but after coming into Gisborne for treatment, she was able to return home yesterday, and is now progressing favorably. It will be some days, however, before Sister turner will be able to take up her nursing duties again.

The Dairy Control Board has discussed the recent difficulties over the personnel of its London agency and has unanimously resolved to communicate to the acting-Premier, Air. VY. D. Stewart, its suggestion that Air. Stronach Patterson, the Government representative on the London agency, be retired from his position “owing to the fact,” adds the resolution, “that he is totally opposed to the Board’s policy and cannot see his way to support it.”—P.A.

The freezing season in Otago is now in full swing, states a P.A. message from Dunedin. The Burnside works opened about a week ago and the South Otago co-operative works at Finnegand commenced killing yesterday. The works have been free from labor troubles, the opinion being that the men are keeping a tight hold on their jobs as applications are being received from unemployed North Island slaughtermen for positions. Both works are working with full boards for a start. Plenty of fat lambs are coming forward.

Softer than the softest silk or wool, with pliability greater than any known cloth, is the new material invented by a noted Paris garment designer. It is made from the fluffiest ostrich feathers, which are plucked from the quills, treated by a special process, and then woven into a cloth. The finished product is lighter in weight than the finest down, and resembles thistledown, after which it is named. Although it is phenomenally light in weight it is very durable, and is capable of effects in colors and patterns that are difficult to obtain in the materials now in common use.

In the desire for permanent road surfaces, the Gisborne Borough Council is well to the fore, and the operations of the Neuehatcl Asphalte Co. contractors for the reconstruction of several of the borough roads tins season should incite considerable interest. Alodern methods of pavement reconstruction will be used in every instance, and each surface treated will require to be torn ui> and reconstructed. The process of the contractors can be viewed on the Childers Road job already under wav. The surface is thoroughly scarified, 'seived and bound under the approved Trinadad asphalt hot-mix pavement system. It will be necessary to close the roads being treated "for from seven to fourteen days according to tlie state of the weather.

To the West, death is a closed door; to the East an open one. An American told me recently (writes llosita Forbes, the famous explorer, m “Pearson’s Magazine’’) that, when he was in China on an official mission, he and his colleagues were entertained by a delightful little mandarin, "ho was always cheerful and considerate. • He had a remarkable insight into European politics, which he discussed enthusiastically and at length. His smile Avas as persistent as his jokes, yet he Avas under sentence of death. His execution Avas carried out the day after the American mission leit. In a certain Arabian State, an official Avas exceedingly kind in helping me organise a caravan. One day ,T asked his Avife if her lord could accompany me to the market to choose some neAv waterskins. “He is to be hanged to-morroAv,” she said, “by tile Emir’s order, but his brother will go with you.” Last A ? ear I Avas passing through Syria. ' I stopped to drink mint tea with an old friend Avife of a patriot, or revolutionary—the terms are synonymous in the East. It just depends which side you’re on! “How is the master?” I queried politely over my third scented glass. “The French killed him last week,” my hostess answered unmoved. I gasped horror and protest. “He leaTes five sons,” she reassured me, surprised at my emotion.

, Demonstrations on the points of a dairy cow are being given in various parts of the district this week by Mr A. E- Missen, president of the Jersey Breeders’ Association. The arrant ments for the demonstrations were made by Air. Seed, daily instructor for Poverty Bay.

The freehold of sections in Auckland with a frontage of 158 ft. to Vj c ' toria Street East, 98ft. to HicK Street, and 100 ft. to Kitchener Street, has been acquired from the Outhwaite estate by Unique Properties, Limited, which previously held a hundred years’ lease of the' land. The price paid for the conversion of the lease into the freehold was £42. 500, tlii» being additional to what was previously paid for the lease, it is proposed to erect a four-storev hotel.—P.A

What is probably the world’s oldest working clock celebrated its h birthday last month. No one knows the exact date, as the records have been lost. This timepiece will be lamiliar to thousands of ex-serv:ce men, since it is the Gro-:se Horioge at Rouen, It has been going over since it was completed, and in »!| that time lias had only one repair, the fitting of a new pendulum. A recent report on its condition states that hardly any signs of wear a.-e apparent, and that it is good for another five centuries. Johan de Calais, who built it, was paid only £79 for his work; Ijtat in the 14th century this was a small fortune. The old Vlock has witnessed some memorable scenes. Only 40 years after its completion its chimes were heard by Joan of Arc, who rnei her death a few yards a Wav.

A visit to Gisborne in an un-regis- ■ tered demonstration car proved a costly proposition to George McLaughlan, a Wellington salesman. Yesterday, before Air. E. C. Lower, S.AL, be was charged with using an unlicensed car for other than demonstration purposes. Constable Brown said that defendant bad been taking his wife on a motor tour through Sew Zealand. The speedometer showed that the car had been over 37.090 miles, yet it had never been registered. £lO and costs was the verdict, ed. A fine of £lO and costs was the verdict.

The audience of a London theatre recently had a pleasant surprise when Air. T. S. Lonsdale, the author of “Tommy, Alake Room for ’i our Uncle” appeared on the stage at the end of a scene in which his famous song had been revived, and told how be came to write it 50 years ago. “When I was a boy of 17." -aid Mr. Lonsdale, “my mother said to me. ‘Tom your uncle is coming to-night, and you must make room ior him.’ I thought that a good idea ior a song, and went out and wrote it that morning ” Air. Lonsdale first appeared as many people probably imagined hint to be, a man about 80 years of age. with white hair and long beard, but when be removed his make-up he appeared as a well-preserved man, who does not look anything like his 67 years. Patrons of the dress circle at King Edward Theatre at Auckland, on Tuesday evening no doubt enjoyecr the fine entertainment offered, but it was an item not- includ.-d on the programme which raised the heartiest laugh. Seated on an end s-.-at of one of the centre rows was a man. who evidently was nut interested in the show. Elton Black and two other members of the Revue Coy. were :n the midst of a bright sketch "Alter Hours.” when the man mentioned suddenly yawned, his bead dropped forward and he began to snore, ana be could snore. The trowd in the circle burst into roars of laughter, which must have been sweet rcu-'.e to the artists on the stage, who in ignorance or the true position r.o doubt considered they had made an especial “hit.”—Special.