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Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 17, 17 December 1932, Page 6

At a meeting at Dunedin of the provincial Flock House Committeo, presided over by Sir James Allen, confidential reports concerning three applicants for training were received. It was reported that there were already two boys on the waiting list, and it was hoped to find places for them at Flock House early in the new year, when six boys would have completed their courses. Interesting information regarding eels in the Waikaka and other streams was contained in the letter of a Gore sportsman received at a meeting of the council of the Southland Acclimatisation Society. The writer stated that on a recent evening fishing on the Waikaka at Gore, he had pulled out eight eels and inside three of them had found the loins of young grey duck and the remains of feet. Another large eel contained three one-week-old ducks. His sons had tsken about 700 eels out of the Mataura in the past two years by means of the two traps sent up by the society to Gore. A fine specimen of Flemish craftsmanship from the period of 1650-1700 lias come into the hands of a Christchurch firm of auctioneers in the form of a finely-carved oak table, reputed once to have belonged to William of Orange. The table has been valued by the famous London antique dealers, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, at £3OO. When William of Orange came to England in 1688 he is said to have brought this table with him from Holland. Tho table then made its way to Arundel Castle, the seat of tho Duke of Norfolk, and remained there for many years, to be gurchased by Dr. Sophianopoulas, of ilackheath, London. Still later, tho antique came into tho possession of its present owner, Mrs Fitz-Herbert. Described as an outstanding example of its type, the table is extremely massive and intricately carved.

It was announced yesterday that the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, member for Oroua, had been successful in obtaining Cabinet authority for a grant for the erection of a new school at Makino.

The sun’s rays piercing a skylight set alight to some scrim in the pavilion at the North-east Valley bowling green yesterday afternoon (states a message from Dunedin). The brigade turned out and extinguished the blaze before the building had been damaged to any extent. All records for addresses to a Royal Commission in Australia have been broken by Mr G. U. Nathan, who recently ended a IG-day speech totalling 465,000 words. His address was delivered on behalf of migrant settlers in Victoria to the Royal Commission which is investigating their grievances.

Reference was made by Mr J. AV. Rutherfurd at last night’s meeting of the High Schools’ Board of Governors to the fine service rendered for many years by Mr W. P. Anderson as house master at the boys’ hostel. In proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Anderson, Mr Rutherfurd said that he had rendered very loyal and faithful service. Mr T. R. Hodder, who seconded the motion, said that Mr Anderson had had a very fine influence over tho boys. _ “I hate to use the word ‘fail’ at any time,” said Mr E. Bary, headmaster of the Central School, when speaking at the breaking-up ceremony yesterday afternoon. “I wish wo could get another word for fise instead, as I do not think any one ‘fails,’ but onlv does not reach the prescribed standard,” he added, voicing the opinion that, although the children might not have Enssed their examinations, they must ave gained a great deal which would prove helpful to them.

Appreciation was expressed by Mr W. L. Fitzherbert (chairman) at last night’s meeting of the Technical School Committee and tho High Schools’ Board of Governors, of the very fine •addresses delivered at the breaking-up ceremonies of the schools by Sir Apirana Ngata and Mr H. F. Johnston, K.C., it being stated that they were enjoyed by all present and were very valuable to the pupils. It was decided that letters of thanks he forwarded to the two gentlemen. About six o’clock this morning 100 members of the Freezing "Workers’ Union, together with their wives and daughters, formed a procession at Longburn, and marched to the works bearing a banner on which were the words: ‘‘No more work at starvation rates. Fight for a living.” At the freezing works they marched through the grounds and then out again, there being no disturbance. Additional police were obtained from Palmerston North, but their services were not required. Holiday traffic on the railway commenced in earnest to-day when the scene at the Palmerston North station was a busy one. The expresses had their usual complement of carriages supplemented, and most were filled almost to capacity when passing through this oentro. The daylight Limited expresses took up their Main Trunk running to-day and when the north-bound train arrived at about 10.40 o’clock this morning there were few vacant seats in the eight carriages. Many of the trains for Christmas week are now booked completely. ‘‘A man who steals a sheep is liable to be sentenced to as much as 20 years’ imprisonment, but for a man who takes a motor car and destroys it, the maximum penalty is three months in gaol,” said Mr W. G. Walkley, secretary of the North Island Motor Union, at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Automobile Association. The statement was made during a discussion on the necessity for making the conversion of a motor car an indictable offence. The council agreed to approach the Minister of Justice with a view to having a heavier penalty introduced, and also decided to support a similar move by the Justices of the Peace Association.

Two remarkable instances of infantile paralysis believed to have been contracted through the medium of a cricket ball and some Education Department papers are referred to in the annual report of the Commissioner of Public Health for Queensland presented to the State Parliament a few days ago. In one case it was stated that one of the members of a cricket team, after playing in a match, fell ill with the disease on the following day, March 2. A younger brother of another member of the team, and who was not present, contracted the disease on April 5. It was stated in the report that this second boy played with the cricket ball which had been used by the first player and had been taken home by his brother.