Country cricket in town

The weather was only fair for the resumption of the country cricket teams' matches at the Caledonian Ground yesterday, and smart showers made one or two brief adjournments necessary. West Otago, who had made 189 for nine wickets against South Otago the previous day, continued its innings at 9am, but the last wicket fell without addition to the score. C. Duff, with eight, was the not-out man. The two outstanding batsmen among the South Otago men were Parker, who compiled 42, and Gregory, who was bowled by Edwards after reaching 36. None of the others troubled the scorers very much, and the whole side was out for 147, or 42 short of the West Otago total. There was just time for West Otago to open its second innings before the luncheon adjournment, and two wickets fell for five runs. It is not likely that it will be possible to play the match out, and consequently the result will be a win for West Otago.

Kauri declines to fall

The king kauri tree in the Otau forest in the Ness Valley, Clevedon, Auckland, which was cut through from bark to bark on November 25 by six stalwart bush men, but refused to fall, stood in its supreme strength, defiant, for three weeks. It was anticipated that the first gale would lay the giant tree low, but it remained monarch of the forest until a wind in the right direction swept on the bush. 

Shark humiliated

The first shark of the season was seen at Castlecliff beach the other day, and was treated in a most humiliating manner (relates the Wanganui Chronicle). It had got inside the breakers in the early morning, and was detected before 6 o’clock in a deep hole. It stayed there till about 10am, a source of much interest, till some enterprising soul went in, secured it by the tail, and pulled it out. It measured 5 feet 6 inches in length. Thinking that a timely warning to bathers would not come amiss, the shark was hung up on the danger post. 

Ettie Rout’s book routed

The matter of the censorship of literature is engaging some attention in the dominion just now in connection with the prohibition of a rather notorious book dealing with an unpleasant but, unfortunately, not negligible subject. Of course, what may be broad-mindedness in one person’s judgement may be narrow-minded-ness in another’s. Our own view is that the censorial discretion, in relation both to books which are concerned with political doctrines and to those which raise moral considerations, should be exercised in the most liberal spirit possibly compatible with regard for public safety and common decency.  — editorial — ODT, 11.1.1923

Compiled by Peter Dowden