Dangerous plank prank
Two boys, aged 12 and 13 years respectively, pleaded guilty to a charge of placing an obstruction on the Ravensbourne-Dunedin highway to the danger of life and limb. Sub-inspector Fraser said that on Saturday afternoon, July 19, Dr Pickerill, who was coming from Ravensbourne, noticed a plank laid across the road and a lot of stones. He saw three boys running up the hill, and gave chase and caught one. This lad admitted placing the stones, but denied putting the plank there. The other boy later frankly admitted the offence, but the third boy had nothing to do with it. Dr Pickerill said he had not anticipated that the matter would have gone so far. He thought the boys were merely acting out of "devilment," and had no desire to injure anyone. The Magistrate remarked that the old-fashioned way was for the parents to administer suitable chastisement in such cases, but nowadays all these matters had to be brought before the Juvenile Court, and all the machinery of the law placed in motion. He told the boys they were old enough to know that they might have caused a very serious accident indeed. On the fathers, who were present, undertaking to administer a good sound thrashing, he adjourned the matter for 12 months.
Start of WW1 remembered
Each Fourth of August brings an anniversary ever memorable to the British race and to mankind. To-day is the tenth anniversary of the day upon which our peaceful Empire sadly drew the sword in the most terrible war of all its long history. In retrospect the interlude of those four long years of effort on the part of the Allies to check and defeat the aggressive Central Powers can be contemplated only in a solemn and chastened spirit. The sacrifices were enormous: the destruction wrought, estimated upon almost any basis, almost incalculable. The world is still feeling the effects of the terrible strain thrown upon it, and the European nations have still to contemplate abnormal conditions and resources sadly deplenished. — editorial
Grand upgrade
To the editor: Sir, My ambition is to make the Grand a hostel that Dunedin citizens will be proud of. £12,000 is to be expended. It’s all a matter of time, but a start will be made almost immediately. — I am, etc, Arthur A. Paape, proprietor, Grand Hotel
Stick with high school
Mr Caughley, Director of Education, stated that 25 percent of the boys and girls who enter upon a secondary school course stay only one year; long enough only to know the drudgery, the scales and exercises, but not long enough to attain very valuable results.
Tsunami hits Chatham Islands
Reports of a tidal wave which did considerable damage at the Chatham Islands on July 21 were brought by the steamer Tees, which arrived at Lyttelton last night. The wave swept the island for about five chains on the eastern side. A trawler belonging to the Kaingaroa Fishing Company was lost, and another was smashed. The dam which supplies the company with fresh water was washed out, the Pitt Island wharf was swept away, and some of the beaches were cleared of shell. — ODT, 4.8.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
