Boys will be boys

The fatal fascination of the shanghai for active boys led four youngsters to appear before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Juvenile Court on Saturday morning. Their ages ranged from 10 to 15 years, and they were charged with using shanghais to the annoyance of passers-by in Maclaggan street and also with committing wilful mischief by damaging seven skylights valued at £7 7s 6d, the property of Wimpenny Bros, and Reid. All the boys pleaded guilty. Senior-sergeant Mathieson said that Wimpenny’s garage roof had been subjected to showers of stones that broke a number of windows. Afterwards, when seen by the police, the four boys all admitted the offence. Their statements were to the effect that they had been first firing at bottles and then they tried to see how far their shanghais would carry. They knew the stones were landing on the roof, but, did not know they were breaking windows. Mr Lock, probation officer, said that was the true position. Mr Bartholomew examined the weapons that had been used and remarked that they were very amateurish looking productions. In response to a question by the magistrate Mr Lock said there was not much of this kind of thing going on. The only point was the amount of damage claimed. Mr Wren had estimated that the damage was 12s 6d for one window and stated that the other windows were not broken by shanghais. The magistrate said the claim was a large one, and the senior sergeant would have to prove the damage. The case would be adjourned for a week to enable evidence to be called. 

A runaway in Maori Hill

It takes a strong man with a steady nerve to stop a runaway horse, and as there did not happen to be anyone fulfilling these conditions in the vicinity of Grater street, the north end of Highgate and Cannington road, about a-quarter to 2 on Saturday afternoon, a greengrocer’s horse which ran away was permitted to follow an uninterrupted course. The cart to which the animal was attached — a covered-in express — contained an assortment of gooseberries, eggs, and vegetables, and these were freely strewn along the roadway. The runaway, which commenced its career at Grater street, ended it even more abruptly than it had begun at the Clear, where the hood of the cart struck a lamp-post and parted company with the body of the vehicle. Subsequently the back wheels came off and ran along the footpath for a short distance before they struck a clay bank.

Golden wedding celebrated

Mr and Mrs Joseph Hunter, of Highgate, Roslyn, celebrated their golden wedding on Saturday, the event being marked by a family gathering in the Strand Salon, which was attended by three sons, the two daughters, and 13 grand-children, as well as by five persons who were present at the original ceremony 50 years ago. The Rev. W. R. Hutchison, who presided, opened the proceedings by conducting a short service, after which Mr J. C. Easton played "The Wedding March." The toast of "The Bride and Bridegroom" was proposed in felicitous terms by the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland, and was responded to by Mr Hunter and the three sons who were present. Mr and Mrs Hunter came to New Zealand 44 years ago, and with their family, are well and favourably known in the Roslyn district, where they have resided during the greater part of that time. For 21 years Mr Hunter filled the position of manager of the Dunedin-Kaikorai Tramway Company, a post from which he resigned a little over 18 months ago. 

Fevered brow

The weekly returns of infectious disease cases treated at the Dunedin and Fever Hospitals is as follows: scarlet fever — admitted 1, remaining 1; chicken pox — discharged 1, none remaining; pulmonary tuberculosis — 8  remaining; puerperal sepsis — discharged 1, remaining 1; broncho pneumonia, admitted 1, discharged 1, remaining 2. The total number of patients remaining at noon yesterday was 11. — ODT, 4.12.1923