Roxburgh celebrates power

Monday was a red letter day for the residents of the Teviot when the first step in the electrification of the district took place in the official erection of the first pole.There were upwards of 1000 persons present. Before the official proceedings began a procession in fancy dress, headed by the municipal band, marched through the town. Slowly it was raised into its place, the Union Jack flying at the top. The first shovel of gravel was thrown in by Master Gerard Waigth, and midst the cheers of the large crowd gathered the chairman declared the pole well and truly erected. Following the erection of the pole inspiring addresses were delivered by Cr Shacklock and Mr Todd, both of whom congratulated the district upon the commencement of the electrical scheme and predicted great developments for the future. In the evening a social was held at which over 500 people attended. The hall was filled to overflowing, and dancing was indulged in till after midnight.

Today is St Valentine’s Day
It is also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent; but the significance of that circumstance may becomingly be left to the reverend cloth. ’Twere incongruous to impart a Lenten flavour to this irresponsible column. But on St Valentine, albeit a canonised bishop, a word of commemorative observance may be ventured. The maidens and youths of this generation want nothing of the jocund and tender associations of a festival which their forbears delighted to honour. With the eye of faith let us look forward to a day when the Valentinian rites of Merrie England and Merrier New Zealand will be restored to their pristine jollity. — by ‘Wayfarer’

Muslim witness accommodated
There are many ways in which the oath is administered to witnesses in the courts of justice. Occasionally the oath as required of the average Christian is varied when an adherent of the Jewish faith or a follower of Confucius goes into the witness box, but it is not often that a Mahommedan is called upon to give evidence. This, however, happened on Friday during the murder trial at the Auckland Supreme Court, when an Arab fireman entered the witness box. The method adopted in impressing upon the man that he must speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth was that of placing a copy of the Koran on the desk and requiring the witness to place his right hand flat upon the book while he touched his forehead with the fingers of his left hand. He then promised to speak the truth, and brought his forehead down until it rested upon the book. 

Slow water repair
"Can you tell me what would have happened had a fire broken out in my property during the past few days?"  a leading Crawford street merchant asked a Daily Times reporter yesterday, "It is bad enough to have the water cut off from all the conveniences in the buildings round about here, but had a fire broken out I do not know what would have happened. In my opinion the corporation officials could have used much greater expedition in repairing the break." It should be explained that the break in the main occurred at the corner of Rattray and Crawford streets and that a considerable part of the newly-laid concrete street had to be broken up to get at the main.— ODT, 14.2.1923

 

Compiled by Peter Dowden