Kaikorai best school choir

The annual sessions of the Dunedin Competitions were continued yesterday at Burns Hall, the Victoria Hall and in His Majesty’s Theatre. Two choirs, one from Kensington and one from Kaikorai, gave very pleasing renderings of the two pieces chosen. Kaikorai School Standard IV was awarded 170 and Kensington School, 141 points. These were the only competitors. The judge expressed his regret that there were not more entries in this interesting class. If the singing in schools was neglected it meant no material coming forward for the choirs and choral societies of the future. The winners were very good, however, and he was very much pleased with their performance. In the first selection, "Cobwebs," the winners made a good opening, and their blend was quite good. In their own choice, the "Soldiers’ Chorus," the choir showed excellent spirit, making the most of the opportunities for expression. They showed nice crisp attack and release, and gave a very good performance under a capable conductor.

Leopard missing in Auckland

The latest addition to the Auckland Zoo, the female leopard which arrived only a week ago, made a hasty and unobserved exit some time last Wednesday, and since then she has been at large. Parties of keepers, reinforced by local residents, have been scouring the neighbourhood, but there is so much natural cover that if she lies low search is much more hopeless than looking for a needle in a haystack. Traces were found in a tannery a couple of hundred yards from the Zoo. Judging from the spoor it was pretty clear that the animal had fallen into one of the pits full of tanning liquor. As soon as the Zoo authorities got word of the suspicious tracks the tannery was surrounded and thoroughly searched.

Taxi driver in court

A shepherd driving his flock along the North-East Valley road early on the morning of September 3 received an unpleasant shock when a motor car rushed down upon his mob of sheep and tore a gory passage through before he came to a stop. The sequel to the occurrence was heard before Mr H.W. Bundle SM in the City Police Court yesterday, when a taxi-driver was charged with negligently driving a motor car. Adam McDonald, shepherd, said that he was somewhere below the Gardens with the flock, which he was driving to Burnside, when he saw a car approaching in the centre of the road about 200 yards away. As it got closer he moved into the middle with his horse, but seeing there was danger he had to leave his horse and spring to the side. The road was lit up and there was a grey moon. The car sledged over the top of a number . Nineteen were killed outright, a number being disembowelled, and five had to have their throats cut. In giving judgment, his Worship remarked that it was not usual for a mob of sheep to be driven along the road in the early morning, but it was sometimes done, and drivers of motor cars should be at all times prepared to meet any traffic that was lawfully on the road. There was conclusive evidence of negligence in running into the sheep. "The defendant will be fined £4 and costs (£1 19 shillings), and his license will be returned." — ODT, 19.9.1925