NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 138, 14 June 1938, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Cattle Mobs on the Move. Large mobs of cattle have teen passing through Opotiki recently from the East Coast and Gisborne districts, the numbers being the largest for the past few months. -A mob which arrived at Opotiki on Sunday afternoon left again next morning for the north. The animals are In good condition after their long journey. Films at Clyde Quay School. The Clyde Quay School in Wellington is to have a cinematograph projector, the home and school association having raised £115 for this purpose. A gathering was held at the school this week, when a scries of films was shown and the instrument was formally handed over. The effort of the association in raising such a large sum is a very creditable one, and the projector. will be of considerable value to the school. Insult to Scotland. "Just another insult to Scotland," growled the customer of Highland descent, as a Christchurch shop assistant showed him an array of tartan scarves. His keen eye noticed a tab. a very small tab, on which was printed "Made in* Japan." The shop assistant remarked that when the French sloop Rigault do Genouilly was in port several Indo-Chinese members of the crew bought scarves. The} 7 favoured the very vivid tartans, for example, the Munro and the Buchanan. Tobacco Soils Research. Jn compliance with a request made by the Tobacco Research Committee, arrangements have been made by the Cawthron Insti- • tutc and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for a detailed survey of the soils used for tobacco culture in the Nelson district. Officers of the Cawthron Institute will begin work immediately in the Motueka-Riwaka, district, of which largescale litho maps are being prepared by the Lands and Survey Department, Nelson. A set of aerial photographs covering the. district has been made available by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and these should prove of great value in the detailed soil mapping which is essential. Trials of Citrus Growers. Concern is felt by citrus growers in some of the orchards of the Auckland district, due to the increase in red. scale during recent months, and it is considered that vigorous research is necessary to determine methods .of j control. Another and more serious disease, the dreaded citrus canker, which made }ts appearance in the plantations at Kerikeri last I year and began to spread rapidly, was dealt with by drastic treatment under strict supervision by Government orchard inspectors. It j was reported several months ago that all traces had been eliminated. By "bare-poling"' the affected trees and burning all branches or foliage where the disease had appeared, the trees were saved and have since produced much healthy fresh growth. In an Electrified Zone. A terrifying experience befell Mrs. George Downey,, of Aranga, whose house and motor garage were struck by a flash of lightning on Saturday evening, causing several windows to be smashed, writes a Dargaville correspondent. The corner of the garage was torn out and the iron buckled. There'was practically no storm at the time. Mrs. Downey was taking breads from the oven when there was an explosion and a blinding flash. The concussion threw her sideways, while a blue flame shot from the oven. Her sons, who were sitting in iront of a fireplace in the oitting room, had books knocked from their hands and they suffered head noises for the remainder of the evening. Mrs. J. McCullough, who lives about a quarter of a. mile, distant from Mrs., DOW7. riey, was also the victim of a flash, having a knife 6he was carrying knocked up . against her chest. . Traveller's Tales of New Zealand. > . "In New Zealand aviators have to share their airports with herds of sheep, because in that country, where live stock raising is the principal occupation of the country, everj 1 ' available bit Of grazing land .is utilised. The aviator must wait in the air until the sheep are herded away beifore landing. In of a forced landing there might be plenty of butchered mutton available." So stated Mr. Walter Deislier, sales manager of the Fleet Aircraft plant, speaking to a Port Erie, Ontario, service club. This is one of the unusual facts about these isles of the Antipodes, Mr. Deisher states. The sheep problem, however, while somewhat puzzling to the new aviator, as it was to Mr. Deisher, when he attempted to make his first landing at a. field 140 miles from Wellington, is .not as formidable as it may seem, he added. "At the approach of a 'plane, a sheep dog rushes out of a hangar and herds the sheep into a corner of the field in less time than it takes to tell." These dogs, explains Mr. Deisher, are very intelligent, and they do their job without any urging at the. approach of a 'plane, or as ,j one is tuning up to leave an airport.

Mates Help a Blinded Comrade. | As the result of the efforts of Public j Works employees, a well-equipped kit has been supplied to a fellow, worker, Mr. J. Mackay, who recently lost his. sight as the result of an accident. Mr. Mackay, who lost one. eye while serving with the Canadian forces in the Great War, is entering the New Zealand Institute for the Blind at Auckland. Interest Jn New School. . 1 ' The new Orakei School, the-first to be opened in a;' State housing settlement,' is attracting considerable attention, and when the official opening ceremony is performed by the Prime .Minister 'on Saturday, July 2, those present will include the Hon, P. Frascr. Minister of , Education, Mr. J. A. Lee,' UnderSecretary for Housing, Mr. W. P. Endean, M.P., the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, the chairman and members of the Auckland Education Board, and representatives of city schools. Snowfall at . the Chateau. The first snow experienced at the Chateau this season began to fall early yesterday morning and continued until mid-day. Intermittent falls occurred during the afternoon, but last evening the weather cleared. The depth of "snow at the Chateau is only a few inches, but the higher levels are well covered. The roaCl is clear As far as Scoria Flat. No blockages in road access arc anticipated this year, as a snow plough .will be available whenever required. The Austrian ski instructor, Air. E. Skardarasy, has arrived at the Chateau under, his engagement to the Government Tourist Bureau, and has commenced duties in preparation for the skiracing season. Health Department Warning. The incidence of Vincent's agina (trench mouth) has caused the Health Department to issue a.special circular dealing with the causes of the disease and the proper methods to prevent its' spread. The circular states that the disease manifests itself chiefly in the mouth and throat. In its commonest form a membrane looking like diphtheria is found. When this is removed, bleeding occurs. The disease is found more often in those who have unclean mouths and faulty fillings. It spreads rapidly; eating utensils, towels, drinking cups, personal articles and kissing are' the mediums of infection. The Department advises cleanliness of the mouth as the wisest step to avoid infection. It is possible for a clean mouth to become infected, but healthy gums are resistant. Peculiar Motoring Experience. The motor car which ran over the edge of the wharf at Mercer at 3.30 o'clock on Sunday 'morning, and came to rest on a barge in an upright position, was recovered by means of block and tackle yesterday. The car was found to be in running order in spite of the force of the impact. The 'main damage appears to be a broken steering wheel and windscreen. The barge? which was moored 10ft out from the wharf, was brought alongside and planks were laid -down to it. These formed a runway up which- the .car was hauled backwards on to the wharf again. The driver of the car at the time of the accident was Mr. S. L. Lewis, of Fcilding, who had tendons of the left forearm severed. His companion, Mr. W. L. Menzies, of Kimboltoii, escaped with a shaking. Hobsonville Base Grows. Plans arc being prepared by the Public Works Department, in collaboration with the Defence Department, for two additional steel buildings to be erected at the Hobsonville air base for the accommodation of increased quantities of equipment required to meet the expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. An additional hangar will also be built, to be used for the assembly of service aircraft arriving in the Dominion. Later it will be converted into an aircraft repair shop. One of the other buildings will provide the base with big workshops, and the other will be a stores depot. It is expected that this •construction work .will be put-in hami in the near future and completed within 12 months. In accordance with the policy of developing Hobsonville as a grouhd training school and repair and asscmbl)' depot, an important building programme, of which the latest plans are a part, was undertaken last Octobcr and is now well advanced. Valuable Paintings. One of the- most outstanding gifts made to the Old Colonists' Museum since it was inaugurated in 1910 was brought to the notice of the _ Auckland City Council recently. It was recalled that in May last year Mr. II. 4 Kinder, of Arney Road, Remuera, liad presented to the museum a •collection of 4S water colour paintings of New Zealand scenes, made 'last\century by the Rev. John Kinder, together with a special stand to hold the collection. Now Mr. Kinder lu\s presented a further 51 paintings, depicting, scenes inboth islands of the Dominion, again with a special stand. The earliest of the pictures in the two collections are dated as far back as '.isr,r,, and the more recent were made in the IflQO's. In the view of Mr. J. Barr. director of the Art Gallery, they are e.f much historical importance—more so in view of the approaching centennial. Mr. Kinder attended the.meeting of the council last night, and lie was warmly thanked for his generosity.