NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 159, 6 July 1940, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Egypt in June.

'•Egypt from the physical point of view is quite likeable at the moment," writes a New Zealander in North Africa to a friend in New Zealand in the course of a letter dated early in June. "The khamseen, or wind season, seems to be over, and the weather is roallv wonderful." Country Cousins? A coincidence in the surnariies of four men appearing at a meeting of the Waikator Presbytery to deal with a minister's call to a church in Auckland was the subject of remark at a welcome social in Knox Church. Parnell, to the Rev. fJ. A. Naylor. Representing the city church were the Rev. R. G. MoDowall and Mr. A. M. Bell, while the commission from Otorohanga comprised also representatives named McDowell and Bell.

Flanders Lack. A chain letter received by him has been forwarded by a l'onsonliy resident, the second of the "luck of Flanders" variety of this sporadic nuisance which lias been sent to the "Star" in the past month. This latest letter differs in its text somewhat from the one of a few weeks ago, and bears an impressive list of subscribers' naiiies suggesting that it started in Hollywood and . proceeded via Australia to Auckland. Flanders luck nowadays is not calculated to appeal even to the superstitious in a British countrv.

Yugoslav Steamer. First Yugoslav ship to visit Auckland sincc 1920 will be the Prokomorska Plovidba Company's steamer Kupa, of 4382 tons. The ship is expected to arrive this evening with a cargo of nitrate from Chile. Formerly the Haines Line ship, the Trewidden, the steamer has visite<l the Dominion under that name. The last Yugoslav ship to come to New Zealand was the Lloyd Company's Vidovdan. of 5580 tons, which was in Auckland in June, 1920. The Kupa will be in Auckland for a few days before sailing for Sydney and Melbourne, and the Yugoslav .community is arranging a welcome to the master and crew.

Hongkong Trader's Gift. A caller on Mr. (!. A. Hayden. secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, in Wellington this week was Mr. S. T. \\ illianison. a New Zealander. who has been in business in Hongkong for a number of years and who is on a visit to the Dominion. He expressed a. desire to learn something of the board's activities, and, after he had been given an outline of these, he announced that lie would like to make a contribution, and he did so there and then. Mr. Williamson's contribution was £1000, and he has given it for the Sick. Wounded and Distress Fund. He was particularly impressed with the aid that has been given to the British Red Cross Society by the patriotic movement in New Zealand.

Relics of Whaling Days. were recently made to the collection of whaler's implements at tile entrance to Caroline Bay, Timaru. Mr. H. J. Mathers has placed there a whale lance and a very old type of harpoon which were used by the early whalers in Timaru. The whale lance is of about the thickness of a man's forefinger in the shaft, and was used for killing the whale at the end of the fight," the weapon being aimed at the mammal's heart. The harpoon is of the arrowhead type, and has not been in use for the last 70 or 80 years. Both implements were made of pure iron, not a bit of steel being used, and they have never rusted for that reason. It is 102 years since they have been used, and they do not show a sign of rusting. The "only indication of the march of time ha's been a slight darkening of the metal bv age.

German Owl's Habits. Many readers have been assisting Professor B. J. Marples, of Ota go University, in an investigation into tho food and habits of the German owl. Professor Marples has written to a newspaper thanking readers for their help and giving notice that he will not be paying rewards for any more owls. During the past two years he has received 241 owls, and 'it will be some time before the examination of all this material is completed. He has not received much information, as expected, about the distribution of the bird, and thi3 is important in order to discover whether it is still spreading. "I should be very grateful to anyone who would send a card to say whether the owl is present, or what is equally important, if it is not," he 6ays. "I would appeal to all schools—they could easily do valuable work—and if all sent a report, a distribution map for the whole South i Island could be prepared."