General News

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21639, 25 November 1935, Page 10

General News

<► Liquor at Bellamys "I would like to ask the' Mayor whether he would support a movement to have drink put out of Bellamys," said a woman, amid applause, at a public meeting called by the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Alliance; in the Civic Theatre last evening The Mayor's reply was: "You may know that there are two Bellamys, one where you get tea and one where you get something else. I go where you get tea. As far as I am concerned, whatever rule the people make about liquor must apply to Bellamys as to everywhere else. I may say that while I have been in office there has been no liquor in the City Council." His final remark brought prolonged applause Heavy Showers of Rain After threatening for much of the day, heavy showers of rain fell in the city last night, particularly about 9 o'clock, when the fall was so heavy as to cause minor and temporary flooding in some of the city streets. In spite of threatening clouds, there had been a good deal of sunshine through the day, and many who had been to seaside resorts or the hills were caught without overcoats when the rain did begin. Started "ay Prime Minister Most road cycling races are started by the mayor of the town from which they begin, but some of the riders in the Timaru to Christchurch had the distinction, said to be unique in cycling, of being started by a Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. Arriving at the race when the back-markers were lining up, Mr Forbes officially started some of them, and wished them good luck, especially the solitary scratch man, H- G. Watson. Mr Forbes also took a closer interest in the fortunes of the race than merely starting it, as the car in which he and his party travelled passed all the riders on the first stages of the long journey. Mathematics of the Liquor Trade An intricate mathematical calculation has enabled the Rev. D Gardner Miller to present some entertaining figures during his speeches this month on behalf of the New Zealand Alliance. ' At the public meeting in the Civic Theatre last evening, called in protest against the liquor traffic, he said that £45,000,000 had been spent on liquor in New Zealand during the last seven years. This amount represented 450 tons of sovereigns, and was sufficient to be used in placing 12 sovereigns on every letter in every word in the Bible. Rabbit Poisoning Two rabbiters working in the Mount Hutt district under the Unemployment Board's No. 11 scheme have met with considerable success during the last three weeks in spite of the wet weather. In that period 240 rabbits have been shot and poisoned while 33 hares have also been shot. The men have been engaged in a systematic campaign in the district for several months under the direction of the Mount Hutt Rabbit Committee. Because of the success of the effort in this district negotiations are under way for the formation of a rabbit committee in the Ashburton Gorge to undertake the same class of work. Danish Dairying Some comments on dairying in Denmark were made by Mr N. P. Adams, of Wharekawa, near Clevedon, who returned to Auckland by the Rangitata recently. Mr Adams paid a fortnight's visit to Denmark to study dairying methods. Mr Adams said he had nothing but the greatest admiration for the manner in which the Danes organised their greatest industry. Machine milking in Denmark was practically unknown. Whole families milked by hand and in cases where there were large herds, extra labour was engaged from nearby villages for morning and evening milking. Nor was there any home separation, Mr Adams continued. The milk supply was sent to the factories, where it was graded- and separated, while the skim milk was subsequently returned to the farms for use in pig feeding Conditions in New Zealand and Denmark certainly differed, but Danish methods were amazingly efficient and appeared to have a marked bearing on the quality of the butter produced.

Geography by Electricity An ingenious use of electricity has been devised by Mervyn Bain, a Standard VI. pupil at the St. George School, Invercargill He has constructed a board with a map of New Zealand upon it. Instead of the ordinary indication of towns he has placed metal pieces, while in one corner of the board a list of the towns has a similar number of metal discs alongside. Two terminals connect with a battery, and the student has to place one terminal on the map and the other on the corresponding disc in the corner If he connects the right set of discs a bell will ring. As there are no names alongside the discs on the map the device can be used either for instruction or as a test of knowledge The contraption was the object of much interest at the last meeting of the Southland Education Board.

Naval Defences of Dominion "What is the use of our maintaining two cruisers in New Zealand?" asked Captain the Hon E R. Drummond, commodore commanding the New Zealand station of the Royal Navy, in an address to pupils of Wellington Boys College. "The reason is that New Zealand helps in the protection of the Empire; she is not selfsupporting. It is New Zealand's contribution toward the defence of the Empire. When the Admiralty wants them for whatever purpose it might think fit they should be placed at its disposal. The Singapore base is a very important unit, and is really useful for defending New Zealand should a threat of war occur It is on the main fleet that the safety of New Zealand and all other Dominions of the Empire depends. That is why this country should contribute to the main fleet. Once the mam fleet is destroyed there is nothing that can prevent invasion." Tropical Disease The need for medical attention for the natives of Melanesia was stressed by Dr. C. S. James, of the Methodist Mission medical service who is on leave in Auckland after six years' work in the Solomon Islands and New Britain. "Although the natives live the same simple life as their forefathers, tropical diseases are common among them," said Dr. James. "I feel that much credit is due to the Government of the Mandated Territory for its efforts to promote the health of the natives, both directly and by subsidies to mission hospitals and leper stations." Dr. James intends to visit the Makogai leper station next month to study the organisation there. fc Television in New Zealand These is no prospect of television being introduced to New Zealand in the near future. A letter from Baird Television, Ltd., London, to a Dunedin firm, says that it is not interested in appointing agents in New Zealand at the present time. The letter adds that it is anticipated that the first London television station will be opened in the autumn of next year. The Baird company is now manufacturing the transmitting apparatus for the station. Photographic Evidence Aerial photographs of the scene of a motor accident were produced by Mr W. E. Leicester, of Wellington, counsel for plaintiff, during the hearing of a claim for damages in the Supreme Court at Napier. The photographs, one of which had been taken from an aeroplane flying at a low altitude and three others at higher levels, provided an excellent panorama of the locality in which the accident occurred. "To the best of my knowledge this is the first time that aerial photographs have been produced in an action of this kind," said Mr Leicester. Kitten's Novel Bed A novel method of keeping warm is regularly adopted by Tiger, a comfort-loving kitten that is the pet of the Auckland St. John Ambulance transport staff. The large tyres of the ambulances become hot during a run, and as soon as a machine returns to the station the kitten climbs on top of the back tyres and lies at ease in the shelter of the mudguard. Although it is frequently sleeping on its unusual bed when a call is received for an ambulance, the kitten always wakes when the motor is started and jumps to safety just before the wheels begin to turn.