General News

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21978, 30 December 1936, Page 8

General News

No Paper on New Year's Day "The Press" will' not be published on Friday, New Year's Day. Southern Rivers Swollen Rivers in South Canterbury were swollen and dirty yesterday after heavy rains and a southerly storm over the last few days. Travellers reported that most of the rivers and streams they passed were flooded and considerably discoloured. The Rangitata, Temuka, and Opihi rivers were noticeably higher than usual, and campers and anglers who are making use of the summer and sporting facilities that these rivers provide have been obliged to postpone their holiday pursuits. Water was still lying in the paddocks yesterday, and small rivulets were coursing across main and country roads. A Visit to Sunday Island Several cases of Sunday Island oranges, salted fish, taro roots, and different varieties of beans were brought back to Auckland by the ketch Yvonne, owned by Mr V. Venables, which returned to Auckland from a trip to the Kermadecs yesterday afternoon. The Yvonne Jeft Auckland three weeks ago. The voyage to Sunday Island took seven days and was uneventful, except for a violent thunderstorm which broke when the vessel was near Macauley Island. The return to Auckland was made in calm weather. —Press Association. Christchurch Water Supply During the year approximately 1,334,000 gallons of water were consumed in Christchurch, according to the annual review of the Mayor (Mr J. W. Beanland), as chairman of the works committee of the Christchurch City Council. There are at present 23,770 water connexions, an increase of about 500 since the corresponding period of last year. It was found necessary to duplicate the pumping plant at Woolston, and a new pump and motor are due to arrive shortly. Four new streets were reticulated, and tire services installed in four buildings. During the year the minimum "free" allowance a connexion was increased from 30,000 to 35,000 gallons, the figure in 1930 being 20,000 gallons. Concessions were also made to consumers of large amounts of water for trade purposes. Telephone Call to Scotland A telephone call was put through to Scotland by a guest at the Wanaka Hotel, Pembroke, on Boxing Day, and after some delay communication was established and the visitor was able to .speak with his relatives at Home.— "The Press" Special Service. Mr Jordan at Geneva An amusing reference to Mr W. J. Jordan came across the air from Geneva last night, wrote the London correspondent of "The Press" on December 12. The announcer, before giving a summary of the day's proceedings, spoke of the burly, New Zealand High Commissioner, who, on rising to address the League Council, flung out his arms, to the imminent peril of the Chinese representative, Dr. Wellington Koo, who immediately ducked his head and considered it wise to keep it well tucked in during Mr Jordan's speech.. The subject was the Spanish situation. The correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" said: "A courageous but lone voice was that of Mr Jordan, representative of New Zealand. If the 'rebels' maintained that their insuvveetiovi 'against, the consUUitioriul Govern- ' ment' was a rightful one, he said, proof should be brought of this. He suggested that representatives of Italy and Germany should be asked to come to the council table and explain why they were supporting the 'rebels.' " Motorist Evades Health Patrol The response in Otago to the Health Department's ban on children's travelling in view of the outbreak of infantile paralysis has been excellent, and generally the authorities have had no trouble in carrying out their instructions. A great majority of the people travelling with children by car have not attempted to pass the voad patrols without authority. One motorist who went from Dunedin to Hampden during the week-end packed his children into a capacious luggage carrier when a patrol approached and was allowed to pass. When he reached his destination, however, lie boasted of his achievement, with the result that the police heard of it and he was unceremoniously bundled back to Dunedin with his party. These cases of evasion are fortunately rare.—"The Press" Special Service. Kahawai Plentiful Although bags of other fish have been com- , paratively poor, anglers at the mouth of the Waitaki have been catching large numbers of kahawai. A few fishermen caught two or three trout each. The Waimate Acclimatisation Society's camp at the mouth has been very popular in the last, few days. There has been a large number of campers since the beginning * of the holidays, and many picnic parties have chosen the site. Night in the Open To spend a night in the open, with a dog and a horse for company, in pouring rain and with cigarettes as a poor substitute for food, was the unenviable experience of Mr D. R. Murray, of Central Otago, who was a visitor to Queenstown recently for a week-end. Mr Murray was on a station in the region of the Haast Pass, and was returning from a day's ride when he became lost in the bush. Steady rain forced him to seek shelter under a ledge on the face of a cliff. There he crouched from the late afternoon until dawn, drenched with rain, and smoking innumerable cigarettes. In the early morning he shot a wild duck and prepared a meal, ft was a primitive meal. Mr Murray had no means of getting dry firewood, and had to spit a leg of the duck with matches and old envelopes. The repast over, he mounted his horse and set out for home. But his troubles werq not yet over. In fording a river swollen by flood waters both horse and man were swept more than 200 yards down-stream before they managed to struggle ashore. "It was all part of the day's work," said Mr Murray, "but some work can be too eventful." Incident at Cricket An unusual dismissal of a batsman was witnessed in the junior representative cricket match between Auckland and Wellington at Auckland. The batsman played at a fast delivery which appeared to clear the stumps, but there was a concerted appeal from several of the fieldsmen. The umpire at the bowler's end seemed to be in some doubt, but, after walking down the pitch and inspecting the batsman's stumps, he raised his hand in the signal of dismissal. The ball, in passing the stumps, had evidently just grazed one of the bails, which, although it still rested on the top of the stump, had been disturbed from its original position in the groove. Rare Flower Grown An exceptionally fine specimen of the flower of an extremely rare South African shrub, called protia grandiups, has been grown by Mr A. Bowers. Glen Almond, New Plymouth. Tt is understood this is the second bloom seen in the Dominion. The flower in appearance resembles a half-opened waratah, the tops of the petals being fringed wi "l grey down, somewhat resembling the tips of ostrich feathers. The plant, although difficult to procure, is not difficult to grow, as its natural home is a welldrained, windy hillside, where the soil is usually light or gravelly. Not a "Bogey-man" "For the average New Zealander the tendency seems to be to regard Hitler as some- - thing in the nature of a 'bogey-man.' As a matter of fact he is the most beloved of persons amongst his own people," said Mr H. M. Bennett, of Napier, when relating impressions which he gained on a holiday in Europe. "He is idolised by at least 60 or 70 per cent, of the people of Germany, and, what is more, their adoration is sincere," Mr Bennett added. Ragwort Parasite A doubt about the fast breeding of the cinnabar moth, the ragwort parasite, is raised by the experience of a Putaruru resident. Several years ago he obtained eggs of the moth for distribution upon his property. Early this month he observed three caterpillars from ragwort on his farm. These were identified by an Agricultural Department officer as of 'the cinnabar moth, the first to come under notice since their I liberation.