General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22478, 12 August 1938, Page 10

General News

Dog Harnessed to Bicycle The sight of an Alsatian dog harnessed to a bicycle to which a side-carriage made from a box was attached attracted some interest in the city yesterday afternoon. The rider of the bicycle was not ’ pedalling, the dog supplying the only means of locomotion. It was trotting along at a brisk pace, apparently having no difficulty in pulling the vehicle, which carried another dog, a terrier, as a passenger in the side-carriage. Norfolk Islanders at Auckland His first impressions of a modern city were gained yesterday by Mr Ernest Evans, a member of a party of 21 residents from Norfolk Island who arrived at Auckland by the South Pacific line steamer Tasman. Born on the island 26 years ago, Mr Evans had never previously left his birthplace and had never seen trams, trains, or big buildings before. A farmer on the island, Mr Evans, who is a single man, was reticent about his intentions; but stated that he had come to New Zealand with the intention of seeking work in some part of the country.—“ The Press” Special Service. Railway Road Services “The co-ordination of the railway and road services has resulted very satisfactorily for both the department and the public,” the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister for Railways, said in an interview yesterday. “In special charters and overland tours,” said the Minister, “the road motors have done splendidly. For the five weeks from June 12 to July 16 (inclusive) there were 423 trip charters and 24 overland tours. The number of vehicles used on these special journeys was 514, and they travelled a grand total of 36,167 miles. The passengers carried on these trips totalled 11,191, and they paid £2254 5s 7d in fares—an average of more than £450 a week.” Fruit Export Control Board An amendment to the Fruit Export Control Board Election Regulations published with the Gazette provides that the election of a producers’ representative on the Fruit Export Control Board for the Canterbury-Otago provincial districts is to be held and completed before the end of this month. This will be the first occasion on which Otago has been represented on the board.—Press Association. Shag’s Heavy Meal of Eels A particularly large black shag, which was shot at Lake Forsyth, was received yesterday by the Canterbury Museum. The shag weighed 61b 12oz, but when it was opened it was found that the 12 ounces represented the weight of two undigested eels, one of nine ounces and 20 inches long, and the other of three ounces and 12 inches long. The shag was flying low when shot and looked as though it was weighed down 7 by the eels Railway Turntable at Oamaru A saving of money and time will be effected by alterations of the locomotive depot and yard and by the installation of a 70ft turntable at the Oamaru station, said the Minister for Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) yesterday. “These necessary works will keep 12 men fully employed for several weeks,” he added. “No Personalities” “I can assure my opponent, Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., that on no occasion will I stoop to personalities in this campaign,” said Mr T. H. Langford, the Labour candidate for Riccarton, at a political meeting at Prebbleton last evening. “I have been fighting political battles for 15 years, and on no occasion have I had to descend to personalities or to the use of unfair tactics, and I do not intend to make a change. That does not mean that I shall take up a pacific attitude in my campaigning, because I know the grave issues at stake. But certainly there will be no personalities.” The Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), who gave the principal address at the meeting, appealed to . Labour supporters to “keep the fight clean.” New Poker Game The taking of the numbers of motor-cars as they pass was the subject of investigation during the hearing of an indictable charge in the Magistrate’s Court at Inglewood. One witness gave a novel turn to the inquiry when he said he was accustomed to taking the numbers of cars and could do so if a car was 50 yards away. “We often take the numbers of cars, when we are on holidays, for the purpose of playing poker,” said the witness, to the amusement of those in Court. Unusual Stone Scat The stone seat in front of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth, frequently attracts the attention of visitors. Evidence of the interest that it creates is given in a letter received by the Rev. J. D. McL. Wilson from a Wairarapa resident, who states that a party of English and Scottish tourists, her cousin among them, visited New Plymouth and were “very interested in your beautiful Presbyterian Church and also a seat opposite built with rough quarry stones and a plain board for a seat Inset in the stone were four names and the inscription: ‘Learn of Me and ye shall find rest for your souls.’ It fascinated them they visited it several times and made inquiries about its history, but no one could ted them. Mr Wilson explains that the seat was built with money given by the parents of four boys who had been pupils of the New Plymouth Boys’ High School. The money was a personal gift to Mr Wilson, and he decided to build the seat with it. The four names inscribed m the stone are the Christian names of the boys. Conditions in Wapiti Country News has been brought to Dunedin of the conditions in the wapiti country, west of Lake Tb Anau by Mr K. Sutherland, of Masterton, who visits the fiord country every year for shooting. Mr Sutherland, accompanied by a guide, was 10 days in the wilds. During that time he saw only three wapiti, the largest species of deer in the Dominion. These were a 15-pointer, a 13-pointer, and a 12-pointer; but unfortunately the last two’ disappeared over a 1000 ft cliff after he had shot them and their antlers had been irreparably damaged. _ The 15-pointer, which he retained, was a specimen well above the average. The weather was very cold, Mr Sutherland said. There was often as much as 10 degrees of frost at midday. Most of the lakes were frozen over, some with up to a foot of ice. Wapiti were very scarce and not to be found much below 3000 feet. — The Press Special Service. Political Parties That employees in many big firms were move or less forced to subscribe to the funds of the National Party was suggested by Mr T H. Langford, the Labour candidate for Riccarton. in a political address last evening at Prebbleton Mr Langford, when explaining the development of the Labour Party organisation m his electorate, said that in many firms m the city a National Party collection card was Placed on the desks of employees. He said that he had found, on the other hand, that while outwardly such employees were in many cases supporters of the National Party, there was concrete evidence that they were really avowed supporters of Labour. Mr Langford quoted figures to show the strong numerical standing of Labour committees in his- electorate, and claimed that it was not only the National Party that was setting up strong and active organisations. Minister at Community Sing A surprise visit to the community sing at the Civic Theatre was paid yesterday afternoon by the Minister for Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who a few years ago, as Mayor of Christchurch was a constant attender at the weekly sessions. Mr Sullivan was given a rousing reception, both at the community sing and as he was leaving the building. Tributes were paid by a number of speakers to his work for chanty in previous years, when he was Mayor of the city and in a brief speech of thanks the Minister said that while it was most gratifying to see the public response, he hoped that when the Government’s national health insurance scheme became law it wotlld not be so absolutely necessary for people to rely on the charitable assistance given them by community sing*.