General News

Press, Issue 22599, 3 January 1939, Page 8

General News

Revellers Lower Safety Flag The lowering of the' Safety First flag in Cathedral square to the half-mast position was the cause of a lot of public interest on Sunday morning, and the City Traffic Department has since been besieged with inquiries as to the identity of the victim. Investigation by one of the traffic officers revealed that the flag had been hauled down by some midnight revellers on Saturday, but it is still a source of wonder to the department how the revellers managed to escape observation in such a conspicuous place. Barque Penang in England The safe arrival in England of the barque Penang, which left Port Chalmers on August 19 last for Falmouth is indicated by a cable message conveying New Year greetings which has been received by residents of Mosgiel from Captain Karlssen and Miss Laird, one of the two women passengers on board. The Penang put into Otago harbour on June 12 with a broken topmast, repairs to which occupied just over two months. Damage to the vessel was caused by a storm which she encountered while making a south about voyage from Australia to England with a cargo of wheat.—“ The Press Special Service. Creating National Asset “Money spent upon the development of recreation grounds is undoubtedly creating a national asset,” said the Minister fcr Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, when referring recently to the expectation that when the Govern-: ment’s national sports organisation functioned next year, there would be renewed demands for sports and other areas. The Minister said he never had hesitated to supply all the labour needed for such purposes, since he considered that every town and city should have a wealth of open spaces for the people. Auckland’s Rainfall

Only on three occasions since 1885 has a heavier rainfall been recorded at Auckland than last year, when 63in of rain fell in 12 months of contrasting weather. The first quarter of the year was marked by almost continuous sunshine; but unsettled conditions became general in April, and in succeeding JTDOJItiIS heavy downpours of rain, sometimes of almost tropical intensity, added steadily to the aggregate fall until it exceeded sft in December. — “The Press” Special Service. Exchange of Money

Although some New Zealanders had had trouble in changing money in Australia, Dr. C. A. Taylor, of New Plymouth, who returned from Sydney recently, said he had no dimculties in that respect. He had a letter of credit issued before December 5, the date on which the New Zealand Government placed restrictions on the sending of money overseas without a permit.

The Horse Not Gone Yet In these days when a horse is almost a rarity on the city streets one hardly expects to see newly-erected signs bearing the warning that “Equestrian traffic is prohibited from _ these grass plots.” Such notices, probably unique in Dunedin, occupy prominent places on the grass plots in Royal crescent, Musselburgh. These plots are separated from the tar-sealed roadway by only a narrow ridge of small rocks, and could be easily invaded by horses. The signs, however, have been erected not so much as a warning to drivers of horse-drawn vehicles as to members of the Hunt Club, who use this highway extensively in riding to and from the kennels at Tahuna Park.

Rongotai Air Traffic In spite of a gusty north-easterly wind, which frequently reached a velocity of 60 miles an hour at the Rongotai aerodrome on Saturday, only a few Cook Strait Airways trips between Wellington, Blenheim, and Nelson were cancelled. Most of the services were flown according to schedule, and New Year traffic at Rongotai was much heavier than the similar traffic last year. Friday, Saturday. Sunday, and yesterday were particularly busy days, yesterday heading the list with a total of 147 inward and outward passengers. The total number of passengers landing at or leaving Rongotai by corhmercial air lines during the four-day period was 419. Of the 147 passengers using Rongotai aerodrome yesterday only 46 were putward and the remainder inward.— Press Association. Quarrels on the Secleufel Mr Colin Moore, who joined the crew of Count von Luckner’s yacht Seeteufei in Auckland, said, when he returned to Sydney early in December in the Nieuw Holland, that there had been differences of opinion on board, and that that had been one of his reasons for leaving the vessel. Mr Moore said that a dispute had begun a few hours after the Seeteufei left Cairns, when a young stowaway, a photographer. was found in a lifeboat. Apparently he had been on board from the time the Seeteufei left Sydney. Count von Luckner put the stowaway ashore at Thursday Island. The dispute continued during the voyage, and on one occasion blows were struck. At Sourabaya an inquiry was held before the German Consul. Later a member of the crew was sent by the German authorities to Batavia to join a ship bound for Hamburg. Count von Luckner cut short his tour of the Dutch East Indies during the crisis in September, and, following the order to German shipping to return home, headed the Seeteufei for Europe at full speed. The Count was of the opinion that the affair would blow over, but he obeyed orders to return.

Tiger Cubs Born at Auckland

A. further increase in the rapidly growing population of the Auckland Zoo occurred on Sunday, when two healthy tiger cubs were born. Many births, have occurred at the zoo during recent months, the new arrivals including lions, jaguars, and leopards, as well as smaller animals.'The young tigers are the offspring of Molly, the oldest tigress at the zoo. To discover which cub progresses the better, it is the intention of the curator, LieutenantColonel Sawer, to leave one with its mother, and to rear the other by hand for three months at his home at Silverdale. This is the first time a breeding experiment of the kind has been made at the zoo. Pelicans will be represented at the zoo for the first time in a long period with the arrival by the Wanganella of a bird from Melbourne. Other new stock recently ordered and expected shortly includes two capuchan monkeys from Melbourne, and a pair of ostriches from Adelaide. Neither of these species has been exhibited for some years.—“ The Press” Special Service,

Not Legal Tender

It is surprising to New Zealanders in England to find that the Bank of England £5 note is not legal tender in that country. When Mr and Mrs H. J. S. Piggott, of Whangarei, were camp-' ing in England recently they presented a £5 note in payment for goods. It was persistently refused, and they were told the note could be cashed only through their bank account. Not having a bank, account in England, the New Zealanders were considerably embarrassed until the note was cashed through the banking account of a friend. American Travel The facilitation of travel between the United States, Canada, and South America will be discussed at the first Intra-American Travel Congress to be held during the Golden Gate International Exposition from April 14 to 21 next. Sponsored by the Pan-American Union, it will attract more than 1000 official delegates. It will be the first concerted effort of Governmental and private interests to stimulate travel between the two continents. It will be the purpose of the congress tp abolish “red tape” restrictions. Besides delegates from each Government, there will be present representatives of steamship companies, railroads, air, and bus lines, automobile clubs, chambers of commerce, touring clubs and agencies, and other interests allied to travel.

Mosquito-proof Bed

A ratify Itv camping equipment was observed at the Rotorua municipal motor camp in a completely mpsquito-proof bed, which was covered over by a tent-like piece of canvas with large ventilation apertures covered by netting at each end. Apparently the sleeper crawled in through one end and secured the flap against invasion from the outside.