General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22941, 10 February 1940, Page 12

General News

The Fishing Rivers According to advice received at noon yesterday by the secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, the condition of the fishing rivers is as follows: —Ashley and Selwyn,. clear and fish able; Hurunui, cloudy; Rangitata, dirty; Rakaia and Waimakariri, dirty and in flood. Wind Overturns Lorry The strength of the north-west wind on several days this week was shown in a remarkable mariner near Rangiora. A heavy goods service lorry was overturned by an exceptionally strong gust, and came to rest with the wheels in the air. The lorry had a heavy load of eggs, but the damage to the load amounted to the smashing of two lo'ose creates of eggs. The lorry was being driven along the Flaxton road from Rangiora to Christchurch, and had just crossed the railway line when the tail of the lorry was caught by a gust of wind and slewed round off the camber of the road. A stronger gust struck the tail, and the lorry was completely turned over. Only the steel-lined roof of the cab saved the driver, Mr F. Elder* ton, and his companion, Mr J. Watkins, from serious injury. The portion of the lorry covering the goods was crushed to matchwood. Annual Barracks Week The Boys’ High School Cadet Corps has for the last week been undergoing barracks training, including a course of infantry training, signal training, medical corps work, and intensive band practice. Owing to war conditions, of course, the corps had lost its specialist units, and these were absent during the week of training. The corps was inspected by the Officer Commanding the Southern Military District (Colonel E. T. Rowllings) and the Area Staff Officer (Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Smythe), who commented favourably on the standard attained by the cadets. Coastal Road Open

The Greymouth-Westport coastal road, which was blocked at Batty’s Hill, near Twelve Mile, is now open to traffic. The road was temporarily cleared about noon on Thursday, but while the roadmen were having lunch more debris swfept down from nearly 100 feet up the cliffface and again covered the road. If the workmen had been below at the time a serious accident possibly would have resulted. The cause of the slip, it is understood,. was the thoughtless action of some person in burning off the scrub and fern on the cliff face some time ago, allowing the surface soil to be eroded. A second slip occurred on the road yesterday at Costello’s Hill, 12 miles south of Westport, and this was also cleared yesterday. Ashburton, 100 Per Cent. Ashburton gained the distinction on Wednesday night of having the first medical board in New. Zealand during this war to declare 12 men who appeared before it to be all absolutely fit for overseas service. The number was certainly not large, but Ashburton seems to have maintained an unusually high average of fit men enlisting. • Slip on Rewanul Line A slip occurred on the Greymouth-Rewanui railway line, about a quarter of a mile below the Rewanui station, on Thursday evening. The debris was cleared away by noon yesterday. Yesterday morning’s trains to Rewanui were not able to reach the top station, but the miners walked the remainder of the distance. Young Men and War The opinion that hundreds of young men would willingly take part in the war if conscription of man-power was introduced was expressed in a resolution adopted by the Southland County Council. “Many people are betcoming discontented at the attitude of the Government,” said the chairman (Mr J. Dennis) “There are hundreds of young men prepared to go to the war, but they are awaiting a lead. Many are occupied in.essential industries, and they are waiting for the Government to say who should go and who should remain to do the work at home. This matter has been treated too much as a political, question. It is a national question, and-should be faced accordingly.” Rail-car Strikes Velocipede The ( Christchurch-Greymouth rail-car collided with a velocipede about 200 yards on the Greymouth side of Aickens about 5.30 o’clock yesterday morning. The velocipede was being driven by a surfaceman, J. Laredo, towards Aickens on his morning inspection. Laredo jumped clear and suffered only minor injuries to his legs, and no one in the rail-car was injured. The left-hand, and .centre windscreens in-the rail-car were broken, and the cow catcher and grill and framework on the front of the car bent. The velocipede was badly damaged. The rail-car was 50 minutes behind schedule on arrival at Greymouth, It was re paired in time for the return trio to Christchurch last evening, while. the Hokitika service was maintained. by steam train. Suspected Mine An object suspected of being a floating mine, but proved later to be a buoy, came ashore at Taharoa Bay, eight miles south of Kawhia, and was examined by military officers from Hamilton. The discovery was reported to naval headquarters in Auckland. A party of Maoris who were walking along the beach first .saw the buoy, which they believed to be a floating mine that had been washed ashore. The Armv Department at Hamilton was advised, and Major W H Allen, area officer, and Lieutenant S. A. McNamara, adjutant of the Regiment, left for Taharoa to, investigate. , Although a comparatively short distance from Kawhia by airline, Taharoa beach is difficult of access. Tim officers travelled by launch to Te Maika- and then rode horses over the sandhills. The action of the Maoris in-reporting a suspicious object on the beach was perhans prompted by memories of a mine, laid by the German ship Wolf, which went ashore not far from Raglan after the last war. It exploded, causing loss of life.