General News

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24633, 1 August 1945, Page 6

General News

♦- Opening of Whitebait Season The whitebait fishing season will commence to-day, but so far there have been few signs that Greymoulh fishermen will reap any harvest in the early weeks of the season. A few w'hitebait have been seen in the Grey river in recent weeks, but in other parts of the district, notably South Westland, the fish have been seen in small shoals. The season will close on December 15.

Auckland Civic Centre Plans are being prepared by the Auckland City Engineer (Mr A. J, Dickson) for the proposed civic centre which will include a new civic administration building, art gallery, and repertory theatre, according ‘to a statement made yesterday by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr J. A. C. Allum). He added that it was very probable that Government administrative buildings would be included in the centre, and there would be opportunities for a very fine lay-out, of which Aucklanders could be proud.—(P.A.) Tinned Rabbit “In a Sydney department store I note imported canned rabbit offered to discriminating customers as ‘Produce of New Zealand’ at 4s 7Jd per 21b tin, ‘bone in,' ” wrote a reader to the "Sydney Morning Herald” recently. “What satire on economy of shipping space! One may well ask what is the Division of Import Procurement doing to permit such non-essential goods being freighted all the way from Christchurch?” Traffic Lights Some motorists still appear to be unaware of regulations governing red and amber traffic control lights, according to a statement in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr J. Bruortoni. He pointed out for the benefit of both tramway molormen and motorists that vehicles could not proceed against either the red or amber lights. A stop-line was marked on the approach to the intersection, and traffic was not entitled to cross it' if the amber light was showing. Traffic could proceed if the line had already been crossed before the amber light showed. Licensing ♦Commission Representation An appeal to Presbyterian churches to provide “at least £IOOO, more, if possible, to do our share in preventing the New Zealand Alliance from being saddled with another burden of debt” through legal representation at sittings of the Royal Commission on Licensing is made in the August number of the "Outlook.” A report is made that the response of Presbyterian congregations for help, through deacons’ courts and boards of managers, to defray the cost of defending the temperance cause had been "very djsappointing.” less than £4OO having been subscribed. The “Outlook” said the sittings had lasted twice as long as expected in each centre, and commented: “Such proceedings are expensive, with hotel and travelling expenses as well as fees to be included. The New Zealand Alliance has been represented very capably by Messrs F. C. Spvatt and R. Hardie Boys, and their services have also been available for the Churches. It would be unthinkable that some such assistance should- not have been engaged to uphold the temperance cause. If the case had been undefended, there would have been an outcry from all over the country from temperance supporters and others who feel that the liquor trade needs to be more restricted in its operations than it is at present.” Imports of Timber “We have again to look abroad for local news,” rays the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association in the “New Zealand National Review.” It quotes the following from the April issue of the "Tirnberman” (published in Portland, Oregon): “The New Zealand Government has placed orders for the 1945 supply of Oregon pine (Douglas fin and Sitka spruce in British Columbia. The Government purchased 2,500.000 feet of redwood. The timber is being imported by the Government. M. C. Walker and Hobson, Ltd., Umber importers, of Wellington, a< t as distributing agents.” The association comments:—“lt, of course, might not occur to the Government authorities that the New Zealand sawmilling industry might be interested in the question of timber imports, and that there should be call for consultation. We judge, however, that the necessity for these imports is probably promoted bv the fact that practically the whole of the New Zealand output of totara, suitable for such use, has been directed, under control, for the purpose of railway sleepers; and some substitute will have to be found for the quantity of totara thus diverted, from its usual channels of use in housing.” Property Left in Taxis Drivers of taxi-cabs are required to search the taxis after each hiring lot property which may have been left in (hem. This was emphasised by the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr J. Bruorton) in the Magistrate's Court yesterday during the hearing of traffic cases. He said that it also did not appear to be generally known that it was the driver’s duty to hand in any property found, either to the local body or tne police station. Increase in Building Costs An illustration of the rise of building costs during the last 20 years was given by Mr W. N. Perry, chairman of the South Auckland Dairy Association, at a meeting in Hamilton. Mr Perry said that the Bruntwood Cooperative Dairy Company of which he is chairman, was considering building houses for its employees. He obtained estimates and the prices quoted were approximately £I3OO for moderate homes. He also obtained an estimate of the cost ot building a house similar to one erected in 1926 and was inforrrfed it would cost £9OO. An investigation of the records revealed that the house cost £240 to build at that lime. Mr Perry added that in 1926 the price of butterfat was approximately the same as it was in 1944. N.Z. Prisoner in Thailand Advice that Mr Brian Tyson, a mining engineer who has been missing for more than three and a half years, is a prisoner of war in Japanese hands, has been received by his wife, who is residing at 9 Warborough avenue, Epsom, Auckland. A graduate of the Otago School of Mines, Mr Tyson had been employed for about 15 years with the Pahang Consolidated Co. Ltd., in Northern Malaya. After staying behind to carry out demolition work at the company's mines near Quantan in December," 1941, before they were overrun by the Japanese, ho went into the jungle with other Europeafis to carry on guerrilla warfare and had not been heard of again until last week-end. when advice was received that he was a prisoner in Thailand. His father is Mr F E Tyson, Dunedin manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Oar Fish on Nelson Beach Dennis Conglan, aged eight, of Tahunanui, Nelson, recently found on the beach a strange long silvery, fish which was much too big for him to carry home. He reported his find to his father who, with several helpers, carried the fish to the back of the beach al Tahunanui. where it was inspected by several hundred people during the day. It was an oar fish, a narrow, elongated species. It was 13 feet long, about 15 inches deep and up to about six inches wide at the thickest point. It had a cluster of feelers or rays rising like a mane from its head. Several years ago an oar fish 20 feet long was reported at Golden Bay and a replica of one which ran aground at Mapua is exhibited in the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Oar fish are deep-water inhabitants of very wide distribution. They were first discovered about three centuries ago off Norway and they have been reported in various localities all over the world.