General News

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25713, 27 January 1949, Page 4

General News

Takahe Lent to Museum Because of the interest in the takahe (Notornis hochstetteri) among overseas scientists who will attend the Pacific Science Congress in Christchurch next month, the director of the Canterbury Museum (Mr R. S. Duff) has borrowed from the Otago Museum the mounted specimen which is the I only representative of the bird in any New Zealand museum. The Canterbury Museum will have the takahe for six weeks and has insured it against all risks. The bird will not be on exhibition until some time in February when life photographs of the bird and photographs of its habitat can be included in the display. Involuntary Passenger An involuntary passenger .was carried on what may prove to be one of the last trips made by the schooner Huia. when the vessel was towed yesterday from the V/estern viaduct in Auckland harbour to an anchorage in “Rotten Row” at Shoal bay, to await a buyer. A telegraph boy boarded the vessel to deliver a message just before she was taken in tow by the Auckland Harbour Board's tug Te Awhina about II o'clock yesterday morning, and was on board when she moved clear of the wharf. Because of the blustery weather it was found impossible to land the boy immediately, and he had to be taken across the harbour. The Post Office was notified of what had occurred. Some time after the Huia had been anchored, the messenger was taken on the tug and landed on Queen’s wharf after 5 o’clock. —(P.A.) “Double-banking” on Bicycles

Cyclists who “double-bank” on bicycles and overload bicycles in Invercargill will in future be prosecuted. Reporting this to the Invercargill City Council at a meeting this week, the city traffic inspector (Mr C. Harvey) said that in spite of repeated warnings in the last two years no appreciable improvement had been noted. Replying to questions from councillors Mr Harvey said that double-bank-ing was illegal under the city by-laws, but some thought to defeat this by carrying a person on the back. There was another by-law that prohibited overloading a bicycle so that it was not under proper control. Charged Less Than Usual Fare An unusual prosecution was brought by the traffic department of the Auckland City Council against a taxi driver yesterday. The defendant, the operator of a private hire taxi, admitted an information that he had charged less than the usual fare, and that he haa accepted two individual hirings. Counsel said that the defendant had been operating on a private licence for many years. On occasions, he had split fares among several people rather than charge one person the full fare. He had no desire to undercut anyone. The Magistrate said the defendant knew the conditions of his licence, and knew the reasons for them. For undercharging, he fined the defendant £l, and for taking two fares he fined him £2.—(P.A.) Refusal to Sell Goods

"Unfortunately the refusal to sell goods is not in itself an offence under the Control of Prices Act, 1947, unless such refusal is due to hoarding for the purposes of raising the price,” stated a letter from the officer in charge of the Dunedin office of the Department of Industries and Commerce received at a recent meeting of the Southland Trades Council. The letter was in reply to a complaint from the council about a shop-keeper who, it was alleged, had refused to sell bananas, though the customer knew he had bananas for sale with other goods. The letter added that it was an offence for anyone to refuse to sell goods except on the condition that other goods were also purchased.

Accrediting System The Senate of the University of New Zealand, at yesterday’s sitting lington, decided to appoint a committee to investigate the whole system of accrediting for entrance to the University. The liaison officers at the four university colleges reported that accredited students outnumbered nonaccredited students in enrolments at the colleges. An Auckland report stated that there had been no noticeable effect on the standard of performance as a result of the accrediting system; but Canterbury reported that those with accredited status did not quite succeed in equalling the performances of contemporaries who had gained entrance by examination.— (P.A.)

High Wind at Alexandra A circus tent at Alexandra was blown down during a performance on Monday night, but none of the audience was injured. A trapeze performer was struck by a falling pole and was unable to carry on for the remainder of the programme, which was continued in the open air after the wind had subsided. Trees and branches were strewn in all directions by the wind and many campers had their tents blown away. The wind was accompanied by clouds of dust which reduced visibility to a few yards. Date For Licensing Poll The Wanganui Education Board yesterday carried a resolution expressing extreme regret that its representations and those of other boards, asking that the special licensing and gaming polls be held on a Saturday, were not favourably considered by the Government. The board considered that school work should be subjected to a minimum of interruptions, and that all polls should be held on Saturdays or school holidays, because most schools were used as polling places. The board also decided to ask the Government to enact legislation preventing murder and crime serials being broadcast.—(P.A.) New Season’s Wheat

The first samples of the new season’s wheat have been received by the Wheat Research Institute. All

have been of high quality. The sampled are of Cross 7 wheat and have been graded “good” to “excellent.” Many more samples are expected in the next few days Ideal Factory Floor Sought When ideas for long-term research work for industry were being discussed at last night’s meeting of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, the chairman (Mr F. C. Penfold) told members that he thought that flooring for factories would provide a good subject. “The ideal type does not seem to have been found yet and there is a lot of room for research,” he said. Floors were wanted which were easy on the feet of employees and at the same time lasting and dustproof. Record Wool Cheque The first wool sale of the season in Dunedin on December 20 produced a record cheque of £1,417.394 13s 5d for growers. The best previous total was £1.318.363 19s at the February sale in 1948. At the December sale, there was for the first time for many years a total clearance of the entry, which consisted of 30.197 bales. An official report issued yesterday by the Otago Stock Agents’ and Woolbrokers’ Association shows that the average price per lb for the wool sold at the December sale was 36.31 d, and that the average price a bale was £46 18s 9d. At The February sale, the average price per lb was 31.92 d. and the average price a bale £43 19s 5d.—(P.A.) N.Z. “Annexed” to Canada

Canada annexed her sister Dominion of New Zealand to-night—at least temporarily. The annexing was done by the Minister of Justice (Mr Stuart Garson), in referring to the Canadian provinces in an address before the Liberal Party’s advisory council. Mr Garson noted that there were nine provinces now. and said that there would be 10 “when we add New Zealand.” A titter ran through the audience, but Mr Garson, unaware of the slip, sat down without freeing New Zealand from her new provincial status. Newfoundland will become Canada’s tenth province on March 31. —Ottawa. January 25.