General News

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25934, 14 October 1949, Page 6

General News

Water A water diviner found plenty of water at Potchefstroom this week. A firm on the outskirts of the town decided to sink a borehole, and called in the water diviner. The diviner walked about with his rod for a time. He then indicated a spot, and said that a strong flow of water would be found there at no great depth. A driller sank’ a hole—right into the main waterpipe from the reservoir to the town. Repairs were hastily carried out by the Town Engineer’s Department. The diviner is still looking for water.—Cape Town, October 13. Levy for Labour Campaign The Lyttelton Branch of lhe Waterside Workers’ Union decided at the monthly stop-work meeting yesterday to levy all members £1 towards the cost of the Labour Party’s election campaign. Strawberries on Sale Claimed to be the first of the season, strawberries were on sale in Christchurch yesterday. A fruiterer, in whose shop the fruit was showing, said that they came from Heathcote. They were selling at 9s 6d and 7s 6d a punnet according to grade. The same retailer said that, by use of the quick freeze process, he had had strawberries on sale in his shop this year on all but two days. All Blacks Due To-day The Dominion Monarch, which is bringing the All Blacks home from South Africa, is expected at Wellington at 10 a.m. to-day and will berth at 11 a.m.—(P.A.) Shortage of Fish Fish are at present in shorter supply in Christchurch than since the end of the war, and during the heavy demand on Fridays some retailers have had to close as early as midday. Retailers blame the shortage partly on the unusually rough weather during the last three months, and partly on the crayfishing industry. Retailers said yesterday that trawlers normally used in "catching fish were at present catching crayfish, because of the higher price obtained lor crayfish tails since the industry developed at Akaroa. A Christchurch firm has installed deep freeze chambers on the Akaroa wharf, and buys crayfish tails direct from fishermen. Killer Whale A killer whale is prowling outside the Waitemata Harbour. It was first reported by a fishing party off Waiheke Island last week. At first it was mistaken for a sunfish but at a shorter distance its distinctive appearance was noted. It is about 22 feet long, dark in colour, and topped by an erect triangular fin about four’ feet high. In the spring and summer many killer whales migrate northwards from their home on the fringe of the Antarctic icecap. They feed on fish, porpoises, seals, penguins, and other whales. One caught by an expedition in the Antarctic had 14 seals and 13 porpoises in its stomach. Seals and penguins are caught by bumping and breaking ice floes and knocking the prey into the water. Mr Herbert Ponting, the photographer of Captain Scott's last expedition, almost suffered the same fate but was able to jump to safety as the ite broke up under his feet.—<P.A.) Lost Luggage Most cf the goods sold yesterday at an auction of luggage left behind by tram passengers were not up to the quality of the railways auction on Wednesday, and there were fewer bargains. For umbrellas and gloves bidding was poor. Umbrellas sold from Is for two (poor quality) up to Ils for better quality. After one bundle of gloves had been sold for 2s the rest were put aside because of the poor inquiry. Spectacles were common at 1 3s and 4s and what appeared to be good fountain pons sold at 3s up to 10s. A wristlet watch, which the auctioneer said had little wrong with it. sold for £l. A nightdress sold for 5s and brooches, put up in groups, also sold cheaply. Electioneering in a Caravan Because there is no hotel or boarding house between Invercargill and Ealclutha through Chaslands (once there were 14) where a traveller can buy a meal and a bed, the National candidate for Awarua (Mr G. R. Herron) will use a caravan when I visiting the Chaslands district. This will help him to cut down the travel--1 ling time during the four days needed to get in touch with electors of this district.— (P.A.) Sale of Aerodrome The aerodrome at Hokitika owned by Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., which is shortly to be replaced by the new and larger Seaview aerodrome, was sold this week for £2817 19s 4d to the New Zealand National Airways Corporation. The aerodrome covers 13 acres of land. The sale includes hangars and administrative buildings. The airfield has been operated for some time by the National Airways Corporation, which took over the West Coast air services from Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., about two years ago. Combined Bridges The Main Highways Board will be asked by the South Island Local Bodies Association to remove as soon as practicable all combined railway and road bridges in the South Island. When this remit was carried at the annual meeting of the association at Queenstown yesterday, Mr D. H. Cockburn. Lake County, said the Highways Board, of which he was a member, realised the seriousness and danger of these bridges.— (P.A.) Rainbow Fry Liberated The liberation of the first consignment of rainbow fry this season, numbering about 208.000, in back-country lakes in Canterbury, will be completed to-day by officers of the North Canterbury'Acclimatisation Society. Of this quantity 75,000 will be put in Lake Lyndon, and 70.000 in streams near Lake Coleridge, the remainder going to Lakes Grassmere and Pearson. The society’s ranger (Mr P. Fry) and field officer (Mr C. J. Hardy) collected the fry in liberating cans from the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society’s hatcheries yesterday, the fry having been hatched from eggs brought from Rotorua.

Moving 2\rtificial Eye Persons with glass eyes need not have a fixed stare in future, says the “Daily Herald.” The first operation to provide a patient with a moving artificial eye has just been completed under the British national health scheme on a 20-year-old shop assistant. Mr Frank Williams. In the operation. surgeons sewed the delicate muscles of the eye-socket to a plastic mushroom-shaped pivot. They then made a plastic eye fit over *he pivot. Now Mr Williams’s artificial left eye moves in perfect co-ordination with hiS healthy right eye, and no-one c<n tell the difference between them.— London. October 13. Producer or Director “I find it hard to get accustomed to your use of the term ‘producer’,” said Mr Carl Randall, the American producer of the musical comedy “Annie Get Your Gun,” in an interview yesI terday. Tn the United States the producer was the man who provided the money and had the final say, while the counterpart of the New Zealand producer was the director. Parking in Latimer Square “Park on the correct angle and do not leave unnecessary space between your ear and the next.” said the Chief Traffic Inspector to the Christchurch City Council (Mr G. P. Kellar) yesterday, when complaints about parking arrangements in Latimer Square were referred to him. Owners of cars have complained that rear mudguards have been found dented or severely marked. ; “Parking on an incorrect angle may ■be a contributing factor,” said Mr Kellar. “However, a distance of five or six feet is often noticed between cars. This obviously deprives other motorists ryf parking facilities in this area.” Canadian Hymn Book 1 A Canadian hymn book which has been adopted by the Anglican Church jin Australia will be investigated by a special committee set up by the f Christchurch Diocesan Synod. This I was decided at the Synod last evening, I when the Dean of Christchurch (the (Very Rev. A. K. Warren) said that I General Synod had asked that a com|rnfttee in each diocese should consider I whether a similar hymn book should be adopted for the church in New Zealand. Dean Warren and the Ven. Archdeacons C. L Mountfort, W. W. E A. O-imr-f.-:, ;>nrl T. W. William?* were appointed the committee, with power to co-opt.