General News

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 14

General News

Mischievous Seagull A seagull called Spicer is achieving a reputation on the Auckland waterfront. Spicer —protected by Parliament — regularly commits theft and wilful damage. His favourite pastime is to remove the windscreen wipers from cars parked on King's wharf. Workers in the area have often watched him tear off wipers with his beak, pull rubber seals from windscreens and try to pull off hub caps. Field Exercise Eighteen soldiers of the No. 4 New Zealand Field Ambulance stationed at Burnham camp yesterday left for the rugged hill country east of Lake Sumner where they are spending a week of field exercises Although the main reason for the camp is to provide the men with experience of living in the bush, fording rivers and climbing they will also attempt to carry out some noxious animal control duties. Vegetables Scarce After the recent wet weather, vegetables were in shorter supply and slightly dearer in Christchurch produce markets yesterday Cabbages sold for up to 19s a case, about double last week's price. They were U 6d to 2s each in the shops. Celery is selling for Is 6d to 3s a bunch and lettuces for 9d to 3s 6d each School Of Whales A school of hump-backed whales invaded the Bay of Islands at 5.30 p.m. yesterday to feed on quantities of dark red plankton which had covered the bay since early morning. A cow about 28 feet in length and two calves dived and sported in the channel within half a mile of the Russell wharf. Mr and Mrs H. G. Haddow. from their farmhouse on Tapeka point, reported seeing several large whales near Waitangi which remained st play near the shore until hidden bv the darkness. —(P.A.)