General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31784, 14 September 1968, Page 12

General News

Barks Switched Off Electric collars for controlling noisy dogs are being investigated for use by the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The collars are radio controlled and give a mild, disciplinary electric shock when a dog misbehaves or barks too much. The Royal Federation of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New Zealand has been shown a film demonstrating the collar being used on sheep dogs. The film was screened to show that the collars were not cruel. Eucalypts Dr Vida M. Stout, senior lecturer in zoology at the University of Canterbury, has travelled widely and knows nature well, but in Israel recently she learned something. She was puzzled by frequent stands of eucalyptus trees which she did not think native to the country. Inquiry showed that Israelis have been planting eucalypts wherever there are swamps—paradoxically sometimes in desert hollows—and that they are one of the most effective means known there fordrainage. “The trees take up vast quantities of swamp water," she said. Health Stamp Sales About 70 young persons will sell stamps this morning at houses in the area between Bealey Avenue, Hills Road, and Papanui. A member of the Glenelg Health Camp man agement committee (Mr J. W! Lincoln) said yesterday that he hoped many stamps would be sold in this way. His team will include 30 pupils from both Papanui and Mairehau high schools, a senior youth group from St Matthews Church in Cranford Street, and six girls from the Hills road area. Time Changes Because of a change in railway timetables, the Post Office has advanced by one hour the clearing times of mails at the Lyttelton Post Office. From next Monday mails normally cleared at 11 a.m. will be cleared at 10 a m. There will be a similar advance in the clearing of street boxes in the morning. Meat Allowed Roman Catholics in the Diocese of Christchurch were granted a special dispensation to eat meat yesterday by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev B. P. Ashby). This was because of the extreme shortage of fish in Christchurch and the high prices being asked for the small amount available.

Lyttelton Appeal A house-to-house appeal for funds to build a swimming pool in Lyttelton will be made at the port today. It is expected that it may take three years to raise the necessary finance for the pool, but the amount collected today will decide the success or failure of the project, Captain J. M. Partington, the public relations officer of the committee elected at a public meeting last November to oversee the project, said yesterday. A freehold section in Oxford Street next to the children's playground has been set aside for the pool, which is planned to be 110 ft by 44ft, with a depth of 3ft 6in running down to 4ft 6in.