ITEMS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 99, 20 January 1933, Page 10

ITEMS IN BRIEF

About People and Events

ORANGES TO BE DEARER Owing to tlie embargo on Australian fruit, oranges will shortly be dearer in New Zealand. The supplies of Queensland oranges which have been in cool store are practically exhausted and the Island crop will not be ready for some time. In the meantime California will be the main source of supply. People who sought passion fruit just after the holidays had the embargo brought forcibly before them. The Australian passion fruit was under the ban and the New Zealand crop was not ready. Orchard Tax Revoked. A Gazette notice issued last evening revokes the special annual orchard tax of 3/- an acre which has operated in Marlborough, in addition to the general orchard tax.

Lorry Kuns Into Car. Shortly' before 10 o’clock last evening a motor-lorry ran into a car in Devon Street. No one was injured, and little damage was done to either vehicle.

Napier Reconstruction. Authority for the diverting of various loan moneys toward the reconstruction of streets and drainage is given to the Borough of Napier by regulations gazetted last evening. The authority covers the balances of 18 loans, and the amount available aggregates £16.734.

Laburnum Sails for South. The sloop Laburnum sailed from Auckland on Tuesday evening on a three and a half mouths’ cruise to southern ports. The Laburnum will first proceed to Napier and afterward she will visit Dunedin, Tiniaru, Lyttelton, Akaroa, Wellington and Picton. returning to Auckland on May 1. Holiday-makers Only.

Persons who visit Rotorua for trading purposes are not to be admitted to the tourists’ camp site. This decision was made at a meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council. It was stated that commercial travellers and itinerant traders had been using the site during the holiday period.

Film Classification. Regulations providing uniform methods for motion-picture exhibitors to notify the public that films being shown are passed for adult audiences or for universal exhibition was gazetted yesterday. Notification of the nature of a film’s certificate is compulsory, and a notice about a foot square has to be placed in a conspicuous position. Words to be used in advertising are also provided for. University Standards.

Satisfaction was expressed yesterday at the meeting of tlie Senate of the University of New Zealand with the condition of university education in the Dominion as commented upon in their reports by the examiners in England. "Generally speaking,” said Processor J. Rankine Brown, “the reports are very favourable, and we have no reason to complain of the work of tlie university.”

“Honing” Bitumen Roads. Considerable improvement has been made to the surface of the Hutt Road between Ngahauranga and Petone by tlie modern honing process, which appears effectively to remove irregularities. So far this process has not been tried on any of the city streets, but there are some which need urgent attention. One in particular is Thorndon Quay, which carries very heavy traffic for 18 out of the 24 hours daily.

“Marjory, With Two Long Plaits.”

A letter was delivered on board the liner Mariposa at Auckland addressed to “Marjory, with two long plaits, sailing by R.M.S. Mariposa.” Tbe address was not a joke. The letter was from a ladies’ hairdressing establishment in tbe city where a young lady had left her gold wristlet watch. An assistant heard tlie visitor, who had her hair in two plaits, addressed as Marjory, and understood that she was to be a passenger by the Mariposa, which • sailed for Los Angeles at 5 p.m.

Mad Dog in Street. A cattle dog, which had evidently been maddened by poison, ran amok in Empire Street, Frankton Junction The dog ran into a steam laundry and caused a good deal of excitement among the employees. It went out again at a furious pace and entered the front door of a neighbouring bouse. A second house was visited by the animal in its mad career and the inmates locked themselves in a bedroom. A police constable ran the dog into a sbed and threw buckets of water over it. He thus succeeded iu quietening it. The animal was later destroyed. Flight Competition.

In reply tc\ inquiries still being received by “The Dominion” as to the result of the Southern Cross flight, competition, it was stated yesterday oh behalf of the Wellington Aero Chib that the name of the winner would probably’ be announced on Monday. In order to avoid any possibility of'error in fixing the time taken to fly the Tasman Sea, Mr. A. W. Nisbet, secretary of the club, intends to confer with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in Napier during the week-end. Mr. Nisbet left Wellington for Napier last evening.

Thorndon Quay. Thorndon Quay is the main entrance by road from all the North Island, and it is generally conceded that it is a somewhat drab and depressing spot. At the northern end a fairly steep bank separates Thorndon Quay from th* 1 northern end of Tinakori Road. It has been suggested that a good deal could be done in the way of beautifying the locality by the creation of a rock garden, possibly by the employment of a gang of relief workers. Such an improvement would, it is considered, go a long way toward removing the present drabness which characterises the approach to the city.

N.Z. Trainper in Scotland. Still sticking to his decision to walk around the world. Mr. Harry Clouston. the New Zealander who started bis tramp at Wlmngarei in October, 1931. has been covering Englund and Scotland on foot. After walking through New Zealand and part of New South Wales, Mr. Clouston went to England and walked up the East Coast. Last Jul.v he secured a part at Elstree studios in a film in which Ernie Lotinge took the leading role. A few weeks ago the “Perthshire Advertiser” reported that Mr. Clouston was proving popular as a lecturer at Y.M.C.A. and Toe H gatherings. lie also gave an address to members of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science. Before Mr. Clouston left New Zealand he was given a selection of lantern slides by the Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity.