NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 17, 14 October 1933, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF

Items of Interest

FROM ALL QUARTERS

The use of old railway carriages for various purposes was considered by the One Tree Hill Borough Council at a recent meeting. “Some railway carriages are being brought into the district, and in time they may prove a nuisance,” said the mayor, Mr. I. • Goldstlne. “The council will have to consider what attitude it is going to adopt. Some local bodies in Auckland will not permit even second-hand timber to be brought into their districts. The council decided to instruct the building inspector to refuse to issue a permit for the erection and use of old railway carriages and tramcars in the district.

“I have been greatly impressed by the public spirit of the native property owners on the east coast, practically every one of whom has proved willing to give valuable land to be set aside for scenic reserves and camping sites,” said Mr. A. Grayson, president of the Auckland Automobile Association, at the 30th annual meeting a few days ago. Mr. Grayson said great improvements were being carried out on the east coast route between Opotiki and Gisborne, and the land made available for camping would be a considerable asset to touring motorists.

“Cameronian,” a contributor to ‘ Eeyolds’s Newspaper,” noted recently that the “Daily Express” had reproduced a cablegram showing that Camera had told the Bankruptcy Court: “I not got dough. Everybody want dough—dough —dough. I no got dough.” Writing his life-story in the “Sunday Express, Camera says: "In describing what life has done for and to me, care must be taken to divide the facts from the many strange colourful legends that have sprung up around me. I speak, read, and write both Italian and French passably well, and surely I have made fair progress in English during four years. “Personally,” commented “Cameron lan,” “I think he made simply marvellous progress in four days.”

Anxious to make known the manner in which he had improved his eyesight so that he does not now require glasses when he reads, Mr. J. W. Baker, of Wanganui, sought out a newspaper man to broadcast his experience. "I am 84 years of age,” he said, “and for many years now I have been obliged to wear glasses when reading. For a long time I had rheumatics badly, and was obliged to lie in bed near a window, from where I was unable to move. Tired of having nothing to do, I.used to watch the passing clouds, and I found tnat after a while I could discard my glasses. To-day I can see to read anything without them. I thought you might like to pass the information on to your readers. I consider that the ‘exercise of using my eyes for long distances has brought beneficial results, and I would recommend it to others who have poor eyesight." The Avon is a placid enough river, remarks ’the Christchurch “Press,” and boaters in difficulties are rare, yet two young women who set out from the boatsheds to go downstream, found themselves in trouble, and drew a large crowd of onlookers. Tho boat grounded, and both women removed shoes and stockings to step into the water and drag the boat free. But one let the boat go too soon, and the other was left in the stern while the boat drifted erratically, taking in water until it was almost awash. In the crowd which followed the progress of the boat, one boy had the presence of mind to give instructions to the woman, and she managed to reach one of the oars and extend it to the boy, who with some companions pulled the boat to the bank. Through the mishap each woman lost a pajr of stockings and a shoe. .Speaking of the important place that civil aviation held in the life of the United States, Mr. Frank Milner, rector of the Waitaki Boys’ High School, stated in an interview in Christchurch that there had been wonderful development in air transport, in that country. He mentioned one trip he had made from Los Angeles to Seattle, the time being eight hours, at a speed of 220 miles an hour. The machine, which was of a huge modern type, could make a landing at the low speed of fifty miles an hour if necessary. Flying by night was just as safe as by day and was equally popular. As an instance he himself had made a journey of 1000 miles at night in five hours and the pilot had found the airport by radio beam just as easily as by day.

With the object probably of gaining an insight into the mysteries of municipal government, about 40 pupils from the Otago Girls’ High School were present at the most recent fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin City Council. The girls followed the various debates with keen attention, and several were observed taking notes, evidently with a view to being prepared for the essay which is invariably expected from scholars after any such experience. The Mayor, the Rev. E. T. Cox, extended a welcome to the young visitors, and said that while it was inevitable they should be expected to write an £ssa,y on their impressions, he hoped that for the sake of the councillors they would not have to execute any caricatures. lie trusted that their visit would encourage them to take an interest in civic affairs, so that in the future some of them, perhaps, might take seats at the council table.

The trial cultivation of potatoes by the Agricultural Department for the purpose of certifying as free from disease has hitherto been carried on in Otago at the Gore experimental farm. This year this work is begun and is to be proceeded with on the richer soil of the Taieri Plain, an arrangement having been corne to between the department and Mr. Marshall, of Outrani, to set apart four or five acres of his farm for the operations by the officials. About 500 samples are procured each year from farms on which potatoes are grown. The owners are gjpd to have their potatoes tested, because if the seed sent to the experimental farm passes the tests there and the exhaustive inspection, it becomes certified seed. In regard to potato testing there is a duplicate establishment in Canterbury. and exchanges take place with the Otago farm. These two are the only potato-testing farms under the Agricultural Department in the whole of New Zealand.