NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 42, 13 November 1941, Page 9

NEWS IN BRIEF

Uncertain Tomato

Is a tomato fruit or vegetable? This question, when asked at the inquiry into the price of vegetables yesterday in Wellington, brought the answer from a grower : “It depends whether it. is eaten with sugar and cream or with vinegar.”

Momington Park Extension. Steps are being taken by the (Wellington City Council to acquire two suial lareas of land for the extension of Mornington Park.

Brilliant Planet Visible. The planet Venus is reported to be very brilliant as viewed from Wellington. Now setting in the west at about 11.30 p.m„ it will increase in brightness up to the end of December.

Sleeping Accommodation For Soldiers. The Wellington City Council last night decided to raise no objection to sleeping accommodation for servicemen being provided at the Toe H - Servicemen’s Club, Lambton Quay, for the duration of the war.

Library For Northland. Following on a deputation to the libraries committee of the Wellington City Council from the Northland Prograss Association, the possibility of establishing a branch library for the district in temporary quarters is reported to be under investigation. Aotea Quay Footpath. Permission was granted last night by the Wellington City Council to the Railways Department to lay concrete flags in lieu of bitumen on the footpath at Aotea Quay, subject to conditions imposed by the city engineer. The work is now’ under way. Cr. W. Appleton said the slabs could be removed at any time if it was found necessary. Blitzed London. The remarkable collection of enlarged photographs of war-damaged London, sent out to New Zealand by the Press Club, London, has attracted a good deal of attention in Auckland, where it is being exhibited in the Art Gallery. On Sunday- no fewer than 1500 people passed through the gallery in which the collection was displayed, and the voluntary collection for the first three days amounted to £66. Y.M.C.A. War Work.

The wonderful cO-operation given to the National Council of the Y.M.C.A. by the Wellington branch of the association in connexion with war work, was referred to at last night’s annual meeting of the Wellington branch by Mr. R. M. Brasted, naional secretary. “The finest Sunday work being done for our soldiers in .any of our cities, ’ he said, “is being 'done right here in the Wellington Y.M.C.A.”

Bull Bison at Zoo.**” A new arrival at the Newtown Zoo Is a yearling American bull bison. Endeavours are now being made to obtain a cow bison. This is the first bison to be seen at the zoo for some years. The sealion caught at Riversdale by two Chinese and sent to the zoo is now well established there, and is quite an attraction at feeding time. His diet consists of fish soaked in codliver oil and salt water. Goodwill Gesture. More than 6000 cigarettes have been collected as a goodwill gesture by the crew of an American ship for members of the New’ Zealand Forces in the Middle East. Delivery of the cigarettes has been taken by the secretary of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council, Mr.. K. L. Usmar. on behalf of the National Patriotic Fund Board, and arrangements will be made for them to be shipped shortly. The New Zealand soldiers will be informed ot the source of the gift.

British Blackberries. i As fruit picked from British orchards and gardens was not enough to supplant the supply for jam-making lost from Europe, the' gathering of blackberries was of great importance in Britain last September. Arrangements were made for parties of schoolchildren, girl guides and others to pick blackberries and lake them to . local preservation centres, where pickers were paid 3d. a pound, Strange Fish Caught. The strangest fish ever seen by experienced fishermen in Thames was caught in a net about a mile off Puru by Mr. E. Peuno and party on Tuesday. About 10ft. 6in. long and weighing 4cwt., it has an elongated body and rough skin, and a tail, dorsal fln and lower jaw like a shark. It has no teeth. The top of the head recedes rapidly to a point something like a parrot’s beak. There are five vents with gills in each. Efficient Boy Scouts. “The wholehearted spirit in which the runners undertook their duties, the speed with which they delivered the messages, and their general ability to handle the tasks allotted them were the subject of special mention by the committees," said the town clerk of Hamilton, Mr. W. L. Waddel, referring to the work of the Hamilton boyscouts in the recent emergency precautions trial. “The work of the boys,’ he continued, “was of utmost import mice to the organization, and their keenness was greatly appreciated.” Church and Youth. The number of scholars in Presbyterian Sunday schools had increased by 700, and the ntimber of male teachers had decreased by 69, it was reported at the annual meeting of the Dominion Council of Sunday School Teachers in Timaru recently. The homo Sunday school department now had 330 families connected with it. The need for encouraging the brigade movements, for embarking on a wise policy of temperance education, and for extension work in new housing suburbs, was stressed, and concern was expressed at the increase of juvenile delinquency. Rehabilitation After War.

“Those thoughtful leaders of the community who are looking ahead to the time of rehabilitation which will have to follow the cessation of hostilities cannot fail to place the highest possible significance on the part which will be played by the youth of today in the rebuilding process,” said the president of the Wellington Y.M.C.A., Mr, R. 11. Nimmo, speaking at. the annual meeting of the association last night. "The war effort has reached a stage when wo have every right to be confident of an ultimate peace through victory, and one of the challenging aspects of such a victory will be the opportunity for a wisely-planned return to a normal solidarity of the country's industries and its commercial. economic and social life. In looking ahead we recognize the basic and indisputable fact that, the younger generation is our richest asset.”