NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 43, 14 November 1941, Page 9

NEWS IN BRIEF

Territorial Training

It is expected that the Army Department will announce within a few days which units of the Territorial Force will undergo the proposed two months’ collective training in the January-March period and what units will undergo their training in the March-May period. No Christmas Day Pictures. The Christchurch City Council has almost unanimously refused permission to the management of theatres in that city to screen pictures on Christmas Day. , Fly-Casting Competition. A youthful competitor, Dale Foster, made a cast of 101 feet, just one foot short of the Australian unofficial record, at the Rotorua Rod and Gun Club’s first casting tournament held at the Kuirau Centennial Park. Good performances were registered by several other competitors. Mrs. K. White, the only woman entrant, took second place in the handicap event with a cast of 72ft. 2in., her handicap being 25ft.

Seagull Destroys Duckling. Rate and eels are known to play havoc with the many ducklings to be seen, at present on the Avon, Christchurch, but the other day, on the lower reaches of the -river, a blacktoaeked gull was seen attacking a brood. Again and again, it swooped, and the mother duck also came into the attack. At last, one duckling became detached from the rest, and the gull, swooping down swiftly, picked it out of the water and swallowed it whole.

Burnham Camp Extensions. Work is being undertaken to enlarge Burnham Military Camp. Detention and guard houses are being built on the defence area lying north of the main camp and on the western side of the railway line. They follow the standardized type. Work has been started on a full-length rifle range for the training of overseas and home defence units and the old Redcliffs range will be retained as a subsidiary. The new range is some distance from the camp.

Weekend Fishing Prospects Poor. Hopes for good fishing at the weekend in rivers and streams south of Otaki and in the Hutt River system were dashed last evening when rain fell in the hills and the waters became discoloured, it was reported by the secretary of the Wellington Acclimatization -Society last night In the Manawatu district rivers and streams are swollen and discoloured and do not give good promise. The same conditions prevail in the Wairarapa, though it is thought possible that some of the smaller streams may be flshable at the weekend.

Auckland Fire Inquiry. The commission of inquiry into the cause and other matters concerning the fire on the premises of John Burns and Co., Ltd., Auckland, on August 19, which was fixed to open on Monday next in the Magistrates’ Court, will not begin then, but the interested parties will attend and Mr. F. K. Hunt, who is to preside at the inquiry, will fix a date. The inquiry is expected to extend to several days and there will be a strong array of counsel to represent the interested parties. Paid Own Fares.

Market gardeners’ representatives from Auckland, Canterbury and Franklin who gave evidence at the vegetable prices inquiry in Wellington on Wednesday were stated yesterday by the president of the Dominion Council of Market Gardeners to have come to Wellington at their own individual expense. Mr. Cooksley said in his evidence yesterday -that with a proper growers’ organization this would not be necessary. Visiting growers have complained that the short notice of the inquiry gave growers no adequate tide to confer and prepare submissions.