NEWS IN BRIEF,

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 125, 22 February 1944, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF,

Shark In Evans Bay

A shark estimated to be about nine or ten feet long was seen cruising in the viciinty of the Miramar wharf, Evans Bay, between 3.30 and 3.45 p.m. yesterday. Children playing nearby wer e first to notice the intruder moving in calm, water. They called the attention of a Miramar resident to the presence of the shark, which was theu moving slowly about 150 yards out from the wharf. The species could not be determined at that distance.

Body in River. The body of Mrs. Catherine Jessie Lewis, aged 51, Mataura, was recovered from the Mataura River yesterday afternoon. Earlier she was seen to jump into the river, but rescue attempts failed.— P.A.

Meat Rations. Meat rationing for servicemen stationed in New Zealand is stiil under consideration, and an announcement will probably be made later this week, “The Dominion”, was informed last night by the Rationing Controller. Hospitals will be able to draw their meat requirements under permit.

Butchers’ Five-Day Week. “It will be sheer murder trying to serve customers on Saturday mornings,” said a Wellington butcher to “The Dominion” when discussing meat rationing and the surrender of coupons. Suggestions have been made, it is stated, that butchers may find it both convenient and practicable to work a five-day week.

Municipal Conference. The secretary of the municipal conference announces that as there is no prospect of travel permits being available for the opening of the municipal conference at Napier on March 15, to which date the conference was previously postponed from February 23, the conference has been postponed indefinitely.

Fatality at Ford. The body of Samuel Dickson, about 55, widower, of Alford Forest, was found iry the Ashburton River, on Sunday. Mr. Dickson, a small farmer and horse breaker, had been missing since February 13, having apparently met with disaster at the Valeria crossing, where his jogger and two horses, one of them drowned, were discovered. —P.A.

Jury Disagrees. „ A jury in the Supreme Court, _ New Plymouth, disagreed last night in the trial of William Mullally, aged 27, confectioner, of Stratford,, on a charge of negligent driving causing the death oi Peter J. S. Woods, aged 14, of Johnsonville, near Normanby, on January 17 Woods, who was riding a bicycle on the New Plymouth-Hawera road toward Normanby, was struck by a truck driven by Mullally in the same direction. —P.A.

Ravages of Mould. “Our weather is not the best, writes an Auckland soldier in the Pacific. “We have embarked on the rainy season, and it can rain. Everything'is damp, including clothes, and we are losing a considerable amount of gear, even new, through mould. There is no checking this. A thing will'become covered with mildew overnight. One man hung some washing out to dry, but, instead, it went mouldy.”

Gift to Furlough Men. Gift payments of £3 to each of the Southland men who returned with the furlough draft from the Middle East recently have been authorized by the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council. The payments will be made by the zone secretaries throughout the province. When the first draft of men returned from the Middle East in July similar payments were made and they were much appreciated by the men.

Sold Liquor Without Licence. A labourer, Arthur Stanley James Williams, aged 36, was sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment with hard labour by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington yesterday/ for selling liquor without a licence. As a result of complaints that sly grog was being sold police witnesses visited his house and accused sold them a bottle of wine which he had bought for 8/6, for £l. A quantity of liquor was found on the premises during a search and accused explained that he had to buy four dozen bottles of beer to get one bottle of gin. The magistrate ordered the confiscation of the liquor.

Geographical Society. There are many persons interested in the subject of geography: it touches everyone in every walk of life. In order to give greater, opportunities to develop this interest, it is proposed to form a Geographical Society in Wellington. The activities of the society will be determined by the wishes of the members, but at the moment it is suggested that they will include lectures, excursions,, the showing of films, and the publication, in conjunction with the Geographical Society in Christchurch of geographical bulletins. The inaugural meeting will be held tomorrow night in the lecture hall of the Wellington Public Library. Dr. G. Jobberns, D.Sc., Professor of Geography, Canterbury University College, who is coming to' Wellington specially for this meeting, will deliver a public address on “Geography for Every. Citizen." Importance of Swimming. ■ “The more the, public see of these demonstrations the more the practical good of them and the soundness ,of the cooperative policy of the Wellington Education Board and the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association will be recognized,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry, who attended a display of the instruction methods of Dlrs. I. L. McCabe at the Thorndon Baths yesterday morning. A notable feature was the readiness of the girls, aged about 11 years, to take part in the demonstration and the quiet but-effective discipline exhibited. “The importance of swimming as an aid to the preservation of life, as a noble art and a useful exercise is claiming the attention of educational authorities and the public,” added Mr. Parry. “With the support now manifest in swimming, instruction cannot but be of permanent good in the community.” The children who took part in yesterday’s demonstration came from the Thorndon and Mt. Cook schools.