NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Issue 67, 17 September 1934, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Nelson's Sunshine Record. A' Press' Association message, from Kelson states that owing to an error the sunshine record of Nelson for Ihe past twelve, years, reported on Saturday as 2900 hours, was overstated. The figure should have been 2545 hours per annum. This total, it is stated, still heads the records for the temperate regions of the world. Fruit in Plenty. A-considerable quantity of fruit from California and Karotonga was brought to Wellington today by the B.M.S. Maunganui. At San Francisco the Maunganui loaded many 'thousands of cases of grapes, lemons, plums, arifl grape fruit, together with consignments of prunes, raisins, dried fruits, and onions for this port. From Earotouga the ship brought a wide variety of fruit—bananas/ coconuts, tomatoes, oranges —and also taro, coffee beans, and nuts. Included in her cargo from San Francisco were several thousand pieces of Japanese oak lumber and redwood. New Library for Hastings. The Hastings Borough Council has, like the Wellington, Napier, and New Plymouth Councils, taken up the problem of meeting the present, and still expanding, public demand for adequate library facilities, and has adopted a proposal brought forward by the Mayor that a general plan should be prepared for tho further consideration of tho council. This plan will provide for a room or rooms to be set aside for public meetings, locturos, and discussions of questions connected with library study, a feature of modern libraries overseas, but one which has hardly been introduced in New Zealand so far. The former library at Hastings was very badly damaged by the 1931 earthquake, and 6ince then tho work has been carried out under considerable difficulties in a temporary building. Changing Sands. Vory marked- changes have taken place at Sumner on the beaches botween Shag Eock and the outer rocks, states the "Christchurch Times." This has been noticed very definitely since the heavy rains of a fortnight ago. Apparently the Bichmond Hill Creek which finds its way out across the Clifton Bay, during the floods, cut a deep channel across the sand and gave tho sea and the estuary currents an opportunity to cut down the level of the whole of the beach. This has been done to a depth of about four feet, with the result that a deep channel is working from off the tramway bridge towards the pier. Beyond this, much building up has been done and the Beacon Bock, which is generally in the deepest water, is now easily approached at low tide over dry sand. At Shag Bock very heavy scouring is taking placo between tho main reef and the shore. The rock is again isolated at all stages of the tide and a deep channel threatens to cut out the beach near the tramway causeway and exert its force towards the beach near the pier. On the New Brighton side, erosion of the sand dunes is taking place very rapidly. Surprise in Christchurch. The section of the community which received the greatest surprise on Friday when the city .rat© demands were delivered comprised those ratepayers who had secured the benefit last year of special reductions in their- valuations, states the "Christchurch Times." They have found that practically the whole of the-benefit they obtained last yearhas been wiped out, and in some cases they have to pay a good deal more. The decision of the council to levy its rates on 75 per cent, of the original valuations applies only to the rates made by the City Council itself, and not to rates made by other local bpdies. The Hospital Board, Domains Board, and Fire Board make levies on the council, and the council makes the levies into rates. Therefore these rates are included among tnose collected on 75 per cent, of the valuations. Tho Drainage Board, Tramway Board, and Waimakarirl River Trust,'on the other hand, make their own rates, and this year they are levied on tho full valuations. The authority for the aetiou taken by the council is contained in Section C of the Valuation of Land Amendment Act, 1933. Indictment of Harriers. "It is simply shocking. They take great bags of paper about with them every Saturday afternoon and leave it all over 1 c place. The paper blocks the drainage sumps and wo have had to call men out on Sunday to clear them. When they cross a man's paddock they smash a- gatepost to get in and then break down wires in the fence to get out." The foregoing was an indictment of Christchurch cross-country runners voiced by Councillor W. W. ScarfE at the meeting of the Heathcoto County Council on Friday evening (reports "The Press"). He explained that he had asked the county clerk to make a complaint to tho harrier sub-committee of the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Association. The chairman of the subcommittee, in reply, stated that he was doing everything possible to minimise the distribution of trail papdr and damage to propery. "Is it really as bad as that?" asked tho chairman (Councillor C. Flavell) after Councillor Scarff had made tho remarks quoted above. Councillor Scarff: "It certainly is." A member askod what kind of paper was used. Councillor Scarff said it was frequently waste newsprint cut into wide strips. It was often wide enough to cause blockages of drains. Councillor Flavell: "They should use confetti." The letter of the chairman of the harrier sub-committee was received. ___________.__