NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 35, 11 February 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Peat Fires Still Burning.

The rain that has fallen 'in the Waikato has Had no apparent effect on the peat fires, other than to make them more spectacular, says an Auckland exchange. On Friday morning on the Great South Road hearing Hamilton dense clouds of steam and acrid white smoke were blowing across the road from a tract of peat qountry that is burning right to the edge of the highway. The smoke has not hitherto been a great nuisance, but the rain made it much worse. Falling-on the hot earth, it immediately sizzled up in steam, which blew across the road, making a dense screen through which motorists had to. go; slowly and carefully. Dominion Roads: The opinion that there-is a very big future for truck and bus transport in the Dominion "was expressed last evening -by Mr. F. H. Pounsett, of Toronto, who was interviewed by a Christchurch "Times"- , reporter. "I am very much impressed with your roads," said Mr." Pounsett. ' • "They are very good for a young country, and compare more than favourably with those in Canada. . Off the main roads we have nothing like your good surfaces." Suggestions that Canadians were the only people' still talking about the depression were refuted by Mr. Pounsett. '"We are still feeling-the effects, of the idepression, but we don't talk about it," he said. Mr. Pounsett was born in London and has spent twenty-five years in Canada. " ■ Cook Islands Shipping:. "The- shipping arrangements -for fruit from the Cook Islands are not good," said Mr; Robert McKegg, managing director of the Cook Islands Trading Co., Ltd., speaking at Christchureh. "The Government steamer Maui Poniare carries Samoan and Niue fruit in' refrigerated space, which enables the growers thereto cut bananas under ideal conditions for ripening, but the consignments from the. Cook Islands are carried in.the cargo holds. The fruit there has to be cut at a slightly less mature stage than would otherwise be. necessary. The result has been that the Cook Islands bananas are not so attractive in appearance. We are all hopeful that it will be possible to make better arrangements in the future." \ ; • , v Floodlights for Bathers. ' - The popularity of night bathing received further testimony when a request was -made- to the Devonport Borough-' Council • for the floodlighting of- Narrow Neck Beach, the Auckland "Star" states. The speaker emphasised the increasing use of the beach at night, and represented that more light >was' .necessary in the interests of public safety. The benefit that had accrued to bathers at Cheltenham and Windsor. Reserve by the institution ~of floodlights provided confirmatory evidence of the application. The Town Clerk reported that the cost of installation and maintenance of one floodlight would be Is Id per day, with a minimum, of six months' usage. The council decided to install the light. Dear Vegetables. The recent rain has not yet been able to counteract the effects of the preceding-dry'spell, as far as market gardeners are concerned, and vegetable prices remain at an abnormally high level. The rates in many cases are from 70 to. 100 per cent above those ruling this time last year, states the Auckland "Herald." Cabbages which sold at from 3d to 6d each in retail stores in February, 1934, are now 6d to lOd each. Similarly,'peas, which were 2d to 4d a lb last February, are now'4d to 6d. Even greater increases have occurred invthe case of carrots, parsnips, beet, spinach, spring onions, and turnips, which sold at from Id to ljd a bunch last summer, and which are now priced at from 2d to 4d. Potatoes are 2Jd a lb, compared with ljd a year ago, while kumeras have increased from 3£d to 5d a lb. According to a Queen Street retailer the effect of the recent rain will not be noticed in the markets for about a fortnight, when local supplies should again come forward,' with a consequent reduction in prices. Metal Traffic Studs Not Popular. Metal studs for dividing the road into "lanes" adopted by the Auckland City Council at certain busy intersections have had a fair trial, but it is questionable, whether the experiment is an unqualified success. The "Herald" says that- * many road-users' protest against the:use of the studs, which are thought to be of little benefit and at the.same time to constitute an obstruction. A violent skid, fortunately without serious results, was executed by a large motor-bus near the junction of Symonds Street and Karangahape Road on Thursday evening. It was reported that the skid followed striking one of the studs, and the big machine which was inward-bound, turned right round \and faced the opposite direction. Although it is compulsory to reduce speed when approaching intersections, and for that reason the studs are usually encountered by slow-' moving traffic.'there is a decided feeling of discomfort for the "occupants of a motor vehicle that passes over a series of the studs. Some drivers have been so surprised at the succession of bumps that they have stopped to investigate, fearing a punctured tire. Pedestrians who have had the misfortune to step on to a wet stud know how slippesy they can become.

Good Vegetables Grown. A Wanganui visitor to the Ohakune and Raetihi districts recently was greatly impressed with the excellent crops of vegetables that have been grown there this summer. Speaking to a Wanganui "Chronicle" reporter, he said that rain had fallen in the neighbourhood of at least once a week throughout the summer, with the result that a substantial growth had been possible. All crops were good, cabbages and cauliflowers in particular having grown well. The Wanganui man considered that Ohakune and Raetihi would eventually become the market garden of the Auckland and Wanganui districts. Sea Surgery Under Difficulties. A successful major operation for appendicitis was performed by the ship's surgeon of the liner Monterey, Dr. G. E. Davis, while the vessel was pitching in a gale off Wilson's Promontory. Victoria, the Auckland "Star" reports. The patient was Mr. J. Wilson, officers' mess attendant, who developed symptoms of appendicitis shortly after the ship left Sydney. At times the liner rolled so violently that the surgeon was thrown across the operating theatre, while his instrument table had to be tied down with bandages. Mr. Wilson was reported to be making a satisfactory recovery. Objections to Orie-Man Trains. The Paparua County Council has decided to write to the Christchurch Tramways Board stating that the oneman trams at present serving the council's district cause disabilities to the travelling public.. : The matter was discussed at the meeting of the council on Thursday, and the opinion was expressed that serious accidents might occur through the use of the one-man trams in the winter. The chief objections .'stated were that on the trip out from the city the* trams set down passengers in the direct line of traffic, and that the passengers boarding the trams must walk round them to the centre of the road and queue up there. The opinion was expressed that in winter when the weather is bad there will be danger of serious accidents. Previously the trams always took up and put off passengers on the side of the road along which the line runs close to the footpath. It was considered that the change in procedure was not in the interests of the public,' and also that the one-man trams were much slower at stopping places, to the inconvenience of other traffic .on the road. Hawaiian Air Services. ■':.■•. ' Flights between Hawaii and the United States by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Mrs. Amelia; Putnam, and other famous pilots,, have received the fullest amount ;bf publicity ,■ but -few people know that \aeroplanes^'haye been carrying mails'and/passengers between the islands of the group every day for the last two !years without -a single accident,: the : "Christctiurcn' Times". comments. Interesting information' concerning this air service was given by Mr. G. E. Bryant, of Honolulu.. ■■: "Conditions, are:ideal for flying in Hawaii, as the weather is usually fine arid there is seldom any fog;" he stated.. "The aeroplanes used on the service are amphibians, and a forced landing therefore holds no dangers." The machines carried nine passengers, and two new ones, to carry twelve ■to thirteen ' passengers, had been ordered. The service was maintained regularly, aeroplanes leaving Honolulu in the morning, for the islands of Molokai and Maui. Mr Bryant added that he thought a service between the United States and New Zealand by way'of Hawaii and Fiji, as predicted by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, was bound to come in a few years. Another Fcnguin Farm. . Wellington has a penguin colony, on a very small scale, right beneath the guns of Fort Dorset. Lyttelton also has a penguin colony, of about the same size. Two youths who were out rabbiting below, the Sumner-Lyttelton Road last week discovered a likelylooking burrow, and after digging, one of the youths put in his hand and dragged out a young penguin. A second inspection brought to light another penguin. After inspecting the birds, which did not show any signs of fear the boys returned them to the nest' Many people believe that the penguin is only really at home in a snowstorm with the seawater a trifle below freezing point, and that all penguins found north of the Antarctic Circle are unfortunate strays. Actually certain types of penguins are very much at home' in warm waters. They are plentiful all round the New Zealand coast including, the.North Auckland coast.