NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 18, 23 January 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Dog Joins in Cricket. A comic incident held up play for a minute or two in a junior cricket match on Wellington College grounds on Saturday afternoon when a Scottish terrier on a lead escaped from its owner and collared the ball. Pursued by most of the fieldsmen, the dog careered round the ground enjoying the fun immensely. It was eventually caught and the game was able to proceed. Chemical Ignites. Severe burns about the legs and to a lesser extent about the hands were suffered by Mr. Ralph Wilson while spraying ragwort with sodium chlorate on Mr.. L. Rutledge's farm at Matawai, states a Gisborne correspondent. Wind caught the spray and blew it back on Mr. Wilson's clothes, which were ignited. He was able to extinguish • the ' flames with his hands and then walked four miles to the homestead. Later he was taken to Matawai to receive attention from the district nurse. Fifty-eight Inches of Rain. T,he tropical cyclone which has been mentioned in the weather news during the last few days as being in the neighbourhood of Fiji has since Saturday moved rapidly in a south-easterly direction, its centre this morning passing over the Kermadec Islands. In the Tongan Islands it has caused exceptionally heavy rain, no less than over 58 inches falling in 11 days. Fortunately for New Zealand this disturbance is likely to keep out of range and not materially affect the Dominion's weather, although possibly the slight increase in cloud today is due to it. Unwaterlng of Mine. The water level in the flooded Hikurangi coalmine is now only about 16 chains from the lower workings of the shaft, states a Whangarei correspondent. Since the mine was flooded by an inrush of water early in November, unceasing efforts have been made to cope with the situation, and now the pumps that have been installed are all working satisfactorily and are. gaining on the -water. With the shaft on a much easier grade than higher up, every foot lowered in the water level now means an appreciable gain, and the pumps are being moved twice a week to a lower level as the water recedes. It now seems possible that the* men may be re-engaged hewing coal at the end of this week. Owls Kill Weasel. Through choosing a wrong enclosure in search of prfey, a weasel which had been causing trouble during the past week at the Auckland Zoo suddenly met its death on a recent night, states the "New Zealand Herald." By climbing over high wire-netting fences on several occasions the weasel had entered the rabbit enclosure and had accounted for a number of young stock. On Wednesday night, however, it chose to enter a cage occupied by two eagle owls and was apparently caught and killed instantly. As the weasel is one of the quickest of animals, the fact that it was caught by -the owls suggests the great speed of the latter. The eagle owls, which are also known as greateared owls, were recently imported from the United States. The Canny Scot. A story is being told by a Te Awamutu farmer at the expense of a fellowdairyman who hails from Scotland, reports the "Star's" Te Awamutu correspondent; Observing that his Scottish' friend was late with his milking on more than one occasion recently, the native-born farmer commented on it to his neighbour, for at these belated milkings the electric light had to be used. With a twinkle in his eye, the Scotsman explained that with lowered production and increased costs he had to balance his budget somehow, and his late milking was a daylight-saving system he had inaugurated. He used the daylight for necessary work in the houso, and did his milking by electric light. "The lights, ye ken, cost 5d a- unit in the house," he said, "and in the shed it's only 2sd a unit." A Perfect Day. Future historians, when writing of Wellington and the 1938-39 summer season, should have little difficulty in fixing the date of that summer. It occurred on January 22, 1939, Anniversary Day. After a thunderstorm j on SatuS^ay night, yesterday was without doubt a real summer's day, unspoiled by the high winds which have marred the other days on which the sun has shone. That the pleasant change was welcome was shown by the number of people to be seen on the beaches and in the sea, for bathing was a delight and not a feat of endurance. As usual, the pessimist expressed the opinion that it would not last, and up to a degree he was right. Today's weather, although fine, is by no means so pleasant as yesterday's, there being more wind. Cause of Chilly Summer. An explanation that the unseasonable v/eather experienced in New Zealand this summer was the result of the whole system of strong westerly winds constantly ruling in the sub-Antarctic seas moving further to the north than usual was given by Dr. W. A. Macky, meteorologist attached to the Hobsonville Air Base. Weather charts kept by Dr. Macky showed that this season the trend of the almost continuous westerly winds ruling between Australia and New Zealand and the Antarctic was inclining more to the northward than usual. As a result the Dominion was experiencing the . storms associated with the strong westerlies of the "roaring forties." As a consequence of the disturbances, the series of anticyclones usually expected in the central and northern parts of New Zealand at this season had also moved north and had missed the Dominion. The effect had been that the weather over the Dominion was that to be expected at "Latitudes about ten degrees further south. Comparison of temperatures recorded ■ this summer and last year showed that the mean temperature this season ranged from 5 to 10 degrees lower than that of last summer.

Begonias Later But Splendid.

In a normal year the begonia house at the Botanical Gardens is at its best about the beginning of January, but this year the blooms are just three weeks late and are only now reaching their finest. On Saturday and yesterday there was a great many visitors, and again today the display has been seen by hundreds of people. In addition to the gorgeous show of the more formal begonias, there is a delightful overhead display of basket begonias, and the gloxinias and streptocarpus are also reaching their best. Unfortunately it has not been possible to.overcome the long-standing difficulty of adequately displaying the splendid collection, built up over many years, and only one too small house is available. On week days the begonia house is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. A Good Scout. "He was a true Scout," said Dominion Chief Commissioner Hector Christie on his arrival from Sydney today, when speaking of Lord Hampton, the representative from Imperial Headquarters, at the big Scout Jamboree. "He insisted on doing his own camp Work, and when he was supplied with someone to look after him he declined. 'Bring me some hot water first thing in the morning, and I will look after myself,' he said." Lord Hampton thoroughly enjoyed the Maori feast cooked in traditional style. Under the guidance of Scouter Alex. Gordon, of Rotorua, Lord Hampton was met with due ceremony at the gate of the pa, and after the usual hongi and hakas of welcome and friendship, the hangi was opened with the appropriate haka, and Lord Hampton and the other guests were treated to a real Maori feast. This was considered by the many onlookers to be the star turn of the camp, and the poi dances by the lady cubmasters were received with long applause. Reserve Bank Notes Refused. "In all my travels I have never seen a New Zealander so humiliated," said Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, formerly Minister of Education, in relating an incident caused by the operation of the Dominion's exchange control policy, reports the "New Zealand Herald-' 1 "When the Mariposa called at Suva, from the liner's promenade deck," Mr. Stallworthy said, "the words 'Bank of New Zealand' could be seen painted in large letters on the front of a building. A number of passengers went to the bank to exchange sterling or dollars for Fiji currency, and did so on favourable terms at the rates prevailing. Then a prosperous New Zealand farmer went forward to the counter and put down three Reserve Bank of New Zealand £1 notes, but the teller declined to accept them. The farmer was dumbfounded. 'But it's good, honest money/ he exclaimed. 'Maybe/ replied the official as kindly as he could. 'I'm sorry, but I can't take it at any price.' 'Well, I'm !' said the farmer. 'Reserve Bank of New Zealand notes guaranteed by the New Zealand Government, and only worthless paper to the Bank of New Zealand at Suva, and the New Zealand Government has five directors out of nine on the board of the Bank of New Zealand. Well, I'm 1 ■ I'll try the stores/ He did, without success."