NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 43, 19 August 1941, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Pointing the Moral

Importers who receive goods from overseas are no doubt, grateful to the British Navy's patrol of the world's oceans, but British consignors leave nothing to chance. In packages received in Wellington business premises today there were attractive dockets,! 6in by 4in. On the front is a spirited coloured picture of a convoy in a choppy sea, with flying scud, and with a glimpse of blue overhead, in which patrolling planes soar. It is quite ai striking artistic effort. In large red letters is the legend, "Arrived safely, thanks to British convoys." On the j back the same reminder is repeated in 12 languages. Women Conductors. It is reported that Sydney is unlikely to follow Melbourne's example of employing women as tram conductors "There is no shortage of tram conductors here," said the secretary of the Tramway Employees' Union in Sydney. "In any case, it is hard to | imagine women clinging to the foot- i boards of Sydney trams, and there are I only 250 of the corridor type. On foot- i board trams women conductors would have to wear trousers. There would still be many accidents, because most women lack a man's confidence." Chemists and the War. War conditions have given rise to a considerable increase in the volume of chemical service work required by Government Departments, says the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, with special reference to the Dominion Laboratory. Regular tests of milk supplies and water supplies for military camps have been made, and a large variety of materials have been tested in connection with the purchase of defence stores. The chemical engineering section has been largely occupied on the investigation of producer gas as an emergency fu«*l for motor vehicles Semi-commercial trials on the gas storage of apples +o improve their keeping qualities for local consumption are producing valuable data. A large volume of chemical work has been re-, quired in connection with the survey of national coal resources. In general almost every section of the laboratory has been engaged in special work relating to war requirements. Pest of Citrus Trees. All varieties of citrus, apples, and pear trees are attacked in New Zea-. land by the cottony cushion or fluted scale, which is the insect claimed to have been destroying gorse in the bed of the Waimakariri River. Referring to the identification of the insect by the Department'of Agriculture. Mr. L. W. McCaskill states that it was a' serious pest of citrus trees until the ladybird was introduced in 1894. reports the Christchurch "Press." Mr McCaskill says that the cottony cushion or fluted scale (Icerya purchasi) appears to be a native of Australia, but it was not noticed there until it did serious damage in New Zealand. The first • specimens to be described by scientists actually came j from New Zealand. The adult female is a small wingless oval insect with a I yellowish powder hiding the brown body colour. Soon after settling down to feed, the young female fixes the beak firmly in the bark and doe? not move again. The antennae and legs are absorbed. After fertilisation by the males, which are ve.ry sm&ll, winged, do not feed, and are thus very j short-lived, the female manufactures I a large white fluted or corrugated eggsac which may be nearly three times as large as the insect. Up to 800 eggs I may be laid in the sac. They hatch in about two weeks, but it may take three to five months before the young are fully developed. j