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Evening Star, Issue 21638, 6 February 1934, Page 8

There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning. At last night’s meeting of the Otago Cricket Association, the President (Mr J. M. Fraser) said that he had noticed in the Press a reference to the fact that only one match with tho visiting Australian team had been allotted to Otago. Ho was sorry he had not previously informed the Press that North Otago had been offered a match with the Australians, but unfortunately they had turned it down, and the New Zealand Cricket Council had to fit Ashburton into the itinerary.

The new Post Office at Dunedin was first advocated, then promised, then demanded, then authorised, then assured by the site being emptied and the foundations laid, then temporarily lost to view beneath the surge of economic depression, then joyfully lifted into view again and made a definite commitment in finance, and now we can authoritatively state that the uprearing of the big structure is to begin at once. Mr James Fletcher, who left for the north this morning by train, told a ‘ Star ’ reporter that tho pouring of concrete into the boxes that carpenters have built up round the steel rods that stand up through the foundations is to commence to-morrow. Wednesday, February 7, 1934, is therefore the exact date of the beginning of tho actual operations under tho building contract with tho Fletcher Construction Company. Members of the St. Clair Life Saving Club have become very adept in the use of the canoes, several of which are now housed in the club’s pavilion. Last night the large canoe was to be seen cruising off the end of the St. Clair Baths, and the speed with which the paddlers propelled their small craft along showed that they have quickly picked up the intricacies of this by no means easy art.

Throughout yesterday and until late in the evening the beach at St. Clair and St. Kilda was thronged with crowds of people who took full advantage of the very warm weather to indulge in a (lip in the surf. The St. Clair Baths were well patronised all day,' and even as late as 6 o’clock at night a large number of swimmers was still to be found in the water. The temperature in the surf was very mild, there was little sea running, and conditions generally were ideal for bathing. Up till 10 o’clock at night large crowds continued to sport themselves in the foam-flecked breakers, and it is reported that even at midnight a party of bathers were enjoying themselves in the water. Not for long has Dunedin been visited by such a heat wave.

At one time the Dunedin Cup was a race in which New Zealand as a whole took a keen interest. It was one of the few big betting races. This year there seems to be a decided renewal of interest in the contest that is fixed for Thursday. Round about Wingatui everybody is discussing the cup, several trainers thinking their chances are good, and in town “ the Cup ” is one of the topics of the day, nut so much for betting reasons, but because it is Otago's chief sporting event. The course was never in better order than it was this morning. Whatever the weather may be the going will be good. Patrons who go to Wingatui for the racing will also be pleased with the beauty of the lawns, the flowers, and the ground appointments.

The annual conference of the New Zealand Trained Nurses’ Association will commence to-night in the Tudor Hall of the Savoy, where the Otago branch will be “at home” to delegates to be present from all parts of the dominion. The president (Miss Young) will deliver an address dealing largely with her recent visit to Paris and Brussels as New Zealand delegate to the International Conference of Nurses, and this will be followed by a musical programme. The conference will continue till Friday, the meetings to be held at the Medical School, King street. During the course of the conference visits will bo paid by the delegates to the Dunedin the new laundry at Caversham, the Kcw Convalescent Home, and the Wakari Sanatorium.

A year or so ago a girl living at Talma saw a boy with three young thrushes that he had taken out of a nest. He had killed two of them, but she rescued the third, and brought it up by hand, being pleased at finding it a particularly fine singer. When the moulting season came on it flew away, and the owner thought it had gone for good, but after five months it rc•turned, hopping about the lawn; and when she recognised it and brought sonic egg and biscuit on a plate, it followed her into the house, through the dining room and into the kitchen, as it was wont to do when a fledgling: then gravely hopped into the cage that was its first home when a captive. Evidently the elephant is not tho only species with a memory. Mention of birds reminds one that Wyndham farmers are trying to see and find out sometiling about a strange bird that has been whistling lately in the bush there —a bird which sounds three resonant notes like tho strokes of a light hammer on an anvil. Wc arc asked fo inquire whether persons in other localities have heard or seen such a bird.

A defect in a chimney at the Oban Hotel was responsible for the brigade turning out at 9.20 last night. There was no damage.

Several motorists driving in the su burbs at nigh t have lately complained of the number of cyclists riding without lights. The motor drivers explain that they have no chance of seeing the cyclists unless the latter are passing under a street light or until the car headlights pick them out. Cyclists on unlighted machines are not only a danger to themselves, but they also give the drivers an anxious moment or two when a collision is imminent.

An instance of the obliging manner in which some of the traniwaymen treat their passengers was seen on a town-bound tram last evening. As the car was about to leave Cargill’s Corner the driver noticed a crippled youth, walking with the aid of crutches, endeavouring to catch the car, so he alighted and, with the assistance of the conductor, assisted the boy on to an outside scat, an action that earned a good deal of praise from the other fares. Parking areas will soon be allotted in St. Kilda as a result of a discussion on this question at last night’s Borough Council meeting. Cr J. Carman said that the time had arrived when steps should be taken to have certain areas set aside for parking cars. They were necessary, particularly on race days, owing to the congestion of traffic in Victoria road and other streets adjoining the racecourse. Tho same applied to Tahnna Park on show days. Cr N. D. Anderson said that it was not right that property owners in the vicinity of the racecourse should be subjected to cars parking not only on both sides of the streets, but also in front of their own garage crossings. Only during the last trotting meeting certain ratepayers had complained of this nuisance. Cr W. G. Baird supported the previous speakers’ remarks, after which it was decided, on the motion of Cr Carman, that parking areas be allocated to taxi drivers, corporation buses, and private cars, and that a sub-committee, consisting of Crs A. D. Edgar, G. Glue, Anderson, and Carman, immediately consider the matter. The second consignment of the new silver New Zealand coins for distribution from Dunedin arrived during the second week of January, consisting of £12,000 worth of sixpences. _ These coins are now in circulation. Two further consignments of coins of other denominations will come to hand in Dunedin shortly. The Bank of New Zealand is so advised. Shillings and florins arc to constitute the next parcel, and the threepenny pieces are to arrive a little later, sometime in March. The new sixpence is a particularly pretty coin, the simple, kiwi design being as appropriate as it is distinctive. The change in the weather to-day is verv welcome in the Dunedin district. For two or three days tho sultriness was oppressive. This morning a light air from the south-west heralded scanty rain that developed into a steady downfall of the warm and gentle kind that was wanted. Hedgehogs are frequently seen in New Plymouth gardens, but they are seldom seen in their nests (states the ‘ Taranaki Herald ’). A resident living near the East End, however, was attracted by the barking of his dog the other day, and investigations disclosed six hedgehogs in* their nest, which was a miniature cave in the river bank. Of the five little hedgehogs one was a pure albino. They were kept for a few days in a box with a run attached, and the resident said that it was fascinating to watch tho babies-clambering over the spiny back of their mother and taking no notice of the mother’s sole means of defence. The strange disappearance of a dead rat and the trap in which it was caught caused some interest in a Wanganui house recently. It had been noticed that there had been a visitation of rats in various parts of the building, and on several occasions rats had been caught in a trap overnight. On this particular night the trap snapped while one of the members of the household was going to bed, and examination showed a dead rat. As the hour was rather late the spring was not reset. During the night members of the household heard noises coming from the direction of the trap, but no notice was taken until the following morning. Then it was found that there was not a trace of the rodent nor the trap. It is thought that the remaining rats may have come for their dead companion and removed him, together with tho trap. Yesterday, after a week-end of blazing sunshine, Christchurch experienced one of the hottest days for five years. The city sweltered for a time under a temperature of 89.4 deg, which eclipsed by 1.4 the previous heat record this summer. —Press Association. A unique plant is in the possession of a Waitnra resident (states the ‘News’). Known as the swan plant, it bears pods that grow in the shape of stately swans, even to the curving lift of the tail, and hang from bent-over stalks which, when cut, form tho stately neck and head of the bird. Hairs grow all over the green pods like feathers, and the little “ swans ” ride easily and prettily in an ornamental floating bowl. “ We have often been told how stiff and unfriendly the Church of England is,” said Bishop West-Watson. in an address at Christchurch on Sunday. “ Well, we n\ay have a certain reserve, I think most Englishmen have, but it is our constant effort to show that that reserve doe* not mean any lack of sympathy or spirit of fellowship. The church believes that within its folds can the only true fellowship be found, and in such a building as this new parish hall can we show how that fellowship works in practice.” An appeal for tho remainder of tho money necessary for the. purchase of the new vessel the Patteson, which has been built for mission work in Southern Melanesia, is made by the Board of Missions in the ‘ Church News ’ for February. Tho new boat is described as a ketch 45ft long with a 13ft beam, and driven by a 25-30 horse-power Diesel engine, in addition to its sails. The boat is now in commission and was to start her trip to the New Hebrides early in January. Of the purchase money, up to January 16, £1,633 had been received of a total of £2,2oo'required. The board’s appeal expresses the hope that tho splendid rise in the price of wool would make the matter of securing the remainder more easy. During the week-end the premises of the W.F.C.A. Ltd., Masteiton, were entered and robbed of two suitcases full of suits and other men's wear, tobacco. and other goods to a "airly considerable value An unknown person rang up an official of the firm on Sunda v* night and told him where the stolen goods bad been planted under a bridge. As far as is known all that had been taken was recovered. How thieves got in and out is not yet known, but it is thought that the burglars may have quarrelled. The police are investigating. Under tho will of Mr Thomas Nimnio Baxter, of Auckland, barrister, who died on December 24 (says a Press Association telegram) the sum o: £I,OOO is bequeathed to the Massey Agricultural College to found a scholarship in dairy science.

The Aurora Australis was visible at Wellington while there was still a certain amount of daylight left last evening The display did not last very long, however, and gradually faded away.— Press Association.

A remarkable display of courage combined with a spirit of independence was shown by a returned soldier with one leg, who was stranded at Christchurch and set out to walk to Dunedin on Friday on crutches (says the ‘ Press ’). He had covered the first 16 miles of his long journey of 243 miles, and ; apart from calloused hands, showed little ill effects from the trip when he was picked up at Kolleston by a passing motorist, who gave him a ride to Ashburton and directed him to communicate with the Ashburton County War Relief Fund Society. The traveller’s only request to the society was for a pair of new rubbers for his crutches, but the case was considered worthy of more assistance, and the man was placed on the south express on Saturday morning and given his ticket to Dunedin. He served with the Main Body in the Great War, and had his left leg amputated following an accident in Ivew Zealand.

Save your eyes. Be wise and consult W. V. Sturmer (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.—f Advt.) The drawing of the “ Lucky Surprise Art Union ” will commence at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) in the Town Hall, Wellington. Wanted, second-hand Technical College text hooks, all school books benight and sold second-hand; Returned Soldiers’ Factory attache eases.—Newbold’s new promises, 289 George street (corner George and Frederick streets). —[Advi. J