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Evening Star, Issue 22578, 20 February 1937, Page 14

Touring New Zealand at present is Mr E. E. H. Wright, of St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada, who was host to the All Blacks when they visited Canada during the 1936 tour. Mr Wright entertained the team to dinner at a hotel at Niagara Falls, and he recalled at Christchurch yesterday that while he was speaking at the microphone during the dinner he was interrupted to read a telegram from the Canadian Minister for Trade and Commerce, giving the team the freedom of the Dominion. Mr Wright has met several members of the team during his present visit. Severe mortality in lambs from causes believed to have their origin in the exceptional wetness of the season has cost Canterbury farmers thousands of pounds in recent weeks (says the ‘ Press.’ On many farms lambs have been dying at the rate of four or five a day, and although in North Canterbury the worst now appears to be over, farmers in districts further south are still facing the possibility of further heavy losses. The mortality is. variously attributed by farmers to pulpy kidney and stomach parasites, the underlying cause in every case appearing to be wet feed. Lambs become less susceptible to pulpy kidney as they grow older, and it is expected that the losses from this cause will gradually taper ofL That the position has been really serious in mid-Canterbury may be gauged from reports that several farmers have lost as many as 100 lambs. Total losses in some comparatively small districts are estimated at more than 1000.

The appearance of a large shark near the heads at Moeraki recently caused two Oamaru fishing enthusiasts, who were enjoying this sport in a small canoe, no little apprehension, especially when the unwelcome visitor circled close to the craft. The men made with all haste for the nearest land; but did not reach it before the shark had again come close to the canoe. .Relating the experience to a ‘ Star ’ man, one of the party stated that the monster was estimated to be about 14ft in length. It had previously been seen by Moeraki fishermen, who were of the opinion that it was the biggest shark seen in those waters for many years. Sharks are usually observed in this locality during the months of January and February, when the water is warmer. •

Architects have been requistioned by the Government to submit designs for special houses, which, to outward appearance, will look like single unit dwellings, but in reality will be modern double houses, each half on its own piece of ground. Each is to be let at a rental far below existing charges for apartments and small flats. Press Association.

Arrangements have been made _ for 4YA to relay the addresses to he given on Monday evening at the civic reception to be tendered to the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). The relay will commence at 8 o’clock, and throughout its duration. 4YA’s scheduled programme will be broadcast from the auxiliary station, 4YO. In some districts in New Zealand the cat population is known to outnumber that of the human population. In most districts they are very numerous. It is reasonable therefore to estimate that the total cat population of the Dominion exceeds one million? Ten birds iper annum is an exceedingly conservative estimate of each cat’s kill. No observant friend of birds keeps a cat.

The following _ shows how Germany cares for the birds. Pillar boxes in Germany are, for some unknown reason, frequently annexed by birds for nests, and whenever this happens the postman informs the authorities, who put up a notice, which reads: “Please use another box—birds nesting here.” The secretary of the National Gallery and chief librarian (Mr E._ R. Pitt), who retfirned from the Science Congress in New Zealand (says the Melbourne ‘ Age -’), made several investigations of the library system in the Dominion, and found there were some points which Australia might emulate. He found that library matters were more localised in New Zealand, and local bodies took more interest in their libraries. In Dunedin, for instance, which has a population of only 80,000, the local council gives £6,000 a year to the municipal library, and has just made a special grant of £4,000 for the purchase of books. Mr Pitt pointed out that this sum of £IO,OOO coincided with the sum which it has been suggested might be donated by the Melbourne City Council for library purposes in a city with over 10 times the population of Dunedin. At present the City Council gives practically nothing to libraries. In New Zealand increased local interest in libraries bad enabled trained librarians to be employed much more extensively than in Australia. In Wanganui, ratepayers, when receiving their bills, are told that a certain fraction of a penny is for libraries, and the rates are then paid more cheerfully. People know what the money is to be spent upon. Presuming that there is an average of only one bird to every acre of land available for agricultural and pastoral purposes in New Zealand (42,000,000 acres), and that each pair of birds feeds an average of three young, each one of which averages one ounce in weight while in the nest, and consumes its own weight of food each day, it takes 1,802 tons of food each day to feed the young birds. A large part of the food consists of creatures inimical to man’s interest. Any small toll of crops which some few species may themselves take at particular seasons is certainly a poor wage in coiaparison to this wonderful and indispensable work done for man by wild birds, yet here in New Zealand some county councils pay a bounty on the eggs of all and any species, and there are still people who wage war against birds! Mr Samuel Saltzman has added another to his long list of local benefactions, a gift_of £250 to the Methodist Central Mission home at Company Bay, to which earlier he gave £I.OOO. His generosity, moreover, has been emnfated by Mr Arthur Barnett, who has also given £250. The Management Committee of the home has decided to mark its appreciation by naming a room after each of the generous donors.

A telegram has been received by Mrs Jones-Nexlson, British Immigrants’ Club, that the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, Minister of Migration, _ will a deputation during his visit to Dunedin. In pursuance of a programme designed to establish closer understanding between city and country, the Chamber of Commerce has conducted its members on several tours of farming areas of the province, and on Tuesday next a big party is to visit the Middlemarch and Macraes district. The secretary of the Wakari Improvement Society has received information from the tramways manager that a trial bus will run two trips to Wakari on Friday, February 26, to suit late-night shoppers. Whether this bus is to run on future Friday nights will be decided by the patronage it receives on its trial run. A chimney fire in Albany street received the attention of the City Fire Brigade at 7.6 a.m. to-day.' Two Chinamen were fined £75 and £25 respectively on charges following an opium raid in Haining street last night.—AVcllington Press Association. In • connection with the close of the school vacation a relief express will be run from Christchurch on February 27, leaving there at 9.10 a.m. and arriving at Dunedin at 5.1 p.m. As the opening of the schools has been delayed this year due to the recent epidemic, the rather unusual position will result that they will open on the same day that the Otago University resumes. By the end of next week the students will return to town in force. It is reported that most_ of the residential colleges have a waiting list, and some students are already experiencing difficulty in finding accommodation. It is hoped, however, that all will be accommodated by the end of next week. A raid on an alleged crown and anohor and two-up school on the Central wharf was carried out -this morning by a large number of detectives. A crowd of 200 men scattered when detectives jumped from three motor cars and charged 15 men, who were detained. A, crowd of seamen on _an overseas ship nearby jeered the police. —Auckland Press Association. The City Fire Brigade turned out at 1.44 this afternoon as the result of a call from the property of Mr T. Towler in Alma street, Forbury. where a tin of tar had caught fire. There was no damage. Notification of Sunday services as enumerated below appear in our Sunday services advertising columns: —Anglican : _ St. Paul’s Cathedral, All Saints’. Presbyterian: First Church, Knox Church, St. Andrew’s, Musselburgh, St. Stephen’*, Boslyn, Kaikorii. Methodist: Trinity, Central Mission, Mornington, St. Kilda, Caversham, Dundas Street, Abbotsford. Baptist; Hanover Street, Cavertham, Mornington, South Dunedin, Roslyn, Sunshine, North-east Valley, Green Island. Congregational- Moray Pin co Church, United. Church of Christ: 6t. Andrew Street. North-east Valley, South Dunedin. York Place Hall. Salvation Army. Playfair Street Hall. Christian Science. Theosophical Society. Spiritualists. Orange Hall. The Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of special excursion trains and cheap excursion fares from Invercargill and stopping stations on Sunday, February 28, returning the same day. The Railway Department advertises in this issue that a relief express train leaves Christchurch for Dunedin at 9.10 a.m. on February 27. The Dunedin Starr-Bowkelt Building Society next Wednesday night will sell an appropriation of £SOO. The United Starr-Bowkcil Building Society during FebruaTy and March will dispose of £3,800 by sale and ballot. Eyo strain—for eye comfort, for better vision, consult Sturmer and Watson Ltd., i opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.—-fAdyt.]