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Evening Star, Issue 26001, 16 January 1947, Page 6

Mention was made in a recent cable message regarding' investigations of British medical men into ’ the cause of the common cold, and suggesting that they were hopeful of photographing the virus with the electronic microscope. “It is. interesting to note that Such an instrument is on order by . the New Zealand . Government, and . will shortly be installed in New Zealand by the Department of: Scientific and. Industrial Research,” said Dr E. Mqrsden, director of the department. " Dr Marsden-said that the cost of . the instrument was about £3,500. ; Oilier instruments associated with it would be constructed in New Zealand. It was proposed to house the microscope in the first place -at the Dominion Physics Laboratory, but it would be available to scientific workers generally. v Members of the Hawke’s Bay Museum, staff, are at present busy catching flies to feed two green tree lizards, which have' recently, joined' the museum collection. They belong to the Gecko family, and although they are quite plentiful in the bush districts, they are rarely seen because of their protective colouring and their, great speed of. movement. Th'e lizards are mainly insect-eating, but for six months of-the year they take no fpod at all. They cast their skins several times during the summer. Their clawed feet and muscul&r prehensile tails are particularly adapted to climbing trees, where they spend most of their, time. The disposal! of a hansom cab is a peculiar problem facing the Ohakune District High School golden' jubilee committee. The owner, who. lent/the vehicle to the committee for its recent procession, did not want it -back,- it was stated at the meeting. The committee agreed that the cab was of great historical; value and shoukl.be pre-' served for use at future functions. As it is at present stored on the property of a resident, it was decided to ask him to retain the cab.

The Automobile Association advises that the Main North road between Oamaru and Timaru has now been repaired at the Waihao Ford, and it is no longer necessary to detour through Waimate or Morven.

Two consignments of. Australian, mail have been received at the chief post office. Yesterday, 66 bags of mail and 14 bags of parcels werereceived, and 103 bags of mail and 25 of parcels arrived to-day. " ’

In the Police Court this morning, before Mr J. I). Willis, S.M., Mathew Edward Smith was convicted and-dis-charged on a charge of drunkenness, and Frank Bryan, similarly charged, was fined the amount of his bail (20s).

A private screening of a film showing the operation of the trolly bus system in Adelaide will be made in the Council Chamber at the conclusion of the meeting of the City Council on Monday night, and an invitation has been extended to the chairmen and secretaries of the various ratepayers’ association to attend. This is. the first step in the publicity campaign being undertaken by the Transport Comittee in connection with the trolly bus loan poll, which it 'has recommended should take place on February. 26. Members of the Transport Committee intend visiting meetings of ratepayers in the various; areas, and the ratepayers’ associations are being asked to arrange them. All aspects of the .loan proposals will be put before those meetings, and picture theatres Mill also be used for showing films of the trolly buses operating in Adelaide and possibly elesewhere. .The Adelaide film occupies about, a quarter of an hour in screening. >

At 12.40 p. in. to-day the City Fire Brigade answered a. call to Maitland street, whore fire badly damaged a model A A Ford sedan. It is understood that the outbreak was caused by defective wiring. A justifiable false alarm to the Astor Cafe was answered at 6.38 p.m. yesterday.