NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22241, 29 January 1947, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Shoesmiths Scarce Although horse and norsedrawii vehicles have given way to more modern transport, the blacksmith is still in great demand, and the retirement of Mr C. Stock after 40 years in the trade at Geraldine marks the passing of the last smithy in that district says the Timaru Herald. The district is now without the services of a man for shoeing horses.

Seven Cases of Notifiable Disease There were no deaths from notifiable deseases reported for the week ended at mid-day yesterday in the East Cape health district. Seven cases of notifiable disease were reported,— one case of diphtheria, one of bacilliary dysentery, three of pulmonary tuberculosis, one of tuberculosis meningitis, and one of hydatids.

Description of Hemlock i Confirming a special order on noxious weeds members of the Mount Eden Borough Council drew attention this week to apparent lack of knowledge of the appearance of the poisonous weed, hemlock. Hemlock is described as a poison of the alkaloid type, bitter and unpleasant to taste. The plant is fairly .tall with a leaf not unlike that of a carrot. It blooms with a mass o.f small white flowers. It is generally found on roadsides and wasteland.

Shark Landed Barehanded Three men with their bare hands landed a seven-foot shark at the mouth of the Tukituki River at Haumoana at the week-end. They were line fishing at the river mouth when one of them saw the shark stranded. in about 6in. of water and grabbed it by the tail. With the assistance of the other two men the big fish was hauled ashore and killed with a heavy boulder. When opened it was found to contain an octopus.

Radio Reception As a result of the deterioration in radio reception throughout .Hawke's Bay, the Central Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board has taken up the question of having regui&r visits to the district by the Post and Telegraph Department wireless inspector restored. It has been pointed out that responsibility for radio interference lies on the department, but power boards have worked in close touch with departmental officers in the past. During the war regular visits by the inspector were abandoned. Cooler Temperatures To-day

From early indications this morning Gisborne residents will not swelter today as they did yesterday. A.t 9.30 a.m. to-day the maximum temperature at the meteorological station, Darton. Field, was 71.2 10 degrees lower than at the corresponding hour yesterday. The thermometer rose rapidly at the station yesterday morning until it reached its maximum of 88.5 degrees about noon. From 2.30 p.m. the temperature dropped rapidly, being down to 79.1 degrees at 3 p.m. and 74.5 degrees at 6 p.m., a south-easterly breeze contributing to this drop. During the night the temperature fell to 51.1 degrees, this being 17 degrees lower than on Monday night.

Transit Camp Heating Bore Residents in the Rotorua Borough transit camp in Amohau street are expressing great appreciation of the natural hot water bore recently sunk there by the borough engineer, Mr. H. B. Goodman. Although the houses have not yet been reticulated, the ablution blocks and showers have been connected for some time. The pressure of water has in no way diminished; rather has it increased. The temperature has also remained above boiling point, and at least one resident in the camp regularly brews her tea with fresh water that has passed .through a heating jacket. The next job will be the construction of two cooking boxes, which will be naturally heated with pipes from the bore.

Rainfall at Waingakc A rainfall of 3.51 in. at the headworks of the Gisborne Borough water supply for January to date was reported at last evening’s meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council. The Mangapoike pump had been in operation on four days during the past fortnight, pumping 615,000 gallons of water. Supplies of chlorine gas have been unobtainable, and chlorination of the water has had to be undertaken by bleaching powder, necessitating close supervision for long hours by the Waingake staff. The new Mangapoike dam construction has been held up owing to the non-delivery of cement, but concreting should be resumed next week. The pipe-line subcontractor has commenced the laying of the pipe-line. Aero Club Supported

Support for the Gisborne Aero Club in its efforts to obtain a hangar was promised at last night's meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council. Mr. R. Morse drew the attention of the Council to the fact that the club wished' to use an old hangar on the south-western boundary of the field. National Airways Corporation had granted the club space in the large hangar, but eventually the club's machine would be crowded out-of this shelter. The hangar in question was at present full of wool, said the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, and he thought it was on the property owned by the Crown. The support of the council was promised to (lie club, if it could do anything, however.