NEWS of the DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22757, 1 October 1948, Page 4

NEWS of the DAY

University Hostel As the Auckland University College council’s option over Hotel Stonehurst in Symonds street expired yesterday and an extension of it could not be arranged, the council decided to exercise the option to purchase the property for a students' hostel. It was announced that £9OOO of the £25,000 required to complete the purchase had been raised. Gaint Poplar To Go. Planted almost-100 years ago. a large aspen poplar tree at Waipalu Pa, near the show-grounds at Hastings, and one of the largest trees of its kind in Hawke’s Bay, is to be felled to allow for erection of the new memorial meet-ing-house which is to be erected on the site. This tree, which is over 100 feet high, is a well-known landmark on the Napier-Hastings road. Winter Demand for Cricket Books One abnormal feature of country readers’ tastes this , winter had been that the demand for books on cricket had been fairly constant all the time, said Mr. J\ H. Rothenberg, who is in charge of one of the Country Library Service’s vans which travels the whole of the South Island, in a recent interview. The demand for cricket books was generally confined to the summer months, said Mr. Rothenberg, but the Australians’ tour of Great Britain this winter had maintained the interest of New Zealand readers. Next winter, when a New Zealand team would be sent to Britain, he expected that cricket books would still be sought by country readers. Lyttelton Tunnel Road. “The reason for the non-commence-ment of the Christchurch-Lytteiton tunnel road is primarily the acute shortage of experienced tunnellers, and the necessity to retain those available on hydro-electric works, and tunnelling projects of a considered top priority such as the Rimutaka Tunnel," said a letter from the Minister of Works, Mr. R. Semple, to the Heathcote County Council, received by the council. It was decided that Mr. Semple again be written to, emphasising the paramount inportance of the Chnstchurch-Lyttel-ton tunnel road, and asking that the alignment of the highway be immediately gazetted and published, having regard to local development and subdivision in the area. Novice Oarsmen’s Try-Outs. With the change in the season emphasis is passing from winter to summer sports and already the sight of rowing-craft on the Gisborne rivers is again becoming familiar. The standard of oarsmanship in some of the crews seen on the water is indiative of the presence of novice members who are making their first acquaintance with the sport, the two clubs based on the Taruheru River having received accessions of strength which augurs well for the future strength of rowing interest. The Poverty Bay Rowing Club has crews in training already for its first trials, and the Gisborne club plans to select its crews early next week. Saturday's tide will be especially favourable, and experienced oarsmen and novices alike will be taking the opportunity to prepare for the official opening of the season" in a fortnight.

Church Restoration Under the guidance of two experts from Ngatiporou, who were sent to Otaki by Sir Apirana Ngata, the work of restoring the tukutuku panels in historic Rangiatea Church has begun, stated the priest in charge, the Rev. Paora Temuera. A beginning has been made with the panels, some of which are about 40ft. in length and among the largest in the country, at the southern end of the church. The church is being restored in time for centenary celebrations in the summer of 1950. It has been estimated that the work will cost about £SOOO. Mount Cook Airfield A restricted operating license has been issued for the Mount Cook airfield, a few miles from the Hermitage. This advjce is included in a notice to airmen issued by the Director of Civil Aviation. Mr. E. A. Gibson. Under the terms of the license, Auster, Tiger Moth, Fox Moth, and Chipmunk aircraft will be able to use the field if they are flown by pilots holding commercial licenses. Night flying lias not been authorised and operational limits of three miles’ visibility and a minimum cloud base of 1000 feet have been imposed. Killed By Own Invention “I believe the man who invented metal studs for road marking slipped on one in Paris and was run over and killed," said the Auckland traffic superintendent, Mr. C. Bland, at the Dominion traffic conference. He was opposing a recommendation providing for the use of metal studs instead of painting on pedestrian crossings. Constant traffic in overseas centres wore the metal studs razor sharp. Delegates spoke of the difficulty of obtaining sufficient suitable paint and of its expense. It was decided to ask for the provision of metal studs as an alternative to painting. Poaching in Taupo Area. In an endeavour to stop the increasing activity in the poaching of trout in the Taupo area during tho closed season, Internal Affairs Department rangers have been keeping a close watch during the past few months, and their activities will no doubt have a beneficial effect on the coming fishing season. All the rivers and streams have been visited on numerous occasions in an effort to prevent illegal fishing. In the Magistrate s Court at Taupo, before Mr. L. G. H. Sinclair, S.M., eight persons were charged recently with a total ot ltf charges, practically all of which were proved. Woman to the Rescue

While several men were kicking and shouting at two dogs fighting viciously in Ranfurly road, Auckland, on a recent afternoon, unsuccessfully trying to break them apart, a woman stepped in, grabbed the aggressor, a large Alsatian by the tail and pulled it backwards out of range. The other dog ran away and the fight was over. "That's the only way to stop that,” she said, dusting her hands. It’s cruel to try to separate fighting dogs by kicking and beating them. It may injure them, and certainly makes them more excited. And you 'needn’t be afraid of being bitten —the dog is too busy trying to keep its feet when you are 'Hilling it backward.”