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Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 306, 29 November 1927, Page 6

Two sharks, a mako and a grey nurse, were caught by the crew of a fishing launch off Tiri Island, Auckland Harbour, on Friday. The Dannevirke Borough Council last week decided that children be admitted as subscribers to the public library at half rates, irrespective of whether their parents were subscribers or not.

Leslie Alwyn Olson McKenzie,, aged seventeen years, who was serving a ter'pi of two years in a Borstal institution, escaped from Timaru prison yesterday, and is still at liberty (states a Press Association telegram.) With regard to complaints recently made as to borough employees “loafing” on the job, it was, decided at' the council meeting last evening that “should there be any ‘loafing’ of an outstanding nature in future, tlie ganger in charge of the men shall be dismissed or disrated. Due notice in writing of the council’s intention to be given to each ganger.”'

After many years of negotiations, arangementa have been made to set aside 3548 acres on Maungatautari Mountain, near Cambridge, as a scenic reserve. In the early days the area was covered with heavy bush and it was a favourite hunting ground for the Waikato Maoris in search of birds for food supplies. The mountain is one of the best-known landmarks in the Waikato district.

Hidden springs, which once supplied fresh water for pioneer residents of Auckland, have been tapped in the course of sinking foundations for a new building in Short Land Street. The springs arise from an underground stream, which originally had its outlet in the Ligar Canal, a gully 20ft or so in depth, which followed roughly the western side of Queen > Street. At eighteen different points it has been necessary to put in concrete foundations to keep back the water.’ v A settler in the Morere district, on the East Coast, recently had a most unpleasant experience. In an attempt to kill weeds he sprayed a portion of his land with sheep dip, little thinking that his milking cows would eat the grass from that part. However; this evidently was the case and not knowing that the cows had fed from the sprayed weeds and grass the family used the milk twice. By this time the poison had taken effect upon the cattle and one died. The baby in the home was also affected, but fortunately it soon recovered.

Already the proud possessor of the largest eel, Inglewood has gone a step further and now claims to own the largest mushroom. The eel of 2811 b, which recently occupied a prominent position in a shop window was later displaced by a mushroom nine inches in diameter and 28 inches in circumference, with a stalk six inches long and 3i inches in circumference. Another mushroom found in the same vicinity as this one measured Bin. in diameter. They are regarded as remarkable specimens for the off season for mushrooms. “There are in Palmerston North 40 registered plumbers, six practical men in preparation for sitting for their final theory examination, and six plumbers unregistered,” stated the engineer, Mr J. R. Hughes, at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, when an opinion was received from the Wellington city solicitor concerning the Plumbers’ Registration Act and the prosecution of unregistered plumbers “Comparatively speaking, Mr Hughes added, “Wellington is not in such a good position. There are 100 unregistered plumbers to 70 registered.” At a meeting of the Local Government Loans Board 47 applications for ldhns totalling £374,690 were dealt with. Eight renewal loans for £128,100 were sanctioned with sinking funds ranging from two per cent, upwards with a view to liquidating these loans within a reasonuable period. Twenty-six new loans were sanctioned for the full amount, £126,890. In ten aplications for £106,400, part sanction was given for £38,583, the balance, £22,817, being deferred or declined. Three applications were declined

Several fresh slips on the banks of the Wanganui River have occurred lately, according to an exchange, these landslides being not uncommon on the steep slopes inland, many of- which are now denuded of their former wealth of bush. With each new fall of earth logs of all kinds are hurled into the river, thus maintaining a continuous supply of floating debris for removal by each succeeding flood, Flood timben, however, is becoming noticeably less every year. Old residents are able to recall occasions when the river was so jammed with timber that it . appeared almost possible to walk across from one side to the other. An offer from the De Luxe picture management of 180 seats at 15s each was accepted at. last night’s meeting of the Borough Council. The matter of their disposal is to be left with the Opera House committee. The Mayorstated incidentally that the seating at the Opera House was very bad, and that, in the near future, some of the chairs would have to be replaoed. There had been complaints of damaged clothes. Cr. Hodgens stated that he would like to see the picture theatre seats plaoed in the municipal hall. Mr Graham stated that he could give no guarantee as to what would be done with them; it would be entirely for the committee. A nominal fine of Is was imposed on a Te Kuiti motor service proprietor in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court a few days ago for failing to have a motor car licensed under the heavy traffic regulations. In a reserved judgment the magistrate, Mr Wyvern Wilson, said that the car which ran between To Kuiti and Hamilton was licensed at To Kuiti, but was garaged at Hamilton. The magistrate expressed the opinion that, in order to comply with the regulations; the vehicle should have been licensed at Hamilton, as the Hamilton licensing authority was the only body having control over the license. Any license issued in another district was invalid.