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Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 2 October 1936, Page 6

The Norwegian whalers which arrived in Wellington oil Wednesday found a rich harvest in the region of the northwest coast of Australia during thenvoyage from Africa. They were kept hard at work foi more than two months. Two chasers between them killed some 700 whales, the total catch being nearly 1600. Keen eyes have already detected an error on the id stamp of the chamber of commerce series issued yesterday, which depicts a lorry laden with wool. r rhe lorry has motor-car number-plates instead of the lawful heavy traffic plates. A small magnifying glass will show quite clearly that the numberplate bears a five-number group. The shining cuckoo, or pipiwhauraroa, as it is called by the Maoris, has made its appearance in Palmerston North and its song has been heard at the Esplanade and e’< where. The shining cuckoo is one of the best-known of the Dominion’s migratory birds and its arrival is taken as emphasis that the spring season lias been entered upon.

The official publication of Great Britain’s possession of certain islands in the Phoenix Group, east of tho Gilbert and Ellice Islands, was made during the winter cruise of the warship Leith, which has returned to Auckland after her islands cruise. The announcement that the islands belonged to Great Britain was made on notice boards nailed to palm trees by the warship’s crew.

An animated conversation on the damage done to bird life by opossums was carried on in the Magistrate’s Court in Invercargill between Mr Eustace Russell and tho Magistrate, Mr W. H. Freeman. The Magistrate suggested that it was time the restrictions on the trapping of opossums were lifted as he was told that they were fast becoming a pest and injured bird life. Mr Russell said that experts had examined the stomach contents of hundreds of opossums and it had been found that birds did not form part of their diet. Moreover, trapping provided employment for a large number ot men and was an important industry.

About 40 head of cattle being driven to Waipukurau this week stampeded and crashed through the rails of the Waipawa River traffic bridge and fell 20ft below. Seven of the animals were killed outright, and 12 others had to he destroyed. “Some counsel appear to think that everything their clients says is true,” said Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., ill the Invercargill Magistrate’s Court. “I would advise counsel to believe half they hear and to look with suspicion on the other half.” In the opinion 'of several large employers of factory labour, at Auckland, the 40-hour week is not resulting in an increase in the number of operatives ; rather is the speed of factory production being accelerated, so that in some instances an actual increase in the manufacture of goods has been obtained.

Following a meeting of the committee handling the petition to the Palmerston North City Council regarding the position of Or. J. Hodgens, M.P., it is announced that approximately 6000 citizens have already signed and it Is expected that tho total will reach 7000. One member, Mr P. Garrity, has secured 1069 signatures, and aims to reach 1500 within tlie- next two days. The emergence of the Labour Department’s placement scheme from the realms of conjecture with a splendid record of practical achievement has been marked by its official acceptance as a permanent function of the Labour Department, and in future it will bear the more imposing title of “State Placement Service.” Though the word

“placement” is not to be found in most dictionaries, it has been retained because there is associated with it a goodwill that has become a valued asset in the scheme’s growth to maturity.