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Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7105, 14 March 1933, Page 6

Two very bright stars aro attracting attention at present. They are the planets Mars and Jupiter, the former being distinguished by its ruddy huo and the latter by its great brilliancy. The two planets are this month directly opposite the sun, which means that they remain visible practically all night. Although they were close together at the beginning of the year, their apparent motions are causing their distance apart slowly to increase.

Most of tho wheat in the Marton district has now been taken in from the stooks and in a good many cases threshing has been completed. Farmers, whose wheat was early for the most part, have been getting quite satisfactory yields. Two farmers just a few miles out of Marton are reported to have threshed in all 75 bushels to the acre. Of course this docs not represent all milling wheat, but nevertheless tho return from this yield will prove particularly lucrative. —Bulls correspondent.

Reductions of interest charges by the Government have resulted in a saving of £IOOO to the ManawatuOroua Power Board on its internal loans. When the previous 10 per cent, stamp duty was in force tho board was saving £469 after allowing for statutory exemption. It was reported to the board yesterday, however, that under the recent loan conversion legislation, and tho imposition of tho 20 per cent, stamp duty, the saving to the board on interest charges would be increased to £IOOO.

It is not often that penguins frequent the shores of tho North Island, although they are more common further south, but a number were seen by a Palmerston North resident recently. In company with friends, ho made a fishing expedition to Kapiti. When about three-quarters of the way over from tho mainland three penguins were seen floating in tho water. They did not appear greatly frightened by the approach of the boat, which was fitted with an outboard motor. When pursued by the craft, however, they showed great agility in the water, and easily kept themselves at a distance from their pursuers.

Japan’s inquiry in many countries for supplies of scrap metal has resulted in tho commencement of the excavation of a number of locomotives buried by the railway siding leading to the freezing works at Westfield. Six men are being employed and eight locomotives of a number believed to be 16 or 17 have been revealed as a result of the work. The buried engines arc between SO and 40 years old, and tbeir sendee was spent principally in tho Auckland district- Practically all parts of the engines are suitable for export to Japan, the work of dividing the metal into sizes for easy shipment being carried on by means of acetone burners. Some of the. metal, it is expected, will be loaded to Japan on tho Melbourne Mara, states the Herald.