NEWS OF THE DAY

Northern Advocate, 6 August 1949, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

VISITING CHRISTCHURCH Their Excellencies the Governor General (Sir Bernard Freyberg, VC.) and Lady Freyberg. accompanied by members of their stalls, left Wellington yesterday for Christchurch. RECORD BROKEN With no rain recorded in Whangarei for ihe 24 hours to 8 a.m. today an 1 t-dav record was broken. Cn each of the 11 previous days some rain fell, with no appreciable individual falls. Light ram spread throughout the day has been typical of the weather this winter. In the 11 days only .s!lii of rain fell. The annual total is now well below the expected average for I'M? time of the year. SULPHONK DRUGS Recent developments in sulphone drugs have probably brought medical science to the turning point in the ancient fight against leprosy, said the general secretary of I'ne Mission to Lepers (Mr A. D. Miller, of London) who arrived at Auckland by the Tamaroa yesterday. "These drugs will certainly help to fight more serious cases and possibly lead to something that will definitely kill the disease, ’ he said. “My wife and I have come to thank New Zealanders for the generous support of the misson.” Mr Miller and his wife, Dr Marjorie Miller, recently completed a survey tour of leper areas in China, Burma and India. They go next to Australia and will later make a survey in South Africa.

SIGNS OF EARLY SPRING The early arrival of spring continues to be reported from various quarters. Many varieties of trees and shrubs are showing appreciation of the mild weather of the last few weeks, and are showing leaves and flowers at least a month before their norma] acknowledgement of spring. In one Whangarei garden a flowering currant carries the leaf and blossom of September, while throughout the district plum trees arc showing their white flowers. INVENTIVE MIND Eighty-eight years after the first patent legislation was passed in New Zealand the 100,000 mark in applications for patents was lodged in the Patent Oflice, according to the annual report of the Commissioner of Patents, which has been tabled in the House of Representatives. During the last year 2469 applications were received in the following broad classifications: Mechanical engineering. 737; electronics, 583; chemistry, 360. miscellaneous, 275; primary industries, 272; building construction, 244. Outstanding bargains at Henry Wilson’s Interlock nights 23/9, for 15/6; wool bloomers 16/6. for 11/9; silk and lisle lined hose 6/11. for 3/11; highly mercerised lisle hose 6/11, l'or 3/11: One skin glove- 45'-. for 15/11; linen tea towels 5'6. for 3/6; 80in. unbleached sheets 62 6. for 43/-; pair and quality pillow cases 3/3.