WHITE-ANTS' ORGY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23135, 6 September 1938, Page 16

WHITE-ANTS' ORGY

MANY KEGS OF BEER

AN INTOXICATED "ARMY" HOTEL-KEEPER'S HEAVY LOSS STRANGE INCIDENT AT DARWIN [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Sept. 1 When a Darwin hotelkceper unlocked a corrugated iron store to inspect 80 18-gallon kegs of beer, lie was met by swarms of large, intoxicated wliito ants. Hundreds of gallons of beer had disappeared. The kegs were placed in the store three months ago, when the licensee inadvertently ordered excess supplies. Jn the interim, millions of Darwin's wliito ants have been thriving and trebling their numbers on the nutritious qualities of the beer. They have had a royal spree.

The doors of the store had been bolted and barred to safeguard against the theft of the beer, but, when the owner went to inspect it, ho was amazed to find that most of his thousand-odd gallons had gone, and that swarms of huge, well-fed, heavyclawed and intoxicated white ants met him face to face, as an army victorious. They had eaten through the majority of his kegs, and had lcit behind them nearly throe tiers ol : empties, many of which fell to pieces when kicked or rolled over. Of the remaining barrels, the majority of which were damaged in some degree or other, the beer left was condemned, and emptied out by customs officials, who checked the kegs ior the necessary rebate oil excise duly. Damage to the barrels alone will mean the loss of several hundreds of pounds to the hotel proprietor, who estimates that lie also lost beer worth more than £3OO

The ravages or tJio voracious creeping army may now be responsible for a minor beer shortage in Danvin. Before the kegs were stored, precautions to prevent an}' onslaught by ants were taken by spreading a heavy covering of salt on the lloor of the store, but all in vain. The ants tunnelled through in hundreds of places, and then began their steady wood-eating and beerdrinking orgy.

TEACHERS' HOUSES APPALLING CONDITIONS NEW SOUTH WALES BETTER PROVISION WANTED [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY. Sept. 1 New Zealand teachers' complaints about the condition of tho residences with which they are supplied art* paralleled by those of teachers in New South Wales country districts.

"All tho shocking conditions under winch New Zealand teachers are said to live apply here," said Mr. T. A. Murray, president of the country committee of the Teachers' Federation. "The federation has been agitating for two years for better teachers' residences. The current disclosures are mainly the result of inquiries by the federation. 'I ho most conspicuous example was Camden, where the headmaster asked on numerous occasions for better living conditions. He correctly described his residence as an old, dilapidated, damp house. The wallpaper was peeling, and there was no sewerage. Of the 1000 residences throughout New South Wales provided for our teachers, at their own cost, fully 5 per cent have not had_ a thing done to them for from ten to 15 years. In his report recently to the I tibhc Service Board, Mr. Murray said:— X recently visited Ash Island Waratah), and can only describe living conditions as shocking. Stagnant swamp water was lying everywhere. Mosquitoes were in great swarms.

NAMED NEW ZEALAND VILLAGE IN WILTSHIRE SURPRISE FOR AN AUDIENCE [FKOM OUR. OWN CORRESPONDENT] LOXDOX, August 19 The members of an audience at Bradenstoke, Wiltshire, were politely sceptical recently when tlicir pastor told them that tlicir chairman had come over from New Zealand that night especially to preside at a concert given by a Swindon ladies' choir. Lhey smiled and told themselves that it was a new brand of clerical humour. The local pastor, however, spoke the truth The chairman had come from. New Zealand that night—the village of New Zealand in Wiltshire! It is situated between Colne and Bradenstoke, and there is a reason ior its name. About the middle of last century a fsirmer who had spent some time in New Zealand bought some land in the locality and named it after the country in' which he had recently lived. Near the farm a number of cottages were built which, with others, form the village as it is constituted to-day.

FINE CABBAGE TREE FLOURISHING IN SKYE REMINDER OF DOMINION [from our own coup,ksi'ondknt] LONDON, August 3 9 New Zealanders who visit Old, in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, may be excused if they rub their eyes for a moment and imagine that they are back in thoir native country. For there grows there a sturdy cabbage tree, which keeps the New Zealand seasons and casts its leaves during the English summer.

Just liow tlio tree cainc to flourish on Scottish soil was learned by a Mr. W. E. Ball, of West Wickhani, Kent, when lie was oil holiday recently. Nearly a hundred years ago, Colonel lan MacDonald assisted his gardener's son to migrate to New Zealand, and the young man, in token of gratitude, sent hack to the colonel some cabbage tree seeds. They were planted immediately, and to-day they flourish as strongly as any of their type in the Dominion. Colonel Mac-Donald's daughter married Alexander Smith, who wrote the classic,-" A Summer in Skve."

COMING TO DOMINION SIR HUGH WALPOLE [from our own correspondent] LONDON, August 10 Sir Hugh Walpole has mado indefinite plans to visit New Zealand. He expects to travel to the Dominion either in November, 1939, or January, 1940. Definite plans cannot be made until nearer tho dato as Sir Hugh's time is always fully occupied. He left London this week on holiday and will not return until October 1.