LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23928, 31 March 1941, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bananas Threepence a Oase Badly knocked about by the hurricane which swept the Islands recently, bananas sold in Cliristchurch last week fo' - 3d a case. The fruit opened up in poor condition, the percentage of waste being high. Not all the consignment was bad, however, and good quality lines were in keen demand. Duke's Birthday The 41st birthday of the Duke of Gloucester, third son of the late King George V. and Queen Mary, falls tomorrow. The Duke, who toured New Zealand at the end of 1931 and the beginning of 1935, married Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas Scott, daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch, on November 6, 193-5. Week-end Fires Two minor fires were attended to by fire brigades at the week-end. The walls of a wash-house at 76 Lloyd's Avenue, Mount Albert, were damaged by a fire which broke out on Saturday afternoon, the flames being extinguished by engines from the Mount Albert and Mount Roskill stations. The second call was to a grass fire in Point Hngland Road, Tamaki. which was dealt with by the Tamaki brigade. More Radio Licences An increase of almost 20,000 in the number of radio licences in force as at February 28, compared with the figure at the same date last year, is shown in the latest returns from the Post and Telegraph Department. Of the actual increase of 19,87."), the major portion was made up of new receiving licences, the total being 19.803. Free licences showed an increase of 152, and dealers' licences rose by 89. Wellington had the largest provincial total of all classes, the new figure being 125,741. Auckland had 115.723, Canterbury, 65,099, and Otago, 47,490. Incubator Baby The baby being reared in an incubator at the Auckland Hospital, which was described in the Hkrald last week, continues to make good progress. A mother was admitted to the Auckland Hospital in a dying condition, but was kept alive until her baby was born. The child, which weighed only 211). 1 loz. at birth, was immediately placed in a shock cradle, or incubator, where it has been fed and tended for seven and a-lialf weeks. Its weight is now 41b. Boz. The baby will not be permanently removed from the incubator until it has reached 51b. Athletic History In winning the senior championship at King's College athletic sports on Saturday J. G. Whitney repeated the feat, of his uncle, C. Whitney, who won the championship in 1911. A notable feature was that this year's champion secured only one first place, that being in the broad jump, and this was also the case when his uncle won the honour 30 years ago. Neither the uncle nor the nephew succeeded in breaking the broad jump record which was established by this year's champion's father, .J. C. Whitney, in 1910. His jump of 20ft. lOJin. still stands as the school record. Unusual Army Comforts The range of goods sent overseas by the National Patriotic Fund Board as comforts for New Zealand's fighting forces has always been extremely varied, and recently an order for troops at a garrison outpAst included dogs, ducks and hens. The ducks and hens, of course, were to provide them with eggs and a nourishing change of diet, and the dogs were wanted to keep down pests. The livestock order comprised 22 ducks and two drakes, and 22 laying hens and two cockerels, as well as two terriers. Other comforts for these men included a radio set specially adapted for the locality in which they are serving, cricket, gear, tennis racquets, squash racquets and i water-polo balls.