Mails Reach London

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23080, 5 January 1937, Page 6

Mails Reach London

The postal authorities advise that the mails which left Dunedin on November 29 to connect with the Port Wyndham reached London last Saturday. Infectious Diseases Two cases of scarlet fever were admitted to the Logan Park Hospital during the week ended at noon yesterday, and one case was discharged, leaving seven in the hospital. One scarlet fever patient was transferred to Logan Park from the Dunedin Hospital. , . - ' ~ Encouraging Signs World output of primary products (the Dominion says) is slowly, mounting to the 1929 level. Manufacturing S production, which during the depression declined more than 30 per, cent., is now above the 1929 level; The unemployment index shows a continuous decline, but is still some 50 per cent, above what it was in 1929 The volume of world trade which, like manufacturing production, fell by nearly a-third, has not shown the same capacity to recover, and v is still some 20 per cent, short of the 1929 position. ;: : . Fire Brigade' Calls The City Fire Brigade was called but at 12.23 yesterday afternoon to premises at 19 M'Millan street, Maori Hill, owned and occupied by Mr P. Austen, where an outbreak of fire had occurred in a detached washhouse. The building was hot damaged, but a pile of clothes, which had become ignited by sparks from the copper fire, were 'badly burned. Four minutes later the Brigade turned out to a chimney fire at 177 Castle street. ' ■ •'. Fruit Export Season * y

Considerable satisfaction has been expressed among fruitgrowers regarding the Government's announcement of an export guarantee of 10s 6d a case, and as a result they are looking forward to the coming season with more optimism than for some years past. Unsatisfactory climatic conditions last, season caused much of the fruit to become unsound before; it reached London, and the prices realised were from 6s ,to 7s a case, compared with an estimated average value of 9s,to lis. The,weather so far this" season ..has. been favourable for dapple growing! and, if these ' conditions . continue the "fruit should be of. good quality when packed. While the New Zealand crop is not expected to be a record one, growers are generally" hopeful regarding the result of the season's activities. Farm Labour " 'V An impression is gaining ground among some sections of the farming community in parts of South. Canterbury that when harvesting operations begin men will not be induced to leave Public Works camps to take up work in the harvest field. According to the views held by well-known farmers, the indications are (says pur special correspondent) that there will be a great demand for men when the time arrives. On the other hand, many are optimistic enough to believe that men will be found from Public Works camps and by the aid of labour agencies to satisfy fully the demands of the farmers. In the districts round Temuka there appears to be ho shortage of farm hands. Home-made Telescope

Using many parts of his own making, Mr A. R. Martin, of Westmere. Auckland, has constructed in his spare time a large astronomical telescope which is giving excellent results. Even the lenses, the grinding of which is one of the exact arts, were made by him, and he is now engaged in the manufacture of a 12Jin lens. The revolving mounting is made out of the wheels and back axle of an old car, and other similarly ingenious devices have been used. ' Every fine evening people visit Mr Martin's front garden to be taken for "personally conducted " tours of the heavens. Many of them are boys, who have thus become keenly interested in astronomy. Lost on Mountain

A young man and a young woman had an unpleasant experience at Stewart Island. They went on an excursion to Mt. Anglem in the launch Rakiura, and while they were at the top of the mountain they became separated from the main party. When the time came for the laurich to return to Half Moon Bay, it was discovered (says the Southland Times) that they were missing. A volunteer remained behind with food and blankets, and during the evening made trips to the top of the mountain in an endeavour to locate the missing pair, but he was not successful. The Rakiura returned in the morning and two men belonging to the island joined in the search. The launch proceeded along the coast towards Lucky Beach, and then returned and went on to Christmas Village, where the missing people were found. They had taken the wrong ridge when leaving the top of , the mountain, and after a long scramble had reached Lucky Beach. From there they worked round the- coast towards Saddle Point, where the launch had dropped them. They'had covered about 10 miles when they were picked u». The First Swordfish .. , ;;

A striped marlin swordfish landed by Mr H. Stonex, of Russell, from his launch Maomao, off Cape Brett, besides being the first this season, also establishes a record for an early season's catch. The previous record was a* swordfish landed on December 25, 1925. Mr Stonex's catch, w„hich, although in poor condition, weighed 2401 b, was brought aboard the launch after about an hour's struggle. The fish,, .after taking the bait, broached several times before sounding and taking the'line out 300 yards. After it was pumped to the surface and gaffed, the fisherman found'that the trace was through the mouth, the hook having caught in the fish's side. Had it been in good condition it would have weighed almost 3001 b. This is the fourth year that Mr Stonex has landed the first swordfish, and this season he also caught the first mako shark. •'/

Vitit of Swiss Geologist

A survey of the mountains of New Zealand, with special reference to their structural conditions, is being made by Dr Leon Bossard,. doctor of geology and petrology of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, who is at present staying at Weheka, in Westland. Dr Bossard intends to publish a book after he has finished his investigations. Dr Bossard has been in New Zealand for about six months, and has partly completed his work in the North Island. Among the mountains which he has already visited on the West Coast are Alexander and Spencer m the Lewis Pass district. From Weheka he intends to climb to the Chancellor Hut, where he will study the geology of the country at the head of the Fox Glacier. Later he will go to the fjordland in the.south, and Arthur's Pass, as well as Otago and Canterbury. Dr Bossard will attend the conference of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science at Auckland this month. At the conference he will deliver an address on the structure of the Southern Alps. Not True to Label

Two farmers close to New Plymouth recently decided, instead of continually cutting noxious weeds on their properties, to try out sodium chlorate They spent several hours on the job, giving all the weeds a really good spraying, and then set back to await results. The weeds did not wither as they had expected. On the other hand, after a few days they seemed to have taken a new lease of life. Growth was extraordinarily vigorous. Investigation then disclosed the fact that instead of being supplied with sodium they had been given a highlyconcentrated nitrogenous manure

Dry Queensland Unwelcome though the recent wet weather has been to New Zealand holiday-makers, a Brisbane man who arrived in Auckland last week finds it a pleasant change. "When I left home," he said, "there was not a vestige of any kind of growth on my lawn; it was just bare earth. The drought was so bad that Queensland had not merely stopped exporting butter, but was even importing it from New South Wales. That was not altogether a bad thing, because the Government takes all butter intended for local consumption and blends it in a State factory according to its own notions. I can tell you; the public does not like the stuff at all, and you New Zealanders would be even more annoyed if you had to eat it." A Famous Canon

Manned by 30 stalwart Maoris, stripped to the waist, a famous old war canoe made an imposing appearance on the Wanganui River at the regatta recently. It is named "Te Wehi o te rangi" ("Vengeance from the skies"), and, according to history, is of even more significance than the large canoe now housed in the Wanganui Museum So fast was this canoe in the water that it was the terror of all the river in the old fighting days, for it wreaked vengeance as swift as lightning. This canoe has bee"n kept in good condition at Parakino for the last three or four decades, and it was used for the first time in three years at the carnival. It had a carved bow-piece and v stern-post,which are reputed to be as old as the canoe—lso years.

Suggestions for the holidays: Pishing Tackle. Torches, Electrical Gifts suitable for Christmas. Wedding Presents Rogers Radio Sets.—Barth Electric. Ltd.. 36 George street, Dunedjn.—Advt Eye Strain.—For eye comfort or Detter vision consult Sturmer and Watson Ltd., opticians 2 Octagon Dunedin.— Advt. / , A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley dentists* Bank of Australasia, corner of Borid and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office) Telephone 12-359.-Advf