NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 2

NEWS IN BRIEF

Keen interest has been aroused in Gisborne in the possibilities of collecting ergot, a fungoid disease attacking grass seed-heads, and although plentiful supplies are not reported there appears to be more in the district than was expected earlier. There is no need to give “ a penny for your thoughts ” when you’re drinking quality liquors from the Waterloo Hotel.. . A striking sign of the times witnessed by residents of a country area was a patrol officer of the Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association mounted on a horse and pursuing inquiries into E.P.S. evacuation matters as well as patrolling the roads. The flood in the Wanganui river last week brought down tons of driftwood. and there was much activity; on the Wanganui East side of the river by collectors. From an early hour whole families were busy collecting driftwood, some being fortunate enough to secure strainers, posts and bridge planking. Not one vehicle was used to remove the “ spoils ’’—eloquent evidence of the petrol restrictions. Showroom specials for 14 days only. See special window displays. Oddments at gift prices. Call early. Mosgiel’s drapers—A. F. Cheyne and Co., 1882-1942... Two well-known Wairoa men, Messrs Mann and G. McLachlan, provided townspeople with a considerable amount of amusement last week when they staged a contest on a “ high bike,” or "penny-farthing, to see who could ride the greatest distance. There was a wager of 10s, and the contest, as far as is known, was a no-decision bout. “The plea of undue hardship must be very serious indeed now for it to be upheld by the committee,” said Mr T. L. Seddon (chairman of the No. 6A Man-power Committee) at Palmerston North. “Undue hardship of yesterday is only ordinary hardship to-day.” James Gray and Sons, Ltd., Milton, have landed Jam Jars in tie-over and screw-top shapes, as well as Jar Rings, Jam Covers, Spare. Lias, etc.. . Auckland shops will continue to observe their normal, hours, closing 'at 5.30 p.m. on the first four days of the week, 9 p.m. on Fridays and noon on Saturdays, until an order-in-council altering the hours is gazetted. Since its establishment in 1910, some 7000 boys have attended the Y.M.C.A. Camp Adair at Hunua, said the veteran director of the camp, Mr George W. Adair, recently, when a camp-fire welcome was extended to the president of the Auckland Y.M.C.A., Mr W. Calder Mackay, the chairman of the Boys’ Work Committee, Mi’ S. Howard Hunter, and a member of the board of directors, Mr George Malcolm.

The intense glare cast by the number of electric welding plants employed in the Public Works Department workshops at Temuka has been hard to eliminate. A means whereby the ventilators in the roofs of the buildings could be blacked out with one of the lighter grades of sisalkraft has been evolved, and the intermittent glare from the welders, a familiar sight to travellers on the main road between Temuka and Arowhenua, has been satisfactorily dealt with. Precautions covering the whole of the works are now considered to be satisfactory.

Feeling the double effect of petrol restrictions and a shortage of labour, many Auckland butchers have reduced their delivery rounds. At a meeting held shortly before Christmas it was decided not to take any concerted action but to leave the matter to the individual shopkeeper. This has resulted in various ways being adopted to overcome the two shortages, one of them being to continue to give what is deemed a reasonable delivery service to more distance customers and to ask those living close to tram lines or comparatively handy to the shop to make personal purchases. Others have reduced the number of deliveries. The delay in the arrival of stocks of hay baling wire purchased by the Government was referred to by the Director of Primary Production (Mr R. B. Tennent) in a letter to the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, which was received by the executive of the North Canterbury branch at its meeting a few days ago. Mr Tennent stated that orders had been placed for 1000 tons of wire for shipment in July and August, but owing to the steel situation in the United States at the time, portion of the first order was not ready until November, and had not yet come to hand.'- Mr Tennent added that some firms were holding limited stocks carried over from 1940 or landed from Australia or Canada during the early months of last year. These would be supplemented later in the season by the arrivals of wire purchased by the Government.