NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26379, 6 February 1947, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Only a Myth “A recent trip through Otago revealed the fact that as far as rationing is concerned, it is a myth,” said a Dunedin business man to a Daily Times reporter yesterday. Not once in a journey extending over a period of a week was he requested to hand over coupons at hotels or other establishments. It was noticed that cream was also available. He added that similar conditions were to be found in other parts of New Zealand, and the whole situation gave rise to the question just what the rationing system of the country amounted to. Overseas Mails Several consignments of overseas mail have reached the Chief Post Office during the past few days. On Saturday- there were 54 mail bags and 16 parcel bags from the United States of America which arrived at Auckland by the Flying Yankee. On Monday there were 11 letter bags and on Tuesday 31 mail bags and 20 parcel bags from the United Kingdom, which reached Auckland by the Durham. Mayoral Car The question of providing an official car for the use of the Mayor and Mayoress is to be considered by the City Council’s Finance Committee when the estimates for the next financial year are being prepared. This advice was received in a letter from the town clerk at a meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce Executive yesterday. Members of the chamber expressed the hope that the question would be settled soon. Telephone Directories Telephone directories are at a premium in Dunedin at the present time, and until the new issue is received in June subscribers should take extreme care with the books they have. It is possible that a small printing of the present issue may be available shortly, but at present it is impossible to get a new directory. Even those who are lucky enough to obtain a new telephone at present cannot be supplied with a directory.

Roxburgh Health Camp A new group of 56 boys and girls, drawn from various parts of Otago and Southland, is at present at the King George V Memorial Health Camp at Roxburgh. The normal routine of school commenced this week, all the inmates of the camp being of primary school age. The camp has its own school, with a staff of two teachers. The school work follows the lines of the ordinary syllabus, with special attention to handicrafts and health rules. Policy for the Future At the last meeting of the Otago and Southland Health Camp Central Council, a special committee consisting of delegates from Southland, North Otago, South Otago and Dunedin was appointed to confer with the Health Department concerning v the future policy to be adopted by the council in connection with summer camps. It is-hoped to devise a plan to bring the summer camps up to the new standard Set by the Health Department and to cover effectively the needs of the children throughout the area. Health Stamp Sales Last year’s record figures of £7500 for the Dunedin postal district have already been exceeded in health stamp sales in the 1946-47 campaign. Since the campaign opened on October 1, sales in the Dunedin area have amounted to £BOOO, and the Health Stamp Committee is making a special drive during the next two weeks to dispose of the remaining £2OOO worth of stamps in hand. The opinion has been confidently expressed that Dunedin will reach the £IO,OOO mark for the first time in the history of the health stamp campaign. Wild Cattle

A Westport drover-farmer has just completed the particularly arduous task of rounding up over 50 head of wild cattle which have been roaming the back country at Karamea for some time. They are the progeny of stock left on a holding by a settler who left the Karamea district some years ago. Much patience and hard work was necessary to capture the wild cattle. Often they leaped out of the enclosure and made for the bush, but finally they were rounded up and removed to rich grazing areas where they will be fattened for the market. Reported Closing of Mine Some concern has been expressed locally over a report that the opencast mine at Ohai, which was taken over by the Government about two years ago, will have exhausted its supplies before the end of the present month. This mine has been supplying 200 tons of coal a day to the Railway Department, and the cessation of supplies may have a repercussion on the Dunedin domestic market, as it may be necessary to make up the deficiency by utilising coal from the Southland mines which has been available for household purposes. Welcome to Swimmers

Miss Ngaire Lane, the New Zealand backstroke champion swimmer, and her chaperone, Mrs E. C. Isaacs, returned to Auckland by flying boat from Sydney on Tuesday, but as Miss Lane will not arrive hack in Dunedin until after the New Zealand championships in Nelson, the Mayor. Mr Cameron, has decided that the civic welcome he proposed to tender her should be arranged in conjunction with the welcome to the visiting Australian swimmers—Miss Uvon Crittenden and Miss Noeline Maclean—together with their chaperone, Mrs Mary Chambers, and this will now be held in the Council Chambers on March 19.

Mayoral Functions Several Mayor functions will take place to-day and to-morrow. Mr Lionel McColvin, City of Westminster librarian, will be the guest of the Mayor, Mr Cameron, at afternoon tea to-day, when he will be afforded the opportunity of meeting local library officers. To-morrow at noon a civic welcome will be tendered to the visiting American athletes—Don Campbell and A 1 Hershey—and their manager, Mr G. S. Leeder. in the Council Chambers. Asosciated with the Mayor will be the president of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Atheltic Association, Mr C. W. Clark. A civic receDtion will be tendered to Commissioner and Mrs Astbury, newly appointed leaders of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, to-morrow afternoon in the Council Chambers. Mr P. G. Connolly, M.P., will be associated with the Mayor in his welcome to the Salvation Army leaders.

Red Mite Control While in Hastings, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Cullen) gave an assurance that everything possible was being done to obtain the fullest information concerning the red-legged earth mite. Mr Cullen said that when he assumed the portfolio of Minister of Agriculture the red-legged earth mite was one of the first things for which he had called for reports, as he had first-hand knowledge of the damage which the pest had done. In an article in the Journal of Agriculture, Mr L. J. Dumbleton, Entomology Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, states that the occurrence of the mite at Gisborne and Wairoa, and in a large area at Napier, makes it unlikely that complete eradication can be achieved, as the mite probably occurs, as yet undetected, in other areas. The experience of market gardeners in Australia, he adds, does not indicate that this pest,will be a critical factor in production.