NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26542, 18 August 1947, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Spectacular Scrub Fire Breaking out early on Saturday afternoon on the ridge of Stony Hill, a scrub fire spread progressively throughout the remainder of the day and after dark presented a spectacular sight which was visible from many parts of Dunedin. The fire appeared to burn in two directions from its point of origin and, as time went on, a large circular area was burned out. leaving a ring of fire which steadily enlarged its perimeter as the blaze worked down the western slopes of the hill,’where it was still burning at midnight. The Fire Brigade reported subsequently that no damage was done beyond the destruction of the scrub. Pipe Tobacco Shortage Extreme difficulty in securing a supply of pipe tobacco for the week-end was experienced by Auckland pipe smokers who searched the city and suburbs prior to the week-end. Most retailers had nothing to offer their customers at all and only one or two shops displayed a single brand of English pipe tobacco. There appeared, however, tq be an ample supply of cigarettes. Previously smokers seeking cigarettes were often turned away, although counters were well stocked with pipe tobaccos, but now the position seems to have been reversed.

Co-operation the Key-note Boy Scouts, the Amenities Society and a bullock took part in a large-, scale plan, put into execution on Saturday, to obtain tree ferns to plant in the Town Belt. It began when the Amenities Society provided transport for the Scouts, over 150 of them, to go to Waitati Glen. There the boys dug about 450 large ferns, and the bullock was used to haul the plants out from the glen to the road, where they were stacked in readiness for the Reserves Department of the City Council to bring to Dunedin. Prices of Salmon Identical tins of third-grade American salmon recently released on New Zealand markets at a retail price of 3s 3d per tin sold at 8d in Fiji in 1941, said a former resident of the colony, who is at present living in Auckland. She stated that the third-grade fish was bought solely for feeding to the workers in the sugar cane plantations, and was not used in the homes of the officers of the sugar company. A recent announcement stated that the fact that the bulk of the salmon distributed was labelled grade three did not reflect on the quality of the particular variety of fish. Children Beg for Food “While passing through the British occupied zone of Germany we saw and realised just how terrible war could be,” wrote John Bar/y. the New Zealand Davis Cup tennis player, to a friend in Auckland. “At the various stations we stopped at. small children would line the rails for perhaps two miles on either side of the station hoping to obtain some food thrown by passengers from the windows. One lady in our carriage threw a small box of chocolates to a bunch of scantilyclad children, who divided the sweets very carefully. It was a hot day. and a little melted chocolate was left on one of the older girl’s hand. This girl then offered her fingers to a smaller girl to suck off the remaining chocolate. Similar scenes were enacted for many miles.” Nurse’s Loyalty The attitude of a senior nurse at the Wairau Hospital, who was offered a higher salary than she was receiving to take a position elsewhere, but declined the offer because she considered that such an offer was not right, was commended by members of the Marlborough Hospital Board. “It is encouraging to know that we have nurses who are loyal to the hospital and who abide by the scale of pay fixed by the Hospital Boards’ Association,’ re marked Mr W. Kennington. chairman of the board. It was stated at the board meeting that attempts had been made to “ black market ” nurses by the offer of payment in excess of the scale rates. Standardising Stamps

A suggestion was made by Mr W. P Griffith at a meeting of the council of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce that the size and colours of stamps of the lower denominations should be standardised. He said that with every new issue trouble arose, particularly as to the size. If there was a uniform size for the stamps of each denomination —say the Jd. Id, and 2d, it would be an advantage, and still more so if each of those stamps should be printed in the same colour for every new issue. It need not hamper the new designing for stamps. It was decided to refer the matter to the Associated Chambers of Commerce to ascertain the views of other business communities. Senior Bishop The Primate of New Zealand. Archbishop West-Watson, is the most senior bishop in the Anglican Church throughout the world. He discovered this fact on his return trip from Japan recently. When the aircraft in whicu the Primate was travelling landed at Brisbane airport. Archbishop Halse met him and entertained him during his stay. Also staying at Bishopbourne was the Bishop of North Queensland, the Rt. Rev. J. O. Feetham, who had been consecrated in 1913. Bishop Feetham wished to meet Archbishop West-Watson because he understood one or other of them was the longest consecrated Anglican bishop in the world. Actually Archbishop WestWatson had a four years’ seniority. He was consecrated Bishop of Barrow-in-Furness in 1909. y Ripe or Unripe Peas?

A machine called the “ tenderometer,” built in New Zealand during the war for the vegetable dehydration plant at Pukekohe, was the arbiter whether any given consignment of green peas should be quick-frozen or canned. The machine was used to assess the degree of ripeness of peas and to decide whether or not they were ready for harvesting. Two sets of curved blades were made to swing through a layer of peas, and mesh. The resistance encountered was - measured and recorded by the machines. As peas ripen they become harder, so that a greater force is required to move through them. A careful check showed that the machine could be relied on to give consistent results and to distinguish with certainty between various grades of peas. For rings, watches and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers, 30 Princes street. Dunedin.—Advt.