NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26905, 18 October 1948, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Tram Fares Application The Otago Trades Council will oppose the application of the Dunedin City Council to the Price Tribunal for an increase in tram fares. A statement to this effect was made to the Daily Times by the secretary, Mr L. F. Evans, last night. Mr Evans said that Mr Mark Silverstone would represent the council at the hearing of the application at Wellington next week. Theft of Glasses Customers who take beer glasses from hotels will go to gaol in future, declared an Auckland magistrate when fining a man £3 for stealing two glasses. In about two months more than 500 glasses had been taken from this particular hotel, stated the prosecutor. Rides at the Zoo

A mule and a donkey to be used by child riders are expected at the Wellington Zoo shortly. The mule will come from Bluff and the donkey from Upper Hutt. The donkey will be left free for any child who can catch him. but the mule, of more uncertain temperament, will be in charge of a keeper while being ridden.

Afforestation Work Recently 108,850 pines, macrocarpas and white cedar trees were planted in an area of about 170 acres at the reservoir at Okehu by the Wanganui City Council. The trees had to be transported into the area by horse after the area had been cleared. The area planted runs within half a mile of the Okehu reservoir and is situated between two streams which feed mto the Okehu Stream. Source of Petrol

Power to question motorists on where their petrol came from is given to traffic inspectors of the Transport Department, according to the Gazette. According to this notice, an inspector may require any person to furnish him with information, whether by way of returns, statements, statistics or otherwise, relating to oil fuel or oil fuel licences or coupons and their acquisition, possession, use and disposal, and any dealing in them. Taxi “ Double-banking ”

Representations to the Transport Department to allow “double-bank-ing ” by taxis in order to conserve petrol are to be renewed by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. The president, Mr A. Henderson, told a meeting of the executive of his experience when he got off the ferry train. He took a taxi to his home, but was not allowed to carry a neighbour who lived practically next door to him. “This thing is absolutely ridiculous and wants fighting,” he said. Life-saving Practice

New Zealand was ahead of any other dominion in the British Empire in life-saving matters, said the secretary, Mr W. B. Broadhead, at the annual meeting of the Wanganui branch of the Royal Life-saving Society. Mr Broadhead said he thought that New Zealand might even lead the United Kingdom m life-saving practice. Another member stated that the knowledge and work of life-saving teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch was outstanding. One Too Many “ I think it is unfortunate that there should be two returned servicemen’s associations in New Zealand especially as the R.S.A., which has borne the heat and burden of the day, is still carrying on its work successfully,” said Sir Howard Kippenberger, Dominion president of the R.S.A., at the annual reunion of the Invercargill R.S.A. “I feel that a second association should never have been formed and I do not understand why the formation of the 2nd N.Z.E.F Association was thought necessary.” UNRRA Gift to Children The Central Committee of the UNRRA Council has now made available to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund the balance of UNRRA’s residual assets, amounting, in various currencies, to nearly 12,000,000 dollars. The Children’s Emergency Fund has already received from UNRRA a total of 17,874,902 dollars, so that the children’s fund has benefited to the extent of nearly 30,000.000 dollars from the liquidation of UNRRA. Children’s Literature

“A complaint was received recently about certain children’s literature which contains language of a very offensive nature,” states the quarterly report of the Southland branch of 'he New Zealand Educational Institute. “The manager of a local firm, when approached, immediately withdrew his supply from sale, and all branches of the firm have followed suit. The matter is being taken up with the Booksellers’ Association, which will probably "result in the literature finding little avenue for sale. The Education Department will be asked to take steps to have it banned entirely.” Not Yet Immunised

“They are probably not yet immunised to our mosquitoes,” said Dr L. S. Davies, Auckland Health Officer, when told of a number of cases of Milford and Takapuna residents—mostly immigrants—who are suffering from severe insect bites on the legs. The sufferers —almost all women—have found the bites so painful that they have had to receive medical treatment. They have been able to get little sleep at night because of irritation and painful swelling of the bites. In some cases the bites have swelled to a size of a threepenny piece and formed heads like blisters which have had to be lanced, and the sufferer been compelled to lie up for several days. Blankets for Royalty The blankets to be used by the King and Queen in their tour of New Zealand next year have been made at an Auckland mill. They are trimmed with silk. The wool has been teased to a superfine softness, and the scientific open weave has given them a feather-weight lightness. However, they will be warmer than blankets twice as heavy. New Zealand mills do not often get similar orders, and every effort has been made to provide a product which will be a credit to the industry. Finest merino wool was chosen instead of the usual crossbred. The blankets were woven by Mrs J. Pisculic, who, although she had only three years’ experience, is highly regarded as a weaver. Avalanches at Homer During the recent heavy rains in Southland three avalanches fell over the road around the Homer tunnel in the Milford Sound area. These were the first avalanches to reach the road since last winter, and the winter just past is the first for many years in which there were no avalanches over the. road. One of the avalanches fell about a mile on the Cascade Creek side of the Homer tunnel and swept away a temporary wooden bridge. Another fell on the Milford Sound side of the tunnel. The ice is still across the road. Until it clears it will not be possible to ascertain whether or not any damage was done to the road. The third avalanche was very small, and did no damage. It is estimated that there are about 2000 avalanches in these valleys each year, but only a very few reach the road.

fi'or rings watches and jewellery, try Peter Dick. Jeweller. 59 Princes street. Dunedin.—Advt.