Increase in Petrol Prices

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 44

Increase in Petrol Prices

The oil companies operating throughout the Dominion have increased theprice of petrol by 2d per gallon, lhe companies advise that the rise has been necessitated by the additional taxation imposed under the Supplementary Budget presented to the House of Representatives last week. The normal price of petrol at the pump in Dunedin is Is lid, but in consequence of the petrol xvar in xvhich retailers have been engaged the price has fallen as loxv as Is 9d, and in some rare cases to Is 8d per gallon. While the competitive selling lasts the new price will be Is lid per gallon, but a return to normal conditions in the distributing trade at the pumps xvill see the price rise to 2s Id per gallon.

A Valuable Bequest Under the will of Robert M. Hicks, of Avondale, the whole of his estate is to be applied to assist research xvork in checking ami controlling cancer. The estate is expected to exceed £3500. Otago Rowing Club In the presence of about 60 members and representatives from sister clubs, the official opening da.\- of the Otago Rowing Club was held at the club’s sheds on Saturday afternoon. The president of the club (Mr L. L. Kirkcaldy) presided over the function, xx'hich was highly successful in every respect, the Otago Rowing Association being represented by Mr C. R. Caffin. vice-president. At the conclusion of the opening ceremony several crews took the xvater. Aviation Exhibition An aviation exhibition arranged by the V\ ellington Aero Club xvas opened on Friday by the Governor-General, xvho, in the course of his address, dealt with the value of air craft in defence. He said that however great might have been the importance of_ the work done during the xx ar, air craft xvould be of immensely greater importance in any future war. He could foresee the time when not only railways, but roads xvould have to give place to the over-riding advantages of°air craft. They had a striking illustration at the time of the Hawke’s Bay earthquake. when all communication with the outside world, xvith the exception of the radio aboard one of his Majesty's ships in Napier Harbour xvas cut off. Telephone Call from Amsterdam The first commercial telephone conversation between residents of Wellington and Amsterdam, Holland, and, incidentally, the farthest commercial telephone call from New Zealand took place on Thursday night, xvhen Mr A. van Rooijen, at his residence at Hataitai. at 7.15 p.m., received a call to say that Holland was waiting for him. He xvas at once put into direct communication and had a conversation xvhich lasted 15 minutes and was quite successful.

Hermit of National Park _ The lonely ranger of the Tongariro National Park, Mr Arthur Cowling, xvho for 10 years inhabited a tiny xvooden cottage at an altitude of 4500 feet on the slopes of Ruapehu, has left his mountain home as a sequel to the Government's retrenchment policy,'and has. come into Auckland to seek other employment (states the New Zealand Herald). " The guardianship and patrol of that mountainous region has been left to the staff of the Chateau Tongariro. For months every year Mr Coxvling. led a hermit existence on the mountain-side, xvith not a living companion but his horse, known to visitors as Kitty the Outcast, and his cat, a wild creature of the wood, xvhich strolled out of the forest one night, attracted by the blaze of the ranger's tire. Both aiiiinals were his firm friends, and the sharers of big solitude. “It xvas a lonely life, but a healthy one,” . said Mr Cowling, “and xvhen the. snow lay thick in August and September each year croxvds of holiday-makers came to ■the Whakapapa huts for winter sports. Those were jolly times, and made up for all the months of solitude. And at night there xvould be cheery fires, a a gramophone to dance to, hot cups of tea, and stories, the telling of xvhich lasted long into the night.”

Week-end Angling The prospects of good angling at the xveek-end on the various streams of the district are considered to be good and many Dunedin fishermen intend going out of toxvn to-day and to-morrow. The Ishag is reported to be in good fishing order, and, though no large catches were reported' there last xveek-end, many anglers are hopeful of obtaining better results noxv. This stream has been more productive of good sport in the mornings than in the evenings. The Pomahaka is considered to be xvorth visiting and it is expected that several Dunedin sportsmen will fish that stream. The Taieri should be as good as last xveek-end, xvhen several good baskets xvere taken, and those xvho visit Waipori are promised excellent xvortu fishing.