IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 20613, 11 October 1928, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY

Spring Growth. Although the weather experienced recently has not been spring-like a Clifton landowner declares that there is a fair amount of growth. He closed two closely grazed paddocks a fortnight ago and now the grass is ankle deep.

Invercargill Licensing Petition. According to a report received in Invercargill yesterday, the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives decided to make no recommendation on the petition of 1,035 Invercargill residents praying for an amendment of the licensing law.

The Wrong Victims. An Invercargill resident who was (and still is) troubled with rats in his fowl run decided to poison the pests and introduced poison to their burrows. The hens, however, concluded that their food had been carelessly deposited and scratched the poison up with the result that they were found dead by the disgusted owner. Kicked by Horse. While opening a gate to let horses into a stable on Tuesday morning, Alexander McQueen, a farm hand employed by Mr R. N. France, of Arthurton, was severely injured through a horse lashing out with its hoofs. McQueen was hit on the side of his body. He was taken to the Gore Hospital where it was found that, his kidneys had been badly affected by the blow. “Traffic Eggs.” With a view to more conveniently regulating traffic in Tay street the Borough Council is having laid down some more domes, commonly designated . “poached eggs.” The “eggs” already laid are midway between intersections and will permit of vehicular traffic wheeling in the centre of a block instead of having to travel to an intersection before turning. Eager For Work.

One of those who presented himself at the office of the Norwegian Consul for a position on the whaling vessels was an applicant who had cycled all the way from Christchurch in the expectation of being placed. Speaking to a reporter, he said the journey occupied a full four days and during that time he was dependent upon the charity of farmers along the route for his meals. On leaving Christchurch bis wealth was represented by a 10/- note, but even this was gone before he had journeyed far. Another man started out from his home at four o’clock in the morning to take his chance of a job. * * * * Signing On For Ross Sea. A crowd of upwards of 100 men gathered at the office of the Norwegian Consul at Bluff, Mr M. E. Wiig, when the time arrived to sign on men for service on the two whaling vessels, C. A. Larsen and Sir James Clark Ross, operating in the Ross Sea. Only 30 men were required and the number of applicants for positions serves as an indication of the unemployment position in Southland and further afield, many having come from the north. Mr Wiig received as many as 250 written applications for jobs prior to the date, some from as far as Wellington. Those selected will join their respective vessels at the end of the month, by which time the factory ships will have arrived at Stewart Island. Their duties will be in coaling the fleet of chasers. Accident in Dee Street. A motor car, which was proceeding up Dee street shortly after four o’clock yesterday, crashed into the tramway pole opposite Yarrow street. It appears that another car was turning around the pole at the time and the driver of the damaged car, who had not. noticed the other vehicle making the turn, swerved to avoid a collision and struck the pole with considerable force. The pole was badly cracked and the front of the car was extensively damaged, one spring being torn from the front strut while the radiator was badly buckled. The left hand half of the wind screen was smashed, the greater part fortunately flying outward. A gentleman seated next to the driver received several small cuts in the face but the driver escaped injury. The car was removed to the side of the street and later to a garage for repairs. Saturday’s Mudstorm. Reports from some of the outlying districts of Southland affected by the unusual atmospheric conditions prevailing on Saturday are to the effect that warning of the approaching storm was reflected in the heaviness of the atmosphere and the sul-phur-coloured clouds overhead. A traveller from the Lakes district stated that he was motoring when the storm broke, and in a few minutes was forced to stop his car owing to the poor visibility. He shortly discovered, however, that the semidarkness was not altogether responsible for this state of affairs —the windshield of his car bore a thin coating of yellow mud, thus obscuring vision. At Ohai the storm cloud assumed peculiar density, so much so that players participating in the Ohai-Star Rugby game were so bespattered with the mud-rain that it was a difficult matter for the referee to recognize the colours of the jerseys. * From the Sea. Yesterday afternoon Mr Abraham Wachner noticed an apparently exhausted seabird in the Crescent near the Tourist Department’s offices. Upon examining the bird Mr Wachner found what appeared to be a piece of tattered cloth tied to one of its legs. Thinking that it might have been tied there for some purpose, Mr Wachner carried the bird to the Times Office, where it was examined by several members of the staff. The “message” on the bird’s leg had the appearance of a piece of tattered towelling, and appeared to be tied securely with a piece of thread. When it was cut loose and dried it looked more like some shrivelled marine growth. The bird, which was slightly larger than a starling, was obviously a sea bird, having webbed feet and a beak like a gull. The back was blue and the breast white, while the beak and feet were dark in colour. The bird was probably blown ashore by the recent storm and was still in a very exhausted condition late last night.