IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 21089, 22 May 1930, Page 4

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY. Improving North Invercargill. At the corner of Mary and St. Andrew streets an improvement in appearance is ’being effected by the formation of a plot with concrete kerbing. When grass is sown and shrubs, or flowers planted the plot will be very attractive. *#* f ❖ Water Rail From Waikawa., A water rail was sent to the curator of the Museum by a Waikawa resident. This is a bird very seldom seen in Southland. The specimen .sent in was not in a good enough state to preserve. Should anyone find a rare bird, animal or fish, it can be preserved temporarily by being placed in methylated spirits. * * * * Monster Sun Fish.

A sun fish weighing approximately scwt, was washed ashore on the beach near Fortrose yesterday. Mr Chisholm, of Fortrose, rang the curator of the Museum with a view to having the fish brought into Invercargill for preservation, but unfortunately the museum has neither the funds to preserve nor the space to accommodate the big fish. Although sun fish have been found in New Zealand waters they are rare visitors.

Repairs To Footpaths. The footpaths of Invercargill have in the past not infrequently been the cause of complaints to the City Council, but a distinct improvement has been effected recently. Practically all the paths in the southern portion of the city have been extensively repaired, in some cases almost complete reconstruction being necessary. In North Invercargill loan moneys ear-marked for footpath construction are being expended. A number of new. paths are being formed and will be surfaced when they •are sufficiently consolidated. The tar manufactured by the corporation is being freely used for footpath repairs. **■ * * Good Morning Club.

Costing nothing for membership fees and with a very simple idea as its foundation, an organization has been formed in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch called the Good Morning Club. The object of the club is that everyone should greet each other with’ a hearty “Good Morning.” So far there has been no word of the formation of such a club in Invercargill, and it remains to be seen if the southern city would take kindly to such an idea. The club has just been formed in Christchurch, and it is reported that the city is looking more cheerful already. The only office-bearers of the club are a president and a secretary, the latter official performing the duty of enrolling members.

-x- * When The Water Becomes Dirty. It sometimes happens in Invercargill that the water will suddenly commence to run out of the taps in a most discoloured state. Then do housewives call down imprecations on the city waterworks and those connected therewith. The other day when soupy water began to run from the taps in the home of a Southland Times employee, he communicated with the City Engineer and took him in a sample of the water. From inquiries made by the engineer it was discovered that no one else in the locality was affected; which meant that the discolouration was due to a deposit in the pipes in the householder’s residence and not to any act of corporation employees. The. sample of water was put through a filter paper and came through quite clear, showing that the discolouration was purely mechanical, due to suspended matter and not to chemical impurities. This suspended matter is removed by filtration, and it is not improbable that in the near future a scheme for the filtration of all the water passing through the mains will be considered by the council. A filter in which the water passes by pressure through sand and gravel is giving complete satisfaction at the Southland steam laundry.