IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 21659, 22 March 1932, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY. ’

Death from Choking. An inmate of the Southland Public Hospital named Pearl Martin, aged 12 years, who had been admitted a few days previously suffering from a plum stone having become lodged in her windpipe, collapsed and died yesterday. An inquest will be held at the Hospital this morning. « * ♦ * Child Fatally Injured.

A tragic fate yesterday bcfel a child named John William Macalister, aged three years, the son of John Gibson Macalister, of Kauana, farmer. He wandered to tho stables about noon, and getting behind one of the horses was kicked by the animal. The boy, who suffered head injuries—probably concussion or a fracture of the skull —was attended by Dr Gow, of Winton, but he died about 1.30 p.m. when en route to Invercargill. The incident was not witnessed by any person. An inquest will be held this morning before the Coroner, Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.

Mutton for Invercargill. While in Wellington last week his Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller), together with the member for Invercargill, Mr J. Hargest, interviewed the Minister in Charge of Unemployment (the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates) in regard to a supply of mutton, for those in distress in the city. His Worship was assured that a supply would bo granted and that there would be no more mutton coming from the North Island as that supply was now exhausted. In future the mutton would be secured in the South Island. His Worship stated yesterday that he expected to hear within a day or two when the supply would be available.

Approach of Winter. Although with the bright warm sunshine prevailing yesterday it was difficult to believe it, two events at the beginning of this week have definitely indicated that it is a case of good-bye to summer. On Sunday the clocks were put back 30 minutes and summer time ended, not to be resumed again until October next. The other event was the autumnal equinox yesterday which is an indication that for the next six months in this part of the world the sun will be below the horizon for a longer period than it is above it. For only three of those months, however, will the days be getting shorter and shorter. After June 21, the shortest day, it will be a case of looking forward optimistically to spring and summer once more.

Eclipse of Moon To-night. To-night a partial eclipse of the moon, almost total in extent, will be visible throughout New Zealand. Only threehundredths of the moon’s diameter will remain unobscured by the umbra of the earth at the greatest phase of eclipse, and as the remaining portion of the lunar disc will be immersed at that time in the densest portion of the penumbra, the eclipse, to the observer with the naked eye, will probably appear as a total one. At 9.29 p.m. the rnoon will enter the penumbra and the umbra, or real shadow, exactly an hour later, at 10.29. The middle of the eclipse will occur at 12.2 tp-morrow morning. At 1.35 a.m. the moon will leave the umbra, and the final stage of the eclipse, when the moon finally leaves the penumbra, will occur at 2.36. This eclipse is the second of a series of four visible this .year, two of the sun and two of the moon, and is the only one which will be completely visible in New Zealand.

In Quest of Wild Pigs. Over the week-end a party of five Winton residents made a trip to the Lilburn Valley in company with a wellknown Tuatapere sportsman on a wild pig hunting expedition. With two dogs and two guns the party set forth into the bush in search of the game, and it was not long before they were provided with all the necessary thrills to make a hunting expedition a successful one. As soon as the dogs entered the bush a mob of eight or nine pigs was raised, and after a good deal of chasing up hill and down dale six of these were the victims of the hunters. Five of the animals were killed when being captured, and these all proved to-be in excellent, condition. The sixth member of the disturbed family was spared owing to his size, but was not allowed to carry on again at his own free will, and will in future be seen taking his meals from the trough of a pigsty. The sport -was described by the Winton party as thrilling in every sense of the word. The two dogs, who knew their work thoroughly, were efficient hunters and when either of them roused out a pig they stood by their victim until it was despatched. Apart from the grounds providing excellent game, they presented an unusually beautiful appearance, with a thick covering of native bush. The steep hillocks and dales under a covering of towering birches, with numerous groups of stately bush ferns, provided strenuous walking, allhough it was not in any way sluggish. The various views obtainable from the peaks of the hillocks were magnificent. The waters of the Waiau could be seen spreading in all directions.—Winton correspondent.