IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 21834, 11 October 1932, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY

Windfall for Relief Fund.

The Mayor’s Relief of Distress Fund in Christchurch benefited to the extent of £1162 5/6 from the proceeds of Art Union No. 18, which was drawn recently.

• * Driest for GO Years.

According to a report by the Dornin* ion Meteorologist the weather, taken as a whole for the past three months, has, for the time of the year, been the driest experienced in New Zealand for 60 years.

Kowhai at Centre Bush. “The Kowhai trees at Centre Bush are now in full bloom and present a spectacle worth going a long way to see,” remarked the nursery foreman (Mr A. Smith) to a Times reporter yesterday. * * • • Chinese Celebrations.

Although Chinese shops were closed yesterday in honour of the 21st anniversary of the founding of the republic, no celebrations to mark the occasion were held in Invercargill. Quite a number of Chinese, however, travelled to Dunedin to take part in the sports gathering there. The Speed Limit.

“What's your idea about speed limits?" asked Mr J. R. Haigh at last evening’s meeting of the general committee of the Southland Motor Association. "Twenty-five miles an hour,” replied another member amidst laughter. “I think the English practice .of havin'* no speed limit is the best,” said the chairman, Mr F. G. O’Beime. -** » * Film Censorship.

Forty-three films were rejected by the censor last year, 190 were passed subject to excisions, and 123 were passed with recommendations that they were more suitable for adult audiences. The report on the censor's work states that apparently the examination of film posters met public requirements, for the complaints have been negligible.

Subdivision of Southland. For the purposes of the district competition in export lambs Southland has now been subdivided into two areas, comprising Southland and Eastern Southland. Advice to this effect has been received from the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board by the Southland Metropolitan Agricultural and Pastoral Association which recently made representations for such action.

Irrigation at Alexandra. The present season has probably been the driest experienced in the Alexandra district for a number of years, and it is necessary to irrigate everywhere to maintain growth. The Old Man Range, the watershed for the borough water supply, is at present very bare of snow, and considerable anxiety is felt that if rain is not soon experienced a water shortage will prevail during the summer months.

Frozen Rabbit Industry. The rabbit trapping season has now closed, and the .Alexandra freezing works have stopped receiving rabbits. The season proved very successful, 300,000 rabbits having been handled at the works, The works operating in the town have very materially helped the unemployed problem, not only with the men employed there, but also with the increased price received by trappers. Early Sweet Peas.

Containing a variety of colourings and possessing a fragrant perfume, a bunch of sweet peas which was sent into the Times Office yesterday must be regarded as very early for this time of season. The flowers, which were grown by Mrs T. Condon, of Ocean Beach, have been probably considerably assisted in growth by the long spell of exceptionally fine weather experienced in Southland.

Military Refresher Course. The annual refresher course of the New Zealand Staff Corps and the New Zealand Permanent Staff will be held at the Narrow Neck camp from December 5 to December 17. Owing to the financial stringency, this is the first time that the course has been held since 1929 and the gathering together of all the instructors will be of great value. Training to be carried out will include tactics, topography, and advanced machine-gun training for officers of the Staff Corps and elementary tactics, topography, advanced machinegun training, signalling, bayonet-fight-ing and anti-gas training for the permanent staff. ♦ * * * Advertising Hoardings.

Advertising hoardings were being discussed at last evening's meeting of the general committee of the Southland Motor Association. “Some of these hoardings give misleading information," said the road officer (Mr J. Johnston). “Going along one road the motorist is told by a hoarding that it is 17 miles to Riverton. A little later another hoarding states that Riverton is 19 miles away.” “He then turns back," said a member, amidst laughter. “There is one up north which says it is 112 miles to Geraldine,” said the secretary (Mr J. S. Dick). “Actually the distance is 72 miles.” (Laughter,)

Complaint Against Cyclists. A complaint against the practice of a number of cyclists of riding without any hands on the handlebars was made by Mr A. E. Lea at last evening’s meeting of the general committee of the Southland Motor Association. “I saw half-a-dozen of them on the North road the other day,” he said. “They would look back and then ride in front of you. As a matter of fact I ran one down.” “A motor cyclist was fined for that in the Court the other day,” said Mr A. E. Wish. “Mr Lea can report it to the police if he wishes,” said the chairman (Mr F. G. O’Beime) “or have it published in the papers.” “I think it should be published,” said Mr Lea and the matter was then dropped. * e

Whitebait Regulations. The amending regulations under the Fisheries Act 1908 vary in different rivers, but the following concerning whitebait are in force in Southland:— (1) A hand net must be held all the time. It must have no contrivance inside for trapping the fish. The bag must not be tied to any fixed object. Tire mouth must not have a diameter of width exceeding four feet. (Thia abolishes the previous rule about the size of the mouth). It must not be used within ten yards of another net nor within two chains of a set net in the Mataura River. (2) Set nets are prohibited except in the Mataura River, In that river a fisher may use one set net provided he does not use a hand net, keeps at least two chains away from the next set net, and the mouth does not exceed nine square feet when measured as follows;—If the mouth is oblong in shape the height in feet multiplied by the greatest width in feet must not exceed nine, If the mouth js oval the height in feet multipled by the greatest width in feet must not exceed eleven. If the mouth is circular the diameter must not exceed three feet four inches nor the circumference ten feet seven inches. (3) Towed nets and box nets are prohibited. (4) Whitebait must not be diverted by boats, hurdles or jiggers, and groynes and walls are prohibited. (5) The close season is from December 16 to July 31.