In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23444, 26 February 1938, Page 8

In Town And Out

Searching for Water The drought conditions prevailing in Southland at present have given a fillip to the calling of at least one person—a water diviner. Many farmers, more particularly in the Eastern District, have been faced with a shortage of water and have had to look for a supply to supplement the one they usually rely on. The services of a water diviner have been freely used and in most cases untapped sources have been discovered. Katipo Spiders Several specimens of the katipo spider, New Zealand’s only venomous insect, were brought into Tire Southland Times Office yesterday by Mr J. Sorensen, curator of The Southland Museum, who had received them by post from the North Island. Some of the spiders were alive, but dead or alive they all carried their danger signal, the red stripe down the back. Black in body, the largest would, with its spread of legs, have covered a sixpence, and the smallest was about the size of a sandfly. jMr Sorensen stated that a Wellington woman who had suffered from frequent heart attacks had been bitten by a katipo, and had had no heart attacks since. The case was reported to medical authorities in America who sent for a number of the spiders and extracted the venom, experimenting with it on cases of angena pectoris. It was reported that several cures had been effected in this way.

State Houses Although it was hoped to have the State houses in Invercargill ready for occupation by the end of this month, the State Advances Office has not yet received the list of approved tenants from Wellington. All applications for houses are sent to the head office in Wellington, and should there be more applicants than the required number the houses are ballotted for. Luncheon Hour Extended In response to a request from the Southland Radio listeners’ League for an extension of the luncheon session from one to two hours’ duration, Station 4YZ has received advice from the Director of Broadcasting (Professor James Shelley) that the station may be on the air for two hours in the middle of the day. It is expected that the session will now be\ from noon to 2 o’clock. Exhibits for Museum

A magnificent specimen of a Maori adze has been forwarded to the curator of the Southland Museum (Mr J. Sorensen) from Niagara. Mr Sorensen states that this is the best specimen the museum has in its possession and possesses features that distinguish it from the usual South Island adzes. It is made of a hard basaltic rock, and is ground to a fine edge. Other recent acquisitions are a cast of a rama, or Maori stone bowl, presented by Dr W. R. B. Oliver of the Dominion Museum, Wellington, and a cast of the famous Guard pendant, dug up near Port Undepwood, Marlborough. The original is made of obsidian. From other parts of the world Mr Sorensen has secured a chameleon, the strange African lizard which can change its colour, a water snake from New Caledonia, and an enormous stick insect.

Alfresco Classes Lessons in some of the Invercargill primary schools have been made more pleasant during the week through the classes having been held in the open air. The week has been an exceptionally hot one and the heat of the class rooms has in many cases persuaded teachers and pupils to remove to more pleasant surroundings with! ;he precincts of the school. There is no doubt about the popularity of alfresco classes as most children have a healthy liking for the open air, and the system is quite as successful except when incidents in the streets momentarily distract the attention of an impressionable pupil. Australian Farmers Arriving

On the last stage of their journey the party of Australian farmers at present touring the Dominion will arrive in Invercargill from Queenstown by car tomorrow afternoon. On Monday morning a visit will be paid to the home of Mr A. S. Holms, at Waimahaka. Later that day the party leaves for Bluff to board the Maunganui for the return to Australia. Puni Creek Dried Up The long period of hot, dry weather has had the effect of drying up completely the Puni Creek, the depth of which always varies in accordance with the weather. A swirling torrent after heavy rain and a placid stream under normal conditions the creek has been empty of any water for several days past. Its strange emptiness and its muddy bed have given the public gardens an unusual appearance, but as

the stream is fed from the country districts east of Invercargill it is possible that the rain that fell yesterday, if prolonged, will again give the stream body.

Children for Health Camp The third contingent of children for the Southland health camp at Omaui left Invercargill by bus yesterday afternoon. About 50 boys and girls made up the party and three others from Stewart Island will also join the camp. The party was accompanied by Nurse Richardson who will be in charge of the camp. Contributions will be gratefully received by the committee and may be left at the office of Kilkelly Pros, in Esk street.