In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24602, 26 November 1941, Page 4

In the News

Another Invasion At six o’clock yesterday morning a householder in Layard street was awakened by unfamiliar sounds. Peering sleepily through a window he saw that several cows had invaded his front lawn and were making for the back of the house. He dashed out to head them off, only to discover that these cows were stragglers—the main force had already occupied strategic centres. His vegetable garden was literally packed with cattle. At least 15 cows had poured through a narrow gateway, and were now stamping the rows of carrots, parrnips and lettuce into a tangled wreckage. Later, when an apologetic stockman and his dogs had removed the intruders, the householder surveyed the ruin of all his gardening hopes. Pea sticks had been scattered and broken; early potatoes were bruised and crushed; and everywhere the soil was churned into the semblance of a battlefield. There was only one small consolation. Manure of a type much recommended by experts will assist the growth of bigger and better vegetables when the marks of invasion have been removed. 30 Tons of Whitebait Over 30 tons of whitebait were taken from the Waikato river during the 1941 season. The quantity distributed fresh to the public is estimated at between seven and eight tons, while the amount canned was about 24 tons. Most of the canning is done by the factory at the riverside, but some of the fish is now canned in Auckland. Only a Bad Smell The importation of fish ova is a commonplace nowadays, but 70 or 80 years ago it was a matter of extreme difficulty. There were no fast refrigerated steamers in those days. In an address to the Invercargill Rotary Club yesterday, Mr James Robertson mentioned that when attempts were made to send trout ova to New Zealand in the eighteen sixties and seventies some of the ova hatched out on the voyage and died from suffocation while other shipments were allowed to get too cold and arrived frozen. “It is recorded that one curator on opening a consignment of ova from Britain reported that the boxes contained ‘only a bad smell’,” said Mr Robertson. Smoking Room for Nurses After hearing a report of a special committee on the question of providing a smoking room for nurses at the Wanganui Hospital, the Wanganui Hospital Board agreed to the committees suggestion that one of the sittingrooms in the old nurses’ home should be made available for the purpose. Worst-paid Trade? “Wc are the worst-paid trade in New Zealand,” declared Mr J. S. Roc, president of the Auckland Fruit Retailers’ Association, when giving evidence before the Price Tribunal in the inquiry into vegeI table prices. He said that in his I own case his aggregate turnover I for the last two weeks had been £lO4, and he had cleared £B/6/6. “And I had to work 60 to 70 hours a week to get that.” Will Not Be Rash That age and point of view are vital factors in assessing the difference between danger and safety is brought home in a letter received by an Auckland mother from her son, who is now training in the Fleet Air Arm in England. Before leaving New Zealand the boy had done no flying other than as a passenger in a commercial machine. In the few weeks since he has been in England he has learned to loop, spin, roll and do most other aerobatics, and now he is going on to dive-bombing. “But,” he told his mother in a recent letter, “don’t get worried about this, I won’t do anything rash or which is not safe.” Valuable Stamp Collection A valuable collection of New Zealand stamps has been presented by the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes to the Canterbury Museum. The collection represents what has been Sir Heaton’s hobby for many years. It is very comprehensive, and Sir Heaton has chosen the museum as a place of safe custody for it for all time, and as a place where it will be most readily available to stamp lovers. Two Hat-tricks One of the highlights of play in cricket games controlled by the Christchurch Suburban Association on Saturday was that two “hattricks” were recorded in one match. Bowling for Matchles® against Linwood in a junior match, M. Marshall took seven wickets for 25 runs. Three wickets were taken with successive balls and four with five balls. When Linwood took up the attack. W. Brorni also secured a “hat-trick.” He took four wickets for 50. Invalid’s Train Journey The Railway Department went to considerable pains to enable an invalid confined to a stretcher to make the long journey from Palmerston North to Auckland in the comfort of a sleeping car on the express. A carpenter was engaged at Palmerston North to remove a window from the carriage and to replace it after the stretcher had been passed through. When the train reached Auckland the same procedure was necessary to get the patient out ol

the car. Girls Forgo Prizes An announcement by the president, Mrs W. H. Cocker, that all the competitors had decided to forgo individual prizes as a patriotic gesture evoked applause during the presentation of team trophies at the conclusion of the Auckland Girls’ Athletic Association sports on Saturday afternoon. Mrs Cocker said that the money represented by the prizes, together with the profits from the sports, would be devoted to some patriotic fund. The Mayor (Mr J. A. C. Allum) in congratulating the girls on their gesture, said: “There are many boys fighting in Libya this afternoon who will benefit by your action.” Lightning Strikes Golfer A golfer, Mrs Jack Eaton, of The Lakes Golf Club, Sydney, received a shock and her shoe was burnt when lightning struck her steelshafted club during a foursome golf competition. Her caddy received a shock in one arm, but after massage he was able to go home. More than an inch of rain fell in 20 minutes. There was heavy hail and intense lightning. Play was suspended for more than an hour because of the danger to players. Fast Rail and Air Journey A journey from Suva to Wellington in just over 27 hours was completed on Monday morning by Mr H. E. Moston, Under-Secretary for Labour. Returning from the International Labour Organization conference in New York by the California Clipper, Mr Moston left Suva at 5.23 am. on Sunday. The Clipper travelled via Noumea and reached Auckland about 6.30 in the evening, covering the 1969 miles in just over 13 hours. Mr Moston hastened through the landing formalities and joined the limited express at 7.15 for Wellington, thus embarking on another journey of 426 miles, bringing the total for just over a day to 2395 njiles. Although an indirect route was followed, Mr Moston will probably have one of the fastest journeys ever made between Suva and Wellington.