GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14384, 4 March 1911, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS.

HARNESSING THE OCEAN. Where* the greeu Pacific beats unceasingly against the eastern extension, stands the rough apparatus that Mr Mark Saunders has fixed up for harnessing the ocean. To the casual visitor, it seems that his efforts are not going to be resultless, though hU materials are rude, and though stern seas smash parts of his machinery at times. Yesterday, with one eud of the tubes partially submerged, water was bains forced up anything from ten to twenty feet, and after passing speedily through certain lengths of ft nines it fell down again in the sea on the northern side. In proper exhibition order it would, run on to a turbine or any kind of water wheel, t which would operate a dynamo, and the energy could be stored in batteries or in accumulators for use either at onco or after any length of time. Though the affair is still in its embryo stage, Mr Saunders is well satisfied, and intends to take the present apparatus down, and put in bigger tubes, in order that the idea may 'be shown more thoroughly. TIMARU ADVERTISED. The following letter signed " Timaru " appeared in yesterday's 4 * Lyttelton Times': —"Like many others seekmg a little relaxation, I went re<*ently to Timaru, and I was surprised to see the splendid accommodation made for "visitors and residents. There are seats every few feet on the esplanade, and. bathing machines for ladies and gentlemen, in short, every convenience, to the smallest detail. As I compare Timaru with our Sumner resort, so much boasted of, I want to say that, nnless the Sumner Borough Council wake up quickly, they will find Timaru a very formidable rival, if it 3S not that already. What are they doing to attract visitors at Stunner? It is necessary to walk all dav up r*nd down a very narrow path, with not- a seat to be seen or had. At Timaru yon can s;t all day-and enjov yourself free. Suppose the Sumner Council provided twenty seats at £l, what is the outlay? The walks up the cliffs are but a deception. You reach a few yards by walking to find the war blocked. Month after month the obstruo tion remains; and, whereas an enioy. able walk could be -had. second in seenery to MM, one has to turn back disgusted. "Where are the Councillors 3 Are they all extinct or dead? It is a shame and a disgrace to see a place like o limner deserted and people travelling one hundred and odd miles in prZ ferenoo to a visit to Sumner. Where is our esplanade, where are our seats our bathing machines, our lavatories for totfc sexes ? They hare all these at i'lmara, and, they have got the people, too There are to be no fewer S 31 excursions to Timaru in the v • I n conclusion, I wonW Mk Z "P. Sumner, before others take the palm from your hands." . WOWKERS' HOMES. Worfcere in search of their own semes under new legislation will t>o - a . rested to learn that regulations are about to be gazetted. Any uerson rereiving an income of not- more than two per annum, who can deposit £lO, may apply to the Labour Department requesting the building of a home tm to some £400; £SOO. or £6OO. Interest - will have to be paid at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum for the money nd7anced, and 2 per cent, per annum ! for the repayment of the principal sum. A large number of plans of suitable cottages have been prepared* bv (ho labour Bepartssmt for the section These n r e of vr^ous designs—neat and Thev 'must, however, be nSherrd to bv an-V. fitnte in thp essen+vih. bnt ren.»Ainblo departures from the designs will be permitted. r MORE RUN SUBDIVISION. Stir T. Buxton, h?-s been working for some mouths past to induce the Lands Department to obtain for closer settlement the Mount Peel run, or at all events the most suitable portion of it. Yesterday afternoon Mr Buxton had the pleasure of learning that his efforts had been successful, by receipt of the • following 'telegram frcm Sir Joseph Ward, Minister ofLands: — "I am very pleased to inform you that your representations re exchange 2-t Mount Peel have been approved. This places close upon 50,000 acies of excellent pastoral land in our for disposal next- year." The "exchange" referred to, we understand, is an exchange or extension, of tenure of the remaining part of the run.