GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18520, 18 March 1930, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

Otago’s representatives in the eightoar rowing championships of New Zealand, passed through Timaru yesterday on their way to Auckland, where the contest is to be decided.

It will yet be about two weeks before the buildings at Timaru Railway Station receive their second coat of paint. Workmen are at present working on the “second time over,” and the buildings are beginning to look quite fresh in their coat of light brown.

The rectangular garden plot facing the entrance to the Timaru Railway Station is at present making a brave show of autumn blooms. There is a profusion of blooms there, and these serve to brighten up an otherwise colourless aspect, as seen when emerging from the station.

A conference between representatives of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and members of the British farmers’ party now touring the Dominion, will be held in Wellington next Monday. Mr W. J. Poison will preside. It is hoped that Lord Bledisloa will open the conference.

Those people who neglected to pay their rates to the Timaru Borough Council yesterday, which was the last day for payment, prior to the imposition of a ten per cent penalty, will, as from to-day, have an extra payment to make. Yesterday, a busy day was experienced at the Council offices, and during the day £6700 was received. This leaves £IBOO outstanding, while the total amount received to date Is £60,321.

Harvest thanksgiving services were held on Sunday in the Baptist Church, Wilson Street. Excellent attendances were recorded at both services. The church was choicely decorated, and the display of produce was surprisingly large. Special harvest music was rendered by the choir, the soloists being Mrs Duncumb, Miss Gatchell, and Mr George Hull. Last night the produce was sold, and the proceeds of the sale and the Sunday offerings constituted a record for the church.

It is difficult to please everyone. The wireless sets which have been installed for some months on the Auckland ferry steamers Makora and Toroa have been dismantled. A section of the passengers did not care for the broadcast of news items and the radio entertainment was then limited to musical programmes. Other passengers said that the music interfered with conversations, and finally the broadcasts were discontinued. It is the intention of the company to reintroduce musical entertainment either by radio or other means next summer.

Two lady anglers, Mrs H. J. Brewer and Mrs J. Kirkpatrick, of Timaru, had a sensational run of luck at the Opihi on Saturday afternoon their catches being the envy of the large crowd at the Reserve. Fishing near the mouth of the river, Mrs Brewer landed a 201 b quinnat, said to be the largest taken from the river, while her companion followed by catching a seventeen pounder. Several fishermen in the vicinity did not even see a fish, while some of the hutholders at the reserve who visited Rangitata for the day had equally bad luck.

The anniversary of the birth of St. Patrick -was celebrated yesterday in Timaru, the chief event being the Irish national concert which was held in the Scottish Hall. Flags were flown from public buildings, while a general New Zealand bank holiday was declared. St. Patrick was a famous missionary of the sth century, commonly known as the Apostle of Ireland. The year of his birth is variously assigned to 377 and 387, of which the latter, if not even a later date, is said to be the more probable.

“There is a well-defined one-chain public road going through Teviotdale Station, and motorists have the right to use it at any time, says Mr J. S. Hawltes, secretary of the Canterbury Automobile Association. Mr Hawkes explained that there was a bridge over the Waipara River, and a member of the association, with his wife and family stopped alongside the road over the bridge to have their lunch. They were ordered off the road by the owner of the property, who threatened to prosecute for trespass. The matter was brought to the notice of Mr Hawkes, who immediately consulted the Lands Department, with the result that it was ascertained that anyone had the right to pass through the property provided they kept to the road.

This afternoon at 3 o’clock, RearAdmiral Byrd will give a half-hour talk in the Dunedin Town Hall to the children of the upper standards of the primary schools, the subject being “Polar Exploration.” At 3.30 the talk will be repeated to pupils of the secondary schools of the city; and it is expected that about 7000 children will be present at the two sessions. The Mayor of Dunedin (Mr R. S. Black) was the originator of a movement to have the lecturette broadcast by 4YA for the benefit of children in other parts of the Dominion, and with the co-operation of the Broadcasting Co., the Post and Telegraph Department, the Education Department, and the Radio Dealers’ Federation, arrangements have been completed for the talk to be relayed to IYA, 2YA, 3YA, 2YB, and the Invercargill station. Radio sets will be temporarily installed in schools and halls throughout the Dominion, and it is anticipated that the majority of the school children of New Zealand will be able to listen-in. The radio stations will transmit programmes from 12 till 2 p.m., to enable tests of temporary installations to be made. At 2.30 an introductory session will commence, and the talk by Admiral Byrd is timed to begin at 3 o’clock. Arrangements have been made whereby most of the primary school children in Timaru will, if conditions are favourable, have an opportunity of hearing the speech. The pupils of the Waimataitai School will be accommodated on Caroline Bay. A set is being installed in the .Scottish Hall for the benefit of the South School children, and a set is being installed at the Main School for pupils attending there. The West School children are being catered for privately. The nature of the proposed broadcast is indicated by the length of relay lines to be employed. These will stretch from Invercargill to Auckland. with a line from Wellington to New Plymouth as well. The total length will be 1247 miles.