GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19904, 14 September 1934, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Milk Bill. In the House of Representatives yesterday the Timaru Milk Bill (Rev. Clyde Carr) was introduced and read a first time. A Cycling Record. The racing cyclist, L. G. Lukey, left Auckland at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and arrived in Wellington at 3.45 a.m. on Thursday, breaking the existing record by 11 hours 22 minutes.—Press Association message. Forthcoming Band Contest. Reporting to a meeting of the general committee of the Band Contest Committee last night the secretary (Mr C. G. Baker) said he had received a communication during the week from the central secretary (Mr J. G. Osborne) who informed him that judging by the great interest displayed by bands in the Timaru contest there should be a record entry. New Transmitting Plant. The New Zealand Broadcasting Board announces that a 10 kilowatts transmitter will be erected at Highclifie, on the Otago Peninsula, to replace the present station 4YA. It is also intended to increase the power of the 3YA transmitter at Gebbie’s Pass, from 21 to 10 kilowatts at an early date. Provision was made for this increase when the present plant Was installed.—Press Association message. Memorial to First Governor. A plea for a fitting memorial to Captain William Hobson, R.N. first Governor of New Zealand and founder of Auckland City, was made this week by Mr Spenceley Walker, headmaster of the Newton Central school, on the occasion of the annual ceremony attended by senior pupils of the school at Captain Hobson’s grave in the Symonds Street Cemetery, Auckland. Mr Walker suggested that a suitable monument might be erected near the War Memorial Museum, on ground sacred not only to those who were killed tn the war but to all who had laid down their lives for the country. “House Full” in Melbourne. Melbourne will soon have to put up the sign “House Full,” according to information received by an Aucklander who was Inquiring for accommodation for the centenary period. He wrote to the Centenary Accommodation Bureau, and learned that ail city accommodation at less than three guineas a day is booked up for a period, while second class lodgings in the suburbs are to be secured only at the rate of four guineas weekly—and there was not much pf that left either. The person inquiring is at present considering the price for a space for a little tent and a portable camp bed.

Quick Work! As a result of a smart piece of work by the Timaru police, a man who misse an overcoat from his car yesterday afternoon, on going to the Police Station to report the theft, found that not only was the missing garment there but also the alleged thief. The man purchased the overcoat yesterday afternoon and, leaving it in his car in Barnard Street, went aivay for a few minutes. When he returned he found that the parcel had been removed, and went to the police to report the matter. In the meantime, it is understood, the person suspected of the theft took the coat to a secondhand dealer only to be arrested five minutes later in Woollcombe Street by Constable H, Hogg, who took both the suspect and the coat to the station where they were when the owner arrived. The accused will appear in the Magistrate’s Court this morning.

Unusual Weapon Found. What Is thought to be a Maori weapon has been found by a resident of Ostend in the hills of Waiheke Island. Although its purpose was probably similar to that of the well-known striking weapon, the mere, the object possesses extremely unusual features. The weapon is fashioned from hard, blue stone, and it is 18in long. The “grip” is rounded and smooth, but the end is raised to ensure a surer clasp end has a hole through which, no doubt, a wrist cord was once passed. li.e blade is a foot long, rather narrow, and having a wedge-shaped point. The surfaces of the blade are not flat, but taper down to the keen edges. The finder is keeping the place of discovery a secret, as he proposes to return in the hope of finding other articles. Find of Ambergris. Two lucky finds of ambergris are reported from Mason’s Bay, Stewart Island, Messrs Jennings and Simpson, of Awarua Plains, who are spending a holiday on the islan made a trip to Mason’s Bay on the west side, and while there they were fortunate enough to find two pieces of ambergris, one weighing 12oz and the other 121 oz. If the old high prices for ambergris had still been ruling the find would have been a very valuable one, but unfortunately prices have dropped sharply during the last few years. In conversation with Mr Adam Adamson, popularly known as the “Ambergris King,” who spent many years of solitude at Mason’s Bay making systematic and regular searches of the beach, It was learned that owing to a recent small rise in values it was his opinion that the present “finds” would net their owners about £l6 apiece. Arrival of Godwits. Godwits commenced to arrive at the end of last week, states the Dargaville correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald.” Late on Saturday afternoon large contingents made their appearance, the first birds flying over the town at 3.30. Further flights flew over the town at regular intervals, and well; after dark the cries of the birds could be heard. It was a great sight to see the godwits coming up from a southwesterly direction in spear-head formation and pushing steadily on towards the north without a break. It was also peculiar to watch how intervals were kept betweeh the diffe-ent detachments, not unlike battalions of

soldiers marching. A few birds, which turned back from Dargaville, app-ared to go in the direction of middle-east coast beaches. The main body of godwits does not seem to have arrived, but it is a little early yet.