Local and General News

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21183, 2 November 1938, Page 6

Local and General News

Month of Extreme Temperatures October was a month of varying temperatures in Timaru, the highest maximum being 80 on October 5 anB the lowest 27.6 degrees, equal to 4.4 degrees of frost, on October 11. Rato amounting to 2.57 inches fell on seven days, the heaviest fall being 1.10 inches on October 22. The hours of sunshine recorded were 189.6 and frost was measured on three days. Waitaki Electorate The Magisterial recount of the votes cast to the Waitaki electorate was commenced to Waimate yesterday, but the result will not be known until to-day. The official recount gave the National candidate (Mr D. C. Kidd), a majority of 10 over the Labour candidate (Mr D. Barnes) the last-named later applying for a Magisterial recount. Fat Lamb Shortage Lack of fat lambs at Christmas is considered to be a possibility in the Northern Wairoa district, as lambs for fattening are backward. Usually lambs are ready for killing three or four weeks before Christmas, but it is likely that this year they will be later, as the shortage of early feed has resulted in a setback. Sinking of Tug An inquiry into the circumstances of the sinking of the tug Te Awhina after it had been holed by the starboard propeller of the motor-ship Essex on August 11, is to be held by the Auckland Harbour Board this week. The inquiry was delayed until the findings of the nautical court had been announced. It will be held by the full board to committee, and later a report will be placed before the board in open meeting. Don’t Blame the Vicar For the proposed provision of soft drinks and tea as the only beverages at a Christmas tree and sale to be held in December in the hall of the Church of St. Thomas, Union Street, Auckland, the vicar, the Rev. A. Russell Allerton, is not to be held responsible. Outlining the arrangements, “St. Thomas’ Magazine" says: “As for drinks—alas, there will be only soft drinks and tea, but the vicar is not to blame for that! He would like a beer garden in the kindergarten playground or on the green in front of the church.” End of Schooner Smashed to matchwood by a fresh northerly gale on Thursday last, the former American four-masted schooner Columbia, later a floating cabaret known as the Showboat, has now disappeared from the spot at the northern end of Rangitoto Island, where she was beached and burned. After - fire had swept the hulk, the gale which was experienced on the following day completed the destruction and the only traces now remaining of the ship are a few timbers driven yards inshore by the heavy seas. Jaguar Twins at Zoo In spite of the difficulties of rearing such animals in captivity, good progress is being made by the pair of jaguar kittens which were born at the Auckland Zoo nearly a fortnight ago. Although female jaguars are poor mothers and frequently kill their young, the one at the zoo is looking after the new arrivals in accordance with the best maternal traditions, and has in no way harmed them- Up to the present the kittens have elected to remain hidden within the den attached to the jaguar enclosure, and have not been seen by visitors. New Hydro Station After three years of rock-testing and survey work on the Waikato River between Cambridge and Taupo, it seems evident that the site of the Crow’s Nest, Maungatautarl, about five miles up the river from Cambridge, has been decided upon by the officers of the Public Works Department as the most suitable for the establishment of a huge hydro electric plant. There is considerable activity at the site at present, and at Karapiro, across the river from the Crow’s Nest, a camp has been established. The Indications are that if a generating station is to be built it will be located on the Karapiro side of the river. Probable Former Forest The remains of what it is thought might once have been a portion of a dense forest in close proximity to the present town of Rotorua have been unearthed by workmen employed by the Rotorua Borough Council engaged in digging an open drain to carry stormwater from the new municipal houses, states a Rotorua correspondent. A few feet under the surface several trees of considerable girth and length have been encountered, and the trunks are to such an excellent state of preservation that it has been found impossible to cut through them so as to extend the open drain. It is thought probable that many years ago the trees were uprooted by some severe earthquake or volcanic disturbance and subsequently became covered as the land in the vicinity was thrown up by the disturbance. Souvenir of Wreck An interesting souvenir of the wreck of the Wairarapa, which occurred 44 years ago last Friday, at the north-west end of Great Barrier Island, is held by Mr M. J. Hargreaves, of Auckland. It is an envelope which once contained one of the letters salvaged from the wreck. It was posted from London on September 14, 1894, to a member of the staff of Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co., Auckland. Stained with water and now showing the effects of age, the envelope bears a rubber stamp. “Saved from the wreck of the Wairarapa,” on the top, and in ink besides the address a postal official has written, “Wrecked, 28-10-94. Sunday night.’’ Mr Hargreaves, who was then employed in the Bay of Islands, recovered the envelope from packing which had been placed round an order received from Messrs Nathan and Co.