LOCAL AND GENERAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22789, 13 January 1944, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Christmas Patriotic Appeal The total amount received by the Christmas gift envelope appeal, made by the Umaru Patriotic (Zone) Committee, was £1077/3/4.

Mt. Malte Brun Climbers "The question is still, under consideration,” said Inspector D. L. Calwell, of the Timaru Police District yesterday when asked if any decision had been arrived at regarding the sending of a further recovery party for the body of Leading Aircraftman W. F. Wallis, found recently on Malte Brun Glacier.

The Unkindest Cut A butcher charged in the Sydney Court with having failed to display the regulation prices for different cuts of meat said: "My customers say to me ‘You can put that list under the copper. We don’t want to see it. You cut the meat the way we want it and we’ll pay you what you like.’ ” For having acted on the suggestion of his customers the butcher was fined £5.

Small Boy’s Honesty A small boy stopped a city-bound car from Caversham, Dunedin, at one of the crossing places one day last week. With a coin in his hand, he addressed the conductor, saying, “Here’s two shillings; it dropped off your car.” The conductor said, “It’s not mine," but the boy replied, “If it’s not yours, it must belong to your mate on the other car. It rolled off a car.” Such honesty commended itself to all the passengers who were witnesses of the boy’s action. Use for Nasturtium

A retired sugar planter from Fiji, who has been struck by the prevalence of curly leaf among the peach trees in New Zealand, states that in some parts of Fiji it is a recognised cure for the disease to plant nasturtium at the foot of peach trees and let it grow a foot up the trunks. The result, he says, is often a good crop of peaches. Nasturium does not impoverish the soil, and seems to have some chemical property which nourishes the plant life of fruit trees. Middle East Gift

A unique house number plate for his home has been sent from the Middle East to his wife in Blenheim by Sapper W. J. Sutherland, who has been overseas for the last three years. The plate is a brass shield made from an enemy shell, with the figures 31, the number of his home, inset in white metal taken from the propeller of a Junkers 88. The plate is a creditable piece of workmanship and an interesting souvenir. Other mementoes just received by Mrs Sutherland are a 2in. mortar bomb, an anti-aircraft shell case and an outsize in fountain pens. Harvesting of Ryegrass A word of caution to farmers against the harvesting of ryegrass too soon was given by a Timaru merchant yesterday. Some lines had already reached the stores in a heated condition, he said, and made it necessary for the seed to be tipped and spread. The hot weather may have been an inducement to farmers to rush in and thresh their crops, but it was apparent from the condition of the seed that this had not been a wise step. Farmers were advised to wait for at least a fortnight after cutting before threshing their crop. At present ryegrass was being threshed within 10 days of cutting. Supply of Table Tennis Balls

Appreciation of the prompt action of the South Canterbury Council of Sport in securing a supply of balls for the coming season, was expressed by the South Canterbury Table Tennis Association at a meeting of the Council in Timaru last night. Mr H. H. Fraser presided. Congratulations were also extended to the secretary (Mr P. S. Enting) on the excellent manner in which he had coped with the allocation of tennis balls to unaffiliated flayers. Reports were received of the naugural meeting of the New Zealand Council of Sport held in Wellington recently, which was attended by delegates from South Canterbury. Fight with Sunfish Several members of the Piha Surf Club, Auckland, recently had a fight with a sunfish which was 6ft in length and breadth and 2ft. 6in. through the thickest part of its body. They saw the sunfish while they were out in a surfboat and attacked it with their oars. Excited into a fury, the great fish charged the boat repeatedly, but managed to strike it only glancing blows. The bowman of the boat, Mr J. Jenkins, who is the welter-weight boxing champion of Auckland, finally secured the anchor in the sunfish’s mouth, but before it could be killed it dragged him overboard. When it was dispatched it was estimated to weigh half a ton. 8.8. C. Talk On Ghosts

The subject of ghosts has been resurrected by a discussion by the 8.8. C. Brains Trust. Commander Campbell, despite his declaration of scepticism, related an incident which occurred when carrying migrants to Australia. He and the chief steward watched all night to see whether, as a woman alleged, a man walked about their quarters. Commander Campbell said that, strangely enough, a man walked down the alleyway, thence through an iron bulkhead and vanished. Professor Joad admitted the possibility of ’hosts, adding that he had not seen :hem but was once struck in the eye by a lump of soap which no hand had hurled. Destruction of Bush

Residents of the Bay of Plentv view with anger the destruction by fire of the scrub and dried grass covering the 1000 ft cone of Whale Island. The island at this time of the year (states the “New Zealand Herald") is a place of call for yachtsmen and occasional campers. It is not inhabited and is a recognised breeding ground for mutton birds, which the Maoris hunt in the breeding season. There are also large flocks of goats there. The island’s towering green outline has become a well-known landmark in the eastern bay and the greatest resentment and indignation are felt at the firing of the slopes, which must result in great lass of sea-bird life, as well as the destruction of many beautiful pohutukawa trees. Yachtsmen who were cruising in the vicinity at the time state that terrified birds endeavouring to reach their burrows dived straight into the flames. The island is privately owned, and as a direct result of the fire there is a movement in Whakatane to have it taken over by the State as a bird sanctuary.