LOCAL AND GENERAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22791, 15 January 1944, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gifts to Historical Society

Mr John Wood of 118 North Street, Timaru, has presented to the South Canterbury Historical Society a facsimile copy of the "Timaru and Gladstone Gazette” published in the original on February 23. 1870; a facsimile copy of Volume 1, No. 1 of "The Timaru Herald,” dated June 11, 1864; a copy of “The Times,” London, dated June 22, 1815 and presented as a supplement to the "Canterbury Times,” July 2, 1896; and a, "flame” knife which was used for bleeding cattle by his father in the early days.

Afforestation Proposal Acknowledging receipt of a report by Cr. P. B. Foote on afforestation and the suggestion by the Timaru Borough Council that the proposed afforestation of the Council’s property at Raincliff might possibly fall within the sphere of rehabilitation, the Minister of Rehabilitation (Major the Hon C. F. Skinner, M.C.) has replied: “It will be necessary for me to place this matter before the Public Works Department and the Director of Forestry for consideration by these Departments in whose sphere it really comes. These Departments will no doubt communicate with your Council direct.”

Vegetable Growing Replying to a letter from the Timaru Borough Council regarding the need for the increased growing of vegetables in New Zealand to supply the Armed Forces, the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr G. T. Fawcett) writes:— “At the present time the Services’ Vegetable Production section of the Department of Agriculture has greatly extended the area of land under cultivation for vegetables in the North Island and there are now nearly 5000 acres under crop on these projects. When it is known what additional supplies are required in the future, then steps will bo taken to augment present supplies, either by State growing or by contract to commercial growers. No further steps can be taken in this direction until the future requirements of the Armed Forces are definitely known.”

Heavy Losses of Canaries Diseased thistle seed has caused very heavy losses of canaries and other caged birds in Sydney and suburbs. Some breeders report a death-rate as high as 90 per cent. Losses have been particularly heavy in the Eastern Suburbs. Mr. A. Fenwick, of Woollahra, a leading Yorkshire and Border breeder, said that he had lost canaries valued at more than £lOO. Birds who eat diseased thistle seed almost invariably die within 24 hours. It is explained that the lush season had caused mould containing the disease germ to develop in the thistle. In the past few weeks canaries have been in great demand as Christmas' gifts and have brought record prices.

How London G.P.O. Saves Paper Tire London Post Office has reduced its consumption of paper by 14,000 tons. Eleven thousand tons per annum are saved on telephone directories alone. Another 100 tons are saved by reducing the size of forms and envelopes, while another 60 tons are saved by reducing the size and quality of telegram form. Two thousand tons have been saved by the curtailment of publicity literature, while the suspension of various publications has saved 425 tons. One hundred tons a year are saved by using mail bag labels for several journeys instead of for only one, and 40 tons have been saved by reducing the number of interleaves in stamp books.

Combing of Markets In order to provide crockery for recreation rooms in camps and at stations, material for indoor games and sports equipment, the National Patriotic Fund Board has had to comb markets both in the Dominions and overseas. A large number of the lines required have long disappeared from the Dominion and, where possible, arrangements have been made to import under licence from abroad. Even in the big centres of production overseas, however, in some cases there are no longer stocks, and in other cases production of certain lines is limited and export strictly controlled. The board has placed a number of orders. Some of the goods are now coming to hand, but delays are inevitable. Beginner's Luck A novice at the trots at Alexandra Park at Auckland, a service girl, had the usual beginner’s luck. Induced to put 10/- on Hilda Potts, her delight at the prospect of a dividend turned to disappointment when, on her horse running second to Highland Scott, it was pointed out to her that she had backed the horse for a win and not for a place. So she tore up the ticket and threw it down. Then Highland Scott was disqualified and Hilda Potts placed as the winner. The service girl and friends made a frantic hunt for her torn-up ticket and managed to retrieve the pieces. To her surprise the tote paid her twice the amount she had expected. She had picked up and pieced together not her own 10/- ticket but some one else’s £1 ticket. Influenza Danger “We have been very much alive to the influenza epidemic in Europe, and, in case of an outbreak here, there is no likelihood of our being caught short of hospital accommodation, staff, or drugs,” said Dr. J. O. Mercer, pathologist and acting medical superintendent of the Wellington Public Hospital. “The dangers are well recognised. Our organisation is already set up and in emergency could be thrown into action at a few hours’ notice.” Dr. Mercer said that when the hospital E.P.S. was formed in Wellington for war purposes the possibility of using it in case of epidemics was borne in mind. The organisation was still in existence, ready fpr instant action. Emergency hospitals were set aside and the necessary equipment was stored in or near them. It would have to be a very serious epidemic, however, before it would be necessary to call on the E.P.S. The ordinary hospital organisation in Wellington was capable of expansion to provide several hundred extra beds in emergency. Disease Affects Horses

A disease known as “circling sickness” is killing horses in Clarence River district on the north coast of New South Wales. The affected animals go mad and run round blindly in circles, crashing into railings and destroying fences. Draught horses are particularly affected by the disease. Some of the maddened animals have attempted to climb trees and buildings, and have endangered the lives of farmers who tried to catch them. A well-known Sydney veterinary surgeon (Mr Roy Stewart) said that the disease was encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. It could be caused from the bite of an insect, but was more likely to be due to a microbe which bred in mouldy grain. “Probably the damp season has turned the farmer’s corn feed mouldy,” he added. “If so, the only way to prevent the spread of the disease will be a completely new diet for the horses. I have known individual cases of encephalitis among horses in New South Wales, but there have been no previous serious outbreaks. In America it has killed thousands of horses during the last five years.