NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 244, 16 October 1939, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Cornwall Park Wallabies. In his report to the Hastings Borough Council this week the superintendent of parks and reserves, Mr. J. G. McKenzie, remarked that four wallabies which arrived from Australia during the month appeared to have settled down in their new home in Cornwall Park Zoo. and were proving a considerable attraction to th** public. Lightning, Net Guntire. Passengers on the liner Nestor, travelling from England to Australia via Capetown, thought on the morning beiore reaching Capetown that the ship had been attacked. A passenger on the ship who arrived in Christchurch last week said that being enclosed, the psasengers did not know there was a storm, and when a loud report shook the ship thejthought first of shells from a raider. On deck, however, it was found that lightning had struck a mast and severed the top part, which had fallen on to the deck. The ship was nine weeks at sea. the passenger said, and went so far out of its course that though icebergs were not seen, they were certainly felt. Sunday Sport. •'What about the considerable increase in organised sport and Sunday picnics during recent years?” asked Archbishop Averill when delivering his charge to the Auckland Synod on Thursday morning. •‘There is a vast difference between individual recreation.- on a Sunday and organised sport, and the Church does not frown on innocent recreations which do not conflict with t.ie duty and opportunity of worship, for Sunday stands for true re-creation of the whole in'in. The fact that Sunday is so contantly spoken of as part of the week-end does not make Monday the first day of the week, nor does it convert Sunday from a holy day into a holiday. The Church naturally looks to those who have been educated in Christian schools to take a definite stand in this matter, and I would appeal to all real sportsmen to oppose whatever tiegrades sport and conflicts with highe interests in life.”

Smith African Mar. I Forty years ago last Tuesday—on | October 10, 1899 —occurred the out- ’ break of the South African War, the ’ first conflict *i which expeditionary forces left the shores of the dependdencies to fight for Great Britain. Ten contingents, comprising about 8000 officers and men. left New Zealand for South Africa, the first contingent, comprising 220 officers and men, sailing from Wellington by the Waiwera ! about October 21. The war was *eri minated on May 31. 1902. w hen a | peace was concluded and signed. ' Cows in Poor Condition. I Those connected with the dairy in- • dustry in the Wairarapa at present ■ state that production a cow is down all over New Zealand, but the drop is most noticeable in that district. One dairy-farmer said that never before had he seen his cows in such poor condition at this time of the year, and he attributed this to last year's drought, with the consequent heavier feeding from hay during autumn and winter. Losses of cow this year were heavier than usual, and generally the dairy stock came through lhe winter badly. However, favourable condi- ! tions are now being experienced and cream supplies at the factories are . rapidly improving. Neutrals’ War Losses. Some startling figures, showing the heavy losses suffered by neutral countries in the last war. were given by Professor Julius Stone in an address on “Neutrality in Modern Warfare” at the annual dinner of the Institute of Incorporated Secretaries at Auckland last week. Exclusive of j cargoes. Norway lost tonnage worth ‘ £60.000,000. Holland £4.000,000, Den- ! mark £3,500,000. Sweden £5,000,000, and the United States £3.000, Blockade losses by neutrals included tonnage worth £22.000,000 sunk by I mines and £90,000.000 sunk by submarines, while the losses to neutrals ■ through contraband included £35.000,000 for vessels condemned, £10,00:.)’- | 000 through detention for prize proI ceedings. £30.000,000 through other , detention. £17.000.000 through loss of j cargo condemned by prize courts and j £1.000.000 for damage to cargo not I contraband.