NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 January 1949, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Outsize in Eels. Leadership in the Grey District Acclimatisation Society’s largest eel competition has been taken by Mr K. Cornish, of Kokiri, who gaffed two identical eels in the Arnold River last week. Each of the eels weighed 281 b. and was 4ft. Ilin. long. Each exceeded the previous biggest eel caught this season by several pounds. Ngaruawahia Bridge. The traffic bridge at Ngaruawahia which has been closed to heavy traffic for some time will be closed to all traffic except cyclists and pedestrians after the end of this month. There are two one-way traffic bridges spanning the Waikato River on the main highway at Ngaruawahia and it is the left hand bridge for traffic proceeding south that is to be ban icaded off. For some weeks heavy traffic has been required to detour and use the Ngaruawahia road east of the river which meets the main highway again at Horotiu. There will probably be a new two-way bridge built at Ngaruawahia at some future date, but the difficulty of procuringmaterials is expected to prolong this undertaking. In the meantime motorists will be required to exercise caution as the only bridge open to them will be for one-way traffic.

Hitch-hiking Criticised. Hitch-hiking is criticised by a Christchurch Star-Sun correspondent: “As a motorist whose work carries me over hundreds of miles o South Island roads every week, I wish to draw attention to the growth of the practice of hitch-hiking. When it was confined to young people without much money, who thumbed rides to travel the country on holiday no motorist could object to it, but today half the people who hold up cars for a lift are merely battening on the motorist, and making a convenience of him to avoid paying fares for more orthodox means of travel. Nobody minds helping a young fellow on his way, but a motorist is entitled to resent the scrounger who demands a lift as a matter of right, and, if denied his ride, screams epithets from the roadside.”

“Barkers” Again. Known in the .show business as “barkers,” commissionaires who stand outside a theatre and extol the virtues of the show have appeared again in Auckland. One has taken a Queen Street stand lately, but his persistent "barking" seemed to have little effect on the crowd hurrying past. “Barking" for sideshows is a recognised feature of Australian country shows, and often attracts more attention than the show itself. Windscreen as Target.

The Automobile Association badge on the windscreen of a Blenheim cai parked in a Picton street last week was used as a target for what is believed to have been slugs from an air rifle. When the owner entered his car to return to Blenheim he found that the windscreen had been shattered. Being of the safety glass type it had held together, but cracks radiated from three distinct marks where it bad been hit. One shot was a “bulls-eye" on the badges, and tv. others were “near misses." The windscreen will have to be replaced at ; cost of about £lO. Pursuit Rewarded. N

A seagull carrying an Bin. fish, with a youthful fisherman in hot pursuit, provided three golfers in Hagley Park, Christchurch, with considerable amusement, before the boy finally regained his fish. The golfers first observed the gull alight 50 yards ahead of them on the sixth fairway in order to secure a fresh grip on the fish. The precess was repeated on the adjoining fifth fairway, but the golfers began to smile when a small hoy showed up in pursuit of his catch from the direction of Victoria Lake. Alternatively charging ahead at full speed and then dropping flat to the ground, by his persistence and determination he eventually regained possession of the fish on the second fairway, some 200 or 300 yards from the lake. After his indignation and effort, the lad was in need of some refreshment and the golders obliged by bestowing on him the cash necessary for some ice cream.