HEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1942, Page 4

HEWS OF THE DAY

City Traffic Control "We are not in favour of municipal control of traffic In Wellington," said Mr. H. H. Miller, chairman of the executive committee, at a meet- ** , , the Wellington Ratepayers' Association on Monday. He expressed the opinion that the present staffing of the Department could be reduced by half, with a great reduction in expenses. A Worthy Namesake Not for nothing has the British Fleet Air Arm named one of Its fighter dive bombers the Skua. The skua Is one of the toughest birds that flies, and is always ready to fight. It lives at the most southerly point of the earth, and Is one of the few creatures that approaches the South Pole and occasionally crosses It. The principal food of the skua is the egg and chicken of the penguin, and these are devoured In hundreds. As they are much smaller than the adult penguins, the skuas use strategy to sepanate them from their young, and then slaughter the chicks wholesaltv Production of Brasti'ea Seed Ample turnip and swede seed for the requirements of the whole of New Zealand during the coming season has recently been harvested in Southland and Otago. The total production, says an Invercarglll correspondent, amounted to 120 tons, of which 70 per cent was grown in Southland. About 1200 acres were devoted to the crop last year, while 2000 acres have been sown down recently for brasslca seed production next summer. It is hoped that the yield from the next crop will create a reserve of high-grade seed so that there will be little danger of a shortage in the event of a partial crop failure in any future season. Breezy Baritone Mr. Peter Dawson's unconventional stage presence and impromptu remarks, ns well as his spirited singing, made a great appeal to the huge audience in the Town Hall on Saturday night. In response to a request from the gallery for "Waltzing Matilda," he replied In his Inimitably dry manner, "You've Qot to Work up to That:" and work up to this classic he did later with outstanding success! To a request for "On the Road to Mandalay" he flashed the reply, "Too Many Japs, on That Road Now." Returning after an excessively long Interval, over which he had no control, Mr. Dawson greeted the audience with "Hope you enjoyed that interval—l did! Boots, one of his own compositions, he turned down with the excuse that "they were worn out now." His very talented accompanist, Mr. Henri Pcnn, received a well-merited tribute in an aside, "Onree Ponn, Lovely Pianist." All enjoyed the concert and the repartee.

Revelry in Raid Shelters Complaint that raid shelters in Wellington were being put to improper use, and were the scenes of revelry by night, was made by Mr. C. H. Nicholls at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board last week. He referred to one school where befer bottles had on several occasions been found In the shelters. Supervision by the police or control by the E.P.S. will be sought by the board. Opossum Robs Trees A walnut tree which usually supplies its Christchurch owner with sufficient nuts to last a year, has been troubled this year by an opossum, and most of the walnts have been eaten. The opossum, which seems to be very tame, sits on the roof of the house and cracks the nuts into the spouting around the house. It has also eaten some apples from a tree in the same garden. Wartime Football A feature which Is adding interest to the Rugby football of the present season is the keen rivalry exhibited among the various sections of the armed forces. Last year there was only the Army team, with Air Force sides in another competition, but this year the Air Force has made the top grade, while there are four Army teams and three of the old civil clubs, kept to the forefront by men of essential industries. As usual, too, there has emerged a volunteer cheer-leader who inspires the playerß of his choice with chant and haka, to the entertainment of less-gifted partisans. Various terms of opprobrium and endearment are also emerging. 'On Saturday the Air Force players became "blue Devils" or "Blue Orchids" among the barrackers, according to feelings of the partisans. Serpentine Rock Serpentine rock, for mixing with superphosphate to form an efficient fertiliser for farm crops, is in unlimited supply in Southland, according to recent investigations made on behalf of the Government. This extensive find has been made in the Mosßburn district, where the serpentine is within seven miles of the railway, and as such has distinct possibilities for use on farms in Southland and Otago. Other serpentine deposits have been known to be In Southland, but this is the first ca . s ?. ' n whl ch the rock has been within workable distance of a railway. Serpentine rock is a magnesium silicate which, when mixed with superphosphate in the proportion of one part of serpentine to three of superphosphate, makes a special form of reverted super. Its use has been confined to the North Island, the supply coming from North Auckland, where the output Is many thousands of tons. Investigation of the Mossburn deposits by State Departments is proceeding.