General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20495, 14 March 1932, Page 10

General News.

—« — No cases of infantile paralysis were reported on Saturday. The annual Plunket Day appeal, held in New Brighton on Saturday, by the local Sub-Branch of the Christchurch Plunket Society, resulted in the sum of £lO being collected, including promised gifts. The Lytfelton Harbour Board, through its chairman, Captain H. Monro, has endorsed the protest by the Harbours' Association of New Zealand against any action of the Government which would have the effect of pegging the exchange to the detriment of local bodies who have payments, on account of interest and principal, to make in London. "If last year's earthquake had destroyed tho whole of New Zealand tho world would have had a shock—for about 30 days. We have nothing that the world cannot do without. If we are to withstand tho blows of economic crises we should be more self-reliant, and so save our souls in future." —Mr C. L. Itollo, addressing the For New Zealand 'Society on Saturday evening. A tobacconist's shop in Burnsido road, occupied by Mr F. Whiteman, was broken into on Friday night ami goods worth £5 stolen. The panel of the front door was broken open and tobacco and cigarettes taken. Another theft occurred on the same evening, jewellery and clothing, valued at about £2O, being" stolen "from a private house in Hereford street, where someone smashed a window and ransacked every room while the owners were away. The American auxiliary yacht, Vilcehi. owned by Mr Hiram T. Horton, of San Diego, who is on a world tour, arrived in Timaru on Saturday morning, and berthed at the Marine Parade. Mr Horton is accompanied by Mrs Horton and Miss Lee Horton. After visiting friends, Mr and Mrs Pat Laurie, in Timaru, they will go to Stewart Island and Milford Sound.

Oysters will be on. sale again in City shops this morning, following banishment by the fishmongers tor a fortnight, on account of the inferior quality of the first few shipments. The season had not been open, for very long when the Christchurch importers decided, as a protest against the poor condition of supplies arriving from Bluff, 'to cease importation for two weeks. It is estimated that Christchurch people consume 22 tons of oysters a week.

. On. Saturday up to noon the amount collected in City rates was about £2950, and the proportion of rates collected to rates levied was about 40.4(5 per cent., as compared with 40.23 per cent, on the correspondng day last year. The actual amount collected on Friday was £4680 13s 4d, and the proportion was 39.58 per cent., compared with 39.44 per cent, on the corresponding day last year. There are six days and one half day to elapse before the 10 per cent, penalty is imposed.

Officers and many of the 40 cadets on t!--> Federal Line steamer Cornwall, which reached Auckland from London on Thursday, wore white tropical uniforms in place of the usual blue serge. It is unusual for officers of the mercantile marine to continue wearing "whites'' until New Zealand is reached, but tho innovation seemed popular, and many officers on the Cornwall regretted that they would have to return to the dark uniform that morning, when cargo operations were commenced.

"I am getting rather puzzled at these statesments that 'we must iivo' from tho farming community when all that they want except a lew oddments are grown on the premises," said Mr E. C. Levvey, S;M., in the Magistrate's Court at Invercargill on Friday, during the hearing of an application by ,a farmer for relief under the Mortgagors llclief Act. The applicant had stated that ho was operating an account with a mercantilo firm under security, and the account was not drawn to the limit allowed by the company, and sufficient credit was probably obtainable to meet current interest. In reply to a question from the Magistrate whether ho intended to pay the interest with the money available, applicant stated: "We have got to live." Tho Magistrate said thnt living expenses on farm properties where vegetables could be grown and meat was available for household use must be very smalt and the only necessities outside what was grown on tho farm would be bread, tea, and sugar. "I cannot understand why there should be talk of starvation in this country even for the unemployed, when there are thousands of rabbits almost at the back door that could almost be !■ nocked over with a stick," pursued th« Magistrate.

Three stowaways were discovered on the Maunganui shortly after the steamer left Auckland for Sydney last week. The' vessel returned to port to land the ctowaways, but when they were about to be put into a launch to take them ashore the men paid their passage money, and the launch was not needed. Altogether the Maunganui was delayed for an hour. Ten private and Air Force machines left \Vigram Aerodrome on Saturday morning to attend the North Otago Aero Club's pageant held at' Oomaru on Saturday afternoon. There were three, of the Canterbury Aero Club's Moths, two Air Force Hawker Tomtits, a Moth belonging to the Southland Aero Club, Sir Bruce Stewart's Moth, a Rotorua Airways machine, and an Avro Avian from Wellington. Some of the machines returned late on Saturday evening and others yesterday: The heavy swell breaking on the rock of Challenger Island completed the destruction of the Norwegian yacht Teddy, and when the owner, Mr Erling fambs, accompanied by Mr J. H. Frater, vice-commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and other helpers paid a visit to the scene of the wreck on Thursday afternoon in Mr W. J. Reed's launch Katherine R., there was nothing to be seen but a mass of floating wreckage. No time is being lost with the erection of the bells for the Wellington Carillon. Already many of the steel girders, which are to support the bells, have been transferred from the old power-house in Mercer street to Mount Cook, and the bells will be shifted next week. Every bell has an inscription setting forth the identity of the donor, and as these will never be conveniently seen when -once erected, the chairman of the Carillon Society (Mr H. D. Bennett) has advised donors that the only opportunity of taking a photograph of their gift bells will occur this week. Recent robberies from safes have caused a business man in Auckland to adopt a device which he hopes will stand him in good stead should his office be visited by thieves. Plastered over the door of his safe are the printed words: "No cash kept in this safe, only books and papers." He has been informed that this is a common practice in London. Thieves naturally do not believe the notice, he states, but, finding it true, they respect the owner's honesty by not damaging his books. Otherwise, finding a safe without money, thieves arc inclined to bo annoyed and destroy a few papers. The Christchurch St. Patrick's Athletic Sports Association, which i" recent years provided a first-class sports meeting to celebrate this festival, will not hold a meeting this year owing to the general depression that exists. In place of tho adult's meeting, how- , ever, a number of keen enthusiasts, headed by the Reveßond Fathers Timoncy and Browne, have decided to encourage tho young idea by holding a meeting, open to pupils of all Catholic schools in Canterbury. This fixture will be held on Thursday at Lancaster Park, commencing at 12.30 p.m., and huge entries arc assured. Tho Lancaster Park Board of Control has given the free use of the park for tho day, and tnc Canterbury Amateur Athletic Association will supply all tho material necessary for the running of the meeting. Every manufacturer in New Zealand is being asked to saipply to the_ Comptroller of Customs before April loth information .respecting the industry carried on by him during the latest period of twelve months, for which data can be obtained. The information, which will be treated as confidential, will be used for the purpose of formulating a policy to be adoptcci by the Dominion at the Imperial Conference at Ottawa this year. The capital invested in tho business, value or buildings, plant and machinery, number of employees engaged in the production • of each article, production costs, raw material costs, salaries ana wages, are among the headings under which information is requested. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society on the difficulty the fish research committee experiences in maintaining the supply of fish in the rivers, Mr A. E. Hefford, chairman of that committee, said that some fish do better in some rivers than in others, providing the stock is kept up, and also that they show better condition in the warmer water. Trouble had arisen in the past out of the faulty habit of taking fish from one river and putting them into another. Trout was tho only fish that did well practically all over New Zealand. Other fish sought for by the angler had to bo closely studied by the research committee. Fish research, to be done thoroughly and properly, was very arduous work, requiring considerable application and time. Much mathematical calculation was required, as much as that employed in accountancy.

The influence of electric light on plants growing in otherwise dark cellars has engaged the attention of scientists, and some remarkable results have been noticed. There is a peculiar example in the original Waitomo Cave, in the old days one used to wander round by the aid of a candle, and later on magnesium wire was used. Nowadays the cave is lit electrically. The work has been done with judicious attention to sightliness. The globes are fixed to the limestone formation, and round each globe there is a distinct tinge of green on the stone. In most cases it is a mere stain, but at least one instance there are some tiny fronds just sprouting. The explanation is that the seeds, or probably spores, that have become attached to the damp surface of the stone have actually started to grow under the influence of the electric light, and probably the slight airount of heat that such a globe would give off. Tt should be noted that the light is only turned on at the times when visitors are being shown through. If the light were burning;, continuously, no doubt the growth would be more pronounced. To the layman it is astonishing that the seeds should find their way into the labyrinths of the cave. Although there are two openings, it seems very strange that the germ of growth should penetrate to remote parts of the grotto and find a spot where it can start to shown signs of life.

By a boy falling from his bicycle and smashing the glass of a fire alarm, thereby giving the alarm to the Fire Station, the Wanganui Fire Brigade was called out to a false alarm last week.

The Tramway Board strongly objects to tho existence of the Gold Band Taxis as our fares are lower than £ne tram fares. Stop any of the Gold Band Taxis returning to the City with tho sign "Vacant" showing, and give what you like. A recent Court proceeding has compelled us to alter our sign from "Stop Me" to "Vacant," Thank you.

Wo supply parts for every sort and size of plough made; wheels and axles; circular and bar coulters; mouldboards —l6 varieties; bridles; steering rods; racks; riding gear; tractor lifts; beams; legs; drawbars; and frames. Repairs done to any make in quick time. As prices are high, get the old ones repaired and made better than when new. P. and D. Duncan, Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton. —6