LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Long Time in Train The appalling ignoranee of Australia and New Zealand among | Americans was noticed by Mr. Guy j Anderson, executive member of thc | ■lustralasian Council of Trade j Unions, who has-returned to 8yd- j ney. He said that an Ameriean | asked him how far New Zealand j •was from Australia. When told 1200 miles, the Ameriean commented: | "That would be a long time in a 1 .rain." Loss of Bees The serious effects on honey j oroduction of arsenical sprays used ! by orchardists, were discussed- ati the annual conference of the Newj Zealand Beekeepers' Assoeiation. j Hawke's Bay delegates stated that I last year was disastrous owing to the poisoning of bees. They urged the conference to press for proteo.ive legislation immediately and stated the whole existence of beej keeping in Hawke's Bay depended on a satisfactory solution. 5 Tn Search of Oil i A party of 31 Americans believed to include geologists, Will arrive at Greymouth next mohth and is : expected to remain three weeks or more. Definite information is unavailable but locally it is believed the yisitors' object is the location of oil deposits in- the Gne'y .district where drilling was done until two years ago by Ameriean oil interests. Since then rumours have continued that the Americans would return but until now have lacked fcundaticn. New Port Line Ships * The delivery dates for five motor ships under construction for the Port Line in Britain, have been announced by the Auckland agents. The first will be the Port Hobart which will be commissioned early next month under the command of Captain T. Kippins, O.B.E., D.S.C. She Will be followed early in September by the Port Wellington commanded by Captaiji W. G. Higgs, O.B.E. The Port Pirie, under5 Captain W. J. Enright, O.B.E., R.N:, will be delivered at the end of this year and the Port Lyttelton, Captain G. W. Hearn, and Port Napier will be commissioned early next year.

Feed Situation in Hawke's Bay •: .. •>$«'. "t&ere areystill =twb months of winter aliead which may- prove hatd, the general feed situation in Hawke's Bay is. not regarded with general favour:"' Though the province made a remarkable recovevy from the drought and stock have done well, much grass has been eaten off and farmers are considering the possibility of a rapid loss if a succession of heavy frosts is experienced. Despite the fact that most applications for subsidised hay have been fulfilled, there is a feeling that there will be insufficient hay in the province to go round. Some farmers may yet find " their own supplementary suppiy position is not as healthy as they anticipated. Many dairy farmers are already finding it extremely difficult to carry on their full herds. Matches Ignite Mail Detecung a smell of phosphorus in the mail room of the chief post office, New Plymouth, on Saturday night, a member of the sorting staff broke cpen a parcel deposited ior mailing and thus averted a possible outbreak of fire. The parcel contained matches which had ignited. The matches had been included in a parcei packed for overseas and handed in to the post oftice for dispatch. Matches are listed in the post and telegraph guide as prohibited articles, and because of their inflammable nature their inclusion in mail matter is treated as a very serious offence. "This is quite a serious matter," the acting chief postmaster, Mr. A. O. Martin, said. "This parcel was warm when it was handled and the fact that the matches did ignite shows t'he dangerous nature of parcels containing them. Not only did this package endanger other parcels, but also the building might have been set ahre or even the hold of the ship carrying the parcel mail." He added that ahyone posting matches was liable to a sentence of up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to £50.