LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Senior Scouts The Chief Scout and council of the Boy Scouts' Association, England, has approved a plan to establish senior scOuts aged 15 to 18 years, as a separate section of the complete scout group comprising wolfcubs, scouts, senior scouts and rovers. A senior scout is entitled to wear special insignia. V^ll Increase Penalty In convicting a motorist in the Levin Magistrate's Court yesterday for failing to dip his headlights, Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., observed that it was his considered opinion that in such cases the court would be compelled to increase the penalties, as the percentage of road accidents arising from failure to dip glaring headlights were increasing at too rapid a rate. Cost of Woollen Goods It was officially ascertained in Wellington that there is no ground for the suggestion by the Wellington Woollen Company's chairman that the resumption of wool auctions and the probability of higher realisations, would necessarily mean higher prices for manufactured woollen goods. It was stated that the Government's policy was to ensure that prices did not go up. Another Kookaburra Seen Following a recent announcement that an Australian kookaburra had been seen near Dargaville iast week is a report that another was seen by a party of picnickers on the foreshore between Barrytown and Punakaiki on Monday afternoon. This is probably the first occasion that a visit of one of these birds has been noticed in Westland. There was no doubt about the identity of the bird, which sat calmly on the rock and enabled those who saw it to get a close view. Giving of Turning Signal A point not iuily understood by most motorists was brought out in a case heard in the Levin Court yesterday. It is fhat a motorist who gives a signai and then turns across oncoming or following traffic, without looking to see whether the signal has been observed, is guilty of driving without due care and attention. Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., stressed this point in his summing up. The police comment on the subject was that it was insufficient to make a signal alone; the driver had to make sure it had been observed. Many drivers /were apparently under the "'wroiig iniptes^ion; that; it was sufficient to make :a signal. More Fish Caught , , ... . • Fishery products in the principal classes of a total' value of £780,9.92. were marketed during 1945, accord-j ing to the annual report of the Marine Department, presented in the House of Representatives recently. The total landings of "wet fish" — all the ordinary fishes caught by all methods of sea fishing — showed an increase of 23,536 cwt over the previous year's total of 308,237cwt, while the total value increased by £35,450. The quantity of oysters dredged from the Foveaux Strait increased by 12,089 " sacks, and a decrease of 910 sacks was shown for rock oysters. The crayfish total was up by 2074cwt, but the mussel figur-e showed a decline of 2234 sacks. With the return of those units still on service or undergoing overhaul and reconversion after war service prior to resuming their norrhal callirig, it is felt that the position in regard to fish supplies will rapidly become normal.