LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 12 September 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fruit Trees Blooming An exceptionally mild winter has resulted in fruit trees in Central Otago being considerably further advanced this year than in past seasons. A number of trees are in blossom, and in some orchards in the Roxburgh and Earnscleugh districts frost fighting has already been commenced. Brass Bands' Contest Delayecl A postponement of one week in the holding of the New Zealand brass bands' contest in Wanganui early next year has been made necessary by the shortage _ of accommodation through clashing fixtures. The contest will now be commencing on February 23 and continue till March 1. Firm hotel bookings from February 22 to March 2 have now been made for the visiting bands. Triplet Calves Born A six-year-old grey Jersey cow gave birth to triplet calves on the farm of Mr. H. , N. Dudley, of Mangapiko, Te Awamutu, last week. The calves, two bulls and a heifer, are all alive. Their sire is a pedigree Jersey bull. While unusual, the occurrence of triplet calves is not exceptional, a few cases being reported every year to the Department of Agriculture in Auckland. Passing of Invasion Threat There is still speculation among the public about how long we> were in danger of invasion from Japanese forces during the war. The official view on the subject is given in the Ministry o'f Works report on war-time copstruction presented to Parliament. The report says that by the end of 1942 the Dominion Chiefs of Staff "were able to report that the invasion of New Zealand could no longer be regarded as even a Temote' possibility." Motor Car Crashes 350 Feet A miraculous escape from injury was experienced by the driver of a car which skidded from the Napier - Taupo Road and someTsaulted 350 feet down a steep slope. He was Mr. H. Stossel, of Masterton, and was travelling south from Auckland. After the car had somersaulted end over end to the bottom of the gully, crashing through trees and manuka scrub en ro.ute, Mr. Stossel crawled out uninjured. He was assisted by passing motorists and taken to Napier. War and Publishing "The effects of the war on book production, and especially on books on specialist subjects, are still being felt," stated the Massey Agricultural College librarian in a report to the last meeting of the Board of Governors. "Books are going out of print very rapidly and the older books frequently cannot be obtaincd, either new or secondhand. Consequently there has still been no expenditure of the remaining portion of the Carnegie grant, and additions to this section have been made possible only of gifts." Maternity Home Shortage So acute has become the shortage of maternity accommodation in Auckland that at a meeting of the North Shore Boroughs' Association a resolution was passed urging the immediate adoption of a scheme to use the military hospital at Narrow Neck as a maternity home. Dr. H. Tremewan, assistant medical officer of health at Auckland, said the overcrowding had reached a stage • where the lives and health of the patients were being jeopardised seriously. In oue hospital the bassinets were so close to oue another that they could not be fully extended. Rationing of Tyres Little hope of early relief _ from tyre rationing is held out by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan) in a letter received by the Hawke's Bay Automobile Association. "The provisions of the tyre priority list are, of course, subject to the quantities of tyres allocated monthly to each district," said the Minister. "At the present time, the overall stock position in such that quotas as allocated are insufficient to meet all the claims made upon them, and district controllers are experiencing considerable difficulty in arranging for an equitable distribution of the limited stocks at their disposal. You can appreciate that the number of tyres available under quota to each district is largely governed by the supply position as a whole throughout the country, and in this connection X would point out that no opportunity is being overlooked in an effort to procure sufficient tyres for our requirements."

Fire Attracts Spectators A loud and continuous crackling and popping, accompanied by smoke drew quite a crowd to what they thought would ~b"e" a fire of major proportions yesterday. The noise could be heard in the business area of the town, and specuiatipn as to where the fire was, and whose house. it was burning, was rife. All that was burning however, was a large patch of bamboo in a section being cleared behind Salisbury Street. The explqding bamboo made a noise not unlike that of burning small arms ammunition. The more eager fire watchers: were possibly disappointed in the spectacle, haying expected at least a ho.use to be "going up."