LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 27 February 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waipoua Kauris The whole Waipoua State forest area of 40,000 acres should be set aside as a forest sanctuary. This is the view of the Waipoua Kauri forest preservation committee as expressed in a resolution to be-for-warded to the Commissioner of State Forests, Hon. C. F. Skinner. An earlier resolution urging that 10,000 acres be set aside as a sanctuary has been rescinded. Unable to Handle Two Fires The Auckland Metrop9litan Fire Brigade would have difficulty in finding suflicient men to fight one big fire and would be "completely sunk" if there were two big outbreaks simultaneously. .This was ohe view expressed at a meeting of the Fire Board « when the staff shortage was discussed. Higher pay for unskilled jobs was one reason advanced. ^ Feet! One hundred ?and sixty-three pairs of feet at t&e Ohakune. District High School are to be inspected by offlcers of the Standards Institute in a Dominion-wide survey of feet. Approval for the survey to be held at Ohakune school was given by the .Wanganui Education Board. "I hope the Standards Institute will be able to induce manufacturers ,tp produce two shoes alike," commented Mrs. D. G. Gordon. Abattoir Killings In his monthly report to the Borough Council on Monday night, the abattoir mariager, Mr. F. E. Larsen, reported that 6172 head of stock had been killed comprising 696 cattle, 4891 sheep and lambs, 572 pigs and 116 vealers. From this £1064 13s was derived in fees. During the month nine cows, 11 sheep and 12 pigs had been condemned. No tripes were handled for about three weeks owing' to Mr. J. Malcolm being absent with a poisoned hand, but he was now on duty again. Generally' the work at the abbattoirs was running smoothly and it was hoped- that the electric oig stunner would soon be install; ed. e Appeal to Prejudice "I don't like the usc of the word 'Pommy' or the appeal to the prejudice it contains," said Hon. Mr. Justice Callan in the Auckland Supreme Court when referring to a suggestion that an accused man had been the victim of having stolen goods hidden in his horne for spite by a perspn referred to by accused's__counsel ,as a "Pommy." His Honour said he hoped that in discharging their task as a New Zealand jury, the jurymen would not give way to any foolish illfounded parochial self satisfaction by New Zealanders- in imagining they were morally different _ from kinsfolk in other parts. He did not like any such appeal to national prejudice being made in a New Zealand court. Sea Slug Identifted A Sea slug submitted to the Dominion Museum for identification after it had been found among debris on Ohiro Bay beach with p number of similar slugs, has been found to. be archidoris wellingtonensis, named after Wellington, because it was first found here in 1877. It is exnlained that although it is quite'common in New Zealand, and only in New Zealand, h is seldom seen, although it is ? dweller in shallow water. Its favourite habitat is in rocky placer just below high water mark, but sc well does it disguise itself that nof even seekers of paua and crayfish and small boys after cockabr.llies. notiee it. Only after it has beer torn from its. rocky hideout in 2 storm like Saturday's is it likely t.c he found. its brilliant orange urderside giving it away. If any proof is wanted that t|ie general public is completely unfamiliar with it, it is the fact that it nossesses no other liame than archidoris wellingtonenis,

School Buildings "The' position with regard to school buildings is chaotic, and I ;hirik the best thing we can do is io set up a building sub-committee h go into the matter." stated Mr. W. H. Brown at Tuesday's meectng of the Wanganui Education Board, when the board was discussing applications for new schools. Earlier a committee had been set up to prepare a report on the building programme, and this committee was also asked to discuss the advisability of setting up a 'permanent building committee. Fire Destroys Sawmill Damage estimated at £4000 was caused when. the Kaitaia Timher Company's sawmill was burned early yesterday morning. The Kaitaia Fire Brigade andjnill staff saved £500 worth of timher " stock but approximately another £50.0 worth of timber was burned. The mill was the sole souree of far northefn timher supplies. The lulgade. had to draw water from f'he river snd run out 2000 feet of hose. The timber saved was aimost wholly dressed flooring and weatherboards . for State houses. The insurance on the mill was £1000. The constructiDn of a new electric mill far the company commenced three weeks aga and will now be expedited as, fast as possible.