LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1948, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Earthquake Centre The acting director of the Dominion Observatory, Mr. R. C. Hayes, has estimated that the centre of Thursday's earthquake shock was about 70 miles in- -a north-north-west direction from Wellington. Health Stamp Saies Saies of health stamps since the campaign opened on October 1 totalled £98,350, which was £22,145 higher than for . the corresponding period' of the previous year, stated the Postmaster-General (Mr. Hackett) on Thursday. Saies for December amounted to £7858. Nelson Tobacco Harvest This week has seen the start of the tobacco harvesting season in the tobacco- lands .pf Nelson. Some half-dozen' growe'rs , in the .Riwaka district have' alrekdy loaded their flrst kilns for.l948 'and maiiy others intend to start hext week. The harvesting has started a little early this year, due to.earlier planting.

Wasps Reappea/ ' A few wasps' nests have been reported in the Waikato and steps are being taken by officers of the Department of Agriculture to eliminate them. An officer of the department said yesterday that as yet it was too soon to- tell the extent to which the pest would appear this season. Wairarapa Cattle For North An unusually large single lot purchase from a distance — 326 head of "2i-year-old steers — has been made from a big Wairarapa sta- 1 , tion by a Pukekohe buyer who isl having the cattle -Sent to the Dargaville district. A special train will be required. The cattle will be driven approximately 40 miles — a four-day tfek — from the station to the railheqd at Featherston, and it is hoped to truck them on'Monday. Mijk Divisions's Futu're ! Although no Minister or Govern.ment official is yet prepared to admit it, the Government is considering seriously a proposal to amalgamate the Milk Marketing Division into the structure of the Internal Marketing Division. Tied up with this proposal may be the future appointment of a new director of the I.M.D. to succeed Mr. Ross Fraser, who retired some months ago. If the amalgamation ! takes place, the director of the Milk Marketing Division, Mr. H. H. Innes, is being tipped as a strong pos- : sibility for this position. "Incorrigible" "This man apparently is incorrig- ! ible. He started in 1930 and has i built up a formidable list of 50 !. convictions. He came out of . gaol I' last month after serving three j months for theft." So stated Senior ■ Detective O. Power in the Magi- !* strate's Court at Palmerston North | yesterday when Stephen Francis : Llewellyn Neary, aged 47, married, ! unemployed^. of,5 Eckles Avenue, I Auckland, pleaded1 guilty to stealj ing a pair of shoesvvalued at £1 16s, | the property of ■ T. Nicholson, at I Longburn, on January 15. Mr. J. R. j Herd, S.M., imposed a sentence of • six weeks' imprisonment. ! Not "Liquid Sunshine" f The motor trip from Auckland to I 'Napier, via Rotorua and Taupo, j was considered one of the most un- ■ forgettable stages of her present ! world tour, said Mrs. E. M. Hawes, j a Londoner at present visiting Nel- : son. She was thrilled with the sight ! of huge areas of broom and gorse I in bloom. While travelling in a serj vice car between Taupo and Na- ' pier she remarked to a sister who j was accompanying her that it j looked like "liquid sunshine." This j was too mucli for a man, presum- [ ably a farmer, sitting in front of f her, because he turned and re- |. marked: "Pardon me, madam, but 1 it's nothing but a noxious weed."