Local and General

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1949, Page 4

Local and General

Grass Fires In Otago Large areas of grass land, pastures and hedges were burnt yesterday when two fires broke out at noon, one between Pukeuri Jqnction and Hilderthorpe, in North CRago, the worst in the district's history, and the other at Karitane, about 25 miles north of Dunedin. In each case nearly 100 men were mobilised to fight the flames which were fannedi by strong winds. After a two-hour battle at Pukeuri, the fire-nghters brought the outbreak under control. At' Karitane volunteer worked for four hours before the fire was mastered. At one stage the township itself • was • threatened and three houses on the outskirts were narrowly saved. Vivid Meteor Seen . . While. driving. ...cattle at midday yesterday, Mr. v . 'J. Ddbbin, of Arawhata Road, Oaonui, saw in the south-eastdrn ikM/a -• "lojig, silv.ery, glassy streak with- a luminous tail" travelling swiftly toward him from a height of about 5000 feet. As it disappeared, it "seemed to disin--teg'rate, with spectacular shafts of lighfc ' shooting * upwards.'"' • The president of the New'Plymouth A&-1 tron'omieal Society, Dr. G. Home, .pointed- out that, although it was unusual for a meteor to be seen in daylightr they entered the. atmosphere in the daytime as frequently as at nignt. He added that meteorites travelled so fast that their light teiided' to cause an illusion of a size greater than actuality. Filthy Language Over Phone "One cannot imagine- anything worse than ringing telephones and engaging in filthy conversations with women," said Mr. J. H. Euxford, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court yesterday when Archibald Bernard Stevenson, aged 62, a timber wofker, pleaded guilty to using obscene language over the telephone to a woman who advertised for a lost purse. He was semtenced to three months' imprisonment. Defending counsel said accused h'ad been under great mentai strain and was prepared to enter a mentai hospital as a voluntary patient. Mr. Luxford said he was more cohcerned about the unfortunate women who had received the call. The law had been amended so that an ap-; propriate penalty could be imposed on people who ! engaged in such acts.