NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 101, 23 January 1935, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

City Gorse Fires A series of gorse and grass fires, such as have become of almost daily occurrence in Wellington on dry days this summer, occurred again yesterday, the fire brigade receiving eight or nine calls. The largest in extent was at Khandallah, on the hillside above the harbour. It started about 9a m. north of the railway construction camp ia Mandalay Terrace, and, burning throughout the day, covered an area down to the Hutt Road and from Onslow Road to the city boundary, near Ngahauranga. The brigade was called at 4.28 p.m., when there was a possibility of the flames reaching some houses in Homebush Avenue. During the clay the brigade extinguished fires at the fever hospital, at Barnard Street, Wadestown, at Hutchison Road, Newtown, at Mersey Street, Island Bay, and near the gates of the Botanical Gardens. At 3.55 there was an outbreak at 120 Hobart Street, 'Miramar, where minor damage was done to the weather boarding of a six-roomed, wooden house. Cyclist’s Progress. I>. G. Lukey, the Canterbury cyclist who left Auckland on Friday on his return ride to Wellington, was at Awakiuo at 4.20 p.m. yesterday. “Been battling against strong winds, rough roads and hills for last 50 miles,” he said in a telegram. “Feeling fit, but progress slow because of wind.” Gun Practice. I’ractice with the guns at Fort Dorset over an area at the heads will be held this week, and the public is being Warned. The guns will be fired to-day between 1.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., tomorrow between 1.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m., on Friday between 1.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., and on Saturday between 8.30 a.m. and noon. New Zealand Cordage. Ropes and cordage made from hemp grown in New Zealand are in future to bo used by the Port of Loudon Authority in the London Docks. Experiments recently carried out have proved that heaving lines, small bring-ing-up ropes and halyards manufactured from New Zealand hemp are quite satisfactory, the average breaking strain being equal to that of ropes maiiufactured from hemp grown ill foreign countries. Diminutive Bible. A diminutive copy of the Bible has been brought to light by Mr. A. H. Andrews, of BrlghtWater, Nelson. It Is a complete copy of the Scriptures, with Illustrations, whose measurements are IJin. long, liu. wide and jin. thick. This tiny volume was bought In Christchurch nearly 32 years ago. It is believed by the owner to be the only one to be sent to New Zealand out of an edition of five printed in England. The Bible is well bound, and can be read with the naked eye, but more easily with the small reading- glass contained in the cover. An Unusual Rescue. An unusual call on members of the surf club at Plha, Auckland, was made on Sunday morning, when they were required to rescue a youth front a perilous position on Lion Rock, about 60ft. from the base. The youth, who had been trying to climb to the top of the rock, was unable to proceed after he had reached a point about 60ft. from the bottom, and also found it impossible to descend. Members of the surf club climbed up near him, however, and assisted him down to the beach, which he reached safely. Destruction of Trees. In recent years thousands of trees have been planted on the north-western boundary of the Oftkleigh Estate, between Rakaia and Soutlibri'lge. These, together with a large number planted by the Selwyn Plantations Board on a wide strip of land running from O’Boyle’s corner, toward KilHnchy, promised to be of great benefit to a large area of country in serving as a break to the north-west gales which periodically sweep this section of the plains. The prolonged spell of dry weather has had a disastrous effect upon these trees, particularly those on the Oakleigh Estate, a very large proportion having died since the middle of December. Tho four-year-old trees, which seemed to be well established, and which withstood the long dry spell of a year ago. have suffered very badly, many thousands haring died.