NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

Quality Of Petrol Expressions of dissatisfaction with, the quality of petrol now being sold led to a discussion which ranged in and out of committee at the monthly meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Otago) this week. Mr. W. J. Melnnes introduced the subject, and several members reported eases of mileages reduced by about .10 per cent, and of engine troubles. “It is as much like kerosene as petrol.” one critic said. The meeting decided to recommend to the South Island Motor Union that it should ask the Government to conduct an investigation with the view of remedying the position. New Public Clock. A new public electric clock has been erected on the northern side of the Courtenay Place (east) reserve by the tramways and electricity department. Its use is primarily for the motor-bus transport services, many of -which commence from a point opposite to where the clock has been erected. A Misnomer? Only 50 per cent, of the land at Tawa Flat available and sutable for housing was flat, said Mr. R. B. Hammond, town planner and consultant of the Housing Department giving evidence before the boundaries commission at Lower Hutt yesterday. New Short-Wave Broadcasts. This week listeners in New Zealand have been hearing short-wave broadcasts from a Japanese station, JZJ, Tokio, on a w’ave-length of 25.42 metres, which is carrying out a series of test transmissions till November 30 nightly from 10.30 till 11.30 -o’clock, New Zealand summer time, in preparation for regular broadcasts iu English during that hour specially for Australia and New Zealand. Bottle-top Swallowed./ After work on a recent afternoon, Mr. Alex Phillips, the well-known King Country Rugby football forward, had an unpleasant (experience when attempting to bite the cap off a bottle. The liquid blew out with such force that the brass cap entered his gullet. Mr. Phillips was taken to a medical officer, who, after an examination, ordered him to the Hamilton Hospital for special treatment for the removal of the cap. Price of Oranges. The high cost of oranges was criticized by members of the Waikato Hospital Board at this week's meetin;.’. Mr. R. Eyre said that growers received about one-eighth of a penny for an orange which cost 3d. or 4d. in Hamilton. It was a matter within the board’s province, as orange juice was a vital necessity for young babies. There was obviously something wrong somewhere. Mr. J. Banks said that it was time the board publicly protested. The whole matter was a disgrace Chinese Superstition. No Chinese in Auckland would think of starting a pakapoo game without referring first to a book of divinations. This information was given by Mr. H. Ah Kew in an address dealing with Chinese religions at. a luncheon held by the Auckland Society of Arts. As a consequence of the influence of Taoism, a book had been evolved based on astrology and other sciences which was freely consulted by Chinese for its predictions, significant dates and other circumstances. There was a parallel to the publication in a well-known English almanac. Killing Black Shags. The Forest and Bird Protection Society has protested to the Department of internal Affairs against the issuing of a permit to kill black shags at Lake Waikaremoana. It complains that there is a comical duality of control over the lake, in that the administration of the area is entrusted to the Tourist and Publicity Department, while the Department of Internal Affairs claims supervision of the fish and bird life. In the society's protest the president. Captain E. V. Sanderson, remarks that war is being sanctioned on a native bird in a sanctuary set apart tor native birds