NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 17, 15 October 1942, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fruit Prices

New Zealand oranges from Tauranga, 160 count, brought from 50/- to 53/6 a case in the Wellington markets yesterday. The price works out at almost 4d. each wholesale. A- small box of 6J dozen passion fruit from Kerikeri brought 26/in open sale, which works out at 4d. each wholesale. One of the features of yesterday's sales was the appearance of an American variety, of grapefruit, very fair in size with smooth bright skin.

Karori Waterworks Reserve. Subject to certain conditions, the Wellington City Council has decided to acquire an area of about 10J acres adjoining the Karori waterworks reserve.

Air Mails. From Monday, October 19, air mans for the South Island and air mails for Auckland will close at the Chief Tost Office, Wellington, at 11.45 a.m. instead of at noon. ,

Bread Zoning Committee. The Wellington City Council has appointed Crs. Knox Gilmer and W. J. Gaudin as its two representatives on the local committee being set up to administer the scheme for the zoning of Wellington bread deliveries. Reputations Undeserved. “Many people have good characters because no one has found them out; there are hundreds and thousands who have a reputation they do not- deserve,” remarked Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court. Wellington, yesterday. “Character is not what a person is. but what people think of him.”

Municipal Milk Sales. During September the milk department of the Wellington City Council sold 9427 gallons of milk a day. an increase of 19.86 per cent, compared with the corresponding month of 1941. Similarly, cream sales were 46,387 pints daily, an increase of 15.21 per cent. During September last 1427 gallons of milk daily were supplied to schools.

A Resolution Rescinded. Six vears ago the Wellington City Council'adopted a resolution that all complaints from employees who are members of the Builders’ and .General Labourers Union and other unions regarding wages and conditions of employment, or any other matters arising from their employment. be referred to the union for investigation. Last night it was decided to rescind this resolution.

Woman Killed. One woman, was killed and another injured when a. motor-car was hit by a train at a Itangiora crossing on Tuesday night. The woman killed was Mrs. Ann Lillian Spencer, wife of the licensee of the Commercial Hotel at Oxford, and the injured womari Mrs. C. Haack, wife of Constable Haack, of Christchurch. Mrs. Haack was the driver of the car.— P.A.

Property Owners’ Obligations. Though the Wellington City Council has decided not to receive applications after Monday next for the repair .ot ehimnevs damagetrby earthquake, it stilr has power to dear with property-owners who refuse to put chimneys in reasonable condition for tenants. This was explained last-night by the mayor, Mr. Hislop, in reply to a question by Cr.-R. L. Macalister, who said that though.'such cases were few, he could cite one;

Orang-outang 111. The only orang-outang in New Zealand, which is in the'Auckland Zoo, has developed a mysterious illness from which she appears to be dying. Several leading doctors have examined the animal, but have been unable to decide •with any certainty what, the trouble is. Treatment is diiiicult, as the animal refuses, to eat very much. Iler death would oe a severe loss, as replacement-would ba impossible now. ’ i ’

Theft of Jewellery. Admitting the' theft- from- lusher and Sou; Whangarei, of -jewellery, Thomas Edward McMahon, (43), Auckland., was yesterday, remanded for sentence at Auckland. McMahon pleaded guilty to smashing the window of the shop and stealing 12 rings, 15 watches, 7 gold lockets, 12 silver neck chains, 6 diamante necklets, and two golden crucifixes. of a total value of £233. From another jeweller. James Parkinson, he stole a display pad containing 23 diamond rings valued at £293. —P.A. A New Fertilizer. Mr. 11. Anderson mentioned at the an-, nual meeting of the New Zealand Golf Association yesterday that he was interested in a company which was manufacturing fertilizer from the horns of cattle, which contained 14 per cent, of nitrogen and 10 per cent, of phosphates. The com-, pany would be glad to present the greens research committee at Palmerston North with a bag of the new fertilizer.. Mr. W. M. Horton, supervisor of the greens re,earch committee, promptly accepted the gift, remarking that the committee had been looking for a fertilizer with such a high nitrogen content.

Milford Track Not Opening. it is announced that because of war conditions and shortage of staff, the Milford track will not be opened during the coming summer. The Milford Sound Hotel, 'however, will be open, and it is possible that parties may make the trip there by the new road if a walking passage is allowed through the Homer luunel, but the lake launch service from Te Anau to Glade House, the inland end of the Milford Track, will not be operated. The track was closed earlier than usual last summer, and it con ' sidercd that in the present circumstances the patronage would justify its being opened.

Grand Jury’s Lost Function. A little-known original function of the grand jury was mentioned by Mr. Justice Fair when he was delivering the charge to the grand jury nt the opening of the Supreme Court sessions in Auckland. In the early stages, he said the object of the system \yas to summon persons of good character in the district, who should not onlv consider the charges brought before them, but who,' as responsible persons, well acquainted with what was going on in the district, should present for trial any additional persons who within their own knowledge had been guilty of; some offence. With the increase of population and the complexity of modern life it was decided that this function should no longer be entrusted to the grand jury.

Conserving Golf Balls. Several proposals for conserving golf balls were put forward at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Golf Association yesterday. Mr. M. Cox (Akarauai said that golfers in South Africa, on reaching the green-, were now being allowed to replace their ball with another one. Mr. H. A. Hanseii (Shandon) said his club had allowed this practice to be followed for some time past. Sir Alexander Roberts said the committee of the Hutt club had recently surveyed its course with a view to cutting out tiger country, where bulls were apt to be lost, and other clubs might with advantage follow this example.

Giant Bird Nest; A brash turkev at the Auckland Zoo has for the past two months been piling up over 50 sacks of leaves into the large mound which it uses for a nest. Brush turkeys are natives of .New South Wales and Queensland, and the male bird does all the work in creating the nest by scraping up leaves with its powerful legs. When the mound, which the birds in their natural state often build as high as Oft., with a circumference of 50ft., reaches the correct temperature, the female turkey deposits its eggs in a hole about, a foot deep, and the parent birds are then absolved from all responsibility. The young birds when hatched are able to fly and to fend for themselves. Judge Once Shipping Clerk. "I was a shipping clerk myself once, so I know something about it," remarked Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court, at Wellington yesterday, when a foreman stevedore was on trial for the theft of or receiving two bolts of suit material. Butter-boxes and whisky cases could be easily identified by anyone, said his Honour when questioning a witness who expressed the opinion that other cases could not be so readily identified. ‘‘You almost made my mouth water, your Honour,” commented Mr. 11. 1. M. Sutherland. Later in the case, the head stevedore of the New Zealand Shipping Company told his Honour that guano was never pillaged, hut spirits was particularly liable to be interfered with. Sometimes quite trifling articles were taken.