LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 62, 6 December 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Property Purchased, Tbe Colonial Mutual Life Assuranee Society Ltd., bas acquired a site at tbe corner of Eussell and Eastbourne streets, Hastings, and proposes to erect suitable shop and commercial premisos in tbe near futnre. Special Excursions. Two excursion tralns from tbe soutb visited Napier yesterday, one coming from Wellington, and the other from Feilding. Both were well patronisedj and the weather being beautifully fine, the excursionist's spent an enjoyable day visiting places of ■ interest in and around the town. Iusurance Examinations. The following passes were obtained by Hawke's Bay candidates in the life braneh of the examinations recently conducted by the Faculty of Insurance in New Zealand:— C. E. Lee, passes in endorsements, Olaims and Bookkeeping; P. J. O'Hanlon passes in Endorsements, Claims, Mortgages and Bookkeeping. Coloured Moving Pictures. A fascinating hobby of Dr. G. J. Hucker, Profe'ssor of Bacteriology, Cornell University, who is investigating mammitis-control in New Zealand, is the takiri g of coloured moving pictures While in the Dominion he has found time to capture several subjects which have afforded him great satisfactiou — tbe Huka Falls, close-up of keas and an avalancke at Tasman Glacier. Skeleton of Great Auk. A skeleton of a great auk bas been received by tbe Canterbury Museum from tbe Museum of Comparative Zuology, Earvard, America. The skeleton will form a valuable exbibit. Eisberiaezi killed tbe last of tbe great auks, which were tbe nortbern hemisphere countorpart of tbe southern penguins, although a smailer species still existe in Arctic seas. Tbe great auk is similar in mauy ways to the penguin. Glaas on Beacb. Broken glass on tbe Haumoana beaeh resulted in a 12-year-old Hastings boy, Neil Parker, of Ferguson street, receiving a painful cut on tbe foot, neeessitating bis admission to tbe Memorial Hospital for treatment. Tbe boy cut his foot while - swimming at tbe beacb yesterday. Althougb painful. tbe cut is uot very serious, and it is probable that tbe boy will be discharged from the hospital to-day. Tobacco for Babies. A doubtful method of pacifying a baby was described by Mr Alfred Fitch, the American atbletics coacli, when speaking to tbe Wellington Y.M. C.A. Optimis.*'.s ' Chib of bis work in pbysical education in tbe Pbilippine Islands. He and bis colleagues noticed tbat babies were given tobacco lo chev apparently to paeify them, beiure they could walk. One of tbe many difficulties encountered in tbe work wa3 to discourage this practiee. Faster than Nonnandie. While H.M.S. Achilles, flagship on tbe New Zealand station, was steaming up tbe coast last week on ber full power trials, sbe attained a speed of approximately 31 knots. Tbe great speed through tbe water (almost a third again as fast as tbe Awatea on ber record-breaking efforts in tbe Tasman Sea) raised a stern wasb parallel witb tbe vessel's flusb quarter-deek. In practically any mercbant sbip tbe bigb rate of speed would create an unpleasant vibration, but tbat was not noticeable aboard tbe Achilles. Her estimated 31 knots, wbicb was maintained for two hours, was a trifle better than the speed averaged by tbe giant French transatlantic flyer Normandie On both east and west reeord crossings. A Second Dunedin. Everybody is not aware tbat there are two Dunedins in tbe world. Situated on a small landlocked bay about midway up tbe Eastern or Gulf coast of tbe peninsula of Florida, United States, is tbe town of Dunedin, wbicb is only about one-fonrtb tbe size its New Zealand namesake. There is, however, at least ome point of simila'ity, and tbat is in tbe ancestry of the pioneering stock, for tbe Dunedin of America was founded by a party of wandering Scots in 1875. The town face the sunset and the ever-blue waters of tbe Gulf of MexicO, and is one of tbe many popular resorts a'long tbat favoured siiore. Tbe Otago Expansion League has been in communication witb tbe youngef Dunedin, and lntends to develop this connection by furtho» correspondence. Tbe Christmas Mail. Post Office advice about tbe last opportunities of catcbing mails which could be delivered in Britain before Christmas was so well circulated through New Zealand by tbe newepapers tbat the last three deSpatches for this purpose contained a pariicu larly beavy weigbt of mail matter., Tbe Kai'amea from Napier on November, 11 tbe Mai'iposa from Auckland on Nov,ember 15, and tbe Eaugitiki from Napier three days later took between them over 700,000 letters. Tbe heavicst sectidn of tbe despatches was tbat oi' postal paekets, otber than parcels or letters. These amounted to 120,7261b., including many tbousauds of "the penuy rolls," a popular description of a postal concession \Vhieh euables Nel# Zealand periodieals to be sent to Britain by direct steamCr for a penny a copy, witb no Iimitation in respect to lb.- An Air Mail teaching LondOn on Weigbt. Tbe pareel mails totalled 9845 December '22 closes in Napier and Hastings this afternoOn.