NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1925, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

The use of electricity on farms i« becoming common throughout New Zealand (says an exchange). An interesting experiment in the use of electric current is to lie tried hy a Hauraki Plains farmer. It is recognised that maize ensilage is very slow m heating, and to assist in raising the heat to a proper standard this fanner has conceived the. idea ol utilising electric power. He has induced the ’I hames Valley Bower Board to make an experiment. A metal plate will he provided at the hut topi of the pit and another at the lop. so that the current will he transmitted through the ensilage bringing it up to the desired heat. 'I lie initial outlay will apparently he very costly, but the farmer concerned is willing to provide all eunipment and Lite Bower Board will supply the electricitv free.

Another injustice In .Marlborough! • remarks the •‘Express”). Ihe Dunedin Exhibition authorities have issued a handsome folder dealing with the attraction to tourists of Dunedin in particular anil the Dominion in genet - al. Inch idl'd in tlie folder is a map of New Zealand. Imt the town of Blenheim. capital ol one ol the nine piovinecs. finds no place on it. H, lias been ohsened also that in literature issued hy Ihe Tourist, Department. Blenheim is left oil the map. It may he considered a small thing, hut it probnhly helps t<> account, for the laet that Blenheim, probably the most soliil and prosperous town in New Zealand, and the jumping-off ground for all tours of the South Island, is vaguely regarded hy a. large population of New Zealanders themselves as a sort ol suburb o! Nelson.

\ novel and somewhat startling experience lie fell one of the Carterton howlers who went to the Nelson tourney .states the Carterton paper). On the Saturday night lie dropped, his bowling hat on to the wnshstaml in his bedroom. On Sunday the party went for a motor drive. On returning to. his room “in the dusk ol the twilight , he went to get a drink ol water Horn tho water-bottle on tho wash-stand. Taking hold of the glass, it broke in his hand, and the fragments fell upon his hat. He took hold of that, and to his astonishment grasped only a handlnl of ashes. Investigation followed, and it was seen that the hat had been near the glass water bottle, which had c\ ideiitfv happened, at some time of the day 'to be in a direct line, with the sun’s rays. and. acting as a magnifying glass, had set live to the hat. The heat from the burning lmt had shattered the tumbler, and also burned through the cloth covering the wash-stand, and charred the wood, hut fortunately did not meet with any easily inflammable material, and died out without bursting into flame. Thus another mysterious conflagration was narrowly escaped.