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Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1938, Page 6

Timaru Airport. Unless delayed by bad weather, the Public Works Department will complete the Timaru airport project towards the end of March. Long Service Record. A Dominion record for length of service on a school committee is claimed by Mr W. P. Spencer, of Canterbury. He has been a member of the Belfast School Committee for fortyone years and chairman for twentyseven years. Fewer Native Birds.

Many species of native birds, '' particularly smaller varieties, are rapidly decreasing in number in Canterbury because of depredations by the harriei hawk and the German owl. Mr F. AV. Pellett, curator-ranger to the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, said that "the owl was causing most damage, and preyed on the small birds both day and night. The owl was breeding rapidly, lie added, and would not easily be exterminated. Heated Crow’s Nest. A minor but interesting point in the construction of the motor-ship Ivaikoura, which has arrived at Auckland on her maiden voyage from Halifax, is ova Scotia, is that the crow’s nest is built on the foremast with an electric radiator. The innovation was introduced on the Queen Mary and has since been adopted by a number of ships trading to parts of the world where cold and foggy weather is commonly encountered. Thefts From Cars at Taupo. Complaints of thefts from cars at Taupo over the Christmas holiday period were contained ill. a letter from the secretary ot the Manawatu Automobile Association received at a meeting of the council of the Auckland association. One motorist complained that he was staying at Taupo on Christmas' Day and parked his car with approximately 12 others. In the morning it was found that all the cars had been broken into, and that 30 or 40 gallons of petrol had been stolen. It was stated that there had been previous instances of similar interference with'cars when there were numbers of tourists on the road. The Auckland association decided to refer the letter to the Commissioner of Police.

Reopening of Schools. All public primary schools in the Wanganui Education Board’s district are to re-open after the summer vacation on Tuesday. February 1. The Palmerston North Girls’ and Boys High Schools reopen on Tuesday, February 8, while the Technical School opens on Monday, February 7. Watersiders at New Plymouth. Waterside labour is to be brought under the bureau system at New Plymouth within a few weeks, and a central pay office is to be established. The scheme, which will be similar to that in operation at Auckland and Wellington is the culmination of discussions over a long period between the employers and employees. Whakarewarewa Activity. ft is now approximately eight months since the famous Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa has given a display, but although the many visitors during the last few weeks have been naturally disappointed at not seeing the geyser in action, there has been much other activity to make their visit to the region interesting. More Play.

The time which it has been customary to allot to physical training at schools should be extended, according to a letter from the Director of Education (Mr N. T. Lambourne) received at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board. Hitherto the time lias not exceeded 15 minutes daily and has, as a rule, been spent exclusively on formal exercises. Vicar On Horseback.

While vicar of St. Paul’s, Murchison, during the last five years, Ilev. tt. W. W. Alexander lias ridden on horseback, in all weathers and temperatures, 16,000 miles and paid over 6000 visits. Altogether in the backblocks of New Zealand he has ridden 28,000 miles on horseback and paid over 11,000 visits. It lias been his mission to reach and cheer the far-out lonely settlers.

Gift To Hospital. The Waikato Hospital Board was advised at its meeting yesterday by the District Public Trustee that an anonymous client had executed a deed of trust providing for a trust fund of £3500, the income from such fund to be paid to the board for the endowwent and support of a bed in the Waikato Hospital. The donor will also meet all expenses incidental to the installation of the bed. Waikato Peat Fires.

Hamilton was enveloped in a thick mantle of smoke on Wednesday. Fires had broken out in the Rultuhia swamp, and the strong westerly wind blew the smoke over the town and surrounding district. The principal outbreak occurred in the scrub on a private road between Itukuhia and IN gall inepouri, and a fire covering a space of over 300 yards in width swept over the swamp. The flames reached a height of 4ft. Other fires occurred in the swamp near Ngahinepouri and Whatawhata. while smaller outbreaks were in evidence at Eureka and Matapgi. Difficulty Over Loan The Central Waikato Electric Powei Board has experienced difficulty in raising £17.500. the balance of the board’s £60,000 1936 reticulation loan. At a meeting of the board considerable correspondence was read front the Treasury and from brokers pointing out the scarcity of loan money at the statutory rate of interest for a satisfactory term. The chairman (Mr T. Hinton)/ said the board was running short of money and . would have an overdraft of £19,000 at the bank when the current month’s accounts were paid. Unless loan money was raised by way of loan or by hypothecating debentures, it would be necessary to curtail the board’s work and put off men. State Housing Ballot. There is no information yet available as to when the State Housing Department intends to conduct the ballot lor the dwellings erected on the West End block at Palmerston North. Though, to outward appearances, many of the houses are complete, there is still some finishing work to be done subsequent to the l laying of footpaths, sewerage, etc. • Good Headway is being made by the contractor in roading the block, and about 20 chains or formation work have been completed on the crescent-shaped link extending from the two corners behind the houses already built on the Cook Street frontage. When this roading is finished, new sections will be available for the third group of houses planned. A start has been made with laying the 90 chains of sewerage required within the block. Bicycle Tour. Two young lads, K. Simpson and E. Watts, have just completed a cycling ; tour of the North Island. They left' l Ngaio after lunch on December 17 with packs up, and travelled via Otaki, Palmerston North, and Feeding, reaching liangiwahia at 10 p.m. on# December 18. They stayed there till over Christmas with friends. Leaving Rangiwahia on December 26 they arrived at Auckland on December 31, having visited Tailiape, Taupo, Cambridge, Hamilton, and Mercer en route. Wherever possible they stayed in motor camps, otherwise by the roadside and cooked their own meals, except for an odd meal in the towns. They left Auckland on January 2, and arrived at Wellington January 11, having travelled through Hamilton, Morrinsville, Rotorua, Taupo, Napier, Waipukurau, Dannevirke, Woodville, Eketaliunn, Masterton, Carterton, Greytown and Featherston.