Penguin Found in Groper.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 48, 25 January 1938, Page 6

Penguin Found in Groper.

An apparently full-grown penguin, over a foot in height, was extracted from the stomach of a large groper caught by a Blenheim party fishing oft the “mouth of the Awatcre River. Rapid Transport. A letter dispatched by the first New Zealand-United States air mail service, inaugurated by the Samoan Clipper on January 2, returned yesterday to a Wellington resident after being caried right through to America.. Its journey from AucKlaud to Sail Francisco and back occupied 19 days. Electric Railway. The first electric locomotive for the Wellington-Tawa Flat-Paekakariki service was shipped from England on January 1, as was also the first motorcoach with trailer for the Wellington Johnsonville electrified line. 'these units are expected in New Zealand about the middle of February. The other electric locomotives for the Wel-lington-Paekakariki section are being constructed at the Hutt' Valley workshops. Farriers Needed. The Wairarapa is threatened with a shortage of farriers, according to remarks made at a meeting of the Wairarapa provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr A. P. O’Shea, Dominion secretary, who attended the meeting, explained that the Government was anxious to know the position which existed in the various districts, and that a subsidy .scheme would be introduced if it were warranted. Tasman Memorial. ' Following a suggestion made by Mr J. If. Kent at a meeting of Greymouth local body representatives yesterday it was decided that a memorial cairn be erected during* the forthcoming centennial celebrations to commemorate the first sighting of New Zealand by Abel Tasman on December 16, 1642, states a Press Association message. The memorial will take the form of a large cairn and probably will be erected on the Panama Ranges, a short distance from Greymouth. It ivm these low ranges, two. miles inland, that Tasman first sighted on his New Zealand visit. Houses for Pahiatua.

A visit was paid yesterday to Pahiatua by the Umler-Secretary in charge of the Housing Department (Mr J. A. Lee), who was accompanied by Mr A. Tyndall, Director of Housing Construction. Mr Lee was introduced by Sir Alfred Ransom, member for the district, to the Mayor (Mr J. D. Wilson). They visited the land recently purchased by the State. After, inspecting the sites Mr Lee informed Mr Wilson that tenders would be called for 12 houses to be constructed in; Pahiatua, and subject to reasonable prices being submitted' the houses' would be built forthwith. Messrs Lee and Tyndall later proceeded to Wood- j villo and Dannevirke.

' Burns Anniversary. To-jay is the anniversary of the birth of the great Scottish, poet, liobert Burns. He was born on January. 25, 175!), at Alloway, Ayrshire, and died at Dumfries on July 21, 1796. | Placement Service. i During the week ended January 22 1 42 positions were filled by the State Placement Service in Palmerston ; North, bringing the total since April 1 to 1366. ■ The Dominion total is now 35,915. Expresses Delayed. | The Main Trunk express was ten minutes late in arriving at Palmerston North this morning and the Limited express, arriving usually at 6.55 a.m., did not reach this centre until 7.39 I a.m., 44 minutes behind schedule. The ! cause of the delay was stated to be in the northern section of the line. Narrow Escape. A Ruakituri farmer, Mr AY. Berry, and his daughter miraculously escaped death when a car which Miss Berry was driving crashed through a fence near Te Reinga, fell 25ft. and came to rest overhanging a 75ft. drop into a ravine. Tho accident occurred after tho vehicle had left a bridge about two miles south of Te Reinga. The Tararuas Fire. No estimate has been made yet by the State Forest Service of the damage caused by the bush fire in the southern Tararua mountains at the week-end. While the fire was burning the smoke prevented an. inspection and since the fire was put out by the rain the weather has been too bad for rangers to survey the area. Housing Shortage. That the house shortage in Te Awamutu is becoming increasingly acute is illustrated by the number of people camping at Selwyn Park. A total of not less than 88 people, including 19 married couples with their families have been forced to reside in tins camping ground more or less indefinitely, through lack of accommodation in Te Awamutu. Stung in Throat, A bee flew into the momentarily open mouth of a motor-cyclist driving aiong the Waterfront Road at Auckland stung him in the throat, and amazingly escaped. At least, its victim thinks it did. The motor-cyclist was talking to his pillion passenger at the time. He hurried to the St. John Ambulance station, where an officer removed the sting with forceps. The man’s throat was not badly affected, although it had begun to swell by the time the sting was extracted. Cyclist Injured. Mr William Robb,, of Waldegrave Street, was admitted to the Hospital last evening as the result of injuries sustained while cycling in Main Street. Mr Robb ivas involved in a collision with a motor-cycle ridden by Ernest Charles Allen, who resides at the Fire Brigade station, and he sustained injuries to his head which rendered him unconscious and necessitated the insertion of eight stitches. He regained consciousness later in the evening and his condition to-day is satisfactory. The rider of the motor-cycle was unhurt. Electric Bulb Reveals Body. A drowning fatality at Pomahaka revealed at the inquiry before the Coroner incidents which may prove of interest and benefit should similar circumstances arise. A well-organised party had been searching and dragging the river for about 30 hours without avail when Mr Forrest, of Clinton, a motor-garage proprietor, met Constable McCormick and stated that he was going out to assist the searching operations. Mr Forrest (tho Mataura Ensign says) had arranged an electric light device by means of which he conld search the bed of the river. He had with him several electric batteries, and the one first dropped in the water, a 12-volt, showed h certain depth. It was then decided that a 14-volt battery •should be tried. This was weighted, let down, and the bulb, of course, protected. The whole outfit ivas carried in a boat. The electric bulb showed at 22 feet a good light of about five feet radius. After a few minutes the body was sighted in a hole five feet below tlie ordinarv river bed level. The spot bad been dra rr O'od over several times, and it was a melancholy satisfaction to have recovered the body in a few minutes after the application of the electric light bulb.