Motorists With the Forces

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24226, 19 February 1940, Page 6

Motorists With the Forces

A statement that 421 members of the Automobile Association (Auckland) were now on active service was made by the secretary (Mr G. W. Hutchison) at a recent meeting of the council. The total membership of the association now stands at 34,420, and there are 413 members in Fiji.

Chimney Fire A chimney fire at Begg street, St. Kilda, received the attention of the City Fire Brigade at half-past 1 on Saturday morning.

Third Wool Appraisement The third wool appraisement of the 1939-40 season in Dunedin will be commenced in city stores to-morrow morning and should be concluded by Thursday evening. It is expected that about 24,000 bales will be offered in the catalogues of the seven Dunedin selling brokers. More Chinese in Dominion

An interesting feature of external migration figures published in the latest Abstract of Statistics is the increase shown in the number of Chinese included in the arrivals in New Zealand compared with recent years. The increase in the number of Chinese women arriving is particularly large. The total number of Chinese arriving in 1939 was 651, of whom 336 were men (322 in 1938 and 314 in 1937) and 315 were women (101 in 1938 and 46 in 1937). Departures were 96, of whom 86 were men (180 in 1938 and 256 in 1937) and 10 were women (20 in 1938 and 23 in 1937). The excess of arrivals over departures, therefore, was .555, of whom 250 were men (142 in 1938 and 58 in 1937) and 305 were women (81 in 1938 and 23 in 1937).

Petrol Coupons at Premium The Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce last week considered a suggestion that the Government should issue additional coupons for petrol, over and above the ordinary allocation to private motorists, such extra coupons to be bought at a premium. This, it was claimed, would mean additional revenue to the Government. The extra cost of touring would prevent abuse, but would enable a motorist desiring to make a special trip to do so. Arguments for and against the suggestion were advanced, and ultimately it was decided to place the matter before the oil fuel controller for his consideration.

Make-believe in Court Make-believe was used during the hearing of a case before Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court at Auckland in order to show the positions three men took up at a hotel bar. The deputy registrar’s desk was chosen as the bar, with, on his Honor’s suggestion, the deputy registrar in the-posi-tion of barman. The court crier was then called upon to act as one of the men concerned, and, when a witness was finding slight difficulty in placing him in the precise position and attitude adopted by the man he represented, his Honor remarked, “Of course, the constable would not know how to lean on a bar.”,

Unique Glass Dome One of the largest structures of its kind and one that is unique in the southern hemisphere, the glass dome being fitted in the new chief post office at Hamilton, is one of the outstanding features of 'the building, which is rapidly nearing completion. The dome has a diameter of 40ft and a rise of 4ft, and is being made of 1660 heavy eight-inch glass lenses set on welded steel and bound with concrete. It rests on a ring beam, and its value lies in its capacity to give an even distribution of light. The dome is situated over the public office. Nearly five tons of glass are used in the dome, the total weight of which is 23J tons.

Fish Supply Anomaly It was stated at a recent meeting of the Thames Hospital Board that fish could not be bought in Coromandel, although it was being caught there. The Coromandel representative on the board, Mr E, Beeble, said he understood men fishing there had to send the whole of their catches to Auckland. “ It does seem absurd if in a place like Coromandel fish cannot be bought,” said the chairman (Mr P. E. Brenan). It was decided to investigate the matter with a view to having the Coromandel Hospital at least supplied with fresh fish from Coromandel.

A Primitive Plough Coinciding with the Centenary and the interest in the recovery of so many of the old treasures, the first plough to be made on the coast came to the Alexander Museum last week (writes the Wellington Post’s Wanganui correspondent). The plough was made in New Plymouth in 1849 by a Mr Woods for Mr Trewick, who was farming at Kai Iwi, and is of very primitive structure, apparently made with any material available. It has handles, but there was apparently no head to carry a share. An old ploughman who saw it said that it must have broken up the ground, but could hardly plough a furrow. The late Mr John Morgan, of Wanganui, bought it at Mr Trewick’s sale some 60 years ago, and the old plough was used lor many years at “Newton Lees,” in the Wanganui district. This is the second historic plough to be housed at the museum. The other was the first to be imported into the district. It was the property of Mr W. Bell, who farmed Sedgebrook in the 40’s. The constant menace of Maori raids made Mr Bell leave his farm and depart for the Nelson district.

Population Gama A substantial improvement in the natural increase of the European population in New Zealand is shown .by preliminary Dominion totals published in the January Abstract of Statistics. For the year 1939, for the fourth time in succession, the birth rate shows an increase over the previous year. The 1939 rate is the highest recorded since 1930, and the number of births registered is the highest since 1922. The general death rate receded appreciably from the unusually high rate recorded in 1938. The rate of natural increase has accordingly shown a substantial improvement (from 8.22 to 9.54 per 1000 of the population). Infant mortality was exceptionally high in Y)3B. but the 1939 figure indicates a considerable fall. The total of 891 infant deaths for 1939 is 80 below that for 1938, while the preliminary rate of 30.90 is the lowest ever recorded for New Zealand. For the aggregate of the 14 urban areas births numbered 13,795 (as against 12,723 in 1938), deaths 8175 (8453), and deaths of infants upder one year of age 504 (489). The Man and the Prize Bull

A good story is going the rounds In Auckland (says the Star) concerning a young man who suddenly became a farmer when he had no intention of doing so. It all came about through a love of animals and a swift affection for a prize bull. He dropped in at a stock sale in the Auckland district, and, when he “ batted an eyelid ” during the auctioning of the bull, he discovered that he had become the possessor of the sleek, well-proportioned animal. Later in the day he found himself leading his purchase along a country road, with no place to go, as he was a mere city dweller with not the slightest experience in tending bulls or cows. He tethered the bull to a handy post, and confided his position to a brother in the city. The lattdr quickly acquired a lease of a suburban farmlet which had become somewhat neglected, but would provide all that was necessary in the way of sustenance for a bull. The sequel is that the bull purchaser has terminated his city employment and turned his attention to tending the bull and other stock since purchased. With the assistance of his brother mornings and evenings, he has worked the farmlet into good order, and is immensely enjoying his new life.

Fewer Visitors to New Zealand New Zealand’s tourist traffic, which was well maintained up to the end of August, 1939, has suffered severely from the war. In the first eight months last year tourists numbered 8292, an increase of 220 on the total for the corresponding period of 1938, but in the succeeding four months the number was 2201 only, compared with 4816 in the September-December period of the previous year.

Mysterious Disease The beautiful flowering gums which adorn the parks in Perth, West Australia. are threatened with extinction. A mysterious disease reveals its presence by an unnatural thickening of the bole close to the ground. When attacked, the tree is doomed to death withjn two years. Many fine specimens have already been lost, and according to an Aucklander who recently visited Perth, steps are now being taken to check the spread of the pest that is making such havoc with the gums.