In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24240, 25 September 1940, Page 6

In the News

Oyster Season Extended

The oyster season has been extended to October 15' In. recent years the season has extended from February 15 to September 30, but advice of the' change was received from Bluff yesterday. The quality of oysters coming to hand is said; to be as good as at any stage of the season.

Higher Mutton Values The highest* price for many years was secured for prime heavy wethers at the Lorneyille Stock sale 1 yesterday, when a peri of fdiir,, offered by Mr J. H. Swale, Riverside, Winton* brought as high as 60/- each. Several other good quality lots of wethers made about 55/-. In the last fortnight mutton values at Lorneville have shown an increase of about 10/- a head. A. week ago mutton prices., showed a rise of from 4/- to 5/- a head,, while at yesterday’s sale a further increase of from 4/- to 6/- a head was recorded. The presence of outside competition was one of the reasons for the sharp rise being shown, as soriie heavy orders for the Bumham inilitary camp, had to be filled.

Display Of Stamps A display of valuable stamps, organized by the Invercargill Philatelic Society, is at present on view in a Tay street .window of H. and J. Smith Ltd. The display includes many rare stamps as Well as a number of first-day covers. The society, which meets regularly, has a mertibership of about 60 and exists solely for the benefit of stamp collectors. The president of the society is Mr A. J. Campbell and Mr P. Atkinson is the secretary.

The Equinox On Monday the sun entered the Zodiacal sign Libra, and thus that was the date of the Equinox. Day and night are of equal length all over the world at the time of the Equinox, hence the name. Nothing particular happens in the heavens at the time, but it is popularly supposed that winds blow with excessive violence, hence the term “equinoctial gales.” Cold meteorological statistics, however, do not support this popular belief that it blows harder at the time of the Equinox than at other times of the year. London Carries On

An encouraging cablegram has been received by the representatives in Christchurch of a London commercial firm. “Notwithstanding the annoyance of enemy bombings, London business is proceeding, almost normally,” states the message. “Advise customers that we are fully able to deliver all orders.’ This .firm has its headquarters close to St Paul’s. Cathedral. Whiskar Losses

Losses of whisky intended for Auckland and other parts of New Zealand have already caused an intensification of restrictions on the sale of spirits in Auckland. Import allocations were reduced by 50 per cent, in the present licensing period. Whether supplies lost can be replaced and delivered within the import period which ends on December 31 is very uncertain, but in any case deliveries would' be too late to assist the best portion of the Christmas demand period, which begins early in October. A pronounced restriction in trade between merchants is reported. Charge Of Brands

Because of a war-imposed shortage of certain types of branding paint, changes have been made in the marks which distinguish different sheep purchased by butchers at Addington market. As each peri is sold, its occupants are dabbed with coloured paints in various combinations, such as yellow on head and rump, and green on the back, or three red dots close together. There are innumerable combinations for different buyers. The red paint is now unobtainable and black has been substituted. The paint is. a special material, which comes off in scouring. Fat cattle are branded with tar in number combinations, but this is not practicable with sheep. German Propaganda

German propaganda in many overseas countries, particularly among those in North and South America, has produced an impression that it was useless sending orders to England, as goods could neither be made there nor shipped, according to statements made in letters received from British manufacturers by Auckland importers. In commenting on the fact that it had suffered a withholding of orders from abroad because of this propaganda, a Bradford, manufacturing firm remarked that it was surprising that the German stories were believed. There was no chance, of course, that Germany would be in a position to stop Britain’s export trade, and there were very large supplies of raw materials in England.