NEWS ITEMS

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 56, 11 February 1953, Page 5

NEWS ITEMS

Kgauruhoe on (Show. — A lounch party returning from over the Lake at a late hour one night last week had a fine moonlight view of Ngauruhoe with, a five thousand feet column of smoke mairttained for two hours and lit at initervals by the red glare from lava in thec rater below. Spectacular "shots57 have been seen from Taupo toward and shortly after sunset on several evenings. On several days the volvano was seen to be emitting an ash-Iaden column. ★

N ative Nettle. — A visitor from Auckland reports seeirig a plant new to hian in the igorge through which fthe recently made road rises from Whanganui (Western Bay) to the Sfcate Hydro Road. The plant is a shrub three to four feet high, mueh branched, with woody stem and leaves two to five inehes long, variable in shape with coarse serrations. Both leaves and stalkst are copiously covered with .Jstinging1 hairs* The visitor tmwarily touched the plant, and suffered severe pain, which persisted for over twentyfour hours. The Maori nanie for this tree nettle is Onga-onga and its botanical name is Urtica ferox, the Fierce Nettle. From enquiries made it does not appear to have been seen elsewhere near the Lake. The stinging* sensation it produees will sometimes last for three or four days. ★ People Want Power. — Applications for electrie light and power received by the Town Board now total over two hundred and eightv. The low-tension lines have now been erected on the high-tension power poles through Mere Road. These lines had to be inistalled betfore others for the reason that the danger from the high tension lines is such that power cut-offs were necessitated at intervals, and prior running of these lines reduced the inconvenience of these cuts to a minimum.

★ Potatoes in Boxes. — Mrs J. Well-s, Taupo, has this season tried out the method of growing potatoes in a barrel, or in a box to which successive boards are added, the plants being earthed up periodically as they grow. From three roots Mrs Wells secured 32 potatoes weighing llllbs., all of excellent quality. Most of the potatoes were at the foot of the plants, several grew high up, indicating the probability that greater yield could be secured if the exact procedure followed in Britain as to soil composition, manuring, etc., were known and followed. The anethod is said to be used at Home to secure greater yields of potatoes in a small space. ★

Visit to Ngauruiioe. — A local party motored on FridGay evening to a point on the National Park Road, some distance beyond the Wanganui River bridge, where a Forest Service road branehes from the main road for about a mile into Park. The vocano is only about three miles from the end of this road. Half a dozen ushots,? were seen and heard and though they were not large a scompared with many recent ones they were most iiupressive. After dark the glow of red hot rocks falling on the western slopes was seen after each explosion. The noise of the explosions resembled that of a close clap of thunder, and: was followed by the roar of ejected rocks cannoning down the cone. ★ Stalkers Go South. — Mr K. East and Mr J .Rohinson of Taupo, have left for the South Island for three weeks shooting of Red Dear, Thar and Chamois in the Southern AIps. They will probably

1 — • 1 i go from Queenstown. Dr Cooper from Dunedin who is a meimber of various tramping clubs, will be the leader of the party. Tramping Club Huts in the Alps will be used as headquarters, and photos will be taken. ★ Opossums at Taupo ? A local resident returning to Taupo from Tokaanu on a recent night was surprised to see an opossum cross the troad in the lights of his car between Hamaria and Hatepe. W'hether any have yet become established in the town arrea is not known, but one that had apparently been run over by a car was seen srecently on the roadside between Tau^ po and Wairakei. ★

S.O.S. to All Parents Despite references in our columns to a laa'ge number of children's coats, most of them in good condition, lying unclaimed at the Taupo School, and despite appeals made to the children, the Headmaster reports that most of the articles are still on hand. All parents whose children were at school last year are urged to see if any of their children have lost any of their school clothing. Unless the articles are claimed within a reasonable time they may have to be disposed of. ★ Fire Brigade Galled. — The Taupo Fire Brigade was called on Saturday morning to a fire burning in a heap of timber in rear of Gillies Motors'' engine shed adjacent to the Garage. Mr Norman Ogden had already led a hose to the scene, and the outbreak was quickly extinguished. It is not known how the fire started, for though it was close to the diesel engine exhaust the engine had not been running for several days as the town power is now installed.