GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1926, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The official opening of the Tinjaru Golf Chib’s season will take place at the Highfield links on Saturday next, when friepds of members are invited to be present.

Tlie re-issuing of drivers’ licenses for the year 1926-27 is- proceeding steadily at the Borough Council Chambers. Last year 1800 licenses' were issued, but up to the present, only 903 have been ro-issued for the ensuing year.

On inquiry at the Timaru Public Hospital last night, it was learned that although still seriously' ill, Douglas Christio, who was injured .in a motor accident recently, is progressing as well as can bo expected, his condition being well maintained. -

It may be supposed that when th® Exhibition revenues are classified next month the scenic railway! will be found with a very high total. On Saturday last it collected £550, and unofficially it said to have taken over £13,000 tirce the opening. ... ...

Nelson orchardists to-date have 6ent over a quarter of a million cases.,of, fruit to Wellington for export, ’ the figures being 258,000 cases. The huge Stunner crops have not yet been picked. The total for the season: will be in the vicinity of 500,000 cases. ,

Tiio sunshine, .record taken by Mr D. N. Harper at' the -Timafu Park; > shows' that 127 hours 6 minutes of sunshine were recorded during the montli jifst concluded. The average, including six sunless days, works; out." at 4 hours 7 minutes per day.

Tjbo Crown Law Office has decided that both Mr James McCombs and Mr M. E. Lyons are ynt tled to receive Parliamentary honoraria as from the date of th« General Elections, Mr Lyons’s honorarium to ceoi'e at' the date of the Electoral Court’s decision.

Probates, in. the undermentioned estates have- been -granted at the Timaru Supreme Court: —John Kyne, Terauka; Anna Kezia- Hayes, AVnimate; Cristina Taylor, Ashburton;. J ohu Cowen, Flemington; Margaret Sugnue, Belfickl; Arthur Frederick Hookway, Upper Waitoiii; William Garland Chapman* Hinds ; and , Robert Skintjer, Timaru. . ,

An excellent concert was given in the Pleasaut. A'alley Hall, .oh behalf, of tli j library queen. Musical items were given by Mrs Sharp?, Misses Gimson,' Williamson and Gillies; Messrs AVliite, Cowie, Knight, aiid Knibb. Mrs Hayward gave an Irish recitation splendidly, and had to respond to a recall. A bounteous supper, given by the ladies of the A’alley, was partaken of, after which a dance was hold. Music for this was supplied by Mrs C. Gregor.

On Tuesday night,- the Hansard Orchestra visited the Old : People’s Home, and gave a .varied and comprehensive programme, which was well received, encores being frequent. The orchestral programme was supplemented by a cornet solo played by Mr C. Matthews, a piano seleotion by Miss Edna A’ucetich, and . a concerted number by the Hansard-AVilliams trio. The visitors were accorded a. hearty vote, of thanks, which was acknowledged by All- G, A, Hansard. A word of thanks is due to Messrs Gould and Co., who gratiuously carried the instruments for the performers.

, A strong protest was made by the council of the New Zealand Forestry League at its last meeting against the granting, of, .permits to the AVhitney Bird, Collecting Expedition., and it was fesolved : “That this League i;egrets to learn that a. warrant was issued to. tlie AVhitney Collecting Expedition authorising such an extraordinary number; of birds tb be taken, some species .of which are numerous, others lure, apd others again! almost, if not quite, extinct. The League is convinced that ' Nwv Zealand cannot supply the world’s museums with specimens, and such being the case, no permit whatever should bo granted,, except under exceptional circumstnaces, and even then the bird* should b 0... taken by Government officers, at the cost of the applicant. A definite rule should be, laid down that no permit will be given under any, circumstances to take birds which are known, to be nearing extinction.” ,

A ' gigantic vTadmill,. with air-vanes 300 ft. long, which will generate electricity at 2 per. cent.' of the present cost, is‘noiv under construction near Leipzig, in Germany. A massive .steel tower, 2000 ft high, will support the revolving wheel of 600 ft. diameter, which ca fries tile air-vanes. Tlie average velocity of the wind in tiio vicinity of Leipzig is estimated io revolve the windmill .at a speed of 250 revolutions per minute, and at this speed each gigantic airblade will develop 1700 horse-power. Tiio. windmill tower will also he used as a radio-broadcasting and receiving station, and an interesting- novelty is contemplated in the, form of a. restaurant built half-way. up the steel tower, KOOft from the ground. The cost of construction is placed at £60,000, and there are .practically qo ruuninrr espouses. An<” -r-'otm windmill is to be erected near Berlin if tlie experiment is successful.

Alotion picture producers at Hollywood are perplexed by the fact that while the public will pay money to read a dead man’s book, see a dead tnaiPs plays, or hear a. dead man’s music, it invariably .spurns tlie acting of a film star who has died. AVlien one of the most popular comedians of early “movie” days died during the height of his fame, it was accepted as a foregone conclusion by officials of tlie company that had “featured” him that fils -death was an opportunity to demonstrate. a movie miracle —the power in the films to mako a man live beyond tlie grave, as lifelike to the spectators as if lie had never died. But the public dropped him. The company found his pictures were a drug on the market. Ho was dead, and him .enthusiasts declined to pay money to see ; tlie shadow of a- man scarcely anv of them had seen in tlie flesh. That was an early instance of a truth winch later experience lias confirmed over and over again.

A Press Association message from Blenheim says that a. man walked into the “Express” office yesterday morning end electrified a. reporter by dumping on the desk £6OO worth of gold. The visitor "wris AV. Harrison, «i wcll-Jcnown mining expert, and the gold was _the proceeds of, ten days’ work, by four men, at the Dominion Consolidated Mine, AVakamarina, formerly known as Golden Bar. Mr Harrison and three •c;'fcher practical miners arc working the mine on the co-operative basis, and they washed up.. yesterday, after ten days’ work, during which they mined, drilled and treated ISO tons of quartz, for a return in bullion of 15/ ounces of melted gold, vauled at just £6OO. This is equal to 11 divts. per ton. In addition, they secured from ore a ton of schorlite valued at £6O, which will just nav the expenses of mining, leaving £6OO worth of gold as profit. The quartz was obtained by means of tunnels, in the hillside,' and later, a shaft may be put down to connect up the. various levels. Mr Harrison is confident that lie will return a still bigger vield at the next wash-up. Incidentally he is a (inn believer in the future of ‘ the AVakamorina. field. if prnnei'lv worked, and lie savs there is still plenty of alluvial gold in the river, where ho washed un ten ounces during the Christmas holidays.

Ferrets used for rabbiting purposes may have their .good,use, butlocal resident residing hear Arthur Street, last evening had an unpleasant experience, when two valuable pullets were lost through the unwelcome attention of a ferret'.

The opening meet of the - South Canterbury Hunt will, be, held on Saturday next at the master’s residence. “Pentlow,” Levels Valley. The master (Mr C. L, Orbell I extendi a hearty welcome to all Jarmeri irt, the' district to he present, afid so,make the opening meet successful.

The secretary of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has received word that the Shooting season for native game in South, Canterbury. will open on May 1, and will extend over three months. . Grey duck, black swan, teal, Spoonbill duck are the birds which sportsmen will be allowed to shoot during May, June-and July, and it will be permis-, sible to shpot paradise ducks in the Mackenzie Country, for fourteen days from May 1.

•A .telegram .from Christchurchsays that the crew of the steamer Crossbill was released, from prison last evening, they, having, agreed to return, under the .' . conditions set down in writing .by the; master. These were to the effect that the charter to the Pacific Islands has been cancelled, and that the men would receive „a bonus of £5 for short food received on tlie voyage from Adelaide to Ocean Island.,, Tlie vessfel will load for Home, the men, to, receive' the same'rate of pay as previously.

Olio of the factors responsible for the spread of borers in New,; Zealand .(states‘ Air Aliller, Gpvoi'ninent entomologist) is .the practice of utilising timber from condemned buildings , for. construction or firewood." It-should be ; the duty of all sawmillers and timber merchants, as >yell as owners of-wooden buildings,, to', prevent the accumulation of disused timber about their premises.; such timber- harbours borers; is,- a, constant., source of infestation, .and should be destroyed. Since timber is more often- attacked in.„ ill-ventilated situations, buildings , should : . be. - constructed to allow the maximum circu-lation-.of .air. Further, timber should be stacked in such a -way. as to give access to as much air .and, light as possible. Tlie use of as much heart wood as possible and the avoidance of soft woods, such, as white pine, reduces chances of borer attack. , The treatment of wood, even sap-wood, with creosote will prevent not only borer attack,, but. decay; .it has been .found that when creosote is applied warm its presfervative.. powers have stood for 2o years.