Running their own race

The New Zealand championships were favoured with fine weather, and in consequence two large attendances were recorded. On Saturday particularly a large crowd assembled to see the championship in which Rose was the principal attraction. The conditions on the first day were ideal, there being no sun and practically no wind. There was a bright sun on the second day, but quite a strong breeze from the harbour prevented fast times from being recorded. The spectators were pleased with R.A. Rose who was given a rousing reception. In view of his tour, his performances were closely watched. The three mile championship was won by Rose, but only by a couple of yards. The general impression was that he took things too easily in the early laps. No doubt the fact that he had not run a three miles for some time also had something to do with it. Nevertheless Nalder must be commended for his surprisingly good run.  In the mile championship Rose early went to the front, and ran his own race, to win very easily in 4min 28sec. 

Solemnity maintained

At last night’s meeting of the City Council application was made by the New Zealand Picture Supplies for permission to give picture entertainments on Good Friday at the Empire, Queens, Everybody’s, Grand, Plaza and King Edward Theatres. Cr Scott moved that the request be granted. He said it seemed to him that it was right that people should have the opportunity, if they wished, to go to these entertainments to doze. The Exhibition would be open on that day. The council, of course, had the right to see that the films to be shown at the theatres were of a suitable class. He thought the council would  be well advised to accede to the request. The motion, which was seconded by Cr Douglas, lost by a large majority.

Kākāriki or rosellas?

A party motoring over the Leith Valley road to Dunedin recently was surprised, when about two miles from Waitati, to come across a flock of parakeets (says our Palmerston correspondent). Inquiries elicited the information that, since the plague of these birds some 30-odd years ago, there has always been an occasional one about the district.

Yanks taking rare birds

The New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society merits sympathy in the protest which was made by it against the granting of permission to an American expedition to collect specimens of birds from the seas and islands surrounding the Dominion. 

The American expedition was given authority to take as many as 546 specimens, representing ninety different species, some of which are known to be extremely rare. 

Why the Department of Internal Affairs should have shown such readiness to further the desire of American museums to stock their shelves with specimens of birds peculiar to this part of the world is the less intelligible in view of the fact that the indigenous bird life of New Zealand has already suffered terribly from lack of adequate protection.

If the American Museum authorities have a notion that the indigenous birds of New Zealand are doomed to extinction, that is no reason why they should actually be encouraged to take a hand in bringing about a result so deplorable. The Department of Internal Affairs cannot afford to be generous in such a matter. — editorial — ODT, 25.3.1926