Victorians open tour

Wallace (Victoria) delivers to Worker (Otago) in the intercolonial cricket match at Dunedin. — Otago Witness, 3.3.1925

The first Victorian team to play in New Zealand opened its tour at Dunedin yesterday with a match against an Otago eleven. Heavy rain had commenced to fall at 7 o’clock in the morning, but it cleared off about 11 o’clock. The weather then became warm, but —the sky was overcast. It had been decided to start play at noon, but the ground was not in a condition to commence at that time. The caretaker, Mr A. Ross, and a band of willing helpers worked hard in improving the ground round the wicket, and it soon

showed an improvement. As was only to be expected, the outfield was also a little on the slow side. It was, however, decided to make a start at 2 o’clock. Mayne, the Victorian captain, won the toss and in a sporting spirit asked the Otago captain what he wanted them to do — would it be better if the visitors batted on the Saturday? It was decided that the Otago team should go in first.

Not for sale

One of the library books, entitled ‘‘Chairman’s handbook,’’ which was missing at the stocktaking of 1918, was recently recovered in a secondhand shop. The dealer explained that he had purchased it in a bundle of books and returned it to the library. The library committee states that secondhand dealers should note particularly that the Public Library has never sold any volumes from its stock, and that no person is, therefore, entitled to retain or dispose of any library book

Local dialling on the way

A start has been made on the installation of the automatic telephone apparatus in the Dowling street exchange. The installation work at the Roslyn and South Dunedin exchanges is well in hand, and the fact that a start has been made in the Central Exchange is gratifying. The apparatus is coming to hand from England at regular intervals, but at present nothing definite in regard to the completion of the work or the date of the cut-over can be given.

Radiation source arrives

A quantity of radium, consisting of 100 milligrammes, valued at about £1700, has been received from Belgium by the Dunedin Hospital. It arrived in a specially prepared box about 4 inches by 2in, and contained in several small receptacles about the size of gramophone needles. A sub-committee has been appointed by the Otago Hospital Board to report on the advisability of sending the ashes containing the radium which was recently lost to the manufacturers to have the mineral recovered.

Waitaki Boys’ to host farmers

Mr F. Milner, rector of the Waitaki Boys’ High School, waited upon the executive of the Farmers' Union at Oamaru yesterday to offer the school for a farm school in North Otago. Mr Cockayne, officer in charge Fields Division, Department of Agriculture, had told him that if the Waitaki High School buildings were placed at the disposal of the department, this would settle the matter. The Board of Governors had also decided to place the buildings and grounds at the disposal of the department. Mr Cockayne had assured him that if a Farm School was held in Oamaru a number of lecturers would be obtained for the occasion.

Parking crackdown

Many drivers of motor vehicles have not yet taken steps to comply with the regulations requiring their cars to be left unattended only at the authorised parking places. The traffic inspectors have been instructed that the regulations be strictly observed. — ODT, 21.2.1925

Compiled by Peter Dowden