Enabling phone dialling
Work of installing the automatic telephone apparatus in the Roslyn and South Dunedin stations is being proceeded with. As far as the central exchange, Dowling street, is concerned, it was stated that only a small portion of the apparatus had come to hand. That was being installed. The work is being pushed on as quickly as possible.
Marine lab’s ‘good work’
In reply to a question the Minister of Marine states that the marine hatchery and biological station at Portobello, Dunedin, is performing good work in studying the life histories of the fishes of New Zealand seas, especially in connection with applications from Norway for supplies of Brisling (Norwegian sardines). No definite results have yet been obtained, but there is every reason to believe that success in the naturalisation of English lobster crabs and turbot will attend the efforts in this direction.
More possums needed
A strong defence of the opossum and a plea for its introduction to the forests of the King Country was voiced by Mr H.H. Ostler at a meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. The matter arose in connection with a letter from the Waitomo Acclimatisation Society asking that the opossum be liberated in the district on the ground that it would be a great asset, not only to the district, but a source of revenue to the dominion. Mr Ostler quoted Professor Kirk and other authorities, who had stated that the opossums did no damage whatever to the forests. "There is no reason whatever why we should not be allowed to acclimatise them," he added. "The Wellington Society’s income has been increased by about £2000 a year, paid in royalties on opossums, and I think we should leave no sod unturned until we get them established in the Te Kuiti district, where there are thousands of acres of forest in which they would thrive." In about 20 years’ time, continued Mr Ostler, people would wake up to the fact that the bush was well filled with opossums from the 40 animals liberated about 10 years ago, "which nobody knows anything about." What was wanted was the establishment of a new field with black opossums, which would supply a fine, marketable fur. If the Auckland Society could secure the liberation of some opossums in the district "it would not be long before their little nest-egg came back." Other members spoke in the same strain, and it was decided that a letter should be sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs asking for permission to introduce the opossum. — ODT, 21.11.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
