Lifeguards enforce dress code

There has been little to complain of in the weather lately, and a fine surf has been running at St Clair. The flags were in position, and the life lines were ready for instant use, but, happily, they were not needed. This seaside club is progressing at a remarkable rate, and large numbers of lady swimmers are also joining up. Just now there is a patch of deep water not far from the beach, and a little beyond it is a bar which bathers would do well to avoid, as there is almost certain to be a nasty current sweeping round it. Although there have been no complaints of late, it has been necessary on one or two occasions for members of committee to warn bathers that their costumes are not exactly what they should be. There are buttons on the shoulder straps, and these are meant to be fastened. Some years ago members of the committee were granted the powers of special constables on the beach, and could, if they saw fit, make arrests. They are still vested in this right. Again, it would be a great pity if the Dominion Board forbade sun bathing, as this constitutes one of the most enjoyable parts of a dip, and it is while sun bathing that bathers are tempted to discard the upper part of their costumes.

Nobody knows

Although girdles are common household articles in Dunedin the reverse seems to be the case in Auckland. A Dunedin lady at present on holiday in the northern city, being desirous of purchasing one, tried many shops without success, and when at last she did find a shop which stocked them the price asked was 12 shillings. The same article may be purchased in Dunedin for about 4s 6d. "Hardly anyone here knows what a girdle is," remarked the lady in a letter to a friend.

Car plates to last only 1 year

No time has been lost in making arrangements for the registration of motor vehicles under the legislation passed towards the end of last session of Parliament. At the outset there was a difficulty in regard to the procuring of a supply of the necessary registration plates. They could not be procured quickly from England, nor could they be manufactured in New Zealand within six months. As a way out of the difficulty it was decided to try California, and the authorities there as a special favour agreed to arrange for the manufacture of the necessary plates for New Zealand and to have them despatched by the Maunganui, sailing from San Francisco on January 28. In all, 90,000 (in duplicate) have been ordered. They will have on them in relief in white on a black ground the letters NZ and the numbers. It will be necessary to change the registration plates every year, and next year the colour will probably be blue. Thus the colour will have a detective effect, for any owner who might endeavour to evade his just annual payments would under the change of colour system be quickly "spotted."

Whare whakairo may come here

London: When the New Zealand Government made a definite statement that the dominion would not participate in the Exhibition next year Mr A.F. Roberts let a contract for the dismantling and packing of the Maori House, Mata-Atua. The contractors soon completed their task, and the house is now ready to be shipped to New Zealand. Mr Roberts considers it advisable to send the house out to New Zealand immediately for erection at the Dunedin Exhibition, if this should meet with the wishes of the authorities there.  — ODT, 8.1.1925

Compiled by Peter Dowden