NEWS OF THE DAY.

Visiting Athletes. At Sturges Park last evening the visiting Japanese athletes were besieged by the small fry of the district in quest of autographs. The Japanese made no demur at the onslaught, and it was only when his fountain pen had run dry that one of the visitors waved the admiring crowd away.

Housing of Maoris. In pursuance of the Government's policy of improving the condition of Maoris, a thorough survey of their housing is being made. -Maoris of the Thames district have enlisted the co-operation of Mr. J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, who is superintending the preparation of a report on the housing and general conditions in his electorate.

Paeroa Boat Service. Due to the falling-off in the passenger trade, the Auckland-Paeroa steamer Taniwha may be withdrawn from the service in the near future and replaced by a steel-hulled auxiliary vessel which the Northern Steamship Company has at Auckland. Due to the shoaling of the berthage at Paeroa some inconvenience is now being experienced in loading the Taniwha. The low tide depth is about 4ft 6in, and when fully laden the steamer draws 7ft. As a result it has been found necessary to move the steamer to an adjoining landing place for reception of the final lots of cargo from the Te Aroha barge. The berthage is to be dredged in the near future by a P.W.D. dredge which is now being got ready.

Remains of Squid? A mass of flesh, Lift long T>y Oft wide, estimated to weigh several hundredweight, which was found embedded in the sand inside the South Head at Kaipara Harbour last wee'*, is believed to be the herd of a giant squid, a relative of the octopus, which grows to enormous size in the deepest parts of the sea. The flesh is white, fibrous and very toagh, and there are no bones in it. Messrs. E. G. Turbott, assistant zoologist at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, C. A. Fleming and R. Waddell examined the find last week, and a further examination is to be made within a few days, when it is hoped to turn the mass over, with the aid of a team of horses, and extract, if it is there, the parrot-like beak, which is the only hard part of the squid. Squids 30ft long have been washed ashore at Lyall Bay, Wellington, while one washed ashore at Miami, Florida, -was 60ft long.

Cost of Living. That there had been any great increase in the cost of living was denied by Mr. James Thorn, M.P. for Thames, in an address to farmers at Hikutaia. Quoting from the "Abstract of Statistics," Mr. Thorn showed that in November, 1933, when the Labour Government took office, the cost of living figures over the whole Dominion were 35.8 per cent above the July, 1914, level, and in November last the increase over 1914 had only risen to 40.3 per cent. The increase of 4| per cent since Labour took office would not have been so great had farmers not been getting higher prices for what they were selling, particularly for dairy produce and meat.

Old Engines. The old 'JVestern Springs pumping station may in time become a museum of mechanical relics and models. This likelihood is embodied in a recommendation adopted by the Auckland City Council last night. Mr. J. Gaddis, writing with-regard to the proposed dismantling of the old beam engine at Western Springs, suggested that, with a view to its preservation, the station might be converted into a place where other mechanical relics could be exhibited. The of- the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers stated in a letter that members of his society .-and-of other engineering institutions had visited the site, and asked for.consideration of a proposal to retain the plant; The • public services committee reported that a deputation from the society had waited on it, suggesting that one of the engines and a boiler be retained to form the nucleus of a museum which would be of great value to engineering students and, of interest to the public. Professor S. £. Lamb, of Auckland University College, bad stated that if the council decided to go on with the proposal he would suggest that a small body of engineers should be set up to see if other engines could be obtained from England to add to the museum. The committee had visited the plant, am! it recommended last night that the engine should be retained and suitable provision made from time to time for the conversion of the building into a museum for mechanical relics and models.

Invalidity Pensions. Pensioners in New Zealand have increased by between 15,000 and 10,000 in the three or four months since the amended pensions legislation appeared on the Statute Book, stated Mr. J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, in an address to farmers at Hikutaia. A considerable number of these pensioners are chronic invalids, and by the end of this year between 8000 and 9000 such persons will be receiving pensions. Kecently he had visited Thames and Waihi with the Commissioner of Pensions, and 120 men and women who were in trouble about pensions had been interviewed. He had been amazed at the percentage of chronic invalids, and had been grateful to hear quite a number told by the Commissioner tnat Uiey would get the invalidity pension. The legislation would clear away a terrible burden of anxiety suffered by thousands of men and women who are too weak to battle for themselves.

Tamaki Drive? Signs are to be erected on the waterfront roa* bearing the words "Tamaki Drive," according to a decision recorded at last night's meeting of the City Council. The city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, was instructed to place "adequate feigns at suitable intervals." This action was the outcome of a letter received bv the council calling attention to the fact tha't Tamaki Drive was generally referred to as the Waterfront Road and suggesting signposts "to encourage the use of the correct name." Taxi Requirements. A suggestion by way or a question was made by Sir George Richardson at last night's City Council meeting. It was to the effect that the council should take over the taxi telephone system and centralise it in the Town Hall with the object of giving better service to the public. air George said that the adoption of the proposal would give the council and the public an idea of the number of taxis necessary to the requirements of the city. Refuse Receptacles. The chief sanitary inspector reported to the City Council last night that many of the refuse receptacles in the residential area of the city were in au insanitary condition, and that the position in this regard was getting worse. On his recommendation it was decided to enforce the sections of the by-laws makim* it necessary for the receptacles to be of a standard type and that when put out for removal of the rubbish they should be plated within 10ft of the gateway or entrance from the street. Thi* means that receptacles will not be placed on the footpaths or roadway as at present. Cinderella's Slipper. Was Cinderella's slipper" ma<le of glass, as according to the popular story, or was it made so by a printer's error ? According to Mr. C. R. H. Taylor, assistant librarian at the Turnbull Library, Wellington, who spoke on several mistakes occurring in children's fairy tales at the New Zealand Library Association's conference, the original slipper was made of squirrel skin. Mr. Taylor said that the tale was originally written in French, the word "vair" (squirrel skin) describing the girl's slipper. Through a printer's error the word was spelt wronglv and when the book -was printed it resembled the French equivalent for "glass" (verrej.

Trades Hall Renovations. A decision to renovate the present Trades Hall in Hobson Street, instead of embarking on a rebuilding scheme or leasing other premises, was reached at a meeting of 14 trades union secretaries yesterday afternoon. The decision to proceed with the work at an estimated cost of £2300 was announced by Mr. C. A. Watts, a member of the Trades Hall Trust. Mr. Watts pointed out that authority had been given the trustees to proceed with the renovations, in accordance with the plans prepared by an architect. Under the scheme all union office* would be located on the ground floor, and considerable alterations on the second and third floors would ako be involved. Mr. Watts added that he believed , the new arrangement would give uuion secretaries and their staffs much larger and more convenient offices, and would remove much of the criticism which had been expressed in the past.

When is a Truck Not a Truck > '•'Commercial vehicles" are not allowed in the Auckland Donlain, but can a commercial vehicle ever be regarded as a private one? This point was raised at last night's meeting of tho Auckland City Council, when the Automobile Association (Auckland) advised that there had been some misunderstanding in regard to the position in the Domain, and that some country members had recently been threatened with prosecution by the police constable on duty. During recent years, it w«q .stated, there had been a tendency for small farmers to purchase light half-ton truck* whicli were used for private as well as business purposes, and it was requested' that these vehicles should be permitted to use the Domain Drive. Otherwise it was suggested, that warning signs should be erected at the entrances to the drive. The traffic superintendent, Mr. C. Bland, reported that the by-law* excluded commercial vehicles from the Domain and that the lifting of the restriction appeared to he a matter of policy to be determined by the council. On tne recommendation of the parks committee, the council decided to adhere to the by-laws and to erect warning signs. The Spirit for the Times. The optimist that the workl needed to day was the optimist who was a realist, said Bishop Holland in an address to the Wellington Y.M.C.A. Optimists' Club. The man who to-day regarded the affairs of the world as a realist could hardly keep his sanity unless he were also an optimist. Things in the world to-uay were extraordinarily critical. The abdication was an anxious period in the Homeland. Out here in New Zealand we had very little idea of the meaning of that time, but at Home in the Old Country it felt as if the whole nation had stopped during those terrible weeks. We had no idea of the real sense of anxiety and what torture of the national mind England went through in those two weeks. That mental depression was of the sort that was being felt throughout the world, and the situation suggested nothing to optimists unless it were the hope that the kingdom of God were soon to be established in the world. Only the spreading of that spirit was going to enable the nuti""* t recover their sanity. Sir Josiah Stamp in a recent address asked what it should profit a nation if, in these days oi scientific intention it should gain every innovation of modern times, but yet lose its own soul. That was the question to be faced to-day.