LOCAL SHIPBUILDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 72, 25 March 1918, Page 4

LOCAL SHIPBUILDING.

In a letter published to-day a prominent Auckland business man refers to a possible line of war activity to which we drew attention some weeks ago— local shipbuilding, to case the shortage of tonnage. We are jiot surprised that -Mr. Ferguson says his suggestion is a reflection of a view he finds very prevalent; we are sure that a good many people are surprised that nothing has been done in the matter. The Dominion has the necessary material and skill for building wooden ships that- would be very useful in coastal, intercolonial and trans-Pacific trade. There are bomplaints of shortage 'of coastal' shipping, I and our shipping connection with America j on which we are dependent for certain necessaries, will not be certain in the coming months. If it is a question of sending kerosene ahd benzine to New Zealand, or food and munitions to the Allies in Europe, we in New Zealand will have no cause to complain if preference is given to the latter. Another possibility is the placing in sea-going service of some of the many hulks that lie in New Zealand harbours, some of which should be sound enough for re-employ-ment. Many old sailing vessels have been put into useful trades during the past two years, and have repaid the prices paid for-them out of the freights earned in two or three voyages. Tho Minister of Marine has these matters under his consideration, and w-e hope that he and his colleagues will do something quickly, if anything can be done. As Mr. Ferguson .points ! out, the shortage of tonnage wiU not

cease abruptly with the end of the war. There* will be aij immense amount of transport work to be done when the war is over, and a huge demand from Europe for food and raw materials from oversea, so there is little or no risk of vessels laid down now not being wanted.

" What about the Education Board's money?" asked a member at the meeting of the School Committees' Association on Saturday evening. Mr. Murray, a member of the Education Board, replied: " The Education Board- ia little more than aj glorified school committee — (laughter)—and is generous as possible with its funds. But it is circumscribed with rules and regulations, like every committee, and has to be very careful:" Just prior to the sailing of a passenger steamer from Auckland recently a passenger reported that a suit-case containing jewellery and 'other property valued at £250 had been stolen from his cabin. - The theft occurred, he stated, shortly after the suit-case had been taken aboard, and at a time when tho ship's gangway was under guard to prevent persons from going ashore. ( " If a family moves from one school to another, in any district, and takes with them all their school books, the Board of Education or Department will supply or pay for any new set of books required •by pupils," said Mr. Murray, a member of the Auckland Education Board, when the uniformity or standardisation of books for schools was under consideration by the School Committees' Association, and probably to many of the public the information given by Mr. Murray will come as a pleasant surprise. With regard to the boiling oil which is .sent into tbe Hun lines, a Taranaki soldier says he saw one dose sent over, but he was unable to say how it was done. He presumes that it was done by electricity. He knows that the gun from which it is fired makes a fearful report, and the flash shows up the country for a long distance round. The oil is fired in tubes. The passage of these tubes through the air seems to heat them up, and the oil appears to be in a blaze when it arrives at its destination. Apart from the burning the oil emits a deadly gas, and either the gas or the oil eats through the Huns' helmets in a few moments. For this reason the helmets worn by the British are specially treated to resist the effects. It 'was stated at the meeting of the School Committees' Asociation on Saturday evening that the libraries installed at the initiative of the City Council in a number of the city schools, were a great success, the pupils having availed themselves of the facilities with avidity and flagging interest. "These institutions are very popular," said Mr. Murray, " and the teachers tell mc that they notice the good effect of the reading so obtained. The improvement is noticed in the school work of children generally, and particularly in reading and composition. At the end of the year the books are overhauled and repaired by the public librarian, and, with additions, returned. The benefit of good reading has been shown in the increased intelligence of the children; and I must say that tho City Council is to he commended for' the course it took." A fight among firemen occurred on Saturday night aboard one of the overseas ship g in port, with the result that a trimmer and a fireman had to be taken to the Hospital, suffering from knife wounds. The former had four stabs in the back near the shoulder, and the former had some sinews and an artery in one arm severed. Later, the police arrested a fireman named Leonard Laing, aged 23 years, on a charge of having assaulted and caused actual bodily harm to George Parker and Thomas Mullen. The prisoner was brought before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., this morning, and remanded for eight days. Summer camping for boys has always been a special feature of the work of the Boye' Division of the Auckland Y.M-C-i., and last year there was instituted the' Easter camp for employed boys, who find it difnoul* to attend the annual summer camp. This Easter 100 of the older boys will attend the camp to be held at the Pah Farm site, Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island. The advance party leave on Monday to prepare the camp for the reception of the party on Thursday evening. The captains of the senior teats have been selected as follows:— John Allen, Harry Entwistle, Len. McCarthy, Will Eleby, E. Champtaloup. Wilfred Lewis, and the junior captains will be Will Woods, Grahamo Coltman. Arnold Lewis, Felix Keesing, and Eric Caddy. In addition to the hundred boys there will be a strong band of senior men to help in the running of the camp. Describing the conditions under which teachers in some of the large and older public schools work, Mr. T. TJ. Wells, at the meeting of the Committees' Association on Saturday evening, said:—" I would like you to see the luncheon rooms provided in some of our factories, and thenlet you see some of the apartments provided for our teaching staffs. In one case, tho Government sees to .it that very proper facilities are provided, but, of course, anything in the shape of rooms, however limited, ill-ventilated —and in some cases the stuffy classrooms where they are engaged all day, is good enough for teachers in our public \ schools. I venture to say that some of the conditions of school accommodation would not be tolerated in a factory." Mr. Wells paid a tribute to the style of architecture of the more recently built schools, especially in the Auckland district. '|The cost of living in Fiji is high," writes the "Star" correspondent, "and this can ho understood when it is realised that we are entirely dependent upon ! overseas shipping for most of our supI plies. An Indian merchant recently imported some goods from India, the cases measuring one and a half tons. They came via Bombay and Sydney, and the total freight and shipping charges were £51 17/5. The actual value of the goods •was just over £100, so that freight charges added about 50 per cent, to the cost." It is understood (says the Nelson "Colonist") that Miss Marsden, who died a few days ago, has left a sum of £10,000 in her will to the Nelson Cathedral Building Fund for the purpose of building the principal spire of the projected new building on Church Hill. The decision of the Australian Government in refusing admission to Pansy, the pet cat of the new Governor of New South Wales, Sir~Walter Davidson, or, rather, of the family, has resulted in the' cat being sent to Suva. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Ltd., invested £10,000 in the War Loan, £7500 having been paid-up during the year. Francis John Smythe, tailor, of Te .Aroha, has filed a petition to be adjudicated a bankrupt.

Every mail from the Front brings hundreds of messages from officers and 'men acknowledging Dominion' gifts. Every month the people of the Dominion send parcels in their thousands, and with their gifts expressions of appreciation, cheer, and comfort to the boys somewhere in France, somewhere in Egypt, somewhere 'in Mesopotamia—wherever the New "Zealand soldier ie fighting for his Empire there the gifts and messages from home follow him.- The present appeal for £25,000 to "carry on" gives every promise of a successful issue. The Government of Fiji is active in the direction of the importation of stock. It is proposed to bring in regulations prohibiting the importation of cattle from Australia, owing to the tick, and to insist on certificates accompanying cattle from New Zealand. In the case of New Zealand also it is proposed to insist on bulls for stud purposes being accompanied by a certificate showing that they have undergone the tuberculin test. These proposals have been approved by the Planters' Association, Which body also urges that more stringent steps should be taken with regard to the cattle already in these islands. A Rangitikei settler received an urgent call from a neighbour a week or two back. He had a hay crop out, and it must be garnered. Could he get the use of a man? This was agreed to, and the man went on to the job. Shortly afterwards the latter saw a limousine travelling quickly along an adjoining road"Who's that chap?" he asked of a fellow haymaker. "Oh, that's the boss, he's off to the races!" was the astounding reply. "Well, if that's the way he's winning the war, he can't have mc," said tlie newcomer, and he walked off the job shortly after and forgot to come back. Tlie Government of Fiji has been tardy, in following the example elsewhere, and has only just issued, on the recommendation of a Necessary Commodities Commission, an order fixing the prices of bread, flour, sugar, white and brown 6ugar, kerosene, and benzine. For Suva they are: Bread, 5d 215 loaf; flour, 3d per lb j "sugar, white, 3d per lb; brown, 2d; kerosene, "Laurel" brand, £1 per case; ■benzine, "Plume" brand, £1 5/. On' Saturday evening Trevor Cox (18), !son of Mrs E. Cox, Hillside Crescent, Mount Eden, was admitted to the hospital suffering from a severe gash in the wrist sustained while engaged at surveying work near Papakura. He is reported to be in a similar condition to-day. Tlie main distributiing electric wire fused in Symonds Street, opposite "Stonehurst," on Saturday evening, and 'for a time smoke was issuing from the footpath as though a miniature volcano ; wcre in eruption, while the heat-caused 'the bitumen in the footpath to melt. Repairs are now being effected, and a new j-wirc ie being put in. ! The First Auckland Military Service Board is due back at Auckland to-morrow from its Northern tour. The Board will sit in the city next day, as arranged. Its later itinerary has not been prepared. The Railway Department's Easter holiday time-table operates from tomorrow. Seasonable weights in autumn and i winter dress fabrics, latest designs and colourings.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.— (Ad.) . To-morrow is show day at Milne and Choyce's. The most interesting and authoritative fashion event of the season.—(Ad.) Seasonable weights in autumn and winter dress fabrics, latest designs and colourings.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.— (Ad-). B . Autumn 6how day at Milne and Choyce's to-morrow. Evening promenade and orchestral . selections from 7 to 9 o'clock.— (Ad.) Special display of the ncwes't in dress fabrics, including New Zealand all-wool tweeds and Cheviots.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd., dress specialists.—(Ad.) A new suit for Easter should be bought early. .Attractive patterns, reliable quality, and reasonable prices at Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.—(Ad.) Autumnal fashion opening at Milne and Choyce's to-morrow evening, promenade from 7 to 9 p.m.—(Ad.) Peter Dawson's Whisky, Speight's Ale and Stout. All hotels. Sole agents.—G. McMillan and Company, Customs Street; (Ad.) Autumn and Winter Millinery.—Exclusive styles at lowest cash prices. Inspection cordially welcomed. —Smith and Caughey, Ltd., millinery specialists. (Ad.) I To-morrow is show day at Milne and Choyce's. Evening promenade from 7 to 9 o'clock. —(Ad.) i Speight's Bottled Ale and Stout, Peter Dawson's Whisky. - All. hotels. Sole agents, G. McMillan and Co., Customs Street.—(Ad.) New goods for autumn and winter in our showroom. Latest styles, excellent , make. Auckland's lowest, prices.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—(Ad.)' Our hats always stand high in the opinion of men who know style and quality.' Youre is here.—Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.— ! (Ad.) Autumn and Winter Millinery.—Exclusive styles at lowest cash prices. Inspection cordially welcomed. —Smith and Caughey, Ltd., millinery specialists. (Ad.) '. Leading outfitters for men and correct j clothes for boys.—Geo. Fowlds, Ltd., Victoria Arcade, Queen Street.—'(Ad.) Do not be imposed upon. Insist on Duryea Maizena when you ask for cornflour.—(Ad.)