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Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1922, Page 4

The "Auckland Star" will not u> published on Christmas L»ay (Monday next), but will be issued as usual on Tuesday. The Sports Edition usually published on Saturday evening will be suspended this week. Advertisers should take note of this announcement and arrange accordingly.

"I don't quite k"»i\v w'.iere T am, and 1 don't know if the Government quite knows where it is. The election showed so much bias that I hardly know what to say."—The Hon. G. J. Coates, speaking at the welcome to the (Queensland bowlers at Wellington.

An interesting budget of information is contained in the latest prospectus of the Scddon Memorial Technical High "School . Several minor alterations have been made in the courses of instruction offered and these come into operation next year. Where desired, pupils will be prepared for matriculation and public service examinations. In engineering, there will be a bigger proportion of practical work, and mathematics and drawing will be taught. For boys who intend to enter factories a new industrial course is also offered.

The Wadtfstown Road. Wellington, on | Sunday afternoon was the scene of what | might be termed a "lucky accident." It appears that when negotiating a difficult bend, a motorist, who desires t'lat his name be not published, came suddenly upon a man and a woman, tlip man wheeling a pram. To save an accident in so short a time there was only one alternative—to swerve to the other side— and this the motorist quickly decided to do. But he had reckoned without another car close behind. At the crucial moment the other car made its appearance: the first motorist did not falter, and the result was a collision. Both cars vere somewhat damaged, hut the party of three on the other side escaped. When there was time for breath it was found that the wheel of the first car was almost alongside the pram, but strange to relate its occupant had slept through it all.

A representative deputation of Napier citizens waited on Mas , * F. Morer-roit Jesterday and presented 'Tier \vit!i a diamond ring and wristlet watch to place on record their appreciation of her attitude in protesting against the campaign carried on among Government servants under the auspice of the Alliance of Lnlboiir. The occasion on which Miss MorecToft made her stand wa* when, just prior to the ballot of juenibers of tho Post and Telegraph Officers' Association, 'the assiatant-eecretary addressed a number of members in her tearooms. Mise Moreeroft .stopped the speaker and refused to serve supper.

A proposal that the meetings of the directors of Seddon Memorial Technical College should be held in the evening instead of in the afternoon is to be considered at the nest meeting. The idea of the change is to enable the directors to attend the gatherings in larger numbers than they do at present

At the last meeting of the Mount Ro>kill School Committee. Mr. J. J. Preston wag appointed chairman in place of Mr. J. Peet, deceased.

At the meeting of the Hospital Board last night, which was the last for the present year, the chairman (Mr. G. Baildon) extended to member? his beet wishes for a happy C'hristmastide. He hoped tha.{ they would all return to the table next yenr imbuc-J with a spirit of renewed vigour with wriiCii to grapple with the big programme of work that lay before them. At the close of this year they had the satisfaction of knowing that they had worked hard to make the Auckland Hospital the best institution in New Zealand, an.l in the coming years it would be the Board's aim to pursue this policy, since it was all for the betterment of humanity. He also extended the Board's congratulations and thanks to the hospital staff. Uie members of which had worked well during the year, and they thoroughly deserved to enjoy the festive season.

The fact that the Prime has promised to open up 550 acres s at Orakei ■prompted Mr. 0. J. Park, director of the Seddon Technical College, to suggest to the managers yesterday that about 10 acres of the land might be secured for demonstration purposes. He thought model fruit dairy and poultry farms might be established. Mr. Tom Bloodworth remarked that Mr. Massey mentioned Orakei every three years. The board decided to seek the co-operation of other educational bodies, and to approach the Minister of Education on the matter.

Travelling to Whangarei by tra.in will be one of fche novelties of the holiday season. Hy an arrangement between the Railway Department and the l'tlblic Works Department, a service has been arramred. running between Auckland and AVhan-arei Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays, and between Whnnjfarei and Auckland on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday-. The firet train loaves Wliang-arei to-morrow in time to -catch the pxprPs-> at H'uarau, arriving at Auckland at 4.40. seven hours after leaving Whangarei. Between the Public Works s?ition and the ■Railway Department's section at Hiiarau tliere is a short gap of albout half a mile, across which the passengers and their lugaage will be conveyed. The return fare second-clas*. between Auckland and Vhangorci is 20 1.

It is said that death by gas-poisoning is a pleasant one. Judging by the number of suicides by this means, it io popular, anyhow. The same has l>ep.n said of drowning, hut none of the drowned ever come to life to relate the delight of underwater asphyxiation; nor do those who are found dead w>.h ihe kitchen gas-ring tube to tht'ir Tips. Anyhow, passengers by trains which leave Auckland about the time that dusk descends on the land are not in favour of gas-poisoning—they are par,tially poisoned every niglit. They the train and take their scats, in a dose, -stuffy carriage, with closed wir% 'lowr. Herculean efforts raise some of these windows to the half-way limit; the remainder are immovable, stuck fast with the glue ami grime of ages. Then comes a porter who goes gaily through, lowering the plass bowls r.f'the lamps and turning on the gas cocks. These cocks pour out gas for five or ten minutes, during which those 'ortumUe enough to he sitting at apertures put their heads out and gasp for air. anil desperate attempts are again made to upen those windows, which will iiot. open. But relief comes juet in time. Another porter strolls through, lighting matches, tiring the jets (one of tlie-e days he may come a bit too late an i blow a gas-filled carriage to glory'i. an 1 slamming the glass arcs closed. Then the train moves off. and the "gassed" passengers are resuscitated by a welcome rush of air. and reach their suburban homes with nothing wor.-e than a headache and a nasty taste in the mouth. Xo, gas-poisoning is not popular with suburban train passengers.

The Tauranga Borough Council has agreed to support the Auckland Railway and Development league in an effort to get the sum of £5000 voted for the Pokeno-Paeroa section of railway line spent Iwforc the vote lapsed on March .'!! next.