ONLY ORPHANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 13 September 1923, Page 4

ONLY ORPHANS.

It may be pointed out that while both ! Italy and Greece have agreed to accept \ the proposals of the Ambassadors' Con- j ference for an inquiry into the Janina ; murders and the payment of eompensa- ! tion. Italy remains in occupation of Corfu, where she has no shadow of a right of occupation. There is a grim contrast between the respect about to ' he paid to the officials who were mur- ' dered near .lanina. and what we sur- • j misc. was the funeral of the children I who were killed by warships' shrapnel ' at Corfu. It is provided that the first I shall be accorded a funeral in the presence of the Greek Government, and that solemn honours shall be paid to i I the Italian flag. Our cable messages. ] I however, are silent as to what has hap- ! pened to the bodies of the sixteen childrn so foully done to death at Corfu. The Ambassadors' Conference appar- I I ently has not stipulated that any j I honours shall be paid to their pitiftil ! [ remains. As regards compensation, it lis convenient that they wort' orphans. j for no one will miss them. Pour little flotsam of a corner of the world's ' tempest-smitten ocean-they thought; they had found a haven under the pro- ' tection of men and women who be- i longed to the two great rescuing nations. But wickedness breaks out in : new forms and unexpected places, and I they happened to he in the path of a man who fancies that he is another ; Napoleon. It will be interesting to sec' whether the slightest feeling of regret has been expressed by the Italian Press lat the killing of these innocents in one lof the backwaters of Europe. Have j thoughts of " honour" kept ll ye dry land hard.' There remains the League of Nation.-, which should at least say plainly what it thinks of an abominable crime. J A collision.at the intersection of Ran- , t'url.v Koad and Gillies Avenue. Epsom, about seven o'clock on Tuesday evening, between a motor-lorry and ;i : horse-driven van. resulted in the driver of the van. a young man named Charles i J Human, sustaining a broken log. The ' I motor struck the van with sufficient 1 force to throw Mr. Human from his seal. ' but the damage done to the vehicles was : ! trilling. Mr. Human, who resides in: Bracken Avenue, was removed to the ■ hospital. I The Takapuun Tramway and Ferry ' Company recently invited" tenders for' the construction of a ferry steamer about the size of the Devonport Kerry Company's Peregrine. We understand it \va» optional to tender for the hull in wood or steel, and that three tenders liHve been received, two for a wooden vessel and one for a steel, vessel, all from-Auckland firnia.. ~*- i '?~~?-'^; " ~-

"Because there has been an earthquake in Japan a couple of weeks ago it seema my new dress of silk is to cost t a, shilling a yard more," remarked a lady , to a, "Star" reporter. She explained 5 that she had seen some silk at 3/11 per yard, but -when she went afterwards to * 'buy it was informed the price was now l 4/11 in consequence of the earthquake in t Japan. Although it was explained that , the vendors were calculating the cost of replacement the literal-minded lady - could, not understand why she should i have to pay extra for silk which was j bought before the disaster in Japan occurred. "I notice in the papers lately that several people have l>eeii convicted and heavily lined for having unregistered . firearms in their possession, 1 ' said Mr. i S. W. Luxford at the meeting of the r Devonport Borough Council last night, ' '"and I would like to know whether the council has registered the two captured i German machine guns presented to the [ borough?" The town clerk replied that , the guns at present were lying in the , council's oflice. and had not yet been i registered. When the war memorial , j was erected it was proposed to mount I the guns in a suitable position. Several j , councillors, who apparently were under I I i the impression that the council was not j > I obliged to register the guns, treated the i j matter as a joke, until it was stated .that some time ago the Chri sto.hu reh I , I Museum authorities wore fined for fail-1 [ I ing to abide by the Arms Act. Then, i . I with visions of the Devonport Council j , being similarly dealt with for the | breach, the matter was referred to the, , Legal and Finance Committee to deal' . with. { i A well known farmer was driving in ■ , his motor car from Stratford to Eltham. ' i i On the road (relates thp "Argils"! lie ■ , passed two men who asked for a "iift."| j ■•Certainly.' , said the fanner, -jump ' Jin." He drove them along souk- dis-' I tance. and then stopped, saying. "I" have to call in at this house for a few. minutes, but you need not get out.! • lust stay in the car and I will take I you the rest of the distance." He threw] his overcoat on", went in to the house and was soon out again. Isul when he j I came out the men had decamped, taking' .the farmer's overcoat with them. This; may be looked upon ;is n champion .specimen of mean theft. j '■ As displaying tne ignorance of many ( j singers on the subject of the terms used in songs. Mr. Roland Foster, judge of the Wellington competitions, gave a few instances of replies which had been i given to questions on musical subjects. One girl said "interpretation" meant , "singing in a foreign language." Another , said "Lunga pausa" -which in Italian j meant a long pause —meant "Pause until ' I your lungs fill." "What is a minor] 1 I chord ?" The reply to this was. "One i i which has a black nute in the middle; ] and a while one in each end." { I Laughter.l "Contrary motion means beginning on the top of the piano, 1 ! instead of the bottom," was another j ' ■definition, while the last—and perhaps ( I more understandable—when asked what ' ii discord was replied. "The state of ' Ireland at the present time.". 1 I Laughter, i The audience, he said. 1 ! ! had lieen kind enough to applaud one I or two whom he privately considered to i Iw the worst performers of the afternoon. (Laughter, i He would not say j 1 jit was because of their good intentions ; 1 'or because the audience was glad to see ' t I them finish. One lady sang a song | J ! marked "Con moto." and sang it as i? i 1 she were pushing a heavy barrow instead j 1 . of riding on a bicycle. I f 1 At last night's meeting of the council ! '• of the Auckland Automobile Association , ' the chairman (Mr. \V. 11. Wynyard) said j' that ho would like to correct a wrong < < impression which a statement published ] 1 in t lie Press might create. The state- i< ment was cup which gsve the impression • < that motorists were responsible for the ■ 1 ; failure of the Motor Vehicles Bill to pass i < tlie House. This was not the position, < 1 and he wanted to say that the delegates ; J of the North and South Island unions j settled their differences and reached an,, amicable arrangement. This was ap- • ' '< proved by the Main Highways Board, ' I and it was hoped the bill would go i I through without delay. However, the I Minister decided it could not lie brought j j I forward. The motorists had done every- I j thing possible to get the bill passed - j during the session. j j Payers of ship dues are not repre- j i ; sented on the Napier Harbour Board. \ j At the last meeting of the board a pro- 1 posal by the Chamber of Commerce, i i I that there should lie such representation. was discussed, but the majority did not j . favour it. and a motion to support the. i proposal was lost. TJie chairman. Mr. ! , .lull, said thorp was no more reason why j 1 payers of ships' dues should be repre- \ i i sented on the hoard than the payers of | : I taxi licenses should have representation] j on the borough council. Such methods I were not in conformity with present-day i ; ideas of representation. Tie put it to j ' the members that it was not desirable j ■ to introduce or seek to perpetuate class j representation such as proposed. i ■ j The official report furnished to the i j Wellington city engineer's department j ■at the beginning of tlu - month shows, that steady progress is being main- \ tamed at the Orongorongo tunnel. On I August :il the tunnellers had penetrated 4058 feet at the Waimii thrust.] 'and 3118 feet on the Orongorongo side. . ' making in all a penetration 8(176 feet I Mil length This leaves 2447 feet of i mountain yet to be pierced. At the, existing rate of progress Mr. It. Scruple | ( i expects to let a" speck of daylight i . i through by the end of the first week j ! in February, and that will not deprive . I the co-operatives of their fortnight's : ( holiday at Christmas. ! f i In spontaneous generosity, the Maori t I sets an example which may well be- f ■ followed by his white brethren (states , I the "Mamiwaui Times" i. Captain f 1 Preece. of l\ilmerstou Xortb. has received a note from his old friend and ( : Maori War associate. Captain Gilbert : Hair, who is now well over SO years ot ;age. and in hospital, in which he says he has received the following telegram | M-rom the Xgatiwhakaue tribe: "tnani-, : ; mously, and with love and gratitude in ; I 'our hearts, remembering your inesiim- , : able services to our tribe, we hejr your ! 'acceptance of an annuity of £100. to:. ! commence forthwith." ; The medals won at the practical : examinations now lining held in Auck : ; land by the Trinity College of Mu?i'\ : ' London, will be formally presented hy ] i the examiner. Mr. Albert Ma'linson.: ! F.T.G.L.. at the Orafton Library at Sjr i p.m. to-morrow evening. As the examina- '' I tions do not finish till late in the after- j noon the successful candidates will be , . ; notified at the presentation. Mr. Mill- ' i : linsoii will also give a short address ; i particularly of interest to teachers of j, i music and elocution. ' | A petition to be adjudicated bankrupt i lias been filed by Clarence Palliser 1 Worley, school teacher, Auckland. The first meeting of creditors will be held | on Tuesday. September IS, at -2.:it>. G. I W. liarke'r. mechanic Station l!oad, Matamata. has been adjudicated bankrupt, and his creditors will meet in the Courthouse, Matamata. on Wednesday, , September 19, at 11-a-m. \

In view of the early extension of the tramway service along Edendale Road, the Mount Albert Borough Council has to consider the question of the permanent formation of that thoroughfare. The matter has been considered by the council in committee, when the Mayor, Mr. L. E. Rhodes, outlined the scheme. Upon resuming, the Mayor reported that the council had decided to ask the ratepayers to sanction a loan to lay down Edendale Road, from Kingsland overbridge to Calgary Street, the proposed tramway terminus. The proposal was to lay down the road in bitumen and macadam, on what is known as the penetration method. When the whole matter had been carefully gone into and the cost ascertained, the proposal would be submitted to the ratepayers, and if the loan was sanctioned tenders would al once be tailed for the work. The farmers of Taranaki are invited by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce to co-operate with it in the immigration of Knglish secondary school boys to the province (states the " Wanganui Chronicle"). It is proposed to bring out luds, iiged from 17 to 20, and selected by the chamber's representative at Home. The lads would require to be I trained in farm work for a period of I two years, and treated as members of the family, the remuneration for the lirsi six months to be nominal, afterwards increasing with the improvement shown in the work, with a minimum of 15/ per week. The idea is to fit the lads for farming on their own account, and it is to 1»p hoped the farmers of the province will send in their names, and do everything they can to ensure the I success of the scheme. The fact that the annual cost of merely feeding the rats of Sydney was over three-quarters of a million pounds sterling per annum, was mentioned in a , lecture at the Auckland Centre of the ' Sanitary Inspectors' Association last ' evening by Or. de (.'live Lowe. On the ! basin that the rat population of .a large seaport was at least equal to the human, ! the cost of food per rat was a halfpenny per day. showing that, apart from a I menace of plague and other diseases spread by rats, their extermination ■ would be a great, boon from an economic ] point of view, especially when to the ; cost of feeding one added the enormous damage done by rats to property and ; merchandise. Even in Sydney it had ■ lieen expensive merely to keep a check on rats, and maintain an intellig' nt staff of rat-catchers. A restaurant keeper in Sydney was forced to organise a regular rat hunt for several nights, as he found the rats almost as expensive to feed as hN customers. The doctor remarked also that the last big fire in Sydney was caused by a rat gnawing a match. The proprietor of a West Coast motor ; service is an advertiser born to tne game. Over his premises he has this line: "(Jet your oil and accessories here - free petrol to-morrow." Of course lots of flivver drivers pull up and get what they want. Rut when they return fur the promised oil they are told they can get it "to-morrow." To-morrow never comes, for the bos? tells the same tale each day. The motorists don't mind, and so far no bloodshed has characterised any arguments about the business. The place is safeguarded by illl the laws of the English grammar. ' A written report was submitted to the Uevoriport Jiorough Council last night by ifr. A. V. Fraer concerning his work as representative on the Lake Takapuna Board of Control. He advised the council to oppose the "payment on consumption basis"' and the suggested basis of repre- j setitation. In explaining the attitude of I several members of the board Mr. Fraer stated that a former mayor of Takapuna had been in favour of another scheme of lowing charges. Mr. Fraer said that he had tentatively agreed to the basis of charges on consumption if the amount of water used for drainage in Devonport was deducted. The Mayor remarked that a conference would lie held. The matter was referred to the Legal and Finance Committee. Decline of classical education is given ;is the reason for illiteracy in English public schoois by Sir Henry New-bolt. He knew of a boy who in his weekly letter liome used the adjective "topping" four times. That showed poverty of resource. Would the teaching of the classics get them over that difficulty? The boy knew the classics were all right in a way, but when he read Sophocles, the writer of tragedies, describing two women as "'twin sprouts of a blasted tree," he promptly nicknamed his form master "Old Sprouts." There is a well known weed called the wild onion, which spreads with great rapidity if not kept in check. In reference to this weed the "Manawatu Times" says: "Among the prettiest, earliest and hardiest of spring bulbs is a delicate little white bloom now showing its starry flowers in profusion. Unfortunately it has exactly the same indelicate smell as a raw onion. Attracted by its simple beauty a little lady wore n bunch at her belt to f, local dance last week. To her surprise and pain the little white flower converted her into a "'wallflower."" The West Coast for real democracy! There is no false pride about the Mayor of one of the towns-visited by the Canterbury C Rugby side. A Christehurch " Sun" writer, who is accompanying the team on its tour, was introduced to this particular Mayor, whose occupation is that of a carrier. A further meeting was suggested. " Let mc see." said the Mayor. " to-morrow won't suit mc. as I'll"be out with the cart then." "But don't pall mc mister," he remarked later, " .lack's my name." The Waikato farmers have been feeling the want of rain severely for some time past. On account of the heavy i frosts experienced up until quite recently the grass has made practically no growth and consequently feed is scarce. Now. however, what frosts occur are not i severe, and this, together with the rain ! which commenced falling in the district i on Sunday, should soon pu-t things right ; again. Authority lias been "rallied the Dimedin tramway manager to order 130 safely mirror- for use on the motorman's platform of the cars. The price i> four dollars and α-halt' per mirror. f.0.b.. Cleveland, United States ot Ameriia. subject tv .> per cent discount, and the amount will be ft charge on the ao-iili'iit fund. These mirrors will be of meat assistance to the motormen, it bciiu claimed that they eliminate 73 per •■em of platform accident*. Madame Bella Pevsner, the dietinpuished Zionist envoy, will speak in the Town Hall Concert Chamber this evenin si on "Palestine, tiip Secret of the Jewish Survival."' The subject is one which has aroused widespread interest, and t!ie lecturer is a unique personality, and mi eloquent and convincing speaker who makes a powerful appeal to her audience. Mr. J. \Y. Poynton. S.M., will preside. An old resident of Auckland was seen yesterday afternoon to pick up a. brick from the building that is being demolished at the corner of Victoria Lane mid High Street. He remarked t<. a .friend that liis father laid those liricks sixty years ago, and he wanted one as a memento. •