NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Motherhood in the Backblocks. A wide variety of subjects was touched at an executive meeting of the Farmers' Union yesterday. One speaker referred to the pitiful conditions of motherhood in many backblocks districts, where the cost of doctors and nursea is often beyond the reach of poor settlers. He stated that the Maoris had an advantage over the Europeans, in that Government medical facilities were provided for the former. A Sum For Road Users. The news that the One Tree Hill Road Board has let a contract amounting to nearly £30,000 for the laying of a stretch of concrete roading a mile and a-half in length is of interest, as showing what modern roads cost to construct. The new road will form the final link for fast and heavy vehicular traffic on the main road out of Auckland through Otahuhu. The length is a mile and a-half, the width of the concreted surface will be 18 feet, and the contract price is £22,975. Here is a pretty little mathematical problem. Those who arc interested in the cost of local administration will now be able to work out the price of concrete roads per square foot. Municipal Band Praised. Mr. J. F. Arnold, ex-M.P., of Dunedin, who has been in Auckland for the past week, left for Wellington by the Main Trunk this morning. Before leaving Mr. Arnold paid a very nice compliment to the Municipal Band, which he had the pleasure of listening to on Sunday at the Zoo. Some of the selections rendered * were in his opinion, the best that he had heard sinec tlic famous Argyle Band was in New Zealand. A Scottish Flavour. In a comparatively brief career, an avenue at Epsom has reached its third name. The original name was York Avenue, and the next change was \arra Avenue; but the residents tired of the Australian name and suggested Inverness Avenue or \orick Avenue in its place. After duly weighing the claims of "Yorick" and "Inverness" the City Council has decided that the new name shall have at least a Scottish flavour. Orakei Causeway Across. At long last the two parts of the causewav between Campbell's Point and Orakei have met, and there is a solid way across for the new' railway. It has been a job faced with manv difficulties, each overcome in its turn by »ood engineering, and the day is within sight when the deviation, which is to carry both Main Trunk and suburban traffic, will be completed. The bridging of the last gap was made the matter of a sweepstake by the workers, and it is understood. that a matter of £40 was won by the man who forecasted the dav and the hour of the bridging of the chasm. Some Safeguard Necessary. Honours in the December matriculation test were divided so equally between the North and South Islands that the advantage to the Xorth Island amounts to a decimal point only. Of the candidates entered for the examination 367 ft sat for the whole test; 1381 (37 per cent) pained passes; and 748. or 01 per cent of the 1210 that, entered to complete a partial pass qualified. The percentage of passes and completion for the two islands were: North Island, 43.7 per cent; South Islaiuh 43 per cent, an average for the Dominion of 43.5 per cent. In addition, there were 703 candidates for the accountants' preliminary examination, of whom 33 gained a full pass, 23*1 qualified for a partial pass, and 76 completed a partial pass. As compared with the results of the 1925 examination the new method of determining a pass on the aggregate system, adopted in 1926 for the first time, has produced an increase in the percentage of passes; and the Wellington Recess Committee of the University has reported to the University Council that there is clear evidence that the high marks awarded in one subject in the last examination have contributed materially towards the increased percentage. The committee concludes: "Seme safeguard appears to be necessarv. - '

Battle of Jutland Described. A large attendance at the Town Hall last night was treated to an inspiring and interesting address hv Commander A. Marsden, R.X., one of the few survivors from the destrover Ardent, which was sunk during the battle of Jutland! His address was entitled "The Navy and the Empire," and followed, in substance, his address gnen before the Chamber of Commerce meetin« in the morning. Mr. J. Alexander, president of the Auckland branch of the Navy League, presided. Handling his subject in a masterly manner. Commander Marsden gave a vivid description of the battle of Jutland, and held his audience spellbound as lie told of the sftikin" of his ship the Ardent. At the close of his address the speaker was accorded a heartv vote of thanks. * Bayers of Bottles. Ihe Auckland Society of Bottle Gatherer?, which is not incorporated according to statute, lias a wide field for operations, and picturesque members of the fraternity with weird vocabularies ply their calling industriously in the suburbs in search of "empties," and the type of receptacle known as a "square rigger" iu particular. So far the bottle-o has been a privileged person and outside the pale of the bv-law referring to hawkers and pedlars. Legal research has now decided that he is "an itinerant purchaser of household refuse," and the City Council has passed a by-law to give him "status." It is decreed that in future a household refuse purchaser—a much more dignified name—shall be licensed (at a fee of £1 per annum) and that he must during his professional moments wear a metal plate affixed to his right arm inscribed, A.C.C., Licensed Household Refuse Purchaser," with also the name of his business affixed on his cart, barrow or other vehicle, the latter presumably including motor cars. Thus the Auckland bottle-o has been "elevated" to an entirely new plane. Wireless Telegraphy in Schools. "At Auckland they wanted to start a cla.-.s in wireless telegraphy which would benefit but ft few amateurs, who, for a ridiculously small fee. would receive valuable instruction at a loss to the Department." Tlie al»ove statement, made by the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, was taken exception to at a meeting c-f the board of governors of the Seddon Memorial Technical College yesterday. The principal, Mr. (i. J. Park, said the statement was total lv at variance with facts, and he thought the board should point out its inaccuracy to the Minister, and also protest against wireless being excluded* from the technical school syllabus. The class that was started had been conducted entirely on the funds raised in fees from the pupils. There had been no assistance from the Department. Tha report was adopted after a short discussion. If

The number of wiseacres wiio would have had Admiral Jellicoe adopt a different course to that which he pursued in the Battle of Jutland were effectively dealt with by Commander Marsden, R.N., in his address to members of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The Commander claimed that Jellicoe had shown his greatness as well a 9 his soundness of judgment in refusing to rush into the fog and "mix it" with the retreating Germans, and his policy resulted in the retention of the British command of the sea. It is all very well, said Commander Marsden, to say that "if Jellicoe had done this, or if he had done that, certain things would have resulted." "If your aunt had been a wheelbarow, then you might have been a Ford car."

America Sees Auckland. A humorous American tourist on the Franconia describes his first impression of Auckland: " 4 I looked out tbe |>ort this morning, and .saw a : Ford sign and a roller coaster, and I guessed it wasn't such a wild place after all." Civic Memorial Tablet. To commemorate the names of the employees of the Auckland City Council who served in* the Great War, the civic authorities have decided to erect a bronze tablet at the entrance of the Town HalL _