NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 129, 3 June 1927, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Malicious False Alarm. The Eemuera Fire Brigade received a malicious false alarm last night at 10.5 o'clock. Several alarms of this description have been given recently. Limited Arrives Late. The Limited express arrived at Auckland this morning nearly half an hour behind time.' The train drew up at the station fully laden at 9-55. Delay was occasioned owing to the heavy load carried all the way from Wellington. A Cheap Ride. "What's the fare?" inquired an Auckland tramway man who had patronised a community bus this morning. "Same as on your trams," replied the driver. "Then that will be all right," said the tramway man. "I've got a free pass." , walked Through Fire. Auckland theatre-goers enjoyed an incident that occurred at a production during the present week. The scene was a drawing room, and a fire blazed merrily in the grate—at lea-;t, that was the impression intended to be conveyed to the audience. A small Sydney Silky terrier, which was not in the cast, strayed on t'o the stage, and then, amid merriment, strolled throujh the fire and disappeared. A Youthful Pair. '"How about asking those two young fellows over in the corner?" suggested someone at the annual meeting of the Auckland Listeners' League last night, when scrutineers were being sought in connection with the election for office bearers. All eyes were turned on tht couple, and there was a ripple of laughter when it was explained that the "two young fellows" were father and son! Ilotor Cycle Ablaze. A motor cycle caught fire outside a service station in Great South Road last night, and was partially destroyed, the rider, a young Maori, being considerably burned about the arms and hands. The benzine tank was being filled when by a mischance the flame from an acetylene lamp ignited the petrol, and within a few seconds the whole machine was ablaze. The Remuera Fire Brigade was summoned, and the total destruction of the bicycle was prevented. The owner was treated by a doctor living near by. Tip to Fishermen. Anglers making strange catches are invited to take their specimens to the Museum authorities for identification. The curator (Mr. G. Archey) says that there ie no doubt that much valuable information would bo gained if uncommon fish, whether captured in the trawler's net or pulled in on hand line by the enthusiast fishing from the end of one of the city's wharves or some other convenient place, were identified. Anglers who fail to notify unusual catches usually excuse themselves with, 'I will next time,"" but the "next time* , seldom comes. Military Efficiency. '•Gentlemen, being a soldier, I find difficulty in responding to the toast of the Army," said Major-General Young, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, when ' speaking at the Veterans' Association dinner at Christchurch. But, he said, he had toured the Dominion, "doing camps," and he could say that the territorials were of a higher standard to-day than at any time since the war. Of course, across the seas there were experiments in tanks and submarines, and aeroplanes, and in chemical warfare. "Yet our means here are limited,* he said, "and we havo got to stand by.' , ' Westfield "Earthquake." The recent blasting explosions on the Westfield railway deviation were heard and felt over a wide area. As far afield ae Takapuna buildings were shaken. One rather curious fact is that in places much closer to Westfield neither the sound of the explosion was heard, nor was the concussion felt. The same phenomenon was observed on a much bigger scale on the occasion of the Taraw-era eruption many years ago, and "the geological belief is that earth" movement radiates through certain strata until it terminates at a geological fault. Link of Concrete. The relaying of Balnioral Koi.l in concrete has been completed, and the highway has been opened for traffic. The road, which forms one of the boundaries of the new South Auckland electorate, links the Mount Albert and Epsom districts, and carries heavy traffic. It was originally constructed of macadam, and was in a bad state up to recently, when the Mount Eden Borough Council decided, at a cost of approximately £23,000, to rebuild the full length within Mount Eden Borough with an ISft vuie concrete centre and bitum?n side?. Smoke Kings. If cigarette smokers who pride themselves on their ability to blow smoke rings would take a stroll to the top of Shortland Street any calm morning, they would probably see a sight that would turn them green with envy. From the top of the hill one may look down upon the railway shunting yards, where there are often as many as half a dozen small engines fussing about and making quite a lot of noise. But it is the occasional perfect 6moke rings which the engines "blow" that attract attention. Giganti* in size, they float slowly upwards, often rising several hundred feet in the air before they waver and disappear.

The Evening Ster. A fine sight will greet anyone who cares to look in the north-western sky this evening at any time for a couple of hours after sunset, as the crescent new moon will be quite close to the planet Venus. This planet is by far the brightest at present, and can be seen in the daylight. A particularly favourable opportunity will present itself this evening to observe the planet in relation to the moon, for it is so close that it can be easily found, even before sunset. Once the position is ascertained, the planet can be picked out any afternoon when the sky is clear. Venus is now getting brighter each day. Fishing and Forestry. Complaints that the Forestry Department refused to allow anglers to fish in streams running through forestry reserves were made by stveral speakers at the annual meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. One member remarked that a permit to trespass on reserves could always be obtained from the Department, and if that permission was obtainable, he added, surely it was worth asking for. "Surely, in this sports*nian's country," added another speaker, "sportsmen should be treated as such, instead of having to go through all this red tape and secure a permit.. I hope the new council of the-society will endeavour to obtain -authority for sportsmen to fish up rivers in forestry reserves without individual permission having to be *ought from the Department." Better Than Tamalpais. Residents of San Francisco claim that the finest panoramic visw in the world is from the summit of Mount Tamalpais, with the Golden Gate in the foreground linking the wide San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps some day the panoramic view from Ru-o-te-whenua (a rather difficult name to pronounce when eaid quickly) will have even a greater fame. This is the highest peak of the Waitakere Ranges, where one can stand beside the trig station, and with three successive glances take in the Kaipara Harbour, the Manukau Harbour, and the Hauraki Gulf, with its many islands. On the clearest of days it is said that Mount Egmont, in Taranaki, can be discerned. Instead of the Muir Woods on the way to Tamalpais, the Waitakeres have a more varied flora, and the stately kauri and beautiful ponga have a charm that is particularly their' own. Even now there is a fair road for motorists to Ru-o-te-whenua, but to most people this wonderful vantage point is unknown.

Another Children's Playground. At the intersection of Bellevue Road -with Dominion Road is the Bellevne Reserve, a comparatively email area, originally in a very rough state, which has been transformed by the Mount Eden Borough Council into a beauty epot. The intention is to go a step further, and provide, at an early date, the necessary apparatus for a children's playground. There are already children 3 playgrounds at Potter's Park and Nicholson Park in the Mount Eden Borough, and a third will make it, in that respect, the best equipped suburb of the city. Improvised Wireless. In one of Auckland's suburbs a boy has joined -the growing army of radio enthusiasts, despite the fact that his cash resources were strictly limited. He improvised an aerial from one of his mother's discarded wire clothes lines, and as the length was a bit short he added to it with a piece of fencing wire. For insulators he used two empty beer bottles—a gift from his father—and with very little extra equipment installed a first-class plant. So far he has not picked up London, but is hopeful. Apparently empty beer bottles make excellent insulators, the brand of ale that formerly filled them being immaterial. Radio Wave Lengths. The closeness of the wave lengths of the New Zealand and Australian broadcasting stations was discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Listeners' League last evening. Mr. G. Mcß. Salt said the new Wellington station would operate on a wave length of 380 metres. The Brisbane wave length was 335 metres, and with both stations operating there would be definite interference, as there was at present between Christchurch and Adelaide. He suggested that the wave lengths of the New Zealand stations should be lowered, which, although meaning a slight loss of efficiency, would give listeners wider ecope. He suggested that the wave lengths for Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin should be 305, 290 and 275 metres respectively. Other speakers considered the wave-length* question should be seriously taken up, as the present position was far from satisfactory. Get Out of the Way. From time to time horns with something approaching a musical note have appeared on the market, but these have never become popular with car owners. The primary object of the horn seems to be to "clear the street." There are no "beg pardons" about it; rather a peremptory demand to "get out of the way." It is probably this, more than any other factor, that is responsible for the continued hostility that unquestionably exists on the part of a large section of people against the motorist. One naturally resents being made to "jump" a hundred times a day. There is no real call for noisy horns in city traffic Many drivers make quite uneccssary use of this weapon of torture, for, in a great many instances, it is nothing less. Out on the country roads there may be a certain amount of reason in the emission of raucous sounds which indicate the approach of a fast-moving vehicle. The noise is meant to travel, and is not "let off" just in the ear of the person for whom it is intended. But in town a polite request to take notice or move aside is all that is required, and generally speaking would be more effective. Consideration for others may not be the most valuable asset a man can possess, but it is certainly one of the most appreciated, and is essential to a rational state of existence.