NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Red-flowering Gums. A few years ago an enthusiastic resident of ot. Andrew's Road, Epsom, promoted a petition which induced the City Council to plant the street with two rows of the red-flowering gum. Owing to various causes—changes in the road levei, wind, disease, and the carelessness of drners many of the trees died, but many remain, and this year several ars in flower. Thcv make a show that gives some idea of what the street will be like if the dream of the originator is ever realised, and there are unbroken rows of trees in brilliant flower right along its length. Nightingale at Belmont. Much absorbed in plucking at prettilycoloured flowers, a bird of strange appearance was seen in a Belmont garden shortly before noon on Saturday. It was apparently of tame habits, and remained for some time close to the house. From inside, a gardener watched it. The russet-brown, deepening into chestnut, of its plumage, reminded him of the favourite songbud of England, the nightingale, and he recognised it as a young one. During last year a pair of nightingales was brought out from England by an Aucklander and released in the Kohima'auii district. In England the nest is made in May, anl the young are hatched in June, but it is thought that the breeding would be much later in the year in Auckland, for seasonal reasons. An Enterprising Bird. The antics of a sparrow in pursuit of a crust of bread provided some entertainment for passengers on one of the Devonport ferry boats thid morning. The bird had evidently found its treasure on the wharf, but flew on to the boat to enjoy the feed. When the upper deck began to fill with passengers, it hopped as far out of reach as possible, but finally decided that it would be better to fly ashore. The position was complicated by the fact that the crust was almost as big as the 'bird, and also that a strong wind v\ as blowing. Thrice did the sparrow attempt to get away with the prize, but each time the crust fell on the deck. Finally, when the boat was well under way, the bird decided tha- the crust was not worth struggling for, and, after two or three hasty pecks, he deserted it and flew back to land. New Regatta Course. The Waitemata is such an expanse of water that some of its stretches may go for vears without their full possibilities being recognised by the public. It may astound many to hear that up in the much-maligned Whau Creek there is an ideal course for both rowing and motor boating. Deep water exists even at the lowest tides, while at the flood there is a magnificent stretch that would provide an excellent course for outriggers, with a fine natural grandstand on Robertson s Point. Concrete and bitumen roads bring this regatta locality within 20 minutes' motor run from the city. As a boating course it compares with the Wanganui. The Power Boat Association will utilise this fine stretch of water for the first time on Saturday week. Ra, Ra, Ra ' Ra, ra, ra. Here we are " up a yeli on a suburban station this morning from a couple of dozen youths lined up in voluntary drill formation along the platform. They we-re evidently elated about the reopening of the secondary schools to-day and another couple of dozen looked on, wondering, meek-eyed and timorous,. at this impromptu display of delight. The youngest wore caps, with the lion rampant, for the first time of their lives. The veil was a meaningless one, the kind of yell that a new third-former knows nothing at all about, and a yell from no particular cause in the world, thj most transitory and raucous yell in the wliol-i repertoire of delight. To it the new boys listened with mingled wonder and fear, in stony silence, and evidently somewhat perturbed by the anticipations of the moment. Fruits of the Province. The public welcome in Auckland last evening to Dr. A. AY. Hill, Director of the Kew Botanic Gardens, provided Mr. S. H. House, of Mangere, with an opportunity of pointing out that°tlu Auckland provincial district contains a greater range of climate and of soils than any othe. provincial area in New Zealand. Mr. House, who spoke as president of the Provincial Fruitgrowers' Council, said the area had about on»third of the population of the Dominion, an.l produced more than one-third of the fruit and garden produce. Because of the range of soil and climate, Auckland was able to produce *o perfection in one section or another the whole of the temperate plants and fruits. Further, it was capable of providing sub-tropical fruits and products of a quality which gave the producers cause to be proud. Technical College Overcrowded. Overcrowded to the extent of having to refuse admittance to about 30 girls, the Seddon Memorial Technical College opened to-day with a roll of 1000. Compared with last year's opening roll of 882, there has been an increase of 118. If accommodation had been available for all the girls seeking enrolment, the division as regards girls and boys would have been almost equal, which indicates a change from the position last year, when thero were 380 girls and 502 boys. As it is, the girls number 474 and the boys 520. The refusals were mostly in tho case of girls seeking a commercial education. To cope with the overflow from the college in Weliesley Street, the authorities have found it necessary to use four classrooms in the old Grammar School in Symonds Street, three of them being for gins' classes. Enlargements are at present in hand at the rear of the college, where an assembly hall and se\eral new classrooms should be completed early in the second term. Growing Grammar Schools. All the Grammar Schools in Auckland had increases in their rolls when they opened to-day after the Christmas vacation. In the case of the Auckland Grammar School, over 1000 boys attended the morning assembly. This was fifty more than last year's enrolment, and was a record for tho school. At the Auckland Girls' Grammar School there were 594 girls to-day, compared with 555 last year, and at the Epsom Gills' Grammar School 600, compared with 581 last year. The Mount Albert Grammar School had an entry of 531 boys to-day, an increase of 3G upon last year. At tho Takapuna Grammar School, for boys and girls, there were 336 names on the roll to-day, which was a big increase on last year's opening attendance of 218. The total included 109 new pupils, and there were 180 boys and 156 girls. Last year Takapuna had only first and second-year students, but to-day fifth form classes were arranged as a result of natural growth. For the five Grammar Schools the total opening roll was over 3050, compared with 2805 twelve months ago. Naval Inspection. The Minister of Defence (Hon. F. J. Rolles•on) will make an inspection on Thursday of the warships attached to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. At the moment ail the warships are in port with the exception of H.M.s. Diomede, but she will be in port on the day of the inspection, for she requires to get supplies of fuel prior to leaving on her Southern cruise. A ceremonial landing will be made in Auckland on Thursday morning by officers and sailors from the division. Lieutenant-Commander Longsdon will be in command of the party, which will comprise the band and two platoons from H.M.s. Dunedin and one platoon drawn from the Laburnum and Veronica. The minesweeper Wakakura will be engaged to convey the party from Devonport to Queen's wharf, and the landing will be made about 9.15 o'clock. One hundred and thirty men will then march up Queen Street into Karangahape Road, across Grafton Bridge and into the Domain, where in all probability they will carry out exercises. On their return the party will march via Symonds Street and Customs Street, and arrive back at the Wakakura at about 11.30 oVjck.