NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 94, 21 April 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Young Exhibitor's Success.

The youngest exhibitor at the Auckland Chrysanthemum Show was Miss Zoe Miller, aged 12, of Khyber Pass, who won three first prizes in the children's section, for decorated table, basket of flowers, and buttonholes. The iud»e commented upon the neatness of arrangement and good taste shown by the little girl, who came Jn for many congratulations. Cheering the Aged. Yesterday was a red-letter day on the calendar of Costley Home, Epsom, when the lives of the aged residents were brightened by the visit of the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, and Lady Alice Fergus son. It was an unofficial visit, but the old folk didn't bother about the little niceties of etiquette—official or unofficial P a r* y .? rere . to see their Excellencies, and bright smiles lit up tired old faces as Sir Charles ? n( 7.~:.y C 6 made their way through the bi" institution. Now and again the viceregal visitors stopped to chat with an inmate, and those were the happiest moments of all. New Zealand's Future. "My belief about New Zealand is that, economically and geographically, it has no reasonable prospect of being anything more than a relatively humble country," said Professor D. O. . *} 1116 National Industrial Conference in Wellington. "I do not think we can achieve any large measure of greatness in the economic sphere. In common with the other economists, I have learnt a great deal from this conference. I have learnt a great deal about the Arbitration Court. I have learnt also if you are looking for real theorists, commend me to the practical men on either side of this conference." (Loud laughter.) ° The Rich Man's Poppy. The wind blew round the corner of the street. It came on the shoulders of the Ice King. Tha people hurried past this bleak spot, turning up their collars, snuggling into their furs, and rattling their teeth. The lady with the poppies did not seem to mind. She was warmed by her enthusiasm. The poppies bent their heads and wished they were among the corn. The lady waved them about and leapt at the passersby '\ou haven't got a poppy," she said to the fat gentleman stepping from the luxurious limousine. "Br-r-r!" His neck sank into his collar. "Won't you have a poppy," she wheedled. Ine man thought a moment. "I suppose it will save me from being pestered further up the street, he said. The lady's nose became a bluer little point in the middle of a white face. Aren t you cold here?" asked the man, who had a very warm coat on. The lady became very gallant She tossed 'back her head. "Yes," she replied, but not so cold as the boys on the battlefields were." "Humph! Give me six poppies, ' said the nice man, "but please, madame stand out of the draught!" Returned Soldiers. An increase in the financial membership of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association is indicated in the annual report. The total is uow 850, which is 207 more than the total of a year ago. It i s the intention of the executive to pre3s on with the movement to add to the meiubersu.p, so as to avoid encroachment on the capital account, and it is pointed out that men who have served with any of the British forces are welcomed as members. The committee pava tribute to the work of the secretary, Mr. E. H. Sharp, who, during the year, assisted in IS3 cases of appeals to the Pensions Appeal Board, of which 122 were upheld, 24 deferred, and 39 dismissed. Reference is made in the report to the distress arising from unemployment the past year. By means of the proceeds from Poppy Day and the interest from the canteen fund, the association wa ß able to relieve the position to a considerable extent. With the money in hand and the £1 for £1 subsidies, temporary work had been provided for 504 men at the rate of 14/ per day. Devonport Scouts' Windfall. The Scouts and Cubs of the Devonport Troop have benefited by a lucky concourse of circumstances. They have long desired a building which they could call their own, so that the culture of the craft could progress with perfect freedom, lor some time they have been grateful tenants of the Methodist Sunday school in Tudor Street, but under the direction of Messrs. F. O. Pope' and F. Mortimer as president as secretary they have been doing their best to become independent Through the instrumentality of the Devonport Borough Council and Mr. Alex. Harris, M.P., they have now 'been granted the tenure of the explosives laboratory on Mount Victoria. With the removal of all ammunition from that hill the "lab." is no longer required for naval purposes, and permission has now been received from the Minister of Defence for the Devonport Scouts to use it as their den. It is anticipated that in this lofty location the growls, yelps and bellows of the various bears, wolves "and buffalo units of the troop will come to a state of perfection without any suggestion of objection by anyone. ~ "Making the Fur Fly." That well-known saying "making the fur Hy" was illustrated this morning in a manner which brought sorrow to at least one stricken heart. On one of the Devonport ferries a lady appeared, to the mingled delight and envy of her feminine friends, adorned in a beautiful new fur, which enhanced the charms of the wearer. Somewhere in midharbour, owing to a change in the course of the ferry, the lady and her companions moved from their seats to escape the driving rain, and scurried across the deck to a safer position. Unfortunately, during the admiring inspection of tha new fur, the clasp had been unloosened, and just as the wearer stood up the full force of a gust of wind caught its freelv-hanging ends, and before the alarmed owner had time to utter one squeak of protest it was whipped away over the side into the sea. The spontaneous sympathy of all was immediately proffered, but that could not assuage the grief of the wearer, whose wellinw tears bore witness to the reality of her grief as she watched the fur drift and submerge in the waves. "I've been saving up for it for months," she said, "and now it's gone!" "Never mind, dear," comforted her companion, "there are other nice furs about, and it's not going to be a cold winter, anyway!" An "Old-timer" in Town. Mr. Harry Locker, of Patea, is at present on a visit to Auckland. He ha® been a resident j in Southern Taranaki for over 60 years, remembering the bombardment in 18t>6 of Hukatere by the big guns of the troops under the command of Major Noake, who died in Auckland not many years ago. The grand old Maori chief, Taurua, and many of his followers were arrested at the time and sent to Dunedin to gaol. Mr. Locker, who may well be described as an "old-timer,"' is the greatest surviving authority of the early history of Southern Taranaki, and his mind is a storehouse of incidents connected with the early days. Our visitor marvels at the wonderful developments of Auckland, which reminds him of a former visit to Sydney many years ago, which was the only time he has been out of New Zealand. Mr. Locker is- not quite sure if the world is getting better in many ways. What he notices more than anything else is the absence of thrift amongst the young people, who seem to have lost the glorious heritage of home life known to a former generation. In the early days every person, young or old, found something to do, and worked hard, but it is different to-day. It was a long cry from the first bullock drays to the fast motor transport of to-day, and they had indeed progressed at a great rate, but when he looked at the anxious and serious faces of the people in the city streets, he knew within his own heart that they were no happier, if as happy, as the pioneers of sixty or seventy years ag " '