NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 161, 10 July 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

WHen the gangway oil Devon port s new wharf was installed, it was thought by many that insufficient provision had been made for passengers embarking and disembarking at rush hours. The test came last night when the 5.10 p.m. boat from the city (possibly the most crowded boat of the day) berthed. In less than two and a-half minutes after the gangway touched the deck every passenger had left the boat. Mid-winter Bathing. Fishing iu a stream at Woodside, a boy was surprised by the appearance of a ranger of the Acclimatisation Society. Ho had in his hand a long willow stick, and the ranger stated that he had shortly before seen him holding a trout. Upon a search, however, the trout was nowhere to be found. It was a cold day of mid-winter, and the stream had an icy chilliness. The ranger asked tho boy what the stick was for, to which the urchin replied that he was using it in order to ascertain the depth of the pools with a view to going in for a swim. Trouble Ahead. "If any patrolman of the A.A.A. passes you and doesn't salute, stop and inquire why," remarked Mr. R. A. Champtaloup, touring manager of the A.A.A., to members of the Gisborne branch at the annual meeting "When you ask the patrolman why he didn't salute, he may tell you there is a speed trap down the road, or some other trouble ahead of you. If the patrolman stopped you and told you there was a speed traji awaiting you, he would be committing a breacn of the law, but you can stop him and ask hiui what's the matter, and he'll tell you." (Laughter.) Civil Aviation. Amid keen enthusiasm last Wednesday, a crowded public meeting at the Blenheim Municipal Chambers formally constituted the Marlborough Aero Club, the second or third light aeroplane club to be formed in New Zealand in accordance with the Government"s recent plans for the encouragement of civil aviation. It was announced at the commencement of the meeting that the roll of foundation members—limited tc the first hundred members joining the club— had been closed. Enrolments of further mem bers at the close of the meeting brought the membership of the new organisation up to 150, ol whom 30 are trainee members, including twe ladies.

Beautifying Mount Eden. Proposals for the beautifying of Mount Eden by the planting of native trees and shrubs were placed before the Mount Kden Borough Council last evening by a deputation from the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. It was pointed out that the mount should not be made into a botanic garden, but rather that the lower slopes should be planted with indigenous flora, care being taken to preserve the natural features of the summit and other high points. The society did not recommend the building of the proposed Maori pa near the 4 skyline. The deputation was thanked for its altruistic endeavour, and four of the members, Messrs. T. L. Lancaster, W. H. Rice, D. H. Hay and J. Hunter, were appointed to act with the Mount Kden Domain Board in an advisory capacity. Boot on the Other Foot. "I am inclined to think that we members of the general public are more prone to lodge complaints than return thanks," read a letter received at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Electric Power Board, in which a suburban resident expressed appreciation of the attention and courtesy that had been shown by servants of the board, when attending to a defect in the electrical supply to his residence. Members of the board were "mildly surprised at the terms in which the letter was couched, and observed that it was gratifying to receive expressions of gratitude for services given by the board, instead of complaints. Price of a Pair of Pants.

More in sorrow tlian in anger, an unfortunate Mount Eden ratepayer, who failed to sight a pile of gravel ou a footpath while 011 the way home, and crashed, to the detriment of his trousers, wrote to the loeal body mildly suggesting that lie should be recompensed, an appeal which did not fall on deaf cars, seeing that last night the Mount Eden Borough Council decided to make a compassionate grant of 25/. The decision aroused mild opposition, Mr. D. C. Fraser claiming that he could get a good pair of pants for 15/. The council decided that the damaged trousers still belonged to the ratepayer, a finding which led Mr. Fraser to express the hope that they would figure in the Mount Eden portion of the Commercial Travellers' clothcs drive next Saturday. Providing for Development. The mere fact that the Auckland Electric Power Board, on shifting to its new premises, which are being erected in Queen Street, would not use all the floor space available, but would find it necessary to lease portion of it, was used as argument by Mr. T. Blood worth at yesterday's meeting of the board that the board was making provision for the future. The present policy, he said, would prevent the necessity of further extensions in, say, five years. While criticism was levelled against the board's proposal to let floor space, renting was not objected to in the early days, when it was forced to lease offices. The chairman (Mr. W. J. Holdsworth) observed that Queen Street frontages were too dear for a thrcc-storeyed building, and yielded, no return. Buying from the Dominions. A motion expressing the view that if a small percentage of the money now expended by Great Britain in foreign countries were diverted to the Dominions many of the Empire's economic ills would disappear was passed by the Advisory Committee of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at Wellington. The motion was as follows: "That the Farmers' Union directs the attention of the Government to the fact that if only a small proportion of the £900,000,000 spent annually by Great Britain in foreign countries could be diverted to the Dominions practically the whole of the economic problems of the Empire would disappear, increased expenditure on Dominions' products would automatically result in increased purchases from Great Britain, and a settled .migration policy would become economically justified. The union urges upon the Government the advisability of giving careful consideration to an Empire advertising campaign for the purpose of stimulating the demand for Empire products in Great Britain, the cost of the scheme to be met by each Dominion contributing a sum." Grand Opera Incident. An amusing incident closed the Invercargill season of the Fuller-Gonsalez Opera Company. After the curtain had fallen and the principals had taken their "call" Signor Folli appeared, and in English announced that a photograph would be taken of the magnificent audience. Maestro Gonsalez and liia fellow countrytl>o orchestra had not understood a word of this statement, and, when the curtain fell, stnu-i* up tlie first notes of the National Anthem. They were stopped, and the curtain was raised to the accompaniment of applause. Signorina Algozzino and Signor Tambnrini, also completely in the dark as to Signor Folli's announcement, took another call, and as the applause continued came forward again and again until someone explained to them. They thereupon told Maestro Gonsalez of the coming events, and everybody waited patiently. Then Signor Folli appeared again to announce that he had misunderstood, the photograph had already been taken. But the Maestro and the orchestra were unaware of this further development, and another long wait | ensued until the falling of the curtain gave them a signal they understood, and the National i Anthem was played.