NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A Losing Contract. An enterprising New Plymouth resident recently heard that there was money in supplying the Chriitchurch market with pungas, so he arranged to cut and send down a supply to Canterbury. The price they brought was 5/ each, and the cost turned out to be 5/6. The labour of cutting and transferring to the railway amounted to 2/; transportation accounted for the balance. Harbour Bridge Petition. Another stage in the harbour bridge movement was signalised yesterday, when Mr. A. Harris, the member for Waitemata, presented a petition containing 3.31.') signatures in the House of Kepresentatives. The petition—which is the third of its kind—asked that the construction of the bridge should be undertaken as soon as possible on the ground that it is a work of national importance. Museum Finance. At yesterday's meeting of the Mount Roskill Road Board it was decided to make application to the Auckland Museum and Institute Council for a return showing in what manner it is proposed to expend the sum of £0000 per annum if authority is given to levy that amount over the areas named in the proposed Museum Bill. Northrote Borough Council, by resolution, expressed strong opposition to the empowering bill. The Licensing Bill. In view of the absence of several members of Parliament who are to attend the Empire Parliamentary Association Congress in Canada, some curiosity has been manifested as to whether these members will get "pairs" against the Licensing Bill. Our Parliamentary reporter says that, as the Licensing Bill is not a Government or a party measure, the Government whip does not arrange pairs, which are a matter of chance arrangement. It seems, from inquiry made, that no pairs have so far been arranged, and in any case it would be difficult for a man to pair for or against a hill which he had not seen. Possibly pairs will be arranged by cable. New Lynn Borough Proposal. The New Lynn Town Board were informed by the Department of Internal Affairs last evening that Messrs. William R. McKean, stipendiary magistrate, 0. N. Campbell, Commissioner of Crown Lands for North Auckland, and Albert W. Sweetman, district valuer, Auckland, had been appointed to hold an inquiry into the proposal to constitute the borough of New Lynn. The town clerk stated that the commission would sit on or about August 0. It is proposed to include in the borough an area outside the present district boundary that is attached to the Waitemata County Council. Messrs. W. L. Titchener and C. E. H. Putt, together with the town clerk, were appointed to represent the board at the sittings of the commission. Local Body Elections. Action is being taken by Mr. A. Harris, M.P., in respect to the recent protest of the Northcote Borough Council against the tendency towards placing additional financial burdens on the borough councils of the North Shore, which have to pay the expenses of the elections for members of the Auckland Harbour and Hospital Boards and Waitemata Electric Power Board, besides compulsory levies made by the Auckland Hospital Board and North Shore Water Board. Mr. Harris has informed the Northcote Council that he is bringing the matter of local bodies bearing the expenses of elections, which should be borne by the local bodies in whose interests the election is held, under the notice of the Government, and suggesting amending legislation on the lines of the council's suggestion. Would Anybody Like a Gaol? The large stone building which provides shelter for guests of the State near the border of the Mount Eden borough iigured in a verbal game of battledore and shuttlecock while delegates from local bodies were conferring last night with Mr. R. B. Hammond, Director of Town Planning, on the setting up of a committee organisation to co-operate with the Town Planning Board. At the moment the question at issue was the prospective removal of "'obnoxious trades." Seizing the opening, the Mayor of Onehunga asked the Mayor of Mount Eden: "Where do you propose to have the gaol placed?" Promptly came the reply: "The thought occurs to me that Mangere might provide a suitable site." In the course of the game the "grim, grey building" was placed on Mount Wellington, but being unwanted there it was allowed to remain for the time being in its present location. Yout! ful Enterprise. Evidence that the younger generation is alert to the value of modern facilities is demonstrated by the public interest in the radio broadcast of the Heeney-Tunney light. Radio owners suddenly discover that relatives and friends are rallying to listen-in next Eriday afternoon. And the übiquitous small boy is not to be denied his pleasure. A ten-year-old lad on Sunday heard his mother and father express a wish that they had a wireless set, if only to hear the description of the great New York clash. The young hopeful. illustrating that the wish is indeed father to the thought, made a markedly early departure from homo next morning. His destination, however, was not for school, which his father learnt when he received a telephone request as to the price of a set he preferred. The boy made a detour prior to school time and informed a radio house that his "pater" wanted a set installed in order to hear how Tom Heenev won the championship of the world. What is more to the point, the surprised father actually became a purchaser, though his enterprising progeny was subsequently impressed with the fact that he had exceeded the bounds of youthful propriety. "Danger on the Deep." Passengers on the good ship 8.35 from Devonport to Auckland this morning had quite an exciting voyage. The ferry steamer had to "gang warily" on account of the fog, and it was a tribute to the man at the wheel that the voyage was so expeditiously accomplished, the vessel arriving only a few minutes late. Fog at sea, even when the trip is a short one and within enclosed waters, is always a difficult factor. Ships loom up mysteriously out of the murk, and the speed of the bravest vessel is reduced to a mere crawl. This morning the vehicular ferry came in view close to the starboard bow, and a few minutes later the Northern Company's Rangitoto was passed to port, but there was never any danger of a collision. The tanker Scalaria, from Wellington, arrived when the fog was densest, and her captain wisely decided to anchor near the entrance to the harbour until the atmosphere cleared* Music in Schools. In the belief that one of the most important services that can be rendered to children is to teach them how they may profitably spend their leisure hours, the Wanganui Head Teachers' Association in 1925 formed a Primary Schools' Musical Association to encourage band music, orchestral work, and singing in the schools. One of the enthusiasts in this movement was Mr. R. P. Broad, a headmaster, who had returned from a visit to England, and had been impressed with what was being done for the encouragement of music in the English schools. Since 1925 over £500 has been raised in support of this important work. At a recent meeting of members of the musical association and of the head teachers' association, the complaint was made that a section of the latter desired only to have band music. A prominent member of the musical association therefore gave notice to move at a further meeting which is to be held at an early date that the musical association cease to Junction.