NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Annual Leave. Notice of his intention to introduce the Workers' Annual Leave Bill was given by the Labour member for Avon (Mr. D. G. Sullivan) in the I. >use of Representatives yesterday. New Zealand Bulldog's Success. News has just been received from Sydney that Mr. J. P. Buchanan's New Zealand bulldog, Nnemosyne, was successful at the recent Bulldog Club of New South Wales Championship Show. She won two first and one second prizes, iu addition to four trophies, including the valuable founders' trophy. An "Eggstraordinary" Meeting. The subject of eggs and the cackle incidental thereto bulked large at the meeting of the Devonport Borough Council last evening, when the deputation of residents protesting against the proposed restriction on the size of poultry flocks was received. The Mayor (Mr. E. Aldridge) said the proportions of the deputation made him regret that an entrance fee of an egg apiece had not been charged. "Still," he added, "perhaps it's just as well you haven't brought any eggs, for one never knows what might be done with them!" Posts for New Zealanders. A plea on behalf of New Zealand's bright young men was made in the House of Representatives yesterday by the member for Waiinarino (Mr. R. W. Smith), when he was speaking of the appointment of Mr. E. Phillips Turner as Director of Forestry. Mr. Smith hoped tliat more State appointments would be given young New Zealanders. There was too great a tendency to seek overseas for men to fill responsible posts. There were men in the Dominion well qualified for many positions. In the case of a director of forestry, Mr. Smith could not help feeling that the post should be given a man who had some years of experience, if not the experience of a lifetime, in New Zealand forestry work. Fireman's Plucky Act. During the fire whicli occurred at Papatoetoe on Sunday afternoon the fire engine, recently fitted out with first-aid equipment for service in the district, was saved from a dangerous position by the action of a young fireman, Mr. Gordon Shortt. When the fire was at its height the heat in the vicinity of the engine became intense. Shortt, realising the danger of an explosion if the fire engine were not quickly removed, rushed in, and although the paint on the machine was already blistering, he started up the motor and drove it to safety. At the meeting of the Papatoetoe Town Board last evening it was decided to send a letter highly commending him for his plucky action. Mr. Shortt suffered severe burns to the face and arms. Dog-chasing in Samoa. Stray dogs have lately become a nuisance in Apia and the district, and the Samoan military police have been detailed to capture vagrant canines which are not wearing collars. Armed with long sticks, upon the end of which are wire loops, the police have been quite busy chasing the mongrels, over 30 captures having already been made. Attached to the dog-catching unit is a motor lorry carrying a bird-cage contraption, in which the captured pups are placed, and at the end of the day they are brought to Apia to be dealt with "according to law." Commenting facetiously on the task of the police officers, the "Samoa Guardian" suggests that the Apia Turf Club should have a dog-catching event on its next programme. As an American would say, "It sure would be the most popular run of the day." Sailing Ship's Return. The Finnish barque Olivebank, which visited Auckland in December, 192«j, and remained alongside King's wharf for several weeks whilst her cargo of guano was unloaded, is due here again at the end of the present month. Guano is again the cargo, the ship having sailed —for once "sailed" is the correct term —from the island of Mahe, in the Seychelles, on June 28. The Olivebank, one of the largest sailing vessels afloat, is a link with the famous "Bank" Line of the Old Country, for she was built for the firm on the Clyde in 1892, and she has sailed most of the seas of the world. She is now owned by Captain Erikson, of Maricham, Finland, and her skipper by Captain K. 0. Troberg. After discharging her carpo in Auckland, she will sail to South Australia to load wheat for England, and there will be a race Home between her and a number of other sailing ships also carrying the new season's grain.

Choice of Secondary School. "In some parts of New Zealand the Department is taking the stand that pupils must go to the secondary school to which it directs them," said Mr. 11. S. W. King in his presidential address to the annual conference of the Technical Education Association in Wellington to-day. "Such a policy is an interference with the ripht of parents to select the school in which they have confidence their children's development will be best provided for in accordance with their own ambitions. The Department, I understand, has held that secondary schools or district high schools must be attended in preference to technical high schools. I think that this conference should record a strong protest against such action by the Department. It seems to be made purely in the interests of finance, and it is a strong example of interference with the powers of boards. If a matter such as the parent's choice of school is to be determined by the central authority we, as representatives of local boards, must surely protest in such extreme cases of bureaucratic control. If the standard of secondary education is to be maintained it must be a selective standard."

Preserving Volcanic Cones. Although some of the Auckland volcanic cones have been badly gashed in an insatiable search for scoria, the Auckland Town Planning Association hopes that their effort in the direction of preservation will meet with success. At a meeting of the association this week it was stated that a special committee, headed by Mr. G. M. Fowlds, had made a comprehensive investigation. It was found that many of the hills had been quarried so much that it would be impossible to save them. Therefore if scoria had to be taken, it should be confined to those hills, and steps taken, where possible, to restrict further operations on those worth saving. The committee pointed out that there, was authority under the Reserves and Local Bodies Empowering Act to preserve the volcanic cones, and submitted a list of recommendations* with a suggestion that additional legislative steps should be taken to conserve the cones. It was urged that the Quarries Act should be .amended to prevent excavation on the flank of a volcanic hill without a permit. The report of the committee was approved, and arrangements are to be made to give the contents publicity. Bad for the Wool Trade. Apparently the wool-producing interests of the world are not a little perturbed at the increasing output, and demand for artificial silk. An indication of this was disclosed at a meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners' Union, which has investigated * the matter as far as possible from what appears to be a disadvantageous distance. The union has comforted itself in the opinion that artificial silk, made from wood pulp, cannot be a competitor of natural wool, although it concedes that the silk makes a good combination with wool in the making of various articles or wear. Opininon of Auckland wool manufacturers and softgoods retailers do not accord with the conclusions reached by tljf Sheepowners' Union. It is stated that artificial silk has already made great inroads into the sphere of manufacture, and has damaged the real silk trade to no small extent, besides displacing other materials. It is maintained that while wool will hold a fair market for the making of cold weather garments, artificial silk is able to share in that direction and yet increase, for economic reasons, in softgoods designed for lighter wear. This is seen by artificial silk's pronounced encroachment upon the trade in cotton goods.