NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A High Tide. The influence of the full moon was made strikingly evident in Auckland Harbour this morning. It was one of the highest tides of the year—a fact which was borne in strongly upon passengers on the ferry steamers. The gangways at Devonport and at the city wharf were unusually steep. Dominion's Goldezf Asset. "I remember . when the item of greatest value in the exports from New Zealand . .was golden metal. Later that gave.place to golden .grain. Now the Dominion's best asset is golden butter, and I believe that as a foundation for permanent prosperity butter is the most .valuable of all our assets. Thus Mr. p. Rodie, commercial manager of the New Zealand railways, at a luncheon tendered to members of the commerce train party following a visit to the Frankton factory of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. Baths Reopened. ' The three baths on the waterfront were reopened this morning. At Shelly Beach and Parnell chlorination plants have been incited by the City Council, and further troubles of the kind experienced last season are not anticipated. Yesterday the Parnell pool was refilled with water, which appeared to be remarkably clear. So far the weather has not been conducive for bathing on a general scale, although there are a few hardy souls in Auckland who are prepared to have a dip in sea water at any time of the year. "Air Fever." "The air fever," as it has been called, is spreading right through Hawke's Bay, and, following the formation of aero clubs in Napier and Hastings, one has been started in Dannevirke. Captain Ivan Kight, formerly of Napier, who was connected with the ill-starred Tasman flight,, is the moving spirit in the venture, with Major Sinclair, of Pahiatua, an ex-war pilot. The promoters propose that Dannevirke shall be the "half-way house" for aeroplanes making up the East Coast from Wellington to Hastings and Napier. Nonsuits Granted. Plaintiffs in the New Lynn Theatre case, in which George Vincent Mullenger (Mr. Finlay) and Howard Oakley Browne (Mr. Leary) proceeded against the New Lynn Town Board (Mr. Northcroft) and W. Stevenson and Sons, contractors for a sewerage tunnel for the board (Messrs. Lowrie and InderJ, for the recovery of damages arising from the collapse of the tunnel last May, applied in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon for a nonsuit. Counsel said they adopted this course because they did not wish to jeopardise the claims for compensation under the Public Works Act. After discussion, Mr. Justice Blair granted the application, and reserved the question of costs until next Saturday, j Business Hen and Baths. . On their arrival in Rotorua on Saturday evening the members of the commerce train party were met by a fleet of motor cars and conveyed either to their hotels for dinner or to some of the mineral baths, which, by arrangement with the Tourist Department, were kept open until a fairly late hour* The Duchess bath proved to be. by far the most popular, and many people in Auckland might have been surprised at the agility with which certain aquatic feats were performed by well-known captains of industry. .Not content with their evening ablutions, many of the visitors counted worth while a morning to the baths prior to the early departure of their train for Putaruru. On a train journey which extends over nine days hatha of any kind are acceptable, but mineral baths such as those at Rotorua are deemed a special luxury. As Arapnni Lies. g , On the look-out hill above the great dam at Arapuni is a locality indicator which is some* what similar to the one on Mount Eden. Looking slightly west of due north the eye follows the Une which points to Auckland, distant 118 miles. A few. points further westward is an arrow which indicates the direction of Hamilton •at a distance of 37 miles. Further westward still w Te Awamutu, 23 miles off, and if a line were drawn from there right through Arapuni it would reach Napier, 102 miles from tha dam. Similarly a direct, line-from Te Aroha Mountain to Wellington, a distance of 418 miles, runs through the centre of Arapuni. The indicator is of great interest to the many people who visit Arapuni, some of them from distant parts, but its permancy would be much more firmly assured if effective measures could be taken to prevent the thoughtless use of pencils on its surface.

Housewives and Electricity. ,T™ of the reasons which were siren by Mr. F. W.Furkert, Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, for the active development by the Government of its hydro-electric scheme in New Zealand, when he was addressing members of the Auckland commerce train party at Arapuni, were the call for electric power from the housewives of the Dominion and the value of electricity in developing agricultural districts. Some , people," he said, "may not take the suggestion about the needs of housewives seriously, but . I would remind them that the womenfolk form half the population of New Zealand, and the Government therefore has to: look to their interests." Mr. Furkert also expressed the opinion that electric power as applied to rural life was oim of the greatest factors in counteracting the desire of young people to live among the bright spots of the city, and in providing people who lived in the country with the reasonable amenities of life. 1 Encouragement of Aviation. "It would be rather annoying if we issisted these people with a donation, and the 'plane got tangled up in one of our high-tension lines and they came at us for damages," said Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Auckland Electric Power Board, at yesterday's meeting, when an appeal by the Aero Club for financial assistance to purchase a third light 'plane was under consideration. Mr. E. H. Potter thought the /board might assist in the matter, while other members referred to the desirability -of developing aerial defence. Mr. Holdsworth said there were so many things that might be placed on the same as the Aero Club, and he feared a precedent/might be created if the board made a: donation..* If anything, it was the Government's duty pure and simple to encourage aviation. Yachting clubs might easily, malce similar claims on the ground, that they trained young men for the Navy. It was decided that the request for a subscription should be further considered by the board in committee. Power Demand Increases. Demand for electricity m Auckland is increasing steadily, with the exception of power for traction purposes. The growth of the consumer demand upon the Auckland Power Board's supply is reflected in the' half-yearly return submitted, to yesterday's meeting by the general manager' (Mr. R. H. Dunng; the six months of 1928 ended September 30, 47,291,605 units have been generated, to the value of £338,398, compared with units'and £322,876 for .the corresponding period of last year. Domestic supply accounted for 10,304,953 units, to the value of these flgtires being a substantial increase on those for 1927, which were 14,849,756 units 'and £87,692. Only units were generated for traction, as against 10,115,970 for the 1927 period; Although more units were used for, public lighting/ the return of £80,084 £6018 less than thatforthe -first six months ,of .last year. The revenue perunit dropped by .116 d, this being duel to a reduction in the price of 'fower to the tramways department of from 1.2 d to Lid per unit, andtheeasier rates for commercial lighting. Inthesix months just ended* theboard has added 2444 consumers to its supply, this making the total number ofeonsumersin its J. « ' < ~