NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 289, 6 December 1928, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Good Fishing at Tanpo. A Taupo correspondent reports that the fishing season is one of the best experienced for several years. Archbishop Averill and party, also Lady Arthur Myers and her party, are enjoying excellent sport. Several new buildings are being erected, and the Government has established a tourist bureau at the wharf. Y.M.C.A. Camp for Boys. The Y.M.C.A.'s annual summer camp for boys will be opened at Hunua on December 22. Already about 80 boys, whose ages range from 11 to 18 years, have registered. The periods of enrolment are from a few days to the full six weeks, but, should they desire to do so, boys may remain for a longer time than at first arranged. The camp will be under the personal supervision of Mr. George Adair, boys' work director of the Y.M.C.A. Fish in Brine. The Department of Industries and Commerce has received advice concerning a new process for refrigerating and packing fish for the retail trade, and is bringing details under the notice of the principal fish merchants in the Dominion. It is a brine process in which fish are frozen in slicedup condition and are packed and retailed" in cartons. There is no need to thaw the fish before placing it in the cooking pan. A Maori Centenarian. A Maori woman, Mrs. Pirihi, who lives at Takahiwai, a native settlement near Marsden Point, on the shores of the Whangarei Harbour, claims to be 108 years of age, says a Whangarei correspondent. She is remarkably hale and hearty, and travels 10 miles and sometimes 20 miles a day on foot. She can relate many incidents of Maori life in the pre-European days, and is capable of a most graphic description of the period of early settlement by the Europeans. Her firm belief is that she 'has many years yet before her, and she expects to outlast many of her friends who were born at least two generations later. "Protest Upheld." A Wanganui resident arranged to purchase a calf from a farmer with a view to having some home-grown veal for Christmas dinner. Knowing ■ little about cows and their habits, he arrived at the farm to take delivery three days after the calf had come into the world. The mother cow did not relish the idea of being parted from her offspring so soon, and promptly connected her head with a convenient part of the intruder's* anatomy, and lifted him over the fence, bellowing her farewell as she did so. The local resident i° having lamb for Christmas dinner! Damages Against Borough. The decision of Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the claim against the Birkenhead Borough Council, made by Mr. Patrick Duddy, of Rawene, for £71 in respect to injuries received as the result of stumbling over a rockery at the end of the western footpath along the cliff at the Birkenhead wharf approach, was that tha council should pay £27 as damages, and costs amounting to £21 16/. The defence was that the rockery was not an obstruction, and also that plaintiff himself had h/een negligent in failing to keep a proper look-out. Before delivering judgment, the magistrate personally inspected the scene of the accident. Gifts for Lepers. There has been a gratifying response to the appeal for Christmas gifts for lepers at the Makogai Island settlement. The consignment which the Tofua is taking this year is the largest on record, and Mr. D. L. Thomas, the honorary organiser, wishes to express his thanks to those who have contributed. A small "nest egg" has been accumulated, and a scheme is in operation by which lepers who desire any particular gift are permitted to convey their wishes to headquarters. The presents are bought as funds permit, and are sent out with the main consignment. Progress in Education. A high tribute to the Catholic educational system was paid by Dr. J. Hight, rector of Canterbury College, when speaking at Christchuroh this week. "It is one of the tragedies of the educational system in vogue in this country that no differentiation is made between the teaching of boys and girls," said Dr. Hight. "In general, such differentiation is not recognised. Of course, there is something to be said for co-education, up to a certain extent, but it should be remembered that boys are boys, and girls are girls, and there are many essential differences in temperament and emotion between them. The Sisters of the Mission have done, and are doing, great work in making this differentiation in their teaching system." e Norwegian Consul Honoured. In recognition his long and faithful service as Vice-Consul for Norway at Auckland, Mr. Robert Millar has been created a Knight of the Order of St. Olav. This advice was received by Mr. Millar from Mr. Erik Arentz, of Melbourne, ConsulGeneral for Norway in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Millar has been Vice-Consul for Norway at Auckland since 1910, although he acted before that. During the war he was also Consul for Denmark, and for a time following 1918 he represented Iceland. He was also agent for Tonga for ten years. Mr. Millar was born in Rotterdam of British parents. The order which has been conferred upon him was instituted in 1847. Its symbol is a decoration of silver and white enamel surmounted by a crown, and bearing four letters "0." The motto on the decoration, translated into English, is: "Rirfit and Truth." United Action Necessary. At last night's meeting of the One Tree Hill Road Board, Mr. R. G. Clark drew attention to the resolution passed by the Mount Eden Borough Council, agreeing to a reduction in heavy traffic fees, provided the council's share of the revenue was maintained at the same level from petrol tax funds. Mr. Clark said that if other local bodies were of the same frame of mind, then heavy traffic fees.should be reduced. .He thought the board should request the Mount Eden Borough Council, as the senior local body, to call a conference of local bodies. "Something, will have to be done to get the petrol tax," said Mr. Clark. "At the present time 92 per cent goes to the Main Highways Board, and only 8 per cent to the boroughs. It is a question of united action." On Mr. Clark's motion, the board resolved to' request the council to call a meeting of local bodies to consider the question. A Defeated Committee. It is worthy of note that, as the outcome of the general election, every member of the House Committee, with the exception of the Hon. Sir Charles Statham, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been defeated. The personnel of the House Committee last session was: Messrs. J. S. Dickson (chairman), G. Eliott, J. A. Lee, T. E. Y. Seddon, R. W. Smith, Hon. A. D. McLeod, and Sir Charles Statham. The chairmanship of this important Select Committee had been held by Mr. Dickson for a number of years. As the name of the committee implies, it is a body of members set up for the purpose of arranging and ordering various services in Parliament Buildings,to the 'best advantage, so that i the club life of legislators in leisure hours may be as happy as possible. No other committee suffered the fate of the House Committee, although in every caso eons of the most active