NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 46, 23 February 1929, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Municipal Elections,

Owing to amalgamations with the city since the last municipal elections, there are now 42,757 names on the main roll to be used at the municipal election on May 1, an increase of 10,015 compared with the elections of 1027. The supplementary roll will close on April 1. It is expected that the main roll will be available about March 3. Future for North. "I certainly think there is a very great future for the Far North," said the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelie, Minister of Internal Affairs, on his arrival in Auckland last evening, after an extensive tour of the North Auckland district. "The people there, as generally throughout the North Island, are beginning to realise the value of top-dressing, and it is making a wonderful difference to the productivity of the land. It appeared to me, however, that the country that I have just toured is rather under-stocked." Finding and Fining. There was an amusing interlude at this week's Rotary Club luncheon at Wellington, when the English public school boys were guests. The president (Mr. D. J. McGowan) apologised for the late start of the luncheon, explaining that it was due to the Mayor (Mr. Troup) keepfng the boys too long at the civic reception. This evoked the cry, "Fine him!" from several members, to which the chairman replied that he would if he could find him. A search round the tables failed to reveal Mr. Troup, and finally the president remarked: "It doesn't matter. I'll fine the town clerk instead." Amid much merriment the sergeant-at-arms (Rotarian Denniston) made his way across the room and collected the fine from Mr. E. P. Norman. Government Encroachment. The matter of the encroachment of surveying by Government officers upon the available field of operation of the private practitioners was considered at the surveyors' conference, held in Wellington recently. Instances were given to show that Government officers had been sent on expensive journeys to effect small surveys which could have been done much more economically by the local private surveyor. It was arranged to have this matter discussed with the Department, especially in view of the fact that so much technical and basic survey work, which was the duty of the Government staff to attend to, was undone, and as a result private surveys were made more expensive. An Active Missionary. Known as one of the most active workers in the Solomon Islands mission fields, a young man, Mr. Allan H. Cropp, was admitted yesterday by the Methodist Conference as a minister in full connection. Mr. Cropp had been for seven years continuously engaged in mission work, and declined to take furlongh, as there was no one else to relievo him. In a small launch, commonly known as huka, he was often seen by tho mission vessels along the shores of Bougainville, the largest island in the Solomons group, and the speed at which he travelled in this small craft gained him a certain amount of goodnatured notoriety. His ordination has been delayed for some time because of his refusal to leave the foreign field. He is an Australian-born missionary. Rangitiki. Why did they leavo out tho "e" when they christened the New Zealand Shipping Company's new motor vessel Rangitiki? Simply because she is a namesake of the first Rangitiki, a graceful clipper ship. In the old days people were not so keen about spelling Maori words accurately. No doubt the river Rangitikei was pronounced Rangitiki, just as most of us, when speaking of Whangarci call it Whangari, in fact, Wangari. Several ships that frequent Auckland waters have the Maori mutilated. There is, for instance, tho Kurow, the "row" of which should bo "rau." Other staring instances are tho Kartigi, the Kaiwarra. All those belong to the Union Company. Then there is the Ihumata, which should be Ihumatao, and many other instances could be given. Missions to Seamen. In the past there has been a certain amount of overlapping in the missions and social work among sailors visiting Auckland, the two societies concerned being the missions attached to the Sailors' Home and the Missions to Seamen (commonly called tho Flying Angel Mission), the former being undenominational, and the latter attached to the Church of England. The Sailors' Homo authorities have now agreed to give the Missions to Seamen the uso of the vacant piece of land alongside the home ip Sturdee Street. The Missions to Seamen authorities will in return rc-erect the present obsolete mission chapel in Albert Street, and will also erect buildings for its own activities on the vacant allotment in Sturdee Street, such buildings including a social hall, a small undenominational chapel, and the necessary offices. It has been arranged that the Mayor of Auckland, the chairman of the Harbour Board, and a representative of the Sailors' Home shall be added to the committee of the Missions to Seamen. These details were approved at a meeting of the Sailors' Home Council held on Thursday evening. Methodist Centenarian. Among the veteran Methodists of New Zealand the senior place is occupied by a centenarian of Marlborough. This person, a Maori woman, of 107 years, as nearly as her age can be established, is Mrs. H. Rore, widow of a minister who' was well known in the district many years ago. Mrs. Rore belongs to one of the oldest families in Marlborough. Until a short time ago she lived at the Wairau Pa, Blenheim. Her influence was always a religious force in the pa, and even in extreme old age she would push herself along in a chair and would stop every now and then to enter into conversation with the younger inhabitants. Sho is now in the hospital at Blenheim, and the Methodist Conference decided yesterday to send her a. special letter, congratulating her upon her long connection with the Church. Agricultural Show Dates. A question which has been exercising the minds of A. and P. Associations throughout the Auckland Province has been the allotment of show dates, so as not to have functions clash. A meeting of those interested has been held, and a definite order of sequence has been agreed upon. As a result of these deliberations it has been decided that the Waikato Show should be held during the second week in November, Te Aroha in the third week, Auckland in the fourth week, and Whangarei during the first week in December. Mr. Butler, secretary of the Whangarei Show, said his association would be only too pleased to agree to any suggestions which would enable each show to have a fair run. Mr. McKee stated definitely that Hamilton would not shift its dates. New Regimental Colours. As the old colours of the Ist Battalion of the Auckland Infantry Regiment have become too old for use outside, they have beeii deposited in the Town Hall, and new colours, which were ordered some time ago, will shortly arrive. It is hoped they will be here in time to be -presented to the battalion .on Anzac Day (April 25). The ceremony, which is a most impressive one, includes the consecration of the two flags—the King's colour and the regimental colour —and the handing of them over to the care of the battalion at a parade where the troops carry fixed bayonets. The new colours wll bear the names or the various actions in which.the battalion has been concerned—South Africa, and the engagements in France and on ftnllipoli during the late war. As the cost of the colours, £100, has'to be borne by the battalion, some of the friends of officers and men have sent along subscriptions, which have been gratefully xnkoowledged by the Officer Commanding, Lieutenant-Colonel H. Ikwaoa,