NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Putting the Clock Forward. Summer time will come into effect to-morrow (Sunday) morning, when the clock will be advanced half an hour as from 2 a.m. It will be put back on Sunday, March 16. Practical Christianity, Testimony to the value of medical missions was forthcoming in the report from the Baptist hospital at Chandpur, India, which was presented at the Assembly meetings in Auckland yesterday. Dr. Amir Nossein reported that 9520 new out-patients had received treatment during the past year, and that 17,869 visits had been made. In-patients numbered 571, and over 700 surgical operations were performed. Link with Governor Hob Son. On his visit to Blenheim this . Aveek the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson,' met Mr. Charles Whebbey, an inmate of the Old People's Home, who has lived in New Zealand under all the Governors and Gov'ernor-Generals the Dominion has known. Mr. Whebbey was born in Somerset, England, on June 11, 1840, and arrived with his parents eight months later in the ship Clifton. Captain William Hobson was then Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, acting, under Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales. Mr. Whebbey was over 30 yearn of age when Sir James Fergusson, the father of the present Governor-GeneraJ, took office, and he remembers him Well. His Excellency expressed his pleasure at meeting the veteran, with whom he had a long chat. Great Engineering Enterprise. A gentleman who is in a position to speak with authority upon the subject, in the course of a talk with a representative of the ''Oamaru Mail," remarked that the Waitaki hydro-electric scheme is the greatest and most important enterprise ventured upon by the Dominion. Great as was the undertaking of piercing the Otira tunnel, it was, he said, incomparable with what is now going forward on the Waitaki River. This is a completely new departure in New Zealand engineering enterprises, but has behind it the experience of European countries. Every detail had, said the authority, been carefully and skilfully planned, and as Showing the extent to which this had beeii parried and the stupendous nature of the work, it was mentioned that the whole cost of constructing th& extension of the railway from its ternlinUs Would be more than recovered by the saving iii cost of haulage of cement alone. Aged Fruit Trefeß. Maiiy readers admired the photograph in last night's '"Star" of the great pear tree in Gladstone Koad, Pariiell, which was a mass 'of white blosponi. This pear and other fruit trees on the property, which is iiow iii the possession of Mr. C. V. Houghtoil, prove the fallacy of the opinion of some people that peach trees are no good in the Auckland climate after about eight years 'or so. This line old pear tree, which was planted hy the Rev. W. Beatty fully 50 years ago, and lias a girth of sft 2in at the ground, had a splendid crop last year. On the property there is a peacli tree, which is Ift Bin in girth, and must be fully as old as the pear tree. Last year this treq was so loaded with fruit that the branches had to be propped up- The explanation given !s that it was well looked after, and properly pruned. Where "Skeeters" Breed. Some interesting information as to tho breeding places of mosquitoes is contained in the circular letter which has been sent by the Health Department to local authorities. It is well known that the "skeeter" deposits its larvae in stagnant or slo\v-running water, and that old tins and birpkgn bottles make ideal breeding places, but it may not be realised that an uncovered water cistern is capable of producing millions of the peats. The Health Department advises that a film'of kerosene on the surface will avert the danger, and points out that this cannot pollute the supply if drawn from the bottom. Tubs of water kept in gardens as reserve • supplies are particularly liable t6 become breeding places, as often enough they are left uncovered, and the water lies undisturbed for weeks at a time. Gardeners, please note. Luck. Luck played a part in a minor motor mishap in Queen Street last evening. It was late shopping night, and the city was at its busiest. As a young couple were stepping their way between two motor cars parked near the kerb, the driver of the front ear started to move off. By accident tile gear lever was slipped into reverse, and as soon as the motorirst put liis foot to the accelerator the car shot backwards, missing the couple by inches hut hitting the second car with a bang. It was a lucky escape for the pedestrians, as they might have been badly crushed; it was fortunate for the owner of the second car that liis vehicle was well equipped with bumpers, which saved him from any damage; and it was doubly lucky for the driver of the car which jumped back that he had nothing to worry about other than a broken tail light. the Claims of Chivalry. Ail admission that he would have flouted thelaw for the sake of keeping alive the spirit of chivalry was made the other day by Mr. A. M Mowlem, S.M., when presiding over tlie Hastings Magistrate's Court. A youth had pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying more than two persons on his motor cycle, and Senior Sergeant Dempsey, ever more ready to help than to hinder those in trouble, had spared the boy's blushes by explaining that the two passengers were girls whora the defendant was taking home from a party. To have coiiiplied with the law would have meant that one of the girls Would have had to walk libnle alone and in the dark. What was to be done? The senior sergeant seemed to hint that there was only one answer. Evidently the magistrate thought so, too, for he said to the defendant: "I must confess that I would have done the same thing'myself. You are convicted and discharged." Toll of the Pheasaiit. , Some of the little valleys which meander from tlie seafront at Reniuera towards the higher levels have becoule an excellent sanctuary for pheasants, and although the gaudy, birds may occasionally give a .front lawn quite an ornamental touch, they simply play havoc with kitchen . gardens. With . ornithological interests backed by ah Act of Parliament; the birds enjoy a fair measure of immunity all the year round, and with tho contempt that comes from familiarity, simply scon; amateur- gardeners. There are some law-abiding residents in that suburb who love pheasants—roasted and well basted for preference—and are prepared to regard them -with a fair measure of toleration, but a raided garden aiid much destruction occasions both heartburnings and wrath. There is slight consolation in the fact that it is quite legal to "shoo" a pheasant off one's section, for the wily birds have long' been observers oi dajiight saving, and usually make their depredations in the gardens ■in the early dawn, when there is little likelihood of their being- disturbed., "Bobby" Calf Trade Improved. In connection with the inquiry of t'he Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, to Animals into the "bobby" calf trade, the Wellington Society recently waited on the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. G. W. Forbes), and, as a result, reported that the trade had improved considerably' this, season. The society; was'assured that the provisions concerning the age.(five days) at which, calves may be slaughtered would be strictly observed, and the Minister said he would see to it that there was no cruelty hi his Department. lii a letter ,to the Auckland secretary, the Wei-, lington branch says: "In the opinion .of my societv a great deal of the credit for this improvedue to the excellent work and untiring efforts of the Auckland Society, and we desire to congratulate your committee on the excellent results 'of' its work in this direction." Suggestions as to methods of im'prpnna the industry still further will be Avelcomed by the Auckland Society. , , .