NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Nucula's Catch. Passengers on the ferry steamers from Stanley Bay to the city this morning were interested to see a large shark hanging from the stern of the Admiralty oil tanker Nucula, which is at anchor in mid-stream. The shark, which was about 6ft in length, was the third of a trio caught from the Nucula during the past two days. It was hooked last night on drifting tackle baited with the head of a big schnapper, and put up ! quite an exciting fight before it was dragged on board. Porters on Wharves. Special by-laws to control porters on the wharves were approved at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board. The scale of charges provides that a maximum of a shilling i may be charged for the first three packages car- . ried for any one person, and threepence for each additional package. Porters will be required to wear a peaked cap and clean white or brown apron, and to obtain a license, for which the fee is one shilling per year. Every porter holding a license must attend all intercolonial and overseas passenger steamers. No Need to Pay. Does radio broadcasting affect box office receipts? This controversial question was debated at this week's meeting of the Morrinsville School Committee, when arrangements were finalised for the school concert, which is to be relayed to Auckland by land wire and broadcast from IYA on Monday evening. The headmaster reported that he had urged all his scholars to attend the concert and induce their parents to "0, but one bright lad was fully aware of the possibilities of wireless. "We don't need to go," he said. "We can listen to it all on the wireless at home." Steadiness on Parade. '•The Scindian," the cleverly-named magazine of tlia Napier Boys' High School, contains an interesting message from the Governor-General, referring to his visit to the school last month. "I wish to express my thanks to the guard of honour for the very fine way in which they discharged their duties," wrote Sir Charles Fergusson, "and I should particularly like to commend their steadiness before and during the inspection, as well as through the entire march of the school children. It was no mean feat' to remain motionless for so long a time, and the N.B.H.S. guard did it very well indeed. I did not speak to them in public, as I thought they would pre'fer it this way instead." Wild Ducks at the Domain. Visitors to Auckland Domain during the past week-end have been greatly interested in the unusual spectacle of a wild duck sitting on her nest near the side of the road not far from the old T.B. shelters. The duck had evidently come from the ponds below the tea kiosk, and was therefore used to the proximity of human beings, but it was remarkable to observe how quiet and unconcerned she appeared. The young had been hatched out some time previously, and they, too, appeared quite contented. It was pleasant to note that no attempt was made by the passers-by to molest the mother bird and her young. Wild ducks are soon taken to the water, and it is possible that by this time the fledglings will have made their first trip to the edge of the pond ' which will be their future home. Hard-worked M.P.'s. That an M.P.'s work does not end when Par- ■ liameut rises was stressed by Mr. P. Lye, mem- j ber for Waikato, when discussing his activities 1 since the end of the session during his recent visit t to Morrinsville, the headquarters of his consti- ( tuency. "Since the- general election I have cov- i oral the whole of my big electorate twice over," i said Mr. Lye. He added that he was endeavour- ] ing to fulfil his election promise to "get among 1 the people and find out what are their require- < ments." He had frequently left home at eight < o'clock in the morning and toured his electorate 1 all day, not getting home till seven at night. 1 Mr. Lye confessed that since his election to Parliament he had not had time to do any work on ( his own farm, and his motoring expenses were very heavy. .

Famous Sportsman's Lament. The remarkable virility of the late Mr. Gifford Sherman Keade, of Auckland, -whose name, as the result of huge monetary gifts to the Royal Navy, will live in Empire history, is emphasised by one of his big-game fishing exploits as late as last year. Plying the deep off Russell one afternoon, he hooked a lively monster about 4 p.m., and played it until 11.30, while the boat was carried from Cape Brett many leagues along the coast. The launchinan could see no virtue in such tenacity, and, because the vessel was being carried too far ou& to sea, insisted on the line being cut. Mr. Reade was very disappointed at having thus to admit defeat, for he maintained that this swordfish would have far outweighed any caught during his long experience. Stamps for Charity. The sale of a special issue of twopenny stamps, half of the cost of -which will go to the fund for the prevention of tuberculosis commenced at all post offices throughout New Zealand today. The stamps are being issued through the combined efforts of the Post and Telegraph Department and the Health Department, and it is hoped that a good response will be received to the appeal. The issue is slightly larger than the usual penny design, and is printed in carmine on a white base. Under the words "New Zealand." which arc printed across the top of. the stamp, is a figure of a hospital nurse, beneath which is the motto, "Help stamp out tuberculosis." The base )f the stamp bears the date, 1929, and the two corners are inscribed respectively, "Postage Id," aiid "Charity Id." White Mantle of Bloom. Even as a couple of months ago the whole :ountryside was a blaze of pink colour, the result D_f the very free blooming of the peach and nectarine trees, so to-day there is a chaste white , mantle spread over the land. The traveller by -oad who goes far into the country, particularly :o those places not too thoroughly cultivated, is intrigued by the masses of tea-tree bloom. In ;ome places so heavy and even is the blossoming )f the tea-tree tlrat large areas of land give -he impression of a recent snowfall. The tearee is Nature's kindly covering of the scars made »y the vandalism of man. Land left uncultivated liter a bush burn is soon covered. How much ;ea-tree, or manuka, there is in the country is lot fully realised until a prolific blooming forces he situation on the traveller. The other ti-tree native cabbage tree) is also blooming freclv this eason, a sure sign, so the natives say, of a hot u miner. )live Branch Photo. An inverted instance of extending the olive Tanch occurred at the meeting of the Papatoetoe .'own Board last evening. The olive, regarded a all ages as the bounteous gift of heaven and he emblem of peace and plenty, or a reward for thletic prowess, was produced' in the form of a hotograph presented to the "board bv the superltendent of the local fire brigade, Captain G. J. iradley. The photograph, which was a group f the original members of the fire brigade, was eceived by Mr. T. K, Smytheman, chairman, 'ollowing the presentation, * Mr. Bradley lodged unplaints that the requirements of the district roih a fire protection Viewpoint had been ignored i the new water supply scheme. He said the rigade had not been consulted, and criticised the oard for the failure to erect hydrant signs to lark the position of 200 hydrants. He also said le hydrants were too wide apart in some streets. < lid asked the board for additional hose and juipihent to meet the position. Mr. Smytheman, ! i thanking the superintendent for the photo- : •aph, said the water loan was fully expended and 1 rfra work could'not be undertaken at present, i