NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 62, 14 March 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Hardy Chukor. Two hundred brace of chukor are to be introduced into New Zealand. Mr. F. E. McKenzio informed the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last evening, that the bird will live on next to nothing, and in India its hardiness and adaptability preserve it from its many enemies. Being slightly larger than the Indian pheasant it also makes excellent shooting. Its introduction should add to the sporting attractions of New Zealand. Cold! The lowest temperature experienced by the Byrd Antarctic expedition was 72.4deg. below zero , , and this, according to Mr. William C. Haines, meteorologist, was not felt so severely as a temperature of 60 "below" accompanied by a wind. With the temperature at 70 he. walked (300 yards in his shirt-sleeves—just to see if lie could stand' it. The lowest temperature recorded in the bunkhouse was 22deg. "below." Mr. Haines says the Antarctic climate would not make it impossible to live there, provided men had good food and proper dress. Point Chevalier Transport. The question of cheaper transport facilities on the Point Chevalier Road was discuseed by the Point Chevalier School Committee this week, when it was decided to wait on. the Transport Board member for the district urging hie support of efforts to have the Point Chevalier lload classified as a one-section route. Under the new feeder bus service from the tram terminus, the road, about a mile and one-eighth in length, is divided into two sections and the fare is threepence. This is considered to bo excessive. The-action of the school committee is supported by the Point Chevalier Business Men's Association. Deer Shooting To-morrow. At a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society last evening, Mr. H. C. Savage pointed out that Auckland was almost free from the very prevalent "deer menace." He said that only three email herds, one of 100 head of red deer, and the others of fallow, were at present in the province. In addition the number of applications for red deer licenses had decreased from 12 to four in the last year. With the opening of the season in Auckland to-morrow under the unrestricted conditions, it is considered likely that good heads may be rendered so rare, as to become a thing of the past. Cross or Cross Out? When the report of the Auckland City Council delegates to the recent Municipal Conference came up at last night's meeting of the council, Mr. M. J. Coyle urged that further action be taken in bringing about a reform in the system of voting at municipal elections. He thought the placing of a cross opposite the name of the person one wished to. vote for was much simpler than crossing out the name. With a long list, such as the voting paper at the last council election, the crossing out of so many names led to too many informal votes. Mr. Coyle thought the need for a reform should be pushed home to the Government. The Mayor (Mr. George Baildon) said the conference officials were pressing the matter on the Government. Opossums for Coromandel. / The Auckland Acclimatisation Society has declared a close season for opossums in all the districts under its jurisdiction. This decision was made in order to secure sufficient animals to stock the- Coromandel Peninsula, if the Government decided in favour of the free liberation of opossums there. Unless the stocking could be carried out from the society's territory it would be an expensive matter to stock Coromandel, said the president, Mr. F. E. McKenzie. If the animals could be obtained by natural increase the feoeiety would be saved at least £1 for each. Mr. C. M. Gordon (secretary) considered the orchardists should give their support to the proposal because trappers would' be concentrated in their districts. "Mayor" or "Lord Provost"? That the designation of "Mayor" as used in Dunedin should be altered to that of "Lord Provost" was a suggestion made to a meeting of the Dunedin City Council by the council of the Dunedin Scottish societies. Their proposal was the result of remarks by Lord Craigavon. Mr. Begg asked if councillors would be known as "baillies." (Laughter.) Mr. Mitchell moved that the council should reply stating that it considered the time was not opportune for making a change. The new name might sound well enough, but it would make no difference. Mr. Wilkinson, in seconding the motion, said Dunedin could preserve its Scotch associations by encouraging the virtues of thrift, independence and sound civic management without changing the name of its first citizen. The motion was carried.

Spicy Breezes. ' Probably very few people have not gratefully scented the air when passing' to the leeward of a jam factory when they are making raspberry jam, a brewery when the maeh-tubs are being emptied, or a tomato-sauce factory in the flush of the season. But apparently this is not the official and legal view of these pleasantly odoriferous callings. "In view of the fact that these premises are on the fringe -of an important residential area, that the pungent odours emitted from a condiment factory put it in the category of an 'offensive industry' and the granting of the application might be detrimental to. the amenities of the neighbourhood," the city engineer last night recommended the Auckland City Council to refuse a permit to erect a factory for making condiments (principally sauces) at Patey Street, Great South Road. The council upheld the engineer's view of the matter. Wekas from Stewart Island. A crate of wekas containing three pairs was conveyed to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Invercargill, last week from Stewart Island. It is understood that these will go to the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society for liberation in that province. Several lots of wckae or Maori hens have been sent from Stewart Inland in recent years. Two years ago three pairs went to the South Canterbury Society, and among private individuals who obtained permits to procuue wekas, Mr. T. Telfar, of Balelutha, and Dr. J. G. Macdonald, of Invercargill, obtained several pairs to be liberated in native bush. To show how quickly the wekae breed, only a few years ago a few pairs were put on Eabbit Island and now the island is well populated with the. quaint little brown birds. Avondale Buses. Seven ratepayers of Avondale and Waterview wrote to the City Council asking to be received as a deputation to protest against the proposed taking off of the through bases to the city and substituting feeder buses which would meet the Point Chevalier trams. The letter said the ratepayers were up iu arms at the reported change. Mr. A. J. Entrican pointed out that 37 was not much use coining to the council as the Transport Board was the proper body. Mr. J. R. Lundon thought the council should be willing to hear .any ratepayers upon matters affecting their interest. On the motion of Mr. Entrican it was decided to decline receiving the deputation and advising the signatories to approach the Transport Board. Mr. G. W. Hutchinson's amendment to inform the writers that if they were not satisfied with the Transport Board's reception of their request the council would be pleased to hear what they had to eay, was lost.