NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Agricultural Bias. The Auckland Agricultural Association has decided to make a recommendation to tlie Royal Show Conference that a national diploma of dairying and a national diploma of agriculture be established. It was stated at a meeting of the association yesterday that each year many young people completed an education with agricultural bias, and when they took up land showed no proof of their studies. Nippy Morning. There was a decided "nip" in the air this morning, and householders were reluctant to leave the warmth of their beds. It was noticeable that quite' a number of passengers by tram and ferry favoured thick overcoats, despite the. fact that at the time they came to work there was not a cloud in the sky. The barometer has been fairly steady for the. last four or five days, and there are no indications of a sudden change. A Tradition Threatened. A tradition against exhibits of live stock at the winter exhibition was severely shaken at the meeting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association last evening by a decision to recommend to the Winter Show Committee that provision be made for . the exhibition of cattle, dogs, rabbits and poultry. The recommendation arose out of a request by the Auckland Fur Club that rabbit classes should be included at shows partly or wholly organised by the association. Not Quite a Mine. What appeared to be a mine moored in the Pukaki estuary, Mangere, after the Auckland Aero Club's pageant last month, caused some misgivings to local residents. Officers of the Defence Deartment and the Aero Club investigated the complaint, and satisfied the local dwellers that the "mine" was harmless, and consisted of an empty kerosene box. A mine had been laid for part of the pageant display, and the box used as a float to mark the place. On the day of the pageant, however, it was decided not to explode the mine, as conditions were unfavourable, but the explosive contents were removed and the box left floating. Aural Warning. A novel suggestion for the prevention of level crossing accidents were made to the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands, last evening by Mr. W. A. Abbott, of Poroti, near Whan<rarei. It was that on each side of railway crossings the road should be laid for about three chains in concrete, with a corrugated surface. Mr. Abbott said this would provide a warning of the proximity of a crossing which a motorist could not fail to notice, even in the dark. It would compel him to slow down to about five miles an hour. Mr. Forbes said the idea appeared to be quite a good one." He advised Mr. Abbott to submit it to the Minister of Eailways. Manna House. The Manna House, Cook Street, has been equipped by the Presbyterian Social Service Association to supply hot meals to deserving cases. Sister Esther is the originator of the scheme, and she will be assisted by her fellow workers in controlling and financing the venture. Daily menus have been drawn up, and will include hot vegetable etews, curried sausages, and rice and mincemeat. Potatoes and bread and butter will be served with every meal. City firms have promised their co-operation in supplying bread, milk and vegetables at cost price, and in some cases below cost price. A dedication service will be held this evening, and Manna House will be opened on Monday. "Oh, for a Fish Spear!" The radiance cast by one of the electric lamps in the middle of Stanley Bay ferry wharf last night was reflected from the calm sea, and. a number of small fish were observed disporting themselves near the surface. Also there was a big kingfish, probably 201b in weight, cruising lazily around. He, too,, was very near the surface of the water, and a deft stroke with an eel spear would .probably have secured him. Unfortunately .none of the .belated passengers was so equipped, and the big fellow continued to "lord it" unmolested; It was interesting to hear the excited comments of the pedestrians, particularly those of one or two youngsters, whose angling is generally confined to piper and sprats. Oh, for a spear!

"Clear-Speakers." Never was the value of modern science more effectively shown than at the meeting in St. Mark's Hall, Remuera, which was addressed last evening by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart. The ex-Minister of Finance speaks very clearly, but in low, almost conversational tones, and, without the amplifiers, by which his voice was carried to the bottom of the hall and out over the enclosure of the building, it would have been difficult to hear him. As it was, Mr. Stewart's utterances came through with remarkable clarity, the speaker's voice being well modulated, and lending itself admirably to the purpose of the _ loudspeakers. He could be heard on the far side of Remuera Road, but there was no suggestion of unnecessary noise in the transmission. "Clearspeakers" would have described the instruments last evening more exactly than the popular term. Universal Prayer Day. To-morrow, the universal day of prayer of the World's Student Christian Federation, will be observed in Auckland by an'evening gathering of students at the University College. The movement is established in 45 countries, has branches in 3113 institutions of higher learning, and its membership all over the world is more than 300,000. It was founded in 1895, and is the oldest of international student organisations, it is the most widely represented in race and colour, and is the largest in actual membership.' In New Zealand there are branches of the in the four university colleges, the four training colleges, and in fifteen secondary schools, as well as in thirteen auxiliaries or ex-student groups. The founders of the movement were seven men prominent in university life in 1895 when they met in Sweden, as representatives of Great Britain, North America, Scandinavia, Germany and mission lands. National student Christian organisations existed at that time in those countries. The executive to-day is a cosmopolitan group. It consists of an American chairman, French and Chinese vice-chairmen, and English, Dutch, Indian, Swiss and French committee men. The members are Protestant, Roman Catholic and members of the Orthodox Churches. Besides its original functions, the World Student Christian Federation organises the International Student Society, an institution for service to students in all parts of the world. Dog's Fate at Sea. "H.C." writes: "Reading in your paper recently about a dog's adventure at sea brought to my mind- a less fortunate dog. Iu the 'eighties I was serving on a steamer, the Bretwalda, commanded by Captain Hunter, a brother of Sir G. Hunter, of shipbuilding fame. She was a fairly comfortable vessel, except for the lack of love between the captain and the chief engineer, a big Highlander, with red hair. We happened to be bound for Philadelphia from Hamburg with a load of sugar. We had a very good passage, taking a northerly course. before _ we struck The Banks we, ran into a big swell, indicating that there had been a bit of a blow. One morning we'.passed the body of a seamen in his oilskins, which evidently had kept him • afloat. Shortly afterwards we came upon a big dog swimming. We had a mate of sullen temper, so, while we, who were cleaning ship, were deciding what to do, the drowned seaman was left far astern. At last the captain was called. He was far from a quick man, so by the time he had got on deck and had had a few. words with the mate, taken time to consider, and also to speculate on what the chief engineer would do (for, by the bv, he had reported him to headquarters for flopping to bag a bear off an iceberg not so long before), some- time had elapsed. We all stood waiting for tile decision, which came at last. Gazing astern, he said, 'I'd overrun the course if I thought there would be a chance of picking up. ... So keep on, Mr. Simpson. 5 The work of the ship went on as usual."