NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 110, 12 May 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Price War Skirmish. A rather unusual, but none the less effective method of stopping a price war is said to have been adopted by an Oamaru retailer. Two firms were competing in a similar line of goods, the price of which became so low at one shop that the competitor' went along and ordered the bulk of the stock and resold it at the price of his own goods. Masonic Temple for Fapatoetoe. Plans have been completed for the erection of a Masonic temple by Papatoetoe Lodge, No. 227, the contract price being £998 10/. A site has been secured at the corner of Betro Street and Coronation Road. The building will be 80ft by 30ft, with rimu interior panels and corbelled ceiling. It is to be completed and ready for use in August. Stunt Cyclists. Boy cyclists who persist in "stunting" on public highways are a source of annoyance to motorists. At Papatoetoe yesterday afternoon five or six youngsters on bicycles took up more than half the width of the main road by riding abreast, each with one hand on the shoulder of the rider next to him. The trick riding Avas probably amusing enough to the cyclists, but motorists did not appreciate the boys' skill, as was indicated by the persistent "honking" of horns. At least one car escaped knocking down one of the cyclists only by the narrowest of margins. Whale "Veins." Talking of the habits of whales, Captain H. F. Cook, the veteran skipper of the Hananui 11., now in port for her annual inspection, said that whales passing up and down the coast of New Zealand usually moved along tracks or "veins," as they were called by the whalers. There did not appear to be any reason why they should follow the same route, but experience had proved that they did. In recent years, he said, the whale "veins" out from Whangamumu, the Hananui's headquarters, had been considerably farther away from the land than previously. The Price We Pay. "Greater prevalence of diabetes, with a corresponding increase in the death rate for thjg disease, appears to be the price paid for any advance in the standards of living of the people," states the "Abstract of Statistics." "As the country emerged from the pioneering years to the level of modern civilisation, so has death rate from diabetes continued to advance, in spite of the proven success of certain palliatives. The number of deaths from diabetes in 1929 -was 201, this being a record for the Dominion, although the death rate of 1.43 has been exceeded on two occasions—in 1918 and 1919." "No Can Stop!" There's no telling what dangers a motorist may meet on the roads nowadays, remarks the Hastings "Tribune." Last week a car was well on to the Waitangi Bridge before a truck came on to it at the other end. The motorist, relying on the rule which gave him the right-of-way, continued on, and had the shock of his life when the driver of the truck did the same. On, the truck were two wildly gesticulating Chinese yelling: "Me no can stop! Me no can stop!" Then came the impact, a broken front buffer and minor other damage, which will probably cost the Orientals a £10 note. Not Fair Game. Indiscriminate shooting is still going on in parts of the Wanganui district. A city sportsman who returned from a deer-stalking trip told a reporter that a farmer had discovered the carcase of a run bullock with three bullet holes in it and a sheep with a broken shoulder, which had been caused by the impact of a bullet. The owner of the animals had fairly certain knowledge as to the identity of the persons who had caused the damage, and it was probable that a prosecution would follow. "There is a fl/it surrounded by hills in this particular locality," the reporter was told, "and the farmer is afraid to cross it because of the amount of wild shooting which is going on." Bowler Hat as Target. About a dozen small boys at Eden Park on Saturday were having a fine time throwing missies at a target. The missies were little pieces of stone and crumpled up balls of paper, and the target was a conspicuous bowler hat down below in the crowd. Separated safely from all hopes of pursuit by the crowd, the boys were audibly manifesting their delight at a "bull's eye." For a while the man under the hat seemed oblivious of the fact that he was the centre of attention. However, one of the pieces of rock landed on the hat, and the wearer turned from the game to the other matter. The target practice collapsed suddenly. View from Rangitoto. It is worth while making the fatiguing climb to the summit of Rangitoto for the sake of the view alone, and those who took the walk on Sunday were fully rewarded for their effort. There was a blue sky overhead, no breeze disturbed the smooth waters of the Waitemata, and the countryside was bathed in brilliant sunshine. Here and there the sails of a becalmed yacht were reflected in the gleaming waters, and now and then a launch chugged on its way, leaving a long wake to disturb the mirror-like smoothness of the harbour. In the distance the city and suburban areas stood out in relief against the background of the Waitakeres. It was, indeed, an enchanting scene. Aviaries and Apiaries.

Crossword puzzles are not the only means of teaching youth words and their meaning. A teacher in a Wellington school frequently tries out his scholars by suddenly asking the class the meaning of a word. "What is the meaning of avia.ry?" he asked one day this week. A dozen hands went up, and all answers were right—a house for birds. "Now I'll give you another," said the teacher. "What is the meaning of apiary ?" Only half a dozen hands went up. "Well, Jackson, what is it 1" "Please, sir, a place where they keep apes!" The teacher had to explain that an apiary was a much sweeter place than a monkey-house. Governor-General at League. Well pleased with the exhibition of football he saw at Carlaw Park on Saturday afternoon, the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, promised to favour the League headquarters with further visits. His Excellency displayed keen interest in every movement by City and Ponsoiiby in their encounter, and frequently rose to his feet to follow the course of particularly interesting manoeuvres. On arrival at the park he was welcomed by the patron of the Auckland League, the Hon.'J. B. Donald, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. James Carlaw, president of the League, and Mr. George Rhodes, chairman of the management committee. He later left the stand in response to the lusty cheers given by the two teams, and shook hands with the respective captains, and the referee, Mr. Simpson. Schooner's Romantic Voyage. The auxiliary schooner Navanora sailed from Auckland on Saturday on \ her long voyage to Vanikoro, in the Santa Cruz,group of islands. She will be in the South Sea island groups for five years, trading, and fishing for pearl shell. The only regular means of contact with the outside world for those on the Navanora will be provided by a line of steamers engaged in the timber trade between Chinese ports, the Philippines, Java.and Sydney. Cargo, Will be transferred to or ' froni ■ these steamers at Vanikoro. Formerly the Saucy Kate, and built at Mercury Bay 54 years the Navanora was renamed after a native princess in the Santa Cruz Islands. She was thoroughly overhauled and refitted, and has -one on her long voyage .well equipped. Her complement consists of Captain F. G. Townsend and Messrs. C. A. Cowan, .Sarich and J. OAe.ill. Mi. O'Neill will return to Auckland.