NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 122, 26 May 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Designation of Accountants. The loose rise of the term "public accountant" was the subject of discussion at a meeting of-the executive of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, just concluded in Wellington. It was stated that the description was being used by persons in practice who were not qualified for membership of the society. It was resolved that in cases of incorrect use of the term steps should be taken for correction through the Press. Twelve Optimists' Clubs. A party of 24 members of the Hamilton Optimists' Club was entertained in the Y.M.C.A. building on Saturday evening by members of the Auckland Optimists' Club. Mr. C. Rennie, president of the Auckland branch, welcomed the visitors. A brief address was given by the Dominion president, who said that there were now 12 clubs in New Zealand. Mr. R„ F. Ward replied on behalf of the Hamilton Club. Guide's Little Joke. An amusing story was told by a Masterton business man at a, meeting the other night, prior to the commencement of business The narrator had been to Auckland for a holiday, and related the following remarks made by a guide during an observation tour, when passing a large poultry farm: "This is one of the largest and finest poultry farms in the Southern Hemisphere. It is slow sport; the hens only lay one egg a clay. Six hundred and fifty years ago a rooster laid an egg- They thought so much of him that a mountain in India—Himalaya—was called after him." Speed Past Schools. Attention to the warning issued recently by Mr. P. K. Hunt, to the effect that in future he would inflict heavier fines on motorists convicted of speeding past schools, is drawn in the Auckland Automobile Association's April bulletin. It is mentioned that when the regulations governing speed past schools were drawn up the association made a strong protest against the restrictions being made to apply on every day in the year, including Sundays and school holidays, but its efforts to have them drawn up in a different way were not successful. It was for this reason that the association discontinued the practice of erecting warning signs at schools on main highways

In an Auction Mart. A large crowd congregated at the entrance to an auction mart in the city the other day just before a sale was to start. An elderly man amongst them had decided to try out a piano, and it was soon evident that he was a master of the instrument His long, thin hands danced over tho keys.as he entranced listeners with classic numbers. He seemed lost in his art. Suddenly he looked round, expressed a few words of apology, and plodded his way off. "My word, tiiat old chap is a fine player," said one woman, who seemed disappointed that the 1 melody had ceased. "Yes." added a man nearby, "that man is an artist. He used to play for Madame Melha." The spectators appeared to thoroughly appreciate this news. Every voluntary audience likes to feel that its good taste is justified. Hakas at Eden Park. Although interest in the game at Eden Parkwas at a high pitch all the time on Saturday, the attention of those in the grandstand was distracted every now and then to the antics of a Maori, who, totally unabashed, would perform solo hakas at suitable intervals. Every time Manukau scored, or looked like scoring, or carried out any good movement, this zealous partisan would perform all the hakas ever staged, and a few of his own into the bargain. With fingers groping, and working hands, with lolling tongue and staring eyes, he pirouetted up and down right in front of the centre of the stand. Ponsonby scored first, and there was a period of quiet, but when Manukau came to light it seemed as though everybody else was silent. Clinical Mysteries. It was at a suburban school, and the first day of opening of the new dental clinic. One child of five years had bravely submitted to the removal of a couple of troublesome teeth, and, with them carefully wrapped in her handkerchief, she took them home to show "mummy." That evening the teeth were placed under a mat, and in some mysterious manner, known only to parents of small children, the morning found the teeth gone, and in their place two pennies. On the following Saturday the child was taken to a barber's shop to have her hair trimmed. She walked through the shop into the saloon, but one glance inside and she was off again as fast as her little feet would carry her. She had sighted the barber's chair, and thought the school dental clinic, like the teeth placed under the mat, had been moved. > Queen Mary's Birthday. The sixty-third birthday of Queen Mary is being observed throughout the- Empire to-day, additional interest being added to the celebrations by the fact-that this year marks the. twentieth anniversary of Their Majesties' accession to the Throne. The warships in port at Auckland are dressed with flags to mark , the occasion, and a Eoyal salute of 21 guns was fired at noon. Flags are also being flown from most of the public and private buildings throughout the city. The Governor-General, Lord*Bledisloe, has dispatched the following message to the Queen: —"The Government and people of this Dominion join with me in tendering to Your Majesty respectful congratulations and good wishes" on the occasion of Your Majesty's birthday." Titirangi Road. The new formation on the New LynnTitirangi Road (which is to be concreted) is settling down well, and the light coating of metal which was put down as a temporary measure has enabled traffic to get through. Had the weather not held up in such an astonishing manner this autumn, drivers would have had a nasty time on the clay, but practically no inconvenience, has been caused, as the weather has been so fine. At the bend in the road, almost at tho top of the hill,,not far from the new hotel, there is a steep gully, and there have always been minor slips after abnormal rain. .In order to leave nothing to chance, a costly reinforced concrete wall has been put up to hold_ up the widened roadway at this spot. The wall is about 12ft high, and is curved so as to give the maximum amount of strength. Concreting of the roadway will not be begun until the new formation has thoroughly consolidated. There is bound to be a good deal of settlement in places after the winter rains, and it is likely that some places will require to be refilled. German Flags from Samoa. Referring to the German flag that was hauled down from the seat of native government at Mulinau, Apia, on th© outbreak of the war, and' is now in the Parliamentary Library, the "Star's" Wellington correspondent states that it was forwarded to Sir. James Allen (Minister of Defence during the war) by Colonel Logan, who was then in command of the forces in Samoa. The Minister of Defence handed, the trophy to the Parliamentary Library, so that it would be displayed in a national building and be in safe keeping. No details were supplied regarding the flag's history, but a recent examination following the interesting newspaper controversy led to a close inspection, and the discovery of an insenp•■on in indelible ink as follows:—"This flag, which flew over the seat of native government at Mulinau, Apia, Samoa, was hauled down hj the New Zealand troops of H.M. King George Y., commanded by Colonel R. Logan, A.DC on \uoust r 3, 1014." Flags were also secured h-om tlie a German Governors residence, and the headquarters of the great trading organisation known as the G.H.P.