NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 141, 17 June 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A Popular Appointment,

Gratification at the appointment of the Hon. E. A. Ransom as Minister of Lands was expressed yesterday at-the annual meeting of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League. Mr. Ransom was a member of the league's original committee. The executive expressed the confident belief that in Mr. Eansom the league had a champion of ite principles, and that he deserved its full support. Public Hall as School. Owing to overcrowding at the Mangere East School it has been found necessary to accommodate 50 pupils, comprising Standards I. and 11., in the supper room of the Mangere East Public Hall. The school was originally opened in this supper room- in 1923 with a roll number of 25. The present school was opened with three rooms in 1927, but by the end of 1928 it was found necessary to add another room, and now, with a roll number of 205, further additions are necessary. Darts in a Courtroom. The walls of the courtroom at New Plymouth presented an unfamiliar appearance on Saturday, when the cloths used in a game of darts, which was the subject of a prosecution, were pinned up. On the central table was an array of darts, which a detective used to throw at one of the cloth's. On it were the letters L, S and D (representing Leckie, Sarron and Donovan), in small squares, and: it was explained that the betting was three to one on Sarron and evens on Donovan and Leckie. Small fines were imposed. "Taking Up the Slack." "Wβ have got to bring all the resources of this Dominion to bear upon increasing the products from the soil, to build up a solid farming community, so that other industries may expand and take up the slack of unemployment," said Mr. It. Glover Clark last evening at the meeting of the Land Settlement and Development League. "This can be done if our politicians cease lamenting the past and abusing the present, and direct their energies toward settling the land, instead of formulating proposals to dope the unemployed with a dole for idleness." Farming Populations Compared. In comparing Australia with' New Zealand,. Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, addressing the Dominion Conference at Wellington to-day, said it would surprise many to know that New Zealand had only three-tenths of one per cent more of her population engaged in primary pursuits than Australia had. Australia's population percentage engaged in primary production was 26.9 per cent, and New Zealand's was 27.2 per cent. Other . percentages were:—United States, 29.4; Canada, 38.3; South Africa, 40.9; and the Irish Free State, '53.5. Northern Farmers' Tour. Organised by the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce and the Farmers' Union, a party of about 38 farmers from various parts of the North Auckland district arrived at Auckland by the Whangarei express last evening to commence a tour by rail of the North Island. They were welcomed by; Mr. M. Stewart, president, and Dr. E. P. Nealej and Mr. A. G. Lunn, of the Auckland Chamber , , which entertained the visitors later jn the evening at the Civic Theatre. The party left by the daylight Limited to-day on a tour of the Waikato. They will leave to-morrow for Morrinsville, Cambridge and Te Awamutu. "Moses No Authority Here." In warning "a, jury at Hamilton yesterday of the danger of convicting on the uncorroborated evidence of one witness, Mr.. W. Noble, counsel for an accused man, quoted the nineteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, which states: "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity; at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter bo estab-' lished." Mr. Noble said that, relying on so sure an authority as Moses as a guide, lie thought the jury could relieve their consciences by returning a verdict of not guilty. (Laughter.) Mr. Justice Herdman remarked that Moses was ' not .an authority in that Court. (Laughter.) Long University Service.

Although he is due to retire in January next year, Mr. A. H. Bowell, lecturer in chemistry at Auckland University College, is to hold that post until 1933, when the college will celebrate its jubilee. Referring to the matter at yesterday's meeting of the college "council, the president, Sir George Fowlds, said it was not advieaT)le to create a precedent, but the case was unique. Mr. Bowell had started with the college, and had been continuously a member of the staff. It was appropriate that he should be allowed to remain in his position until the jubilee was celebrated. The council unanimously approved Sir George Fowlds' suggestion, "Women and Children First." A number of the costumes worn by passengers on the Aorangi at the fancy dress ball during the trip from Vancouver to Auckland were highly original. A gentleman of, Greek'parentage, who makes big money in the gentle game of wrestling, took a prize as "a prehistoric rfifin." His "costume" consisted of a pair of. coconutmatting "shorts" of best prehistoric cut, a necklet made of various bones sneaked from the dinner table, and a headpiece made from the crown of a. pineapple. A good-sized shin-bone made a very deadly-looking club, and the fact that the "cave man" had had four years' acting in a Los Angeles movie studio allowed him to make the most of his part. Another of the party of wrestlers on the ship wore a nightgown and a boudoir cap, put a lifebuoy round his middle, carried a child's teddy bear, and hung a placard with the words, "Women and children first," on his back. "Legalised Robbery." Strong criticism was levelled against the Government inspection of boilers and electric motors at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Electric Power Board. Directing attention to the methods of inspectors, Mr. R. G. Clark said that one firm which had 25 motors had to pay fees aggregating £25. The inspection consisted of the taking of numbers. "It is an absolute imposition, and .legalised rpbbery," declared. Mr. S. I. Crookes. "Every farmer with a milking plant, in addition to factories, has to pay for the inspection. I know of cases of the charges coming in without an inspection having been made. One would not mind if a true and proper inspection were made, but the people who come round do not know anything more about electrical machinery than a piece of paper." At the suggestion of the chairman, Mr..W. J. Holdsworth, the subject was referred to the Power Boards' Association for discussion. ' Power for Industry. ■The Importance of a constant electrical supply to meet the needs of Auckland manufacturers was stressed at a special meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association yesterday, when the trouble at Arapuni was discussed. A resolution was passed asking the Government whether it had in view a source of supply as an alternative to Arapuni to meet the present position and any emergency that might arise in the future. The resolution is to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes. A copy will be sent to the Auckland Electric Power Board, together with the association's congratulations on the manner in which the board is endeavouring to give its consumers uninterrupted service. It was explained that the association did not intend its resolution to be interpreted as criticism. The need for continuity of electrical supply to meet all requirements of manufacturers, however, madt? it. desirable that all possible steps should be taken to guard against breakdowns. <