NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 164, 14 July 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Northcote Ex-servicemen,

Approval has been given by the Public Works Department to the scheme submitted by the Borough Council for the purpose of giving employment to ex-servicemen at Northcote. The work, which will be put in hand at once, provides for improvements at the eastern bank of the wharf approach. Fancy Bread for City Mission. An excellent use has been found for the exhibits of bread, scones and fancy bread that were entered for competition at the Winter Show last week-end. They were collected to-day—over four large clothes baskets full—and were taken away in a motor lorry for distribution through the agency of the City Mission. They will provide welcome dainties in the fare of many a needy family. The Quest for Oil. The fact that three companies arc actually drilling for petroleum in the vicinity of Moturoa, Taranaki, and that a fourth is expected to commence drilling in the very near future, is arousing renewed interest in a subject which periodically in the past has a;iven rise to no little excitement. So far back as 1866 the first efforts were made to find the source of the oil, which had been observed since the earliest days of white settlement —and long prior to that l>y the Maoris—oozing through the beach sands and forming a scum at times on the sea round the Sugar Loaves. The appliances, however, were too primitive, and although promising indications were found, nothing practical resulted. King's Interest in Sport. "Had it not been for the personal interest which His Majesty King George takes in sport, this tour would not have eventuated. Four or five of the team could not have obtained leave had it not been for the influence of His Majesty," said Mr. James Baxter, manager of the British Rugby team, in returning thanke to the Maoris for the unique entertainment they provided in honour of the team at the Wellington Town Hall. Mr. Baxter went on to pay a tribute to the Maoris, whom he described as one of the finest races in the Empire. "We all remember with gratitude and pride how the Maoris, entirely of their own volition, came to the aid of the Motherland when she was engaged in a death grapple," he said. Stray Cattle and the Law. "It is interesting to note that if cattle stray fnto your property from the road you are entitled to put them back on the road, but if they come into your property through a dividing fence, you are entitled to put them back the same way, but not on to a road," remarked Mr. J. 11. Salmon, S.M., in the Hawera, Magistrate's Court yesterday, when giving judgment in a case in which a native woman w*s charged with allowing five head of cattle to wander ou Hastings Eoad, Matapu. Defendant said she had not known how the cattle had strayed ou to her property, but she had since learned that they belonged to a neighbour, and had entered through a dividing fence. She was convicted and ordered to pay costs, 17/. Coal for King's Wharf. Feare that the Auckland Electric Power Board will go short of coal, and that the power supply will be affected as a result, are not entertained any longer. Discussing the coal shortage this morning, the general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley, indicated that the board had passed its period of anxiety. At one stage reserve stocks of coal had been reduced to two days' supply, but now supplies were coming to hand fairly regularly from the Waikato mines. A dump of large dimensions had been purchased, and coal from that source was coming' to hand as quickly as it could be transferred to Auckland. The supplies were going to be ''hand to mouth," but the board would get over the difficult period. Growing Cost of Relief. For some time past there has been a consistent increase of new cases at each succeeding meeting of the relief committee of the Hospital Board. Last week's meeting was no exception. The aggregate of cases in the last three months is greatly in excess of anything experienced in any previous year. As cases have been got off the books, others have taken their places, and when new cases reach nearly a hundred, and double that number come up for revision, the enormous amount of relief given by the board can be realised. Some of the families assisted are very large, and have to get weekly food allowances which total large sums. The members of the committee, which sat long hours last week, were strong in their expression of opinion that the present way of doling out relief is not the proper method of dealing with the problem.

Our Future Producers. "One problem which all parents have to face is the future careers of their children. Town dwellers find their boys longing to get on a farm and become future primary producers. The factories, shops and offices have no allure for them. At times the fanners find their boys longing for a town life, and an opportunity to develop a mechanical bent at some bench, or in I some manufacturing concern. For these the only openings for the future must be looked for 1 in the development of our manufactures, -where our future craftemen and artificers may be taught their trades, and future employment assured them." These remarks were made by Mr. J. Findlay, eecretary of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, and joint manager of the Winter Exhibition, in answer to the question: ''What are we going to do with our boys leaving school ?" "Tender First" Danger. The danger of running trains tender first at level crossings, especially when the tender is loaded high with coal, was emphasised by the Christchurch coroner in his finding on the Sockburn fatality. "The public," he said, "must take care. Many of them do, and many do not. For the eake of the railway officials themselves care ought to be taken to minimise the risk of a fatal accident. Ido not want to say —I think it would be wrong for me to say—that if this engine had been going cowcatcher first this man's life would have been saved. I cannot say that; but I think' the danger which resulted in his death was increased by the fact .that the engine was running tender first with a very big load of coal, which prevented a lookout being kept over the tender, and without adequate safeguards on the tender itself. It is for the officers of the Eailway Department to try to solve the difficulty." A Dog's Life. The fascination which a game of football has for the average dog is frequently illustrated on the playing areas of Auckland. Waikaraka Park, Onehunga, being an open reserve, ia a very popular resort of dogs, stray and otherwise, and there was a large and representative attendance on Saturday, when Rugby, Soccer and hockey were in full swing. The Soccer epectators included two fox terriers, a spaniel, a Pomeranian, and a particularly lively animal of some indeterminate breed. Each one took a turn at joining in, and each succeeded in having plenty of fun, and also in avoiding the feet of the players. A shining example of good behaviour was set by one old spaniel, which remained quietly behind the touch-line, and made no attempt to intrude on the field of play. Imagine, then, the feelings of his woman owner when a hard-kicked ball flew over the touch-line and bounced on hie back. It was a heavy ball, too, and must have hurt. The dog's expression was a study. If those eloquent brown eyes could have spoken, they would surely have said: "There now. Look at that! Who said there was justice in the world?"