NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

No fewer than 170 polling placcs are gazetted for the Western Maori by-election. The district is a particularly large one, extending from Auckland down the west coast of the North Island to Wellington. The electorate also includes the Coromandel and Thames districts and tlie Chatham Islands. The returning -officer for the Western Maori district is Mr. G. P. Shepherd, of the Native Department, Wellington. Cottages as Workshops. An estate agent and valuer, giving evidence jn a compensation case at Wellington, said that small cottages in suitable areas could bo converted with advantage to the owners into workshops; and twice much rent could bo obtained for them as would be obtained if the cottages were used for residential purposes. That had been proved in York Street. It surprised him at the time, but it was a fact. The city solicitor: "No wonder the cost of living is going up."

A Big Electorate.

Money for Radium. Unless the law is altered the donation of £750 from the Auckland Savings Bank, to the Hospital Board for the purchase of radium cannot be used for that purpose. Af the Hospital Board's meeting yesterday it was stated that the donation had to be invested ai}d only the interest earned could bs expended in the purchase of radium. It was decided to ask the board's solicitors to endeavour to have legislation promoted to allow the £750 to be Used for the purpose for which it" was given.

Rates and Vegetables. "As far as I can see, there is no connection between rates and vegetables," said Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, one of the speakers at the Delta Theatre, New Lynn, last evening, when a meeting was held to discuss the relative merits of unimproved and capital rating. An interjector had declared that capital valuation, involved an increase in rates as soon as a resident set out hte spare land in vegetables, but Mr. Holdsworth said ho did not agree with this. "I am now growing fewer vegetables than formerly, yet my rates have gone up 100 per cent," he said.

Schoolboys Climb "The Pinnacles." Four boys from the Takapuna Grammar School, J. Kissin, L. Amodeo, R. Nicks and C. J. Sidford, made an ascent of the precipitous rocks known as the Pinnacles, on the slopes of Ruapehu, on Sunday. The boys, who were visiting the National Park with 26 other pupils, were accompanied on tlie climb by Mr. A. G. Coulam, one of the masters. They made the ascent in three hours, each of the three jagged peaks at the summit being scaled in turn. The descent was made in 14 minutes by sliding down the ice and snow slopes. Mount Wellington Outlet. The Mount Wellington Road Board last evening received a deputation from the Remuera Eastern Development Association, who sought the support of the board for the proposed eastern outlet road. The deputation asked if the board would construct an easy bend from Lunn Avenue to the Ellerslie-PanmUre Road, and if it would widen the corner of the Mount Wellington highway and the Panmure highway. The board decided to ask its town planner, Mr. E. V. Blake, to submit a plan of the proposals at its next meeting. It was also decided to strike the same rates as last year, 1 7-Sd in the pound on the capital value. Community's Loss. The loss incurred by the Auckland Hospital through stlie death of Dr. Wm. G. Scott was referred to by the chairman of the board, Mr. W. Wallace, yesterday. ' Mr. Wallace said that Dr. Scott had for 25 years been connected with the institution and for many years had acted as a consultant. Keen and active, he had carried out his duties fearlessly and in the public interest. A vote of sympathy was carried, the members standing. The chairman also referred. to' the death of Sir. W. J. Potter, a brother, of Mr. E. H. Potter, member of the board. The late Mr. Potter, said Mr. Wallace, had been cut off suddenly at New Plymouth. He was a man of sterling character and his death meant a loss to j the business community of Auckland. [ ; ' ' : '':r .< . .... A Mixed Metaphor. , Howls of laughter greeted the effort of a member of the New Plymouth Debating Society when, in the enthusiasm of tlio moment, h© demanded, '"What happens ? It's like a half-sucked orange, thrown away without a leg to stand on." The discussion on military training at the meeting of the society had taken a wide range, and speakers had supported their arguments by the introduction„of all kinds of weird creatures, ranging from the "missing link" to Mussolini. One speaker said, "We have gone back to the missing link," which evoked the question, "Have you found the missing link?" Like a thrust from .a deftly handled rapier came the reply, "Yes; he is looking at me." Whalers and the Law. ' Under an ancient Act,; copied from the English Statute Book many years ago, the big whalers Kosmos, .C. A. Larsen and "Sir James Clark Ross are exempt' from regular port charges, such as are levied upon other vessels coming into New Zealand ports. The idea of special exemption for fishing and whaling boats was put forward in Stuart times, not so much to encourage the fishing and whaling callings, as to ensure a good supply of recruits for the Navy. Many of these were gathered in by means of the press, gang, and it was found that to haul a downright landlubber off to serve his time was not nearlv so good an investment as to catch a "well-salted" fishing boat hand or a deep-sea sailor. Hence the encouragement offered by the State to those industries. It is curious that the ancient legislation has not been repealed. Orders for Groceries. r In the orders given for groceries to. relieve distress a considerable amount of money is spent by the Hospital Board, and at the meeting held yesterday a letter was received from the Master Grocers' Association asking for a more equitable distribution of the orders among firms. The Rev. W. G. Wood said that the board should be careful to safeguard itself against any suggestion of favouritism, and "it seemed to him that the firms were selected without reference to the committee. Mr, W. Wallace said the distribution of orders was a matter that had grown considerably. Many small shopkeepers were haying difficulty in making ends meet, and he thought they should share in the supplying of groceries on the board's orders. The matter was referred to the relief committee. A Papatoetoe Incident. A lively passage between the chairman and ex-chairman of the Papatoetoe Town Board brought the annual meeting of Papatoetoe ratepayers to an abrupt ending last evening. The meeting had been in progress for an hour and a half and reports- had been adopted, when a member and former chairman of the board, Mr. J. Franklin, made reference to the distribution of a "ticket" in connection with the town board elections. The chairman, Mr. T. R. Smythemau, whose name appeared On the "ticket," objected to Mr. Franklin's remarks, ruled him out of order and began an explanation. He was challenged by a ratepayer, who said it was unfair for a chairman to refer to a subject he had already ruled out of order. Mr. Smytheman immediately declared the meeting 'dosed. A section of the ratepayers left their seats, but remained around the entrances of the hall, while Mr. Franklin resumed his remarks. The meeting ended a few minutes, later.