NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 222, 19 September 1930, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Eggs Galore. Nearly 70 dozen fresh eggs were forwarded as a result of the appeal made this week on behalf of a sale of work to be held at Mount Albert school to-morrow in aid of the iund for a dental clinic. The eggs have already been sold. Many sacks of potatoes were also sent in.

Worthy Objects. The City Council last night decided to give ten guineas towards the expenses of sending the expedition to Niaufou Island to observe the forth coining'eclipse of the sun. The council also decided to give ten guineas to the Modernising of Buildings Promotion Society that was recently formed in Auckland.

Dutch Warships Coming. The Dutch cruiser Java, with two destroyers, under the command -of Bear-Admiral Kayser, is due at Auckland on October 24. The Mayor announced last night that a civic welcome would be given at midday on the day of their arrival. Tlie council decided to give an At Home in the Town Hall during the evening and to grant the officers crew free admission to the Zoological Park and swimming baths.

Rural Postal Deliveries. In reply to representations made by the Farmers' Union at Wellington, complaining of "the unfairness of the fee charged for rural delivery boxes," the postmaster has replied stating that "the policy governing the rural mail delivery system could not be continued without the fees, and that the increasing of the relatively heavy loss on the deliveries by the provision of free rural deliveries would make tlie system financiallv unsound."

Improved Dried Milk. A new method of preparing dried milk, the result of work by Mr. H. E. West, chemist to the New Zealand Wheat Research Institute, has been approved by tbe New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. In a letter received yesterday the company said a product had been obtained superior to anything that had been made before. The chairman said that as a. result of Mr. West's tests the quality of dried milk for baking purposes had been greatly improved and it was equal to ordinary or condensed milk. It was one of Mr. West's most important pieces of work and provided an outlet for another dairy product.

Marine Disturbances. A number of seals seen at Stewart Island lately bore severe wounds, evidently the outcome of fights with ■ sharks. Visitors who walked to Mason's Bay and Hellfire Beaches reported that several seals were ashore on the sands there and that each one seemed to be suffering from the effects of fighting or attacks from sharks, as all were more or less wounded. In Paterson's Inlet and at the Neck, a number of seals was observed and they also bore ugly wounds on the shoulders and tail. No doubt this has been caused by fighting during the mating season. The majority were sea lions, hut two fur seals were seen this week on Eingaringa beach. Sea lions, when roused, are na'sty customers, as they can move almost as fast as a man can run.

Municipal Golf. As Mr. C. H. Redhead, golf expert of Eotoraa, had reported adversely on tbe proposal to make a municipal golf course at Waiatarua Park, TEe parks committee of the Auckland City Council recommended that 110 further action be taken. At last night's meeting of the council Mr. G. W.

Hutchison suggested that some of the adjacent Church of England land might be leased reasonably. He thought a municipal course would be popular and appreciated by those who could not afford the present high cost. At his suggestion the matter was sent back to the committee for further investigation. There were before the council two applications for a lease of a vacant lot in the Civic Square for the purpose of making a miniature golf course. The parks committee was instructed to report on the matter.

Quality Tells. New" Zealand is the greatest contributor of imported cheese sold in Great Britain. The Canadian product comes second and the English third. . So said Mr. A. C. Boss, "who addressed a conference of New Zealand dairy factory managers in Auckland yesterday. Mr. Boss, who has for the past four and a half years been inspector of Dominion dairy produce attached to the High Commissioner's office, had many valuable hints to offer to members of the trade. Emphasising the value of the grading system, he said it was essential that nothing but the finest quality produce should be sent out. New Zealand "butter and cheese was deservedly esteemed in Great Britain, as they possessed great keeping qualities and "stood up to" changes of temperature remarkably welL A great deal of harm was done, however, when a consignment of less than usual quality was received. "The future of the dairy industry.is going to depend on .the placing on the market of an article of absolutely reliable quality," added the speaker.

The Laughing Lizard. -There has been presented to the Wanganui Museum a little green lizard (naultinus grayi) which brings with it a touch of history, says the '"Wanganui Chronicle." Mr. N. Annabel has stated that this kind of lizard was discovered by his uncle, Mr. Joseph Annabel, while engaged in a Government survey in the wooded country of the Wanganui district. (An account of the finding of the lizard by Mr. Annabel was read by Sir Walter Buller before the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1880.) The Maoris were universally afraid of the tiny reptile, which, on being molested, emits a peculiar chattering sound called "laughing" by the natives. The laugh of the green lizard was enough to terrify .the bravest warrior and its power for evil was strangely believed In by the tribes all over the country. Sir George Grey in his "Account of an Expedition through the Interior, 1840-50,". stated: 4 T have seen twenty or thirty able-bodied men fly in a state of the most-abject'fright and even take to the water when pursued by a child with a dead body of a conimon green lizard in his hands."

Built on Fort Street. Fort Street, which follows the old shore line, is curved, so probably the fact that it is over Cft too narrow at one point would easily escape notice. Reporting to the City Council last evening, the city engineer stated that the Express Company's building .at the .corner of Fort Street and Fort Lane was over the street line; this resulting in the street being reduced to 63ft Sin instead of 6Gft. The encroachment was more noticeable further along the street, and Alpe's Building at- the corner of Gore Street was Cft 2in over the line. The engineer advised the council to adhere to the correct line, and pointed out that it would result in no immediate inconvenience, as the line could be set back whenever premises were rebuilt. The whole matter cropped up out of a notice that the Express Company intended to bring its property under the Land Transfer Act unless caveat were lodged. The solicitors of the company wrote stating that unless the caveat were withdrawn an action for damages would be brought. The council referred the matter to tLe town clerk and the city solicitor, who will furnish a report. The encroachment dates from the very early times, before civic supervision was as thorough as it is to-day- There is a similar instance in Queen Street, the <- TVaitemata .Corner" as it used to be called, being several feet too far out -and, as a matter of fact, there is a -distinct bottle-neck at this busy spot.