NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 45, 23 February 1931, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Unemployment Levy. People who liave registered under tlie Unemployment Act, 1930 and have not l'ully paid up the 30/ levy, are reminded that the second instalment of 7/0 falls due oil March 1. As this date falls <jn a Sunday, the instalments will be payable on and after Monday next. If the amount due is not paid in the month allowed, a penalty of Gd will be added for each month, or part of a month, in arrears. Hamilton Courthouse Opened. The handsome new Hamilton Courthouse, erected at a cost of £30,000, was opened by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, on Saturday afternoon in the presence of Mr. Justice lierdinan, Mr. Justice Smith, the Bishop of Waikato and a large gathering of the legal profession and the public. The new building is said to be the most convenient and the best equipped Court in the Dominion. It stands behind the Anglican Cathedral in spacious grounds. It is very dignified, and is a great addition to architectural .features of the town. The business of the Hamilton Court district ranks fourth in the Dominion. Chief Scout at Rotorua. After spending last night in the Vice-Regal I railway carriage, Lord and Lady Baden-Powell travelled to Rotorua to-day. They were met on ] arrival by the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, and members of the Borough Council. They then, met his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, and Lady Bledisloe, who are paying an unofficial visit to the thermal area. There will be a Maori concert at Ohinemutu this evening. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell will go to Wairakei to-morrow, and will enjoy trout fishing in Lake Taupo until Thursday, when they will return to Frankton and connect with the Main Trunk express for Wellington. Huge Fire Losses.

"The amount of money lost through damage by fire in New Zealand during the last ten years would be sufficient to reinstate Napier and Hast- I ings," said Superintendent C. C. Warner, of the Christcliurch Central Fire Brigade Station (reports the Christcliurch "Times.") Losses by lire last year amounted to approximately £1,750,000, he stated, while in 1929 it was about £1,500,000. "When this large annual loss is taken into account it must be recognised that the onus is on the authorities to sec that every precaution is taken to endeavour to reduce it. In over 75 per cent of the cases outbreaks are due to carelessness." What is a Gentleman? "I once asked a small Wolf Cub his definition of a gentleman," said Lord Baden-Powell during his address to the assembled Scouts and Guides at the rally at the Domain on Saturday afternoon. "He replied, 'A bloke what keeps his toe nails clean.'" Aiuid loud laughter, the Chief Scout added, "That Cub had a good idea about it. He did not look upon a gentleman as having a lot of money, a motor car and good clothes, but as a clcaii man. You young fellows will conic on just as your fathers before you, and, for that reason, I say to you, be gentlemen, keep your toe nails clean." Unhonoured Hero. The Y.M.C.A. committee of Napier would be pleased if a Mr. Angelo would communicate with them. He was the man who worked for nearly two hours in the ruins of the Napier Cathedral just after the first big 'quake, cutting through with a saw several 12in beams which were pinning down Mr. F, C. Main, who was attending Divine

ervice when the crash came. Undeterred by the pproacli of the lire which was sweeping through he city and approaching the cathedral, Mr. Angelo 'bent to his task with a crude tool, and lad the satisfaction of seeing Mr. Main released rom the four oak beams just in the nick of iine, but not before the pinioned victim had iiistained serious head and internal Mr. dain, who was general secretary of the Napier 01.C.A., is at present an inmate of the Palmers;on North Hospital, and has lost his memory. Boat Lifted from Sea. Stories of experiences during the earthquake svill be told for many years, for practically sveryono in the towns most affected had a lucky iscape from injury at the least. An old Auckander, Mr. H. Edwards, felt the devastating ;hake when in an unusual position. He was out in his boat fishing, and wondering why the schnapper on his favourite ground were not biting. Then his small craft was lifted about 3ft off the sea. His first thought was that he « - as on top of a waterspout, but then he looked at Bluff Hill, and saw part of it crashing down. "Talk about France," he writes; "it was not in it. The noise was like great 141b shells." When ho neared the shore he found 4ft of water where 10ft had been before. After landing he helped to drag three women and a boy from tlio ruins of the Masonic Hotel. Borough Money Saved. By taking advantage of the differences in rates of exchange between New Zealand and Australia, the Mount Albert Borough Council has made a saving of £330 in a half-yearly interest payment. The payment was due in Melbourne, and the Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr. L. E. Rhodes, last week interviewed a number of bank officials in Auckland but was unable to make any satisfactory arrangements. Determined to save the borough money, Mr. Rhodes went to Wellington and satisfactorily arranged the matter with a financial institution there. The interest payment related to portion of a loan raised in 1920 in connection with capital expenditure in the development of sewage and roading works in the borough, but Mr. Rhodes said he preferred not to state the amount of the payment. Pantomime Cricket. Cricket of the pantomime variety was witnessed at the North Shore ground on Saturday, when the home side scored a first innings win over United Suburbs. Until the win was beyond all doubt, the suburban bowling and fielding was keen, but once the town team's total had been passed the players made a picnic of it. Round about six o'clock there appeared to be a conspiracy, to which the visiting eleven were a party, to allow Bush, one of the home batsmen, to reach his century. Unmistakable proof of the' plot was displayed when the suburban wicketkeeper threw off his gloves and tossed up an over of loose ones which the batsman endeavoured to hit into the harbour. At another stage a fieldsman sat on the boundary and waited for the 'ball to roll to him. Some of the spectators appreciated the comedy but dyed-in-the-wool enthusiasts did not. A Wonderful Ladder. Never before has the public seen so much of the fire brigade's telescopic ladder as they were privileged to- see on Saturday and Sunday, when that wonderful piece of mechanism played an important part in demolition operations in Hobson Street. The quickness and accuracy.-with which'it could be run up, swung round and adjusted to all angles and positions, clear of all support except its weighted base, were a source of unending admiration. A useful toy, that," commented on© spectator. Think I shjill o-et my boy to make a model of it." An architect, impressed with the building construction facilities in such a ladder, capable of extending 85ft in 30 seconds, had more practical remarks to make. "If a big contracting firm were to procure one of those," he said, "and hire it out its usefulness in building work would_ be such that they could more than recoup their outlay in two years. What labour it would, save M the erection of scaffolding alone!"