NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Indifferent Voters. Speaking at Devonport on Saturday evening, Mr. H. F. Meiklc, a candidate for Mayoral honours, stated that the Property-holders' Association had met many indifferent voters, sonie of whom had stated that they had lived at Devonport for upwards of 30 years, and did not know they were entitled to a vote. A Giant Bean. A novel exhibit at the St. Paul's Chureh, Papanui, Christchureh, Flower Show wae a giant Xew Guinea butter bean grown by Mr. Blumsky. This bean is a hothouse plant. It is about the size of a large vegetable marrow, weighs 81b, and is 31in long. According to the grower, it would supply enough vegetables for a meal for 1C persons. Leisurely Hound.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club, opening the season at East Tamaki on Saturday, started from Mr. Sherry's farm, but about twenty minutes later the hare circled back again into the field adjacent to the road. Darting from a hedge, it ran across the field at right angles, and fairly near a mud-bespattered hound, that had evidently grown a little tired of the chase. The hound was simply content to watch the hare in a fascinated way for five or six seconds, and then, suddenly realising that it Avas supposed to chase and not to stare, loped leisurely after it, seemingly more interested to ece just where it was going to disappear through the hedge opposite than to do its dutv and effect a kill.

Early Potatoes. As soon as tlie first fine days make cultivation possible, the fanners of the Pukekohe district will be busy with their earliest planting of potatoes. Several hundred acres are usually put down in May to be dug at the beginning of spring, and for this purpose the popular variety is the white-flashed North Star, a potato that has been kept remarkably true to type for many years. In the South there are numerous experiments with new imported varieties, some of them yellow-fleshed, but the New Zealander has not taken kindly to sueli brands. The imported varieties have been brought from Ireland and other parts of the British Isles, and are being tested on the Government experimental farm at Ash-burton. Mood of Expansion.

There was a time to expand and a time to cry halt, said the retiring Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup, when replying to the commendatory remarks at a farewell gathering recently. When lie took office the city was in a mood to expand. Buildings were going up all around, and business was buoyant. There was a time to expand and a time to cry halt. He stood before them utterly unrepentant for what had been done, and ten years hence the whole of the citizens would think likewise. He referred to the "ring-fencing" of Te Aro fiat with broad streets, and said he hoped that his successor would clean up the 79 blind alleyways in that area, which were a disgrace to tha city— a blemish that should be blotted out.

Popular Scenic Drive. A never-ending stream of motor vehicles on the waterfront road yesterday bore testimony to the popularity of Auckland's newly-opened scenic drive. The beautiful day and the novelty of the drive no doubt accounted for the almost abnormal number of vehicles which used the road, and its future as a Sunday drive is assured. Orakei attracted a fair number of the motorists, who were entertained by a tennis contest between Maoris of the settlement. At Mission Bay, however, there were even more cars drawn up. Through Mission Bay, where the road is rather narrow, and where cars were parked on both sides of the road, going was necessarily slow, and at times a jam occurred. Such stoppages, however, were quickly straightened out, and the cars continued on their way to and from Kohimarama and St. Helier's Bay.

Poor Fishing. Two fishing enthusiasts who have enjoyed fine sport in the Manukau during recent weeks were told that there were plenty of fish to be caught in the Waiteniata, and one afternoon last week set out to try their luck. They arranged to borrow a large pulling boat from a Bayewater owner, and set off in high spirits. They experienced no trouble in finding the hoat, but unfortunately the tide was out, and the boat was hard and fast on the mud. For the best part of an hour they pushed and pulled, but the boat was moved only a few yards. As the water was a quarter of a mile away, the pair eventually had to abandon the idea of getting the craft launched, but, nothing daunted, they decided to try their luck elsewhere. They returned to the city, secured a motor car, and made all haste- for the wharf at Kohimarama. For three hours they fished, and when at last they decided to "call it a day," each man had made one catch— one had fished up a mussel, and the other a starfish.

Nature's Odd Ways. "Naturalist" writes: "Just coming into flower is the Coprosma grandiflora, the large-leaf member of the family that includes the k'aramu, which is noticeable in the bush at the present time "by reason of the thick clusters of red or orange berries on the leaf stalks. The Coprosmas are the commonest shrubs in the bush undergrowth, and some of them have a most offensive odour— as any who has broken through a thicket of 'stinkwood' knows only too well. The peculiar feature of the Coprosma is that it is windfertilised. In most instances flowers are fertilised by contact, or by birds or insects carrying the pollen from one to the other. In the Coprosma the pollen is found on a bunch of filaments that sway in the slightest breeze, and before the female can be fertilised some of the pollen must be carried from the male tree by the wind. It seems a precarious way of depending on fertilisation, but the profusion of the Coprosmas shows that Nature knew what she was about when she left the matter to the winds that blow where they listeth." Maori Carvings.

The Dominion Museum in Wellington ]ias a set of meeting-house carvings that are unique in pattern. It also possesses two war canoes and two patakas, or storehouses. These Maori treasures are gradually deteriorating, for tney have been much neglected, but about two years ago the authorities set up a workshop in Sydney Street, and Mr. T. H. Hebberley, one of the few natives in the Dominion with a knowledge of the Maori carver's art, is at present engaged on restoring the carved work. He has been employed for two years, and several more years will elapse before his taek is done. He has just finished carving the top sides for one of the canoes, the hull of which was hewn from a 60ft log. Each top side was carved from a totara plank 32ft long and 2in thick, and the work took nine months. Some good restoration work is being done,on the carvings of the meeting-house. The design is more intricate than any other in the Dominion, and at first glance is very reminiscent of the beautiful Arabesque work that is found in friezes and other parts of the mosques in Cairo. Mr. Hebberley often has visitors in his workshop, and, seeing the interest taken in his. work, the "Dominion" suggests that there would be scope for a school where the almost lost art could be taught—on the same lines-as the effort that is being made at Kotorua. i