NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Terse Comment. The Tramway Board was considering giving some of its old horse-trams to the Museum, observed a delegate to the council of the Christchurch United Burgesses' Association. He thought it might be to the benefit of Christchurch if the whole tramway system, board and all, were given to the Museum. Rotary Guests. The prefects of the Rotorua High School were the guests of the Rotorua Rotary Club at luncheon on Monday. The president of the club, Mr. J. D. Davys, extended a welcome to the boys, and stated that the club was looking forward to the occasion soon when the boys would again attend and address the members on questions of the day. In a neat speech, the head prefect, N. Hinton, after introducing the boys individually, expressed their thanks and appreciation for the club's hospitality. A Tourist's Gift. A lady visitor from America who has become interested in the endeavour to form a strong swimming club in Kotorua has given to the club, through the swimming coach, Mr. J. B. Perrjn, two silver cups to be competed for by junior swimmers during the coming season. The cups will be handed to the Rotorua Swimming Club at its next meeting, when the conditions of competition for the trophies will be decided upon. "Tell the People." "I am glad to hear Mr. Holdsworth speak about the courage of the British statesmen," said Mr. J. A. C. Allum, passing a vote of thanks at the meeting of the Auckland C'reditmen's Club yesterday to Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, the speaker for the day. "The time has come," added Mr. Allum, "when the public men in this country should tell the people what they ought to hear, not what they want to hear. If the public desire to hear just what they want to hear, then theirs must be part of the responsibility."

His Unlucky Day. Three pairs of shoes were placed on hie front verandah to dry by an Invercargill resident. Apparently he had forgotten about the High School "drive" for the relief depot, as the shoes could not be spared as a gift to the needy. The collectors, however, quite naturally thought they were intended for the depot, and took them there. As soon as he discovered his loss, the man hurried to the depot and after a frantic search among the piles of footwear there he succeeded in recovering them. Fate, however, had dealt him another unkind blow, for while he wae in the depot his bicycle, which lie had left outside, was run into by a motor car and one wheel was badly buckled. Beautifying Mount Victoria. Gifts of native trees and shrubs will be welcomed by the Dovonport Borough Council for the purpose of beautifying Mount Victoria. In its capacity as the Devonport Domain Board, the council has been invested with the control of the mountain, which is a public reserve. Recently it was decided to keep a number of sheep on the slopes, in order to crop the grass, and an expenditure of £10 for this purpose has been authorised. It was mentioned last evening that a number of young pohutukawa trees had been offered by Mr. J. Brooke. The gift was accepted with thanks, and the saplings will be planted in various parts of the borough. Sudden Explosion. Following upon the explosion of a blasting charge on the Old Stone Jug Reserve, Western Springs, yesterday afternoon, a number of relief workers were injured. About twelve of them had just started on their way home when there was heard an explosion not more than 100 yds away, and they were struck by a shower of rocks. One man, Mr. R. Lanigan, aged 28, of Point Chevalier Road, was on his bicycle, and a rock crashed on to the handlebars. Botli Mr. Lanigan's hands were severely injured, the thumb of his left hand being broken. Mr. Lanigan was taken by the !St. John Ambulance to the Auckland Hospital, where he received treatment in the casualty ward. The other men received minor injuries. A Peep into the Future. During the discussion which took place at last night's meeting of the Devonport Borough Council on a proposal to plant trees on Mount Victoria, Mr. (3. Falla said he hoped they would avoid the mistake of introducing quick-growing and foreign trees. ''Let the mountain be a reserve for native trees," he said, adding, with a smile, "When we look up at them in 40 or 50 years' time, we shall be proud of them." Mr. J. Curtaync said lie agreed with every word Mr. Falla had said. "Particularly witli regard to the 40 or 50 'years, T suppose," commented the Mayor, Mr. H. F. W. Meikle. '-Absolutely," said Mr. Curtayne.

Room For Doubt. "We may not lie always right," said Sir.. \V. A. Appleton, when speaking at the Rotary Club iin Wellington (reports the "Dominion"). "I ] was visiting a place in Central Otago the other day, and when in the orchard I noticed there was grass growing around the trees. This was not right, and I said so to my friend, telling him that the modern idea was to keep the ground free of grass. My friend told me he did not know that was right. When there was no grass, the pests that came along at once tackled the tret: and the fruit, but when there was grass it gave them something to chew before thinking of the trees." "For all 1 know,'' Mr. Appletou added, "There might be something in it." Scotsmen at Variance. The dispute between the Scottish Societj' of New Zealand and the Christchurch Scottish Pipe Band, which resulted in the band breaking away from the society early last year, was referred to Sir Walter Stringer as arbitrator. Sir Walter, who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court, has given his judgment, which allows the baud £100 of the £107 7/5 which the band, and also the society, had claimed. The balance goes to the society. The band is permitted to possess as its own property three drums, the possession of which was disputed. . After the band's breakaway (says the "Christchurch Times") the society began an action against ifc for the possession of the disputed funds, and at one stage there was a possibility of the case being heard in the Supreme Court. Fire Brigade's Speed. High praise was paid to the Auckland City Fire Brigade by Mr. Girling Butcher yesterday after noon at a special meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council to consider the proposal to establish a metropolitan fire board. Mr. Girling, who is Government inspector of fire brigades under fire boards, said that the organisation of the Auckland Brigade was the best and cheapest system for metropolitan work. The board had developed the operation of the residential auxiliary firemen in a most efficient way. Half the auxiliary staff were generally required to remain on the station from 7 p.m. onwards, so that an adequate number would always be available for dealing with fires during the main risk period, which was from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. . To show the efficiency of the auxiliary firemen, he iiuoted surprise turnouts held on Monday night in the Point Chevalier and Epsom districts. At Point Chevalier, which district is serviced almost altogether by auxiliary firemen, the first machine arrived on the scene 4m 12s after the call was jiven. At Epsom the first machine arrived 4m 25s after the call. This represents a turnout from :hc station in about one minute, and an average ■-peed of 25 to 30 miles on the road. A turnout .vas held at the central station at 1 a.m. yestcrlay, and the men were on the machines in less ,lian 455.