NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 99, 29 April 1933, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Food For Unemployed.

Wanganui farmers have given or promised 1200 sheep to the unemployed in Wanganui 'city for the winter. Fifty head of cattle have also been promised. Mr. W. Sole, chairman of tlie New Plymouth Butchers' Association, who is taking an active interest in organising for the relief of the unemployed in New Plymouth, estimates that to provide 71b of meat to the 500 unemployed families in New Plymouth will take 24 sheep and six oxen weekly. Not What She Seemed. A prominent social worker in Thames is chuckling over her experience at one of the residences in the borough at which she called in the course of the Poppy Day collection in aid of distressed ex-servicemen. "Would you care to huy a poppy?" she inquired of the lady who opened the door in response .to her knock. The householder looked her visitor over from head to foot and exclaimed: "But you don't look as though you were in need of charity!" Resolutions Against War. "It is not sufficient to pass a resolution as they did at Canterbury College the other saying that 'in no circumstances' will you fight,' said Canon S. Parr, principal of College House, when preaching at the Anzac Day service in the Christ's College chapel. Canon Parr was impressing on the boys the necessity of doing all in their power to make wars impossible. "One doubts if to pass such a resolution is right," said the Canon "Surely we have some sacred places _ to defend. Surely, as men, if our shores were invaded we would rise up and drive off the invaders. v\ e need to do more than talk and pass motions that have not been thought out." Prompt Rescue. A prompt rescue was effected by the mate of the steamer Albatross, Mr. Len Martin, about 6.15 o'clock last evening. A man who was embarking on the vessel just as the ferry was leaving for Nortlicote fell between the wharf and vessel into the water. The mate promptly grabbed hold of the man, holding on to the rope of the gangway for leverage, and, with the aul of passengers, pulled him on board. The mate blew a long blast on his whistle -when the misliap occurred to attract the attention of Captain 1. Lynch, who put back the vessel to facilitate the rescue. Passengers greatly commended the mate for his promptness, which saved the passenger from injuries. Walking and Longevity. The association of walking and longevity was referred to by the Mayor, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., at the gathering in honour .of MrGeorge Harper, of Cliristchurch, on his ninetieth birthday on Monday. The Mayor said that occasionally, when being driven in his motor car, he passed Mr. Harper and offered him a lift. Mr Harper, however, never accepted a lift, but always preferred to walk. It was Bernarr McFadden, he thought, the Mayor continued, who had said that walking would cure anything l>ut death itself, and when he looked at Mr. Harper ho could see that there must bo something in that statement. Mr. Harper managed to keep so well, retaining his mental and physical faculties at his advanced age, that if walking was responsible they would all hope that lie would continue to walk amongst them for many years to come. Mushroom Re.lief Bodies. A statement that mushroom societies and organisations for giving assistance to the unemployed were continually springing up was made by the Rev. T. Halliday at the annual meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee yesterday. Mr. Halliday asked whether the committee had any powers to deal with the problem, it being necessary that there should be some check on such organisations, as there was no guarantee that the funds obtained were used for the purpose for which they were o-iven. Agreeing that there should be some control, Mr. G. W. Hutchison said that tl>e Metropolitan Committee had been set up because of the need to co-ordinate all the recognised and responsible charitable and social bodies. In that way it was possible to detect any action that was not duly authorised. It was difficult to take action to prevent the operation of individual groups, but if funds were collected and not rightfully expended the police could take action. No Straw Vote. The Mayor of Birkenhead, Mr. George Mills, states there are too many difficulties in the way of carrying out the suggestion to take an informal or "straw" vote referendum of Birkenhead ratepayers on the Waikaliikatoa water scheme at next Wednesday's council election. The proposal was made with the idea that it could be done without additional cost. However, the poll would be of an informal character, whereas the poll clerks had authority to deal with official election papers only. The plebiscite, therefore, could not legally be held in the polling booth, but would need to be conducted in an ante-room or ■some adjacent building. Then, again, it was desired to test the opinion of ratepayers only, whereas next Wednesday's voters would include electors with residential qualifications also. In view of the confusion that might arise, and the fact that expense would be entailed, the proposal had been dropped, so far as next Wednesday was concerned. By deferring tlio matter, fuller lnformation would be available as to the intentions of the Nortlicote borough and the .North Shore Water Board. "Limit of Economies Reached." In the course of an address to municipal electors in Wellington, Dr. L. G. Austin, a candidate for the Wellington Hospital Board, expressed the opinion that the limit had been reached in economies, i*nd said: "While advocating economy in the administration of the hospital, I do not propose efficiency in order to bring about economy." He spoke ol the economies being effected by trying to keep patients out of hospital, treating them as outpatients. "That may be economy from the hospital point of view, but is it economy from the point of view of the patient?" said Dr. Austin. He instanced a man who used to go into iiospital at times for a certain complaint of the eves. He would be well in three or four days, j Then he was treated as an out-patient, and attended for a fortnight, but was no better. Hej finally had to go into hospital, was there foi a month, and then lost his job. Dr. Austin did not think further economies could be brought in at the hospital without sacrificing efficiency. Wei-, ]hi"ton costs were as low as it was possible to get them. He then quoted figures to show how Wellington compared with other centres in hospital administration. The Maoris' Revenge. When describing his experiences on being taken prisoner with the Koch fort survey pai ty by Maoris about 00 years ago, Mr. E. C. Williams, of Newton, recalled the fact that about that time a Frenchman was murdered by pome Maoris who had a grudge against him. He "«cd to make gunpowder and sell it to the Maoris in two grades. The better grade he sold to. those particular natives with whom he was friendly, and the inferior grade he sold to any other Maori customer. But he charged the same price tor both grades. There came a time when wmie, Maoris discovered that he., was selling them second-grade gunpowder, and reported him to the Government. He was tried and convicted, doing two years' imprisonment. After the term of his imprisonment had expired, he returned with some friendly natives to the scene of his former operations near Taumarunui, where he had buried the money lie had made from selling the .gunpowder, He was warned that if lie crossed the: river he would be murdered, by hostile natives —those to whom lie had sold the inferior-powder. He did not, however, heed the advice of his friends, ijnd crossed. He had no sooner landed on the bank on the other side than ho was shot dead, and a young Maori ran out and tomahawked him. He was buried a few chains away, where his. body was thrown into a hole which had previously been dug for the purpose. .v : . ; .