NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Family Longevity. A resident of Te Hapara, Gisborne, Mrs. Robinson, claims a record of family longevity equal to that of Mr. H. McGill, of Frankton, mentioned last week. Mr. McGill's children have four grandparents living, as well as great-grand-father and four great-grandmothers. Mrs. Robinson's children claim two great-grandfathers and three great-grandmothers, as well as four grandparents. In addition, they have four great-great-aunts, one great-great-uncle, and an aunt still further removed —to the fifth generation. Coal Successfully Carbonised. "The carbonisation of brown coals in Xew Zealand has been, and is, a success," said Colonel \Y. D. Holgutc, a director, at the annual meeting of the Taupiri Coal Mires yesterday afternoon. "In other countries the carbonisation of coal has gone along with leaps and bounds, and it is regarded as a solution to the troubles of all coal mines." The colonel gave an instance of one company that had been in operation for eleven years, and since carbonising coal, about two years ago, had earned a good dividend, which it had! not previously enjoyed. It was now supplying the Navy. "Pirating" of Colours. An echo of the recent outburst of various college old boys' associations against the "pirating"' of colours is heard in the annual report of the Wellington College Okl Boys' Association. The report states that there was a keen demand for. the old boys' tie and blazer, but under the existing law there was 110 power to prevent the "pirating" of colours. To overcome this drawback, the committee recommended that the Wellington College Old Boys' Association should join in the action being taken by kindred associations throughout New Zealand.

Duty of a Council. "I do not consider that minor works of this nature should ever mine before the council. They should be gone on with as a matter of course," said the Mayor of Birkenhead, Mr. G. Mills, at a meeting of the borough council last evening. He was referring to a number of minor complaints a>: to the state of different roads in the borough, which came before the meeting. Only works involving some expenditure should be brought to the notice of the council, not jobs which would cost a pound or two. Other councillors concurred in the Mayor's view, stating that the borough foreman was the person concerned in maintenance work. Disliked Tea. In surveying his life at Canterbury College, Piofessor T. O. R. Blunt, wlun speaking at the graduation ceremony, admitted that there was one matter in which he owed the staff an apology. He said that twice a day a procession of professors and lecturers was to be seen making its way to the tea rooms. He had been conspicuous jby his absence. The reason was that he could I not stand that much over-rated beverage, tea. Here the students interjected: "He goes to the | Clarendon." "I was about to remark that had I it been in my dear old student days in Germany, ' a glass of cool beer would have been attractive," replied the professor. He explained that he did not wish to be discourteous to other members of the staff, but lie had an intense dislike for drinking tea. A Ship From Kaiapoi. The motor ship Foxton arrived this week with the first cargo to be brought to Wellington direct from Kaiapoi for many year;, the cargo consisting of 150 tons of onions, potatoes, bran, sharps and wheat. The Foxton, 224 tons gross, was also the largest vessel to call at Kaiapoi for 20 years. There was a crowd at Kaiapoi to watch the loading of the Foxton, fanners from all over the district being present. In crossing the river bar, the Foxton touched the bottom, which is not unusual in such places. One of the crew of the pilot boat, which was endeavouring to cross the bar to put the pilot on board the Foxton, was washed overboard, and had a narrow escape from drowning in heavy seas.

The Chinese "Tommy." Soldiers of China are displaying a splendid moral in the fighting against the Japanese, according to a letter received by an Aucklander from Dr. T. Z. Koo, the Y.M.C.A. leader in China, who visited New Zealand three years ago. "The Chinese 'Tommy' is eager and willing to fight, I and in spite of inadequate equipment and meagre j supplies, is rendering a good account of himself t before his enemies," says Dr. Koo. "The Govern- [ ment and his commanding officers may fail him lat some critical point. But his spirit is so deeply appreciated by the nation at large that to-day citizens' organisations all over the country are vieing with each other in providing funds, medical supplies and articles of comfort for his use. After visiting South China, I feel that Japan has raised a hornet's nest over her own head." Teachers' Appointments. In November of last year the Hawke's Bay Education Board suggested to all other education boards in New Zealand that the appointments of school teachers should be made to take effect from the beginning of each term. In a further communication received by the Auckland Education Board from the Hawke's Bay Board, it was stated that all boards considered the scheme quite workable, as long as some latitude was allowed to meet special cases. There could be no objection to that, stated the letter, as obviously cases would arise where strict adherence to the rule would be unwise. In conclusion, the letter asked that all boards should give the scheme a thorough trial. "I don't think it would be wise for us to tie our hands completely in this matter," remarked a member, after the chairman had mentioned that the local board was doing its best to co-operate in the scheme. The letter was received. School Teacher's Breach. It is against the regulations of the Education Department for a school teacher to take part in the- annual election of school committees.. At yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Education Board a letter was received from a householder, complaining that a teacher in a Northern district had taken an active part in the' recent election. The secretary reported that he had mentioned the complaint to the teacher concerned, who had frankly admitted that she had been guilty of a breach of the regulations. "The young lady actually proposed three members and seconded two others," said the secretary. "However, as there were no other nominations, and as there were five vacancies, no election was necessary." When questioned as to the part she had taken in the election, the young woman said that she had acted as she had bccause the householders had been "so slow."

Then and Now. Forty years ago, when New Zealand was for a time under a cloud, there were some who saw the troubles of the colony in the same light as many see them to-day, remarked a pioneer Aucklander to a pressman. "W% have borrowed too largely," they said, "and have been too much in a hurry to develop the country." It was their first experience of the consequences of overseas borrowing, and to restore confidence it was necessary that attention should be drawn to the advantages of the colony. The argument used then is applicable to-day: "We have a country with a soil of at least average fertility, a climate far better than most other countries, and' the lowest death rate in the world. We have neither the intense cold of the American winter nor the fierce heat of the Australian summer. Our cattle and sheep need no winter quarters, and our people wear practically the same, clothing all the year round. The animals and fruits of all temperate climates thrive here; gold, silver, iron, coal and almost every other mineral is found in rich deposits; and our forests abound with a great variety of timbers unsurpassed for utility or ornament." It is a category of advantages of which a much larger country might be proud, and it should be still a stimulus to those who are engaged in the task of nation building. ' ,