NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 213, 9 September 1933, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Hobson Anniversary.

On Monday the children of the Newton Central School will lay wreaths on the grave of Captain William Hobson, R.N., first Governor of Xew Zealand, at the Symonde Street Cemetery. Addresees will be given by Archbishop Averill and the headmaster, Mr. Spenceley Walker. The ninety-first anniversary of the' death of Captain Hobson will lie to-morrow.

Museum Gifts From Tauranga. Three very fine Samoan and South Sea Islands clubs, aleo a Maori adze and a set of Island fish-epear points have been presented to the Auckland War Memorial Museum by Mr. E. J. Munro, of Tauranga. Mr. T. Plummer, of Omokoroa, has presented to the Museum the large wooden maul recently found on hie property. This was used by the old Maoris for driving in the stakes and poste of the pa stockadee.

Movable Licenses For Hotels. With reference to the license of the Motu Hotel, it was reported at a meeting of the advisory committee of the Gisborne Automobile Association that it wae understood that it was the intention of Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., to bring in a bill at the coming session of Parliament which would enable hotels off the main road to be moved to different locations if desired.

For Science Sake., Chaeing bumble <bees in a garden hardly seems to be work for a scientist, but it has to be done in the research being conducted with red clover at Lincoln College. Mr. J. W. Calder, who is in charge of the graes-breeding work at the collegef explained to the Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, that in crossing red clovers two plants close together were enclosed in a muslin cage. Then bumble bees were caught in the garden, and were released in the cage, so that they could do the cross-pollination which was very difficult to achieve by any other means.

South Road Improvements. A further portion of the improved section of the' Great South Road will be thrown open to tniffiy next week, when the barriers will be taken down oij the remaining section of the deviation between Pokeno and Mercer. A further deviation, which is being constructed immediately south of the overhead railway bridge at Pokenr will be finished shortly, but while formation work is in progress and the connection with the old road is being finished, motorists will _be required to exercise epecial care. Signs are being erected by the Automobile Association drawing road users' attention to a portion of the road on which only one-way traffic will be permitted.

A Lost Sale. A visitor to Auckland wanted a cheap secondliand car. The salesman had eevera' to offer. An outstanding bargain wae a littlo-used car of reliable make in perfect order which the saleeman quoted at £35. The visitor was impatient to get to his bank to cash hie letter of credit for the necessary amount. Before he left, however, the ealesruan went into the office to get a card and report an easy sale to the manager. He eoon returned with a long face anci the news that he had made a elight mistake— the car was a great bargain at £135, and he hoped the wouldbe purchaser did not mind the elight difference.

A "Modern Grandmother." So far no one haa accepted the challenge to walk any woman 40 milee recently Kssued by Mrs. K. O'Sullivan, "New Zealand's Modern Grandmother," as ehe signs herself in a letter received by fche "Dominion" from Sydney. Medical men apparently think even 20 miles too much for a woman, but Mrs. O'Sullivan, however, is still out to do something outstanding. "I am leaving for Melbourne by train," she writee from Sydney, "and ehall walk back to break the existing record, which is 28 days. The distance ie about the same as the South Island, which I walked in 20J days. I ehall try to better that."

Bough Biding. When is a road not a road? Motorists who visit the Hobsonville air base can supply the answer. They eay it is the stretch of highway, three milee and a half in extent, which links the base with the main Auckland-Helensville route. Visitors to the air base yesterday did not enjoy the rough riding in and out of potholes, over ■bumps and through scattered loose metal which this length of roadway provides. "It ie a disgrace to Auckland," commented one driver. "How the personnel at the air base who, I suppose, make at least occasional tripe to Auckland, stand for these conditions is beyond understanding. Money being shovelled away under No. 5 scheme on other works could with profit be applied to the improvement of this road." Walking Daffodils. Many new ideae were introduced by the Auckland Horticultural Society in an eftort to win public interest and appreciation for the spring Show held in the Town Hall. Much attention was attracted by walking daffodils in Queen Street and Karangahapo Road. These were not a new species of robot, but pretty little girls dressed in green and yellow crepe paper, arranged in flares to represent the petals of daffodils. The stalks of the flowers consisted of the girls' legs in green stockings. Carrying large paper daffodils attached to long bamboo stalks, to which were fixed placards advertising the show, they did good work on behalf, of the society.

Dental Nurses. "As regards the work done by dental nurses, I can only speak in terms of admiration," said Mr. D. V. Donaldson, in the course of his presidential address to the dental conference in Dunedin when talking about the State dental services. "We all know," he added, "only too well the amount of physical and mental strain involved, the nervous energy expended in dealing with children; the infinite patience required in doing the necessary work thoroughly and well. Taken all round, the work done in the service is of a very high standard, and any failures can safely 'be put down to excess of zeal in attempting to eave teeth which do not respond to treatment. While giving praise where it is due, it is only right that attention should be drawn, to the weak spot." Cat's Unusual Taste. Domestic animals generally seem to have no fondness for vegetable oils as part of their diet. Although dogs may have a more universal palate, cats are generally credited with epicurean tastes. Perhaps, then, peanuts are not such a "common" article of diet as is often thought by people who object to the crackling of shells on the ferries. There is usually some chaff about "monkey nuts" and simian ancestry, but a male cat owned by a resident of Bayswater is Tinperturbed by such thoughts. He chews off the shell, manages to discard most of the skin, and munches nuts happily for ae long' as they are fed to him. l Although the cat is naturally bashful, give him! some peanuts and he is your friend for the evening. Timaru Harbour Trouble. "The position is so serious that if improvements are .-not carried out shortly we can cloee up Timaru Harbour as far as overseas ships are concerned." This statement was made by Captain A. Rathbone, who waited on the Farmers' Union at Timaru to explain to members as a seaman hie personal views on the harbour. Captain Rathbone stated that at present three liners belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company, the Rangi-! tiki, Rangitane and Rangitata, were unable to, visit Timaru, owing to their size, while other 1 boats building for the same company would be in a similar position. Captain Ratbboiie added that those present would be surprised if they knew the opinions concerning the port held by masters of overseas vessels visiting Timaru. They had no peace from the time they entered the harbour until the time thev took their vessels out of it. I