NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 241, 12 October 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Hazards of Cricket. During cricket practice on the Taihape Domain on Tuesday afternoon a hefty leg hit by a player lofted on to a little Maori boy, the Ron of Mr. Toby Bennett, striking him a. glancing blow just above the car. The toddler was etill unconscious when taken to the public hospital, aiid was still somewhat dazed, though improving, on Wednesday morning. The accident was most unfortunate, us the- little boy was well out of range of the normal hit. Spirit of Optimism. It bar, been stated that business in the To Aroha district ia improving, and this is now being borne out by many commercial travellers (says the "Star's"' correspondent). A representative of an Auckland wholesale house this week stated he had booked up the beet business for many years in pre-Chrietmas orders. Ho bad found that there is a spirit of increased optimism, business people now viewing the position from the correct angle, and increasing their orders materially in view of the approaching Ghristmae season. Weight of River Siltage. The amount of silt carried in suspension by the waters of the Waimakariri River (Canter-, bury) during an ordinary year amounted to 1,000,000 tons, said Mr. 11. W. Harris, engineer to the Waimakariri River Trust, during an address on river control to the- members of the Philosophical Institute of Christchurch. The weight of the silt compared with the water discharged was 1 to 2000, the speaker added. Last year's total had been only 000,000 tons, while in one yctr it had amounted to 3,000,000 tuns. Euphonious Maori Street Names. A letter wan received from the Bay of Plenty Maori and Historical Research Society this week by the Wliakatane Borough Council, emphasising that few Maori words of beauty or of historical significance were employed in" the naming of streets in Whakatane. "The society urged that, when tin- time came to name the dedicated roads cm the llillcrest estate, opportunity should be taken of the many Maori names .suggesting themselves. Tho council agreed to the society's proposals, and will keep the suggestion in view when naming streetis within the borough. Prospective Sports Ground. The parks committee reported to the Birßenhead Borough Council last night that it had considered carrying out a comprehensive drainage scheme of the entire swamp of the Little Shoal Bay Reserve, with a substantial tidal lloodgate and outlet, al.-o acquiring a point of land and depositing a foot of spoil all over the proposed playing area, to that a. sports ground might be developed for Birkcnhcad. Tho estimated cost was £700, and it was considered this area could be made one of tho finest sports grounds in Auckland. Further consideration is to be given the proposal in committee. Safer Tor Motorists. Improvements to minimise the risk of motor

accidents are to be carried out at the junction of the Great South ltoad and tho Ellerelic-Panmure Itoad, .'known as the Harp of Erin, which marks tho commencement of tho narrower portion of tho main route to tho South. At last evening's meeting of the One Tree Hill Borough Council Mr. C. L. Slylield reported that representatives of the council had met officers of the Automobile Association on the spot, and Jiad discussed improvements likely to make the locality safer for motorists. It was thought, he said, that the position would be improved if tho footpath at the apex of the triangle formed by the junction of tho two roads was set back lift and if the height of the kerbing was lowercdr Another safeguard would be the erection of a street light at the corner. It was decided to carry out the suggested improvements. Joy Germ and Police Blues.

There was a happy atmosphere in :m excursion train which ran from Wanganui to Xew Plymouth and returned, particularly on the return journey. Somewhere up the lino community einghig developed. Evidently somebody in the party did not like community singing, or perhaps the balance was not as pleasing as it might have been. It is possible that there* were too many tenors and not enough baesee. The guard intimated that if it did not cease he would introduce the police at the next etop to bring about tlie required equilibrium. The singing did not stop, and tlie guard was as Rood as Jus word. Two constables boarded the train at Stratford, and those who were baesee and those who wore tenors, and had not been afraid t<> let the world know about it a few minutee before, forgot that they had voices at all. Improvement of Eyesight. Anxious to make known the manner in which he had improved hie eyesight eo that he does not now require glasses when he reads, Mr. .T. W. Baker, o£ Wanganui, nought out a newspaper man to broadcast, his experience. "I am S4 years of age," ho said, "and for many years now 1 have been obliged to wear jjlaesee when reading. For a long time- I had rheumatics badly, and was obliged to lie in bed near a window, from where I was unable to move. Tired of having nothing to do, 1 lined to watch the passing clouds, and I found that after a while 1 could discard my glasses. To-day I can *ce to read anything without them. I thought you might like to past? the information on to your readers. I consider that (lie 'exercise' of using my eyes for long distances has brought beneficial results, and I would recommend it to others who have poor eyesijht.' . Good Grass For Sand. Some years ago Mr. 11. Day. chief borough inspector at Xew Plymouth, experimented to find (lie moet suitable grass for cultivation on sand. The results showed that an African grass called kikuyu was the kind l>cst adapted for the purpose. The three or four small pieces obtained originally are now represented by some acres of luxurious graee on borough land at Fitzroy, which was planted three or four years ago, while more lately it was planted on the Fitzroy golf links, again with encouraging results. Tlie success of the experiment has been watched by other districts, with the result that a large parcel of root.-; ham been sent to Raglan, where they will be used for saud reclamation. Mr. Day told a reporter that the grass is one of the creeping varieties and grows freely on pure sand, making a good turf. It destroys lupins, is appreciated by cattle, and is not affected by dry weather, i Old Carriages Not Wanted. Whether or not out-of-date railway carriages and tramcars were likely to become "eyesorea" if utilised as outhouses on private properties was a question discussed at length by the One Tree Hill Borough Council.last evening. Reporting on a complaint that an old railway carriage had been placed on a property in Wheturangi Road, the building inspector eaid that the ratepayer concerned had inquired whether he might utilise the old carriage, half as an oflico and sewing room and half as a children's playroom. Although the inspector, could ecc no objection to the request, he had not yet issued a permit, art he was waiting to see that the work was Carried out Satisfactorily. The Mayor, Mr. I. J. Gold : stjne, rsaid that the matter required careful consideration, us he understood that other ratepayers -were likely to purchase' old carriages lor similar purposes;. In other districts old .carriages had been used for dwellings, and it was a. question of Whether the council should put its foot down at the outset and forbid them being brought into the borough. Some local bodice had a by-law which prohibited second-hand timber of any description being used for building of flny kind. It was decided that in future permission to erect old railway carriages or tramcare on private properties within the borough ehould be refused.