NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 242, 13 October 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Light Fog. Auckland experienced light fog this morning, which was patchv over various parts of the isthmus and Auckland and Manukau harbour*. With a strong sun it soon cleared, and there was 110 serious delay to shipping. The Wanganella, which arrived this morning from Sydney, met fairly clear weather in the gulf, and berthed close to her scheduled time. Judgment For Twopence. .Judgment by default was given by Mr. S. L. Paterson, 5.M.," in the Hamilton Magistrate's Court this week for the sum of 2d. Action had been taken by the Commissioner of Taxes for the recovery of income tax from a detail.tor totalling £.) 18/2. Xeglect to forward the odd amount of 2d resulted in the defendant being ordered to pay 3/ Court cost*; in addition to the 2d. Outside the Boudary. The Rotorua Borough Council has decided to bring forward a local bill seeking legislative authority to impose a special charge on ratepavers who refuse to kee/> the street lawn frontager to their properties propvrly cut, and the council has decided to purchase a motor mower and will itself cut lawns that are not attended to, imposing a charge 011 the ratepayers responsible. This action is being taken in order to improve the appearance of the town as a holiday and tourist resort. A Prompt Rcscue. The prompt action of Mr. Fr'jd Gardiner, whri was engaged 011 a job 011 the banks of the Xgaruroro Kiver, above Fernhill, Ilawke's Bay, prevented what nii*rht have been a drowning fatality. Another worker, Mr. F. Ashford, was working 011 the edge of the river bank when the ground gave way beneath him, and be was thrown into the river. Mr. Ashford, who is unable to swim, was soon in difficulties. Mr. Gardiner immediately jumped in fully clothed i.nd rescued his companion. Expensive Timing Apparatus. Details of the arrangements that had he'Mi made for "Wizard" Smith's attempt 011 the speed record .it Ninety Mile Beach last year were given by Mr. G. W. Hutchison, secretary of the Automobile Association, at the annual meeting. The association had thought that to have the attempt made in New Zealand would be good publicity for the country, and accordingly it purchased a timing apparatus and erected a garage on the beach. The mechanism, which cost ■ £307 12/7, was not used, as Smith's attempt did not eventuate, and it was now lying in the association's office waiting for some other speed king to make use of it. 65th Regiment's Button. Eighteen inches below the pavement outside the Clarendon Hotel a brass button of the famous 65 th Regiment, which played a big part in the early history of New Zealand, was unearthed yesterday by workmen of the Post and Telegraph Department, who were digging a trench for a telephone cable. The presence of.the button was betrayed by a bright green staiir in the surrounding clay. It is hemispherical, with a large (55 on the curved face, .although it had probably lain buried for over half a century, it was so well preserved that the name of the makers, Smith and Wright, Birmingham, stamped in small letters on the back, was still legible.

English and Colonial. Differences between EnjJish and Zealand university students were commented on by Mr. G. T. Wilson, a graduate of Canterbury College, who has just returned to Christehurch after holding a post-graduate scholarship for two years at Cambridge. Though tlie English student wa> likely to be at a loss in anything outside his own subject, within it lie was much better than most Xew Zealanders vere, said Mr. Wilson. He was much better prepared before going up to the university, but the colonial student had a much better knowledge of the affairs of the world. Many students still went up to the university because of the social life there, and the prestige to be gained, but they were not a majority, and many "others now worked in vacations to pay their way. Returning Confidence. "Confidence in improved business conditions is spreading throughout, the world. In the United States this confidence is strong, and all classes are whole-heartedly working for the accomplishment of tlie national recovery programme, sometimes referred to as 'The New Deal.' This programme to reduce unemployment and increase purchasing power has already met with a considerable degree of success. Business improvement in the United States will inevitably have a favourable influence on business conditions in other countries, thereby supplementing their efforts to restore trade to the mutual profit of all countries." —An extract from a letter from the Merchants' Association of Xew York, -one of the largest general chambers of commerce in the United States, received by the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. Dignity of Labour. The old and somewhat ungrn nimatica! adage, "You never know who you're talking to," was amazingly illustrated the other day when, at a social gathering, the host and two of his guests got into conversation. "How's tricks?" asked the host of one. "How's the garden progressing, and did you 'down tools' for five minutes in memory of Mr. Holland?" The other nodded assent. Then number two made remark: "By jove, that was a funny advertisement in the 'Star,' asking relief workers to cease work for five minutes." "Why funny?" asked number one. "As if they had ever even started to work," was the reply. "Oh, well, I happen to be one of them," said his fellow guest, "and we certainly don't laze where I am. It may interest you to know that since a certain piece of land not far from the Auckland Hospital wa-5 put into cultivation, over 50 tons of vegetables have been raised and given to the wives of the unemployed." There was a brief silence. "I didn't know that," said number two.

Eliminating Street Danger. A joint deputation from the Newmarket Borough Council and the Automobile Association waited on the district telegraph engineer this morning with regard to a pole which it was stated presented a grave danger to road users at the junction of Park and Carlton Gore Roads. The deputation was informed that the Department realised the danger, and the pole would either be removed to another position or be taken away and replaced by underground cables. It was not a matter which could be rushed, as the proposed work extended over a wide area, but the deputation was assured that its representations, which were stressed as being particularly urgent, would be. given attention as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Automobile Association has undertaken to erect a reflector type of night warning sign.

"Black Friday." Friday the thirteenth —omen of foreboding! To-day is the second of the kind in 1933, the other having occurred in January. Last year there was only one. but in 1931 there were three. Xe\t, year there will also be two. The superstition surrounding "Black Friday" is popularly supposed to have originated on Friday, May 11, 186 li, when widespread distress was caused bv the failure of the. great London banking house of Overend and Gurney. Strangely enough, Americans also trace it to a financial calamity, blaming the actions of Jay Gould, sen., and James Fisk, private financiers, in "cornering" the Wall Street supplies of gold, raising its price from 133 to the calamitous figure of 169 A on Friday, September 13, 1869. A major crisis resulted in the securities market. However, the United States Treasury, which had temporarily abandoned the gold standard owing to tile great strain on gold, broke the formidable "corner" by purchasing 4.000,000 dollars' worth of its bonds with gold. But both men had made their fortunes several ' times over, and Jay Gould died| some yearn, ago worth some £20,000,000. t