NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 5, 6 January 1934, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Parties On Kapiti. A number of people have been visiting Kapiti Island, near Paekakariki, during the holidays at the homestead end of the island. One of the' visitors was delighted with the number of native birds seen round Mr. Webber's home. More birds could easily be seen there, lie considers, than in the bush on the Government portion of the island, because they arc fed and tame. Emulation. Apparently envious of the privilege tennis players have adopted for themselves of wearing shorts, a Wanganui bowler turned up on the greens on Tuesday garbed in similar style. Mr. F. I. Jones, after looking from the Wanganui Bowling Club's pavilion into the Wanganui Tennis Club's courts, _ where the championship tournament was in progress, rolled his long trousers up and caused a good deal of merriment by taking the green in shorts. As Good as a Sydney Show. A bucket of water, seized by one of the contestants, and hurled across the mat, was responsible for the finish of a decidedly unconventional wrestling match at McLean Park, Napier, the offender who used this method of protesting against his opponent's action in throwing him out of <h.e ring being disqualified by the referee, Mr. A. T3aiit, says the "Telegraph." The bucket fortunately missed the two other occupants of the ring, but the contents were emptied over some of the spectators in the vicinity of the ringside. Lady Rowers. With a view to racing at the Wanganui rowing regatta, to take place on January 20, several ladies are now training every morning. A marked improvement on last year's standard is evident. Crews- have not yet been ' selected, but an announcement will be made in the course of a few days. An endeavour is being made to provide more entertainment for spectators at the reg'itta, and, with this end in view, it is intended to arrange aquaplaning events, swimming races, and other novelties, in addition to the ladies' races. "He Won't Mind." In addition to a batch of scout cubs from Lyttelton under canvas at Charteris Bay, about 50 campers spent the Christmas holidays on property owned by Mr. Orton Bradley. t , Some of the campers did not obtain permission to pitch their tents, and were visited by Mr. Bradley on Sunday. He asked one of these if he di*d not think the surroundings were very nice, and how he went about obtaining permission for a site. "Oh," responded the camper, "you go up to the big house and ask the old geezer. He won't mind.'.'

Avenue For Unemployed. Rabbits are more plentiful than they have been for some years, which in plainly the result of low prices for skins (says the "Southland News"). We have some SO,OOO men registered as unemployed, most of whom are engaged on non-productive labour paid for by the State, and here is a destructive pest which, when killed, is valuable food, and tlie skin a product of some value, yet it never seems to occur to those in authority that the 80,000 men could be employed for the double purpose of exterminating a pest and at the same time provide some thousands of tons of food for export or sale locally. It is sheer want of organisation and the lack of a master mind to take control.

Holiday Fares After the Holidays. The Christchurch Tramway Board decided last month to institute spccial low holiday tram fares, hut those fares were not to become operative until after the Christmas-New Year week. Judging from a paragraph in the "Press," quite a few people in Christchurch do not agree with, holiday fares after the holidays. Many citv residents who travelled to the seaside on >few Year's Day and Tuesday were under the impression that holiday excursion fares had commenced, and at least one citizen altered his plans when he discovered that the old fares were still in operation, says the "Press." This holiday-maker .boarded a Sumner tram with two companions, and discussed the cost of travel before the conductor arrived tcr collect the fares. When he was told that the holiday excursion fares had not commenced, he promptly left the train, taking his companions with him.

New "Byrd" Stamp. Stamp collectors in .this country are still waiting patiently for the new issue of Dominion stamps which were promised over ,a year ago, designs of which have been reproduced in the Press on several occasions. What a contrast to the 1 issue of stamps in the United States, where a new stamp appears practically every month! Since the New Zealand issue was first talked about, America lias issued numerous pictorial stamps commemorating the Olympic Games, the Chicago World's Fair, the National Recovery Act, epic flights and other events, in addition to presenting the usual "heads" of national heroes and pafit Presidents. By this week's mail a Wanganui resident received the first of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition stamps, a large blue stamp of three cents. The design shows tho globe with New Zealand and Little America depicted, together with the routes taken by Admiral Byrd on previous expeditions.

Said the Lady. An amusing incident that is vouched for happened on the trams the other day (states the Dunedin "Star"). An elderly lady waited for a St. lvilda car at the Stock Exchange, and, just as one pulled up at the corner near the ticket box, another tram, St. Clair bound, drew into the safety zone. Apparently under the impression that this was also a St. Kilda car, the old lady boarded the car, and did not observe anything amiss until she reached Eorbury Corner. She tapped the conductor on the arm: "You're going the wrong way, my man." The conductor, naturally surprised, courteously informed her that the car was bound for St. Clair. "Oh, no" said the old lady, "I know that I got on a car for St. Kilda." The conductor politely but firmly impressed upon the passenger that she was indubitably aboard a St. Clair tram, but the good lady was not to be denied, and, making use of the prerogative of her 'sex, told the astonished conductor: "This is not the car 1 got on."

Apt Parting Sentiments. Friendly sporting rivalry between cities presents opportunities for mutual appreciation and better understanding, not necessarily of a superficial character. In a farewell letter to the Wellington Mercantile Cricket League team, which met the Auckland City and°Suburban representatives at the Domain during Christmas week, the chairman, Mr. J. J, Furlong, struck a v.ery happy note of encouragement for the players. "You are going to a fine city and amongst progressive people," he wrote, "and you will play your match on one of .the finest natural cricket fields in the world. Its setting is extremely beautiful, and, looking across from the'grandstand side, you will see in the middle distance the Auckland War Memorial Museum, whiqh is one of the most magnificent monuments in the Empire. In such splendid and inspiring surroundings I feel that you will do your utmost to uphold the honour of the organisation which you represent, for you are going to Auckland as ambassadors of good will between the Empire City and the Queen City of the North, and also to establish a durable and cordial entente between the two bodies involved." The manager of the AVellington team, Mr. J. Young, and members of the party were enthusiastic about the president's letter.

Fish For Breakfast. One of the passengers on the motor ship Wanganella, which arrived from Sydney at an early hour this morning, was Clark McConaehy, the professional billiards player. He put a fishing line over the side when the ship was waiting in the stream, and his reward was two snapper, which later were on the breakfast table. Mr. McCouachy has lislied for sharks with rod and line in South Africit, and has now decided to try out the big-game fishing at the Bay of Islands.

Tired of Fictions. Don Bradinan, the Australian cricketer, was telephoned at Melbourne from Sydney the other day about the cabled message from England stating that he had informed the Board of Control that if Mrs. Bradman were not permitted to accompany him lie would not go with the Australian cricket team to England. Bradman said that he' had delivered no ultimatum of any kind, and that he was becoming tired of people manufacturing stories about him. Ilcj added that if people would leave him alone he would be quite happy.

Touring Fowls. When Admiral Bvrd set out for the Antarctic he took some cows with him to provide fresh milk for his men, but it is a very rare thing to see a family set out 011 a holiday camping trip taking fowls with them to provide fresh egis on the tour. A motor van containing father, mother and the olive branches passed through Wanganui on Wednesday 011 the homeward journey to Upper Hutt with a large box of fowls fastened 011 the back. The fowls were not closely packed like a farmer bringing a box full of feathered fraternity to the market, but had plenty of room and were provided with water and green feed. Curiosity aroused a reporter to ask a few questions about the fowls, and the head of the family explained that they were purcbreds, and lie thought if he left them at home someone might "pinch" them, so he brought them witli him to provide fresh eggs 011 the tour.

Concentrated Thrift. In those clays of concentration in industry, when by-products of various processes which were formerly thrown away are utilised for various purposes, it is realised that there is not a great deal of anything wasted; but the action of an enterprising firm of manufacturers in England must surely hold the record in this respect. When a gathering of Dunedin business men visited the Sultan Star at Port Chalmers recently, And were conducted through the engine-room, they were provided with sweat rags to remove the grease from their hands after ascending and descending the various eompanionways connecting the engine-room with the deck. These rags are provided free in thousands at the beginning of each voyage to all the vessels of the Blue Star Line, not, as might be supposed, for advertisement purposes, but for the oil which is extracted from them when they are returned to the manufacturers at the end of the voyage.

Tennis Ball's Erratic Flight. When a lawn tennis ball is miss-hit there is 110 saying what it will do or where it will go (states the Christehurch "Times"), but a handful of spectators who were watching four players having a knock-up on one of the back courts at Wilding Park have a better idea on this point than most people. A ball, which the player intended to drive to the baseline whipped sharply off the wooden rim of the racquet and seemed to possess itself of a spirit of impish audacity. Its first move was to strike the rounded top of one of the posts holding up the net. From there it made a swift flight toward the spectators, dislodged the hat of one who was too slow in trying to dodge it, ran up the wire netting at the back of the court, then rebounded on to the back of a small and semi-somnolent dog lying at its master's feet., and sent it scampering with fright. After that the ball rolled innocently back on to the court, where the four players did their best to keep it under control.

Boys' Brigade Camp. The annual summer camp of the Auckland Battalion of the Boys' Brigade, held en Mr. X. J. Sutherland's property at Clovedon South, concluded oil Thursday*. Approximately CO officers and other ranks were under canvas for ten days, with the Rev. P. L. A. Crampton, captain of the Ist Auckland Company, as commanding officer. On Sunday, December 31, the battalion marched into Clcvedon to a church parade at the Presbyterian Church,- where the service was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Hitchcock, assisted by two brigade oflicere. On the following day the camp was inspected by Captain H. De Wolfe, who complimented the boys on their fine turn-out, neatness, steadiness and genera] bearing on parade. Many visitors from Auckland and the surrounding district also visited the camp. Swimming and athletic sports were held, points gained by the boys in the various events going towards their individual companies in the competition for Hie Sir William A. Smith Memorial Shield, which this year was won by the Ist Auckland Company, connected with the Sandringham Baptist Church.

No Christmas At All. The Steamer Northumberland, which arrived at New Plymouth from Wanganui the clay after Boxing Day to continue loading for Home ports, spent the Christmas period, steaming up and down the coast, reports a Taranaki paper. "We expected to spend Christmas ashore at New Plymouth," said one officer, "and when we found wo had to spend it at sea, well, it wasn't a Christmas at all. Besides, with six officers on watch duty all the time, there was 110 opportunity for a combined celebration. I do not know whether the crew celebrated Christmas or not; if they did, they went about it so quietly that we did not know anything about it." The Northumberland arrived off Wanganui from Wellington on Wednesday, December 20, but had to put to sea when a strong westerly rose on the following evening. Thursday was the last day that the vessel could load at Wanganui until Boxing Day. She spent the intervening period steaming back and forwards between Cook Strait and Wanganui. Xo seas big enough to trouble the Northumberland were met, either in the Strait or at Wanganui, but at the latter place the weather was too rough for the lighters to work.

Perilous Passage. In the course of her voyage from India to New Zealand, thd Union Company's chartered steamer Xarbada made the passage, through the Torres Strait and between the Great Barrier Beef and the Australian coast. This is one of the most winding strips of navigable sea in the world, and one which demands the services of a pilot for five days and nights if a ship is to travel through the hours of darkness. Even so it is necessary] to heave-to when rain and foggy weather make visibility so bad that the leading "marks" on the coast cannot be seen. This is what happened to the Narbada oi\ her latest trip, but in spite of several hours' delay she made good time over the long piloted passage. The pilot, an Australian exskipper, was taken on at Thursday Island and dropped at Cape Moreton, Brisbane. Except during the time she was liove-to owing to low visibility, the Narbada averaged her customary steady speed of ten knots. One of the ship's officers, describing the twists and turns of the reef passage, mentioned that in places the shore is within a stone's throw of the ship. There is plenty of deep water] for most of the way, but in one or two places the cnannel is only live fatlioms, or 30ft, deep. I