NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 21, 25 January 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Reception to Major Douglas.

A committee consisting of Mr. H. G. R. Mason, M.P. (chairman), Sir George Richardson, Colonel S. <T. K. Closey, and Messrs. A. C. Allmn and C. F. Bennett lias been formed for the purpose of arranging a. reception to Major C. H. Douglas. The reception is to be held in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Tuesday next. School Maintenance. An increase of tlie grant for the maintenance of school buildings was notified by the Education Department in a letter received at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Education Board. The chairman, Mr. T. U. Wells, said that the additional sum amounted to £2090, which would be sufficient to enable urgent repair and maintenance work to be done. Devonport Conversion. The Devonport Borough Council decided at last evening's meeting to adopt the borough's conversion loan, the proposals for which were prepared by the town clerk, Mr. A. E. Wilson. A saving of approximately £4000 will be made by the scheme, which provides for a flat rate of interest at 41 per cent, and has been approved by officers of the Treasury Department. The Local. Government Loans Board will now consider the matter. Pennant Golf. Entries closed yesterday for the pennant golf competition, which was inaugurated last year. This season there will be eight teams competing instead of ten, as the Auckland Golf Club has decided not to take part in the competition, both grades of which it won last year. The executive of the club decided that the new rules for the pennant matches, Sunday play and foursomes, as well as singles, would not be convenient on their course. "And Many of 'Em." Mr. William Gibbons Harp, who established the first store at Morrinsville and conducted a mail service between Morrinsville and Hamilton in the days when the horsedrawn mail cart took eight hours on the trip, celebrates his 82nd birthday to-day. Mr. Harp, who is living at Hamilton East, was born at Small's Point, Auckland, and at one period lived for nine years at Devonport. He w£U5 a carpenter. Ship Strikes Object. A report from the Union Company's steamer Waimea, en route from Auckland to Gisborne, states that the vessel struck a submerged object three miles to the north of East Cape. The Marine Department received the advice from Captain A. F. Inman, master of the Waimea, last evening. The vessel arrived at Gisborne at 0.30 a.m. to-day, and has not.reported having suffered any damage. She is regularly engaged in the Auckland-Gisborne-Napier service, and this is her second trip from Auckland since hex recent overhaul. Richmond Road School. A request from the Ponsonby School Committee that the Richmond Road School be replaced was received at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Education Board. Mr. R. A. Rew said that the roll was steadily growing, and the school was in the centre of a large district. Members of the board agreed that the school needed replacing by a modern, well-equipped building, and it was decided to offer £1000 from the board's reserve funds to the Education Department toward the cost of a new school, if the Department would undertake the work.

Flushing Devonport Mains. Devonport residents will for the next week probably find that their water supply is discoloured from time to time. Last evening's meeting of the Devonport Borough Council decided, from reports received, that the chief trouble with the water supply was not at the source, but in the mains, it was decided to carry out an intensive flushing scheme of the pipes, commencing to-day and lasting for a week. Sections will be opened up, and the incrustations in the pipes cleaned out. After this has been done, the supply will be discoloured for a short time, but it is hoped that afterwards it will be quite clear.

Pedestrians and Cars. During the past two months it has been noticeable that some pedestrians, when crossing streets in congested areas of the city, and seeing an approaching motor vehicle, have indicated by a wave of the hand that they will wait until it has passed. A motorist who has experienced this courtesy on the part of a pedestrian said he and other drivers are very pleased, as it lessened the risk of accident when a pedestrian was seen to be directly in'front of an approaching car. This consideration on the part of a pedestrian is very desirable, as it is well known that the majority of street accidents occur through not knowing what the pedestrian is going to do.

St. Andrew's Society. A brief account of the founding of the St. Andrew's Society of Auckland 83 years ago is given in an historical outline prepared by Mr. John W. Bissett, present president of the society. At the St. Andrew's festival of 1851, Dr. John Logan Campbell presiding, one of the orators, John Watson Bain, J.P., who was proposing the toast of "The Literature of Scotland and Christopher North," ' suggested the forming of a St. Andrew's Society. The proposal met with prompt support, and the society was instituted on December 16 of that year. In the account of that historic St. Andrew's festival, it is mentioned that 19 toasts were given and responded to, the band of the 58th Regiment playing appropriate musical items for each toast.

"The Long, Long Trail." It was brewing night in the home-built factory, and father had been commissioned to bring home the hops, the wheat and the other ingredients, not forgetting the malt. The purchases were duly made, tied in a neat parcel and mounted on the carrier of father's bicycle. He had scarcely started on the journey, and had traversed the two principal streets of the city, when a passing motorist honked loudly and persistently behind him, pointing to the roadway. A glance behind was sufficient to show the cyclist a long, long trail of malt as far back as he could see. By some manner of means it had reached the tail of his coat and run down the leg of his trousers all unknown to him as he made haste home. It was a very petulant father who reached home later that evening. Brewing was declared off.

Tax on Humour. Scottish ' humour, particularly that emanating- rrom Aberdeen, is rated at a high value by the New Zealand Government, at least it appears go from the experience of an Invercargill recipient of a present having this as its main ingredient. Having received notice from the Post Office that a parcel awaited him, he went to collect it, and was told that he must first pay a shilling. He did so, and, having undone the ample wrappings of a parcel large enough to raise expectations, found it contained a calendar from Aberdeen, with a funny story for every day of the year. The cost of the calender in Aberdeen was only about a shilling, and yet the New Zealand Government levied duty on it to the extent of a further shilling, thus showing that Aberdeen humour becomes greatly enhanced in value when transported from the land of its origin. The recipient of the calendar, who went to collect it on the 15th of the month, offered the postal official the first 15 funny stories instead of the shilling required, but the exchange was not acceptable.

Evading the Law. An Eltham, Taranaki, solicitor entertained an unusual client recently when a weasel appeared in his office. Trying to do justice to the situation, he hurled a weighty volume at the visitor, but the weasel declined to be brought to book, and retired through the window. Vincentian Fathers. The Vincentian Fathers will arrive at Mosgiel to take charge of Holy Cross College, the New Zealand Provincial Seminary, about the middle of next month. They are (says the "New Zealand Tablet") Dr. N. Roesiter (rector), who has for some time been acting provincial of the order and in charge of the students at Eastwood College, near Sydney, the Very Rev. Father E. Gallagher, Dr. Begley, Dr. Courtenay and Father McCabe. Blame the Wind! Wellington's playful breezes are sometimes adversely spoken of by those who do not appreciate their health-giving qualities, but it is not often they are blamed for causing motorists to exceed the speed limit. When a motorist was asked in the By-law Court if he had anything to say to a charge of speeding. he naively replied: "There was a very strong northerly wind behind me." The explanation did not suffice to blow away a fine. Bag Snatching. An unfortunate experience befell a young lady who was walking along Cumberland Street, in the vicinity of Hanover and St. Andrew Streets, Dunedin, at about 10.35 on Saturday night, when a man suddenly snatched her bag and ran off into $ side street. To another lady who was a little distance behind she explained that she was a visitor from Cliristehurch, and that the bag contained all the money she had brought with her. A Rise Anticipated. Higher prices will be asked for fencing wires of all kinds when the present market trend takes effect in New Zealand, according to a Christchurch retailer, who expects an advance in price almost immediately. All fencing wires are governed to a certain extent by the Canadian market, whence New Zealand obtains extensive supplies. Last week therei was an advance of approximately 10 per oentj in Canada (roughly £1 a ton), and this should be reflected very early in this country. Wire for bedsteads and furniture, imported mainly from the north of England, is not expected to rise. Boys Wanted. According to Mr. David McFarlane, of ( Wangartui, who has been instrumental in placing hundreds of unemployed boys in positions during the past few years, the situation has entirely changed. During the whole of November and December and the latter part of October dozens of applications came to him for boys, and it was impossible to supply the demand. Even during the school holidays none applied for jobs, "and I could have placed £>0," said Mr. McFarlane to a newspaper reporter. No Longer an Oliver Twist. Amusement was caused at a meeting of the Picton Hospital Committee by the reading of a letter received by the secretary from a Maori. For some time past the Maori had be-en in receipt of charitable aid, and notice had been sent to him that the weekly relief would no longer be granted, as he was now able to work. The Maori's letter of appreciation for what had been done for himself and family by the committee concluded as follows: "I am very pleased to hear frori'i you , that my charitable aid has been stopped, otherwise I would still ask for same."

Mr. Savage Congratulated. Applause from every member of the Hospital Board gre-eted a concise resolution moved by Mr. W. K. Howitt at the board meeting on Tuesday, tongratulating Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., who has been a. member of the board for nearly ten years, on his elevation to the position of Leader of the Opposition, and expressing the pleasure of members that despite his other manifold duties in public life he had seen his way to continue hie membership of the board. Mr. Savage replied, pointing out the importance of hospital board work and saying his one desire was to be of some help in carrying on that work.

" Let It Rain."

Kaleidoscopic changes in weather conditions continue to be experienced in Auckland. Following a brief spell of seasonable sunshine, rain fell at regular intervals throughout yesterday, and brought in its wake a boisterous wind. Gardens in the city and suburbs eagerly absorbed the moisture, but in many cases the rainfall was sufficient only to dampen surface soils. Strangely enough, although cold and unsettled weather conditions have prevailed during December and January, th© records reveal that there has not been a great deal of rainfall. The weather improved this morning, and touches of summer are in evidence. Reports from the provinces indicate that yesterday's rain was welcomed as a benison. to the parched grasslands.

Scope for Flower Lovers. "The glory of New Zealand lies, not in its cities but in its garden towns and countryside," said the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, in a speech at the National Flower Show at Palmerston North yesterday. His Excellency said a great deal had been heard about town planning, but seldom anything about country planning, which was essential to human happiness, comfort and contentment. "In no other country is there more scope for the flower-lover than in New Zealand. Nature in her unjealous liberality has provided it with soil and climate which should enable its mart-made gardens to be the best in the world," said his Excellency. . . If there is any country more than another where Arbour Day ought "to be kept, it is New Zealand. I venture to hope that the movement is going to spread, if only to educate the rising generation in New Zealand to protect the magnificent trees which adorn this land, and resist every effort of the ultra-commer-cialists to convert the giant forests to commercial uses."

Hospital Board's Tour. Yesterday the members of the Hospital Board left at 9 o'clock for Northcote, where they inspected the board's large endowment there, comprising over 80 acres. Facts and figures which were placed before members showed that although the valuation of the property had been reduced one-half, the rates almost in every case were more than the rents received. The area comprised some valuable building sites, and land on the opposite side of the road a few years ago brought as high as £4 per foot, but the board was not empowered to sell. Some of the member's thought that the higher sites up on the h'Hs would make ideal places to put shelters for the treatment of T.B. cases. It was agreed that if the harbour bridge were built it Would certainly prove of advantage to the board_ in getting the sections taken up for building purposes. The Members then visited their nursing station at Silverdale, which is under the charge of Sister Faithful, and heard about the useful nursing work which is done there. Then Waiwera was visited, and after that the party proceeded to Warkworth, where, after inspecting the hospital buildings, it was decided to make considerable improvements. Matters in connection with the water supply were discussed with the officials of the Town Board. The sister in charge.. Sister Manning, was congratulated on the fine appearance of the hospital.