NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 214, 10 September 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Disappointed. All Taranaki suffered a rude shock wlior tho Rugby representatives failed to wrest th< Ranfnrlv Shield from Hawke's Bay, states f Taranaki daily. But saddest of all is the story of an ardent supporter who motorcc from New Plymouth to see the match. Hi reserved a spare seat in the back of his cai for the coveted trophy. a " Barracking " at Eden Park. The South Auckland Rugby team brought a contingent of strong-lunged supporters tc Eden Park on Saturday, and there were many m bright sallies. An early gent came from a farmer who had promised to look after the property of a neighbour playing in the game and who intended, to be absent until Sunday evening. When the latter dropped a pass, and let the Aucklandcrs pierce the defence, the barracker shouted in a stentorian voice: 3 "That's the end of you, Jack. You can come s back home to-night and milk your own cows.' 1 | Church Congregation on Cycles. Two young New Plymouth residents > claim the distinction of being among, the few l people who have sat through church service (; on bicycles. Meeting a touring cyclist last 5 Sunday a few miles from the town, they first believed that he was "rather eccentric," or was f rehearsing a public address. But closer inves--1 tigation showed that he had a portable radio a set strapped on his back, and had tuned in j - to a sermon broadcast front a special Auck- ' land service. The three wheelmen listened 5 attentively until the outskirts of the town t were reached. 3 ' House Full " in Melbourne. ' Melbourne will soon have to put up the f sign, "House Full," according to information 3 received by an Aucklander who was inquiring k for accommodation for the centenary period. > lie wrote to the Centenary Accommodation ■ Bureau, and learned that all city acconitnoda--5 tion at less than three guineas a day is booked I up for the period, while second class lodgings in the suburbs are to be secured only at the ' rate of four guineas weekly—and there was ; not much of that left, either. The person 1 inquiring is at present considering the price for a space for a little tent and a portable camp bed. At a Neighbour's Expense. A good laugh was got at a church door on Sunday morning, where a llower festival service was being held, when one of the managers thanked one of the congregation for sending such a fine lot of blooms to decorate the church. The manager said that the colours of the flowers were so varied that they helped materially to work out a beautiful colour scheme of decoration. "I'm here to do penance for my sins," was the reply. "I 1 was so ashamed that I had so few flowers in my garden that, knowing my neighbour was out, I went and raided her garden. Its abso--1 lution I want, and not thanks, for coveting my neighbour's flowers." Van for Backblocks Mission. A motor van, which is to be used to establish Sunday schools in backblocks nreas remote from church and organised religious life, was dedicated on Saturday, when tho i Auckland Sunday School Union met. The purchase of the van was made possible by donations, while the interior equipment was '■ supplied by the Dock Street Mission Sun.lay - School. Mr. E. H. Pain, who has been the missioner for 17 years, will be in charge of the van, and is going at once to the King 1 Country, and later to the Coromandel Peninsula. The Rev. W. T. Blight offered the dedicatory prayer, and Mr. W. Rew, president of the union, and Mr. J. Tyler also spoke. Another Good Issue. The New Zealand Railways Magazine has attained popularity among-people who are not especially interested in railways, but take the publication for its contents of general information and value. In the September number the "Famous Trials of New Zealand" series is advanced a stage further with the tale of Daniel Burke, while James Cowan tells in this issue of another .famous New Zealander, the Rev. B. Y. Ash well, and his missionary efforts for peace in the Waika,to. It is by such articles that New Zealandere come to know of our famous men. One interesting item tells of "the only regular duel" ever fought in this country. The magazine, profusely illustrated and well arranged, is a magazine for New Zealandere about New Zealanders. A Farthing a Week. That real thrift exists in tho community was shown very clearly at the week-end, when the weekly milk bill came into a household on the North Shore, Milk is now 4Jd per quart, but those who use a pint a day get in an account for 1/4 for the week, because farthings not being in general circulation, the correct amount of 1/3J would mean that a farthing would have to be given in change. Weeks before a warehouse, as a draw, showed a windowful of farthings. These it was prepared to give in change for articles which were priced at o£d. The householder noted this, and; anticipating such an emergency, hoarded farthings, and is reaping the benefit of being able to pay the correct price for milk. It was only a small investment, but it produced about 1 per cent for a week's outlay. What it meant at compound interest for 52 weeks of the year tho householder was not prepared to say, because she had not been very good at fractions when she went to school. Milford's "Milk-shake." Residents of Milford are experiencing some of life's minor calamities. In a certain

area there lias recently been an epidemic of newspaper disappearances, and consequent trouble with the vendors thereof. Yesterday the wind of calamity changed, and the morning's milk was reported missing in more than one establishment. Paterfamilias, arising betimes to make the morning tea, was horrified to find the milk jug empty, although there was abundant evidence that it had been full. After blaming the cat, he sought to borrow some milk from a neighbour, whom he saw surveying the landscape from an adjoining doorstep. "Lost your milk, have you?" said the neighbour. "Well, you're darned lucky. I've lost mine, but, what's worse, they've taken the billy and the cream jug as'well!" Further inquiry elicited news of milklessness in several houses, and a local vigilance committee has been sworn in to track down the roving members of a presumed Buckshee Milk Drinkers' Union. Education System. "In New Zealand we are so cut off from the rest of the world, and the interchange of ideas, that no one else is likely to investigate our educational system," stated Dr. C. E. Beeby on his return to Christchtireh from Australia. He is the executive officer of the New Zealand Council of Educational Research, and went to Australia to inquire into the system under which the similar institute in Australia works. "We have therefore to be careful to do so ourselves," he continued. "An institution grows and continues to grow; the time comes when one must havp a stocktaking. Probably the first task for the council will be to examine the historical development of our system. Die council will be an impartial! body, the first function of which willi not be criticism or appraisement, .but the discovery of facts. The historical and sociological aspects must be tackled first. We cannot cover the whole educational system, but will*! have to choose the most important lines. It is hoped to have a wide range of persons and institutions at work, the council to be the co-ordinating 'body* If the council proves to be nothing more than a clearing house of knowledge and ideas, it will still be very valuable." ' . ,

Merely a Matter of Terms. "What's going to be the position if a. small boy gets a golf club in the eye?" asked the Mayor of Napier, Mr. C. O. Morse, when , the matter of golfers using Nelson Park, , Napier, for practice on Sundays, was being l discussed at a recent meeting of the Napier , City Council. "You mean golf 'balls,' don't [ you, sir?" asked Mr. Eric Williams, amid , laughter. "They don't go throwing clubs . around." Naval Recruits. The August entries for recruits for boys on the training ship H.M.S. Philomel closed , toward the end of last month, and applicants in other centres are still being examined for qualifications. In each centre other than Auck- , land the boys present themselves at the Defence office for the area for physical and ' educational tests, and after elimination of | those unsuitable the successful ones from each ' part are sent to 1 Auckland for further tests. Recently eight stokers from H.M.S. Philomel. - were drafted to the cruisers Dunediu and Dioi medc, and before the ships leave for Australia next week ten seaman boys who have completed their training will leave the training ship for work with the cruisers. t Vote for National Flower. The public visiting the spring show of the Auckland Horticultural Society in the Town Hall on Thursday and Friday next will be asked to indicate their opinion as to the native flower most suitable for adoption as a national flower. Similar voting was held in Wellington recently, when the order of preference was: Kowhai, pohutukawa, manuka, clematis and rata. Aucklanders will be asked to choose from the same five flowers. Tho names will be placed on a large card, and it is likely that live specimens of manuka, kowhai and clematis, together with illustrations of pohutukawa and rata, will be secured to aid in making a "choice. The suggestion is made that similar votes should be taken by horticultural societies throughout New Zealand. Winter Egg Pulp Shortage. ___ For the first time during the past i>. ■ years there was a shortage of supplies of egg pulp in-New Zealand cool stores this winter, states the Poultry Board. Probably few people realise the extent to which eggs are stored in this form for use in the Dominion. Taking an average since 1925, official returns show that the quantity annually in cool store at the end of summer has been 2(50 tons, of an estimated value of £25,000. Requirements do not fluctuate very much from year to year, and can be fairly closely estimated, but apparently a mistake was made last spring and summer when eggs were being set aside to be used as pulp. Either the demand has been exceptional, or tho supplies have been unusually light. Recently, however,, the Poultry Board has informed bakers and others concerned that ample supplies of fresh eggs are now available at reasonable prices for the manufacture of pulp for cool storage purposes. Suggested Play Area. In order to make some return for the cancellation of the greater part of the debt owed by the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association to the City Council ov.er the paving, a good many years ago, of hard courts at Mirainar, the association has made an offer to

the council of a quarter Of an acre of land e immediately behind the pavilion (and outside ' the tennis court area) for use as a children's s play area. The proposal was discussed bey tween the reserves committee and representatives of the association, tho opinion of the reserves committee being that the area is « rather small for the purpose. It was suggested that the association might see its way to increase the area, so that a proper play-' ground for children could be laid out. The i committee is to inspect the area, and also a ] larger piece of ground to the south of the , courts, where, it is suggested, a larger play s area could be provided. | e Black Swans Nesting in Domain. 1 A pair of the black swans which make 1 r their home on the Domain ponds have made 1 ® an early start this season with their nesting, t The word "their" is used advisedly, for the J s building of the nest is a joint affair, as is ] B the incubation of the eggs. Last spring the < 3 birds built on the island, in the middle of ] 1 the larger pond, and three eggs were laid, but i v something liappened to cause them to abandon j 3 tho nest, and they made a second start, at ; 3 the end of the pond nearest to the tennis t courts. Hero three more eggs were laid, and < ' a brood of cygnets was expected to appear, t but the weather "took a hand," and neavy j rain flooded the nest, which was deserted soon , afterwards. This season tho birds appear to f f be much more comfortably situated, for the l nest on the island has been built on a spot « i high enough to be safe from anything but r , exceptional flooding, and by reason of their -j i isolated position the swan's are safe from - interference. The female bird builds up the - nest while sitting on her eggs, and her. mate g - continually brings more twigs to add to the • pile. Her graceful neck is bent to the task I throughout most, of the daylight hours. Three S ■ seasons ago a brood of four healthy cygnets ,< * was produced. ( j As It Was In 1887. I After Sir Robert Stout left office as c [ Premier in IBS 7, having held the office for n . three years, he defended himself very freely j ! in the Press when attacks were made on the j policy of tho Government of which ho had c . been tho head. Writing in April, 1888, Sir j Robert said much that is applicable to our j. present position. "Prices have fallen steadily r since 1873," he said. "Had it not been for tho improvements in machinery, tho farmers s

g would have been unable to compete with the ii cheap labour of many countries. There are f many people, and very foolish they are, who t imagine that the Governments that have been in power in this country have had much to do with the depression. A consideration of the fall in prices would soon show the fallacy of such an assumption. Wheat has not been so low for 120 years, and our farmers are guided by world prices. It can be seen that the Stout-Vogel Government had unfortunately to administer the affairs of the colony in the very worst years. How could there be any connection between the Executive and the state of the farm civs? Farmers must not rely on wool, wheat and meat. Tliey must produce fibres, oils, fruits. We must not import what we can produce. If small far--3 mers are to exist, we must see established - cottage industries and forest industries." c Northcote's Water Supply. Tests made yesterday of the artesian bores sunk in Northcote in an effort to secure a water supply for the borough revealed a i flow of water of nearly 10,000 gallons an hour. The bore, one of Bin casing, was sunk in Hills' crest Avenue. Some two and a half months . ago tlio borough council, advised of the pre- ■ sence of water by a water diviner, acquired a - • section at the corner of Ocean View Road 1 and Hillcrest Avenue. Here a trial 2|in bore i was sunk to a depth of 475 ft. Water was . encountered at 222 ft, the quantity being esti- > mated at 2000 gallons an hour. A second • trial 2Jin bore was subsequently put down i several chains away in Hillcrest Avenue. . Water was discovered 23Sft below the surface, ' I while the bore was carried down to 315 ft. ■ Samples of this water were analysed, and, ■ Lj reports being favourable, the bore was en- • larged to take an Sin casing. The ;test taken ■ yesterday showed that the flow was at least ' I £900 gallons an hour, with indications that; i.t ; j would have been larger had more adequate 1 .[' tests been applied. Investigation's so far carried out suggest that the supplies tapped come < from independent sources. The water from i > one had an eastern course toward Shoal Bay, < i and the other ran north towards the North : Shore golf links. No more work is. to. be done until the borough council considers the j matter at its meeting to-morrow night.