NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Memorial to Schoolmaster. A stone to the memory of the late Mr. R. E. Kudman, formerly principal of the Kowhai Intermediate School, is to be unveiled at the school on Wednesday next. The ceremony will take place at 9.15 a.m., before the scholars commence their day's work. Among those present will be members of the Auckland Education Board. Not Uncommon Mistake. Hearing the song of a bird which he believed to be a tui in the vicinity of his house at Eitzroy, Constable King, New Plymouth, looked about in vain for the bird last Sunday morning.' He then realised that a little dark green bird, about the size of a starling, which was sitting on the electric power wires beside the house, was the source ot' the song. It was a bellbird, or makomako. " Sunny Napier ! " A large sign decorating a recent excursion train from the Wairarapa, telling the world at large that the excursionists were oil' to "Sunny Napier," provided a touch of irony when the visitors arrived to spend the afternoon in a heavy downpour of rain. The sign was removed before the train left Napier on the return journey. Apparently the joke was appreciated by one tripper, who, leaning from a carriage window as the train pulled out of the station, called out to those on the platform, "Good-bye, Sunny Napier!" Waterfront Orders. "Did you say, 'Send the thing up'?" counsel asked a waterside worker who was giving evidence in a civil claim in the Wellington Supreme Court. "I did not," the witness replied.' "I never swore in my life." "Is that the rule or the exception on the waterfront?" his Honor the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) asked, with a smile. "I never use that word," the witness declared. "Do you prefer some other adjective?" counsel asked, but the witness merely repeated his first remark.. A Nimble Shillfng. "The Melbourne crowds hustle along," remarked a member of the Union rowing crew, "and they don't • wait to give any change, either. 1 had an experience of that one evening when I thought to purchase a paper from a newsboy. There were several people in the vicinity at the time, and I held out a shilling. Someone promptly grabbed it and disappeared, and I had to dive into my pocket again for another coin. I held on tighter next time, and made sure that it went into the Jiewsboy's hand." Untended Life-saving Reel. On the report of its inspecting officer, Mr. W. Elworth, the Auckland Life-Saving Association has decided to draw the attention of the Muriwai Domain Board to the state of disrepair of the life-saving appliances at Muriwai Beach. An old type of surf reel, which was placed on the .beach some years ago, it has had no attention on account of there being no life-saving club operating on the beach, and the steel fittings of the reel have rusted. Mr. Elwarth found the life line half-coiled on the reel drum, and so uncared for that lie doubted if it would stand any strain in an emergency, while the belt also needed repairs. The Auckland Association has not the money to enable it to put the reel in serviceable condition. Top Place for Heat. Wanganui "topped the poll" again on Saturday for highest temperature in the Dominion, states the "Herald." At 4 p.m. the thermometer registered S4 in the shade, and was some points higher earlier in the afternoon. It is quite common for Wanganui to put Auckland "in the shade" as far as hot weather is concerned, although the northern city has always had the reputation of having the highest temperature in the Dominion. On Saturday Wanganui's heat made even Sydney's weather appear wintry, and the New South Wales capital "shivered" in the sixties. With Saturday's heat came a drop in the barometer, and beneficial rains fell throughout Sunday, bringing relief to parched lawns and gardens and filling water tanks. Farm Careers for Boys. Aitiong the letter? which came before the Auckland Education Board at its meeting yesterday was one from the Flock House Society asking that head teachers be requested to bring to the notice of boys leaving school the facilities offered by the society for a farming career. Boys who may be assisted under the scheme are the sons of ex-New Zealand soldiers, Imperial soldiers, and British seamen. In their letter to the board the society made the point that the present time was an opportune one for advertising their scheme, as a number of boys would be leaving school at the end. of the present year. The board decided to suggest that the society endeavour to have particulars of its scheme published in the "Education Gazette," which goes to every school. School "Atmosphere." "In the first place, the school is not a mere cram-shop. Its teachers are not mere instructors, to pass on so much information to the children," commented the Rev. I). J. Davies, vicar of St. Peter's Church, when speaking at the Terrace End School jubilee thanksgiving service at Palmerston North. "It is the tone of a school that really matters," he added. Tone was a difficult tiling to define. It was a kind of spiritual atmosphere which the child's, soul breathed as long as he was in contact with the school. All children who came to the Terrace End School were enriched, ennobled and deepened. Good tone depended upon the headmaster, teachers, the children themselves and the co-operation and loyalty of the parents. Beach Domain Reserved. Official notice of the reserve of 44 acres in the vicinity of Waipatiki as a domain is contained in it letter received by the Napier Thirty Thousand Club from the Department of Lands and Survey at Napier. In the letter the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. E. R. Burnley, stilted that the area has been temporarily reserved for recreational purposes, and will later be permanently reserved. Waipatiki is the site of one of the finest beachesj in Hawke's Bay, lesser known, perhaps, than many others owing to its somewhat isolated position off the main road from Napier, to Wairoa. With the establishment of a domain board to control the reserve, however, it is likely that this spot will be developed and popularised. Local Preachers. The jubilee of the Auckland Methodist Local Preachers' Association this week was the occasion for recalling some of the "oldtimers," and reference was made to the Hames family. Mr. C. Hames and family landed from the sailing ship-Ironsides in August, 1804, and Mr. T. Clark quoted from the late Sir Ilenry Brett's book, "The Albcrtlanders," as follows: "The Hames family were destined to add an important contribution to district history and to play a vital part in the religious life of i the community. Concrete facts hi personality and work testify to the inflitence of a Christian home. One son was a Sunday school worker of over fifty years' standing, three sons and two grandsons .Methodist local preachers, of which three are still in active work, two daughters trained nurses, one s granddaughter holding a responsible post on the teaching staff of hen Church on the foreign field, another formerly travelling secretary for the World's Student Christian Movement and now presiding in a Presbyterian manse, two grandsons Methodist ministers as preachers of the Evangel of Christ. These are the honourable records of a family who would be the last to advertise their own worth."

H.M.S. Leith Off Waiheke. Some interest was created by the Imperial sloop Leith for residents of Waiheke yesterday, when the warship dressed ship and fired . a salute off Ostend. In the course of carrying i out gunnery exercises in the Hauraki Gulf, ! the Leith included in her routine this part of ■ the training for newly-commissioned vessels ; for participation in naval occasions. I His Dispensation. At the Methodist Synod yesterday afternoon the Rev. Angus Mcßean asked for a special dispensation to be absent from the ■ evening session, and added that he had to con- ' duet a wedding. Immediately a brother , minister moved that the dispensation be granted, on condition that Mr. Mcßean contribute the marriage fee to the debt reduction fund. Mr. Mcßean is a Scotsman, and woni dors whether the motion was carried in its i entirety. Train Chases Hare. Motorists, especially at night, frequently ■ have hares running considerable distances on : the road in front of the car, but an unusual happening was witnessed by train passengers 011 the Wairarapa line on Saturday. Ihe Wairarapa express, a larger train than usual, with two engines, was rounding the bends just after leaving Kaitoke when .1 hare appeared on the tracks, and was hunted along far a considerable distance by the train before dashing aside into safety in the scrub. Valuable White Pine. "White pine, or kaliikatei, is the most valuable timber we are handling just now," 1 said ilr. C. R. Lovatt, principal of the large Whangarei milling (inn. "Despised a few years ago, it now gives a better return, log for log, than rimu, so far as North Auckland is concerned." The average price ranges about £1 for ]00ft. ilr. Lovatt said that his linn last month created a record output of 28,000 butter boxes, which went to district factories between Waipu and Kaikohe. In the manufacture of these boxes 112,000 superficial feet of kaliikatea was used. Tinworth Panel. A suggestion was made by Mr. C. R. Ford at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Institute and Museum for the best method of displaying the terra cotta panel by George Tinworth that was recently presented to the museum by the Royal Doulton Potteries, Lambeth. London, through the active interest of Mr. John Shorter, Sydney, and Tanfield, Potter and Company, Auckland. Mr. Ford said that the panel, which is in bas-relief, would look at its best if let into a niche in the wall of one of the display rooms of the museum, where the lighting was suitable. £100,000 from Seed Peas. Pea growing is one of Marlborough's staple industries, worth anything up to £100,000 in an average season. And it holds out every promise of easily reaching that figure this year, states the "Marlborough Express." Between 9000 and 10,000 acres will be under this lucrative cereal crop, and there •should be an average yield of 30 bushels to the acre, which is the usual return, although not approached last year on account of the drought. That experience cost the pea growers of Marlborough probably £70,000 through short deliveries. This year, however, they should be recompensed in good measure for their crop failures last season. Children's Welcome to Duke. Information concerning the numbers of children who would be travelling by train from various stations to centres to be visited by the Duke of Gloucester is sought in a letter which has been sent to education boards by the Railway Department. It was mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Board that as far as was known at present only about 200 children were expected to come by train to Auckland to take part in the children's welcome to the Royal visitor at the Domain. The local rally will be a voluntary one, as it will bo held several days after the schools have closed for the summer holidays. Hospital on North Shore. The .'establishment of a hospital on the North Shore was again advocated at the meeting (if the Birkenhead Borough Council last evening by Mr. John Macdonald. He said the whole position was now under review. The accommodation of the Auckland Hospital was seriously taxed, and a considerable body of expert opinion held that any more building on that site would be a mistake. The time was opportune to urge the erection of a hospital building on (lie North Shore. The other northern marine boroughs are to be invited to express their views concerning combined action in this direction. - 1 YA Mast Complete. The full height of 508 ft Tin was reached ..yesterday afternoon in the construction of the mast for the new IYA transmitting station at Henderson. At !3..'i0 p.m. Mr. W. Ward, Dorman Long's sub-contractor, who has had the construction in his charge, arrived at the t>|> with tile hist section of steel framework, which was bolted into position with the help of two assistants. A few bolts are yet to be tightened, and the lead-out from the trans.mitting room is to be lilted. The mast, which is the highest structure in the southern hemisphere, is easily visible from trans-harbour ferries, and from many of the suburbs. It is a coincidence that less than a week after one of Auckland's landmarks, the Devonport sheerlegs, was demolished, another steel landmark . nearly four times as high has been completed. Opposition to Public Baths. Opposition, to a proposal to construct swimming baths at the Konini Domain was expressed at a meeting of the One Tree Hill Borough Council last evening. A letter received by the council from the Konini Social C'lul) said the club was considering plans for laying out the reserve, and one suggestion was the construction of a swimming bath in the gully forming the entrance from Waiohua ; Road. There was. strong support for the pro- , posal in the district, and it would probably j receive the support of the Cornwall Park, ] Ellerslie and Te Pa papa Schools. "This is ; certainly not a suitable place," said the Mayor, ; Mr. I. J. Goldstine. "Although the council controls the domain, it is merely asked to con•sent to the proposal, and in the event of the committee not being able to carry on, the! baths will fall back on the council." It was,, pointed out by other speakers that it was ' difficult enough to cover expenses at public baths in thickly-populated areas. A decision ' that no support could be given to the scheme is to be communicated to the committee. ; ( By-law Exemption Refused. < i The determination of the council to up- * hold its building by-laws, which insist upon " a Oft Gill stud being used in dwellings, was j emphasised at the Otahuhu Borough Council ' meeting last night. A resident wrote saving his architect had advised" him that a Oft Bin . stud would spoil the appearance of an up-to- ) date dwelling he was contemplating building, . and lie asked permission to build with a Oft ; stud. When the Mayor, Mr. 11. T. Clements, , moved that the by-law be adhered to. Mr. R. , B. Todd asked if there was any sensible rca- ( son why permission should not be granted. f The council had power to. give: exemption ] under certain conditions. When citizens were prepared to erect dwellings that would be an asset to the borough they should be encour- • aged, and not hindered, by by-laws that had j been questioned by the Institute, of A V( 'hi: tects. The Mayor: "If we reduce the height * to Oft, we will be asked in little time to 1 reduce it to Bft,' and, personally, 1 am satisfied I Oft (Jill is low enough. Six inches, will not 1 spoil the effect' of this dwelling, and the extra s cost will not be more than £10." Other < councillors supported the Mayor, and the 1 request was declined. . 1