NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 139, 14 June 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Firing in Gulf. H.M.S. Dioincdo will bo carrying out fullcalibre firing in the Hauraki Gulf on the afternoon of Tuesday next. Milford Lagoon. "It is not a sanctuary but a prohibited area," remarked a member of (.lie South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society at (he annual meeting, in referring to Milford Lagoon. "The difference is that on a sanctuary you cannot take a dog or a gun, but in a prohibited area—" "Von cannot have 'a spot'!" came the quick interjection from another member. Another member, in .attempting to explain the position, said: "You cannot carry a dog and take a gun—" Three Lamps Replaced. Serving to perpetuate tlie historic name of Three Lamps, a now standard bearing three electric lights has been erected on the southwest corner of the intersection, and was illuminated for the lirst time last night. The lights are enclosed in conical shades, and throw a beam of light on to the intersection. The original lamp post that gave its name to the intersection, an ornate iron structure, was replaced with one of more modern design when electric street lighting was introduced about 21 years ago. This hae now given place "to a traffic dome in the centre of the intersection. Building for Exhibition. Reference to the necessity of securing a building for exhibition purposes was made at a meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, the joint committee being recommended to make inquiries from the Harbour Board or any other owners of possible si tee, with a view to building an exhibition building, or alternatively to inquire whether premises could be leased or rented. The secretary reported that arrangements for the Auckland Winter Exhibition were well in hand, and that the space was being rapidly booked. Tribute to City Mission. One could not but bo struck with the wonderful organisation which the Auckland City Mission had built up through the 15 years of ite existence, said Archdeacon MacMurray, at the annual meeting of the mission last night. "I want to say how greatly appreciated is the work of the city miasioner, and also the work of those assisting him," the Archdeacon continued. It was an honour to to the mission that the Rev. Jasper Calder had received the order of M.B.E. in the King's Birthday honours. Ho appealed to the mission not to forget the spiritual aspect, however urgent were the needs for material relief. Not in Programme. At Ilford, England, a bonfire arranged for the King's Jubilee caught alight too soon, and the- fire brigade tried to put it out. The crowd shouted, "Let it burn, and so hampered the work of the brigade that the firemen turned the hose on them. Some of the crowd then dragged the hose and the firemen away, amid loud cheers. Eventually the brigade gave up the attempt and moved off, booed by the crowd. Another bonfire was of a different kind. Nearly 2000 people surged round the Bermondsey Town Hall and watched the burning of an effigy of the Mayor, Mr. S. R. Weightman, who refused to attend the meeting of the King and South London councillors orf Camberwell Green on May 18. The National Anthem was sung, and then, for more than an hour, the people danced in front of the town hall. The Sportsmen and Old N.Z. Destructive deer arc causing widespread damage to the native- forest flanking Lake Waikaremoana, according to the "Forest and Bird" magazine issued by the Forest and Bird Protection Society. "Alien animate are taking toll of the young growth and are doing much mischief »to the forest floor," states the magazine, "the Tourist Department, with the responsibility of conserving Waikaremoana as a priceless tourist resort, should be up in arms against the deer —but is it taking any action? Opossums l are another nuisance in that delightful woodland. They are blamed for some of the damage done to plant life and also for hindering the welfare of birds. Moreover, the traps set for the animals bring death to many kiwis. This mischief has been reported repeatedly by",eye-witnesses, but it goes on, year after year. Every year, too, many kiwis are killed or maimed in traps set for opossums in forests on the West Coast of the South Island. The Forest and Bird Protection Society has long been pressing for a checking of this evil, and is now confident that an improved trap will be adopted." A Hedge in Question. During a case at the Wauganui Supreme Court, the height and nature of a hedge in front of a residence was in debate. A tiny gjrl witness, with bright intelligence, informed the Court that it was a Lawsoniana hedge. "It had better be spelt," directed his Honor, and Mr. A. M. Ongley, Palmersrton North, who was appearing for the defence, fulfilled that requirement. " IJis Honor (turning to hie associate): "1 suppose you want it spelt again, more slowly?" The associate did, and Mr. Ongley obliged again. "Thank you, Mr. Ongley, I am much obliged to you, and I thank the witness for informing on something I did not know," said his Honor. A little later in the proceedings the height of the hedge was questioned, and another girl witness" was asked to indicate, on the walls of the courtroom, just how high she considered the trees to be. The girl indicated a ledge which ran round the room above the clock. His Honor, to avoid the possibility of any misconception, asked Constable W. Trask to touch the ledge. Later the height in actual feet was in question, and his Honor asked the constable how high be could stretch. Constable Trask was not sure, but an obliging officer. Constable J. Willetts, produced a rule and started to measure the wall, while there were speculative utterances from the jury. "Hurry up, constable," directed his Honor. "The jury are organising a sweepstake on it." Hospital Milk. Provision is made in the amendments suggested in the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Act to extend the milk district to include the Auckland Domain and hospital reserve and shipping in both the Waitemata and Manukau harbours. The reason for the proposal, according to a statement issued by the council, is that the exclusion of milk supplied for consumption to the hospital and shipping in both harbours has caused considerable complication and has perpetuated unprofitable competition that the original Act was designed to terminate. The milk district is also to include the borough of Otahuhu and the road districts of Paninure and Mount Wellington. When Mr. (i. W. Hutchison, chairman of the Milk Council, was explaining the amendments to a special meeting of the City Council last night, he was asked to give reasons for including the hospital. "I should like to know why it should not be included," lie replied. The hospital, he said, was not a charitable institution. A contract had been made by the hospital for the supply of milk at 7d a gallon, againfit the board's price of Od. "Whatever milk is being provided at 7d, it i 3 being done at a loss to the producer," he said. "I do not think a public body supported by levies ■should be allowed to continue that attitude. The Act was framed and passed to overcome the bleeding of the milk industry. It is more important for the hospital to be inspected by the Milk Council in respect to milk supply than any other body or person. "Twice in the Press since the Milk Council was set up I have seen references to inferior quality milk at the ihospital." ,

Snow on Mamaku Range. In Matamata on Wednesday afternoon a car was seen to enter Matamata from tho direction of Rotorua with a large pile of snow on the bonnet and another on the runningboard. The driver reported a fairly heavy fall of snow on the Mamaku Ranges. Heavy Booking. Heavy booking has already been experienced by the Railway Department in connection with the excursions leaving several centres for Wellington to-night, the chief attraction being the All Black trial match which is to bo played on Saturday, immediately presaging the announcement of the team to tour the Old Country. It is certain that two engines will be required to draw the train from Napier, which may extend to 19 carriages, accommodating 800 persons. Reclaimed. While emptying a bowl in which some goldfish were kept, a Palmerston North citizen the other day was chagrined to see one oil his "pets' , disappear with the water down the gully trap. He thought it was destined for an untimely demise in the city's sewerage system. Imagine his surprise twelve' hours later to discover the tiny creature disporting itself tin a nearby gutter. Unknown to. the pisciculturist, tiie drain was purely a stormwater one, and led out into the water channel along the footpath. Sacrifice to Loyalty. Even the New Zealand Customs Department makes concessions to loyalty. No duty is levied on Union Jacks, or any flag- incorporating the Union Jack, provided it is British made, the Collector of Customs at Christchurch, Mr. C. O. Trownson, explained to a journalist. On foreign-made flags of these classes a duty of 20 per cent is paid. On all other flags the duty is 20 per cent for British made and 40 per cent for foreign made. Another concession of a similar type is that medals, badges and similar articles imported by the New Zealand branches of the Navy League, the St. John Ambulance Association, or similar patriotic, ambulance or other societies, are admitted free of duty, whether they are of British or foreign origin. They Missed Church. It was evident that quite a number of Rolarians wore absent from the special service held at Trinity Church on a recent Sunday evening at'Timaru. The sergeant-at-arme, Rotarian C. H. Shackell, announced that he had been an absentee. He picked up a glass, and, dropping a shilling into it, invited other defaulters to' do likewise. Judging by tho clinking of coins as the glase circulated round the room, a fair proportion of members were in the same position as Rotarian Shackell. Rotarian P. B. Footo asked for a ruling. He had attended the service for members of the borough council at Chalmers Church. "Double tho fine" came a prompt reply. Further amusement was created when the Rev. A. J. 11. Dow jokingly inquired whether tho money in the .glass was to go to Trinity Church deacons' court. Amid renewed laughter a suggestion that proceeds should bo divided between the club and the deacons' court was unanimously endorsed. Praise for All Black Trial. Interest in the All Black trials is not confined to Rugby Union spheres. At the Auckland Rugby League meeting, when the club delegates were asked if they Jiad any reports .to make, Mr. J. Rukutai eniilcd broadly, and said his business had taken him away from the city, and ho happened to be in Palmerston North. "And did you see the All Black trial match?" asked the chairman, Mr. G. Grey Campbell. "Yes," replied Mr. Rukutai, "and it wae a splendid match and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it wad orthodox in style, two fine teams were seen. I was greatly impressed with the fine passing in spite of the greasy conditions, and with the wonderful physique of the players." "That is good news," said the chairman, "and 1 am sure this board is indebted to Mr. Rukutai Tor his report." This remark earned evident approval. Mr. Rukutai, in his heyday, was a Rugby Union representative, and later became a Rugby League international of note. Fifty Years of Driving. Fifty years of driving, mail carts and coaches first and motor cars later, is the record of Mr. Campbell Wylie, of Napier, who has announced his retirement from tho taxi stands of Napier (says tho Napier "Telegraph"). Mr. Wylie commenced in the Napier district, when he drove the mail cart for the late Mr. D. Cotton from Napier to tho Spit. In 158.3 he commenced to drive for Dr. T. C. Moore, and in 1880 he went to Rotorna. Three years later Mr. Wyfie was operating for Mr. W. K. Carter, and in 1893 ho drove on the route from Okoroire through Mamaku to Uotorua and also on the Napicr-Taupo road for the late Mr. J. T. Harvey. Between the years 1890 and 1808 he drove from Napier to Moawhango for tho late Mr. A. McDonald, of Kuripapango, and from then on to 1001 his service necessitated fording tho Tutaekuri frequently. During the past 21 years Mr. Wylie has been operating a taxi in Napier, and his retirement will remove a familiar figure from the Napier taxi stands. Note Circulation. Presenting the report and balance-sheet to the annual meeting of proprietors of the Bank of New Zealand to-day, tho chairman of directors, Mr. W. Watson, said " that on August 1 last the Reserve Bank exercised its sole right to issue notes in the Dominion, but until August 1, 1930, the trading banks would continue to pay the tax on their unredeemed notes, after which date each bank would pay over to the Reserve Bank the face value of its notes outstanding and cease to pay further tax. Large quantities of notes on which tax wars now being paid had been destroyed in various ways, and while tho trading banks would pay the full face values to the Reserve Bank, that bank would, of course, never be called upon to repay the losers. At March 31, 1934, the trading banks' notes in circulation amounted to approximately £0,200,000; on the corresponding date this year they had been reduced to about £850,000, while the notes issued by the Reserve Bank totalled over £9,300,000. The larger amount was accounted for by the fact that the trading banks had to purchase Reserve notes for till moiicy. The average holding of the Bank of New "Zealand for that purpose was well over £2,000,000.

" Squealing " at Rugby,

The fact that the captain of a junior team had been ordered off the field by a referee for appealing against decisions prompted a long discussion at this week's meeting of the 'Matamata Rugby Sub-union, during which it was stated that there was a widespread idea throughout the country that team captains had the right to appeal (writes tho "Star's" Matamata. correspondent). In view of this mistaken idea, the committee decided to deal leniently with this player. The player told the committee that he questioned the referee's rulings about four times during the game. He was under the impression that a captain could appeal. Right at the start ho had questioned a ruling when a player who had kicked the ball and tackled his man was penalised for no apparent breach of rules. Mr. H. Ensor, a former Matamata and Waikato captain, admitted candidly that when lie was a player he had "squealed" and had kept on doing so if he could get away with it. The trouble was that many players did not know the rules. He suggested thai; this player be severely cautioiied and a recommendation made to referees to watch appealing in the future. Owing to the general belief that captains could appeal, the committee finally decided, without dissent, to .issue a severe warning to the player before them, and explain the rule to him, warning him that next time he ca~ir>e before the committee he could expect tn bo severely dealt with.