NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 141, 17 June 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Heavy Loss of Potatoes.* About 600 sacks of potatoes were damaged at Studholme, South Canterbury, when a fire broke out in the pit where they were stored. There were 800 sacks of potatoes, all graded, in the pit, and covered over with straw. It is thought that the fire was caused by boys smoking, and the exact extent of the loss is not yet known. English Mails Arriving. The Kairanga, which arrived from Sydney last night, brought an Australian mall for Auckland. The Wanganella arrives on Wednesday morning with 78 bags of mail, including an air mail, which left London on June 1. Ah English mail is also due at Wellington on Thursday by the m.s. Coptic, which will be delivered in Auckland on Friday. Smoking Prohibited. The fact that it is an offence to smoke on premises where food is sold for consumption was pointed out in the Wellington Magistrate's Court, when Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., convicted a young man and ordered him to pay costs for such an offence. The defendant is employed by a fruit auction firm, and it was stated for the prosecution that following a sale an inspector caught him smoking. Day of Prayer for Students. Every year the World's Student Christian Federation arranges a universal day of prayer for observance in colleges and other educational institutions. It is the special day in the year when the members of the student movement throughout the world celebrate their unity in the federation. The day chosen for this year is to-morrow, and in Auckland there will be a devotional service at the University College in the morning. In the , evening there will be a special student service in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. King's Cup Air Race. The King's Cup air race this year will be flown on Friday and Saturday, September 6 and 7. The dates are later than usual, partly to avoid clashing with the Silver Jubilee celebrations and partly because of the conditions laid down for the race on this occasion. The first day's course*— the eliminating coursewill be a circuit of Groat Britain, passing over England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Wales. This will cover a good deal of territory not previously included in any King's Cup air race. It will be the first time that Northern Ireland, for example, has had an opportunity to see anything of the competition. Governor-General at Rugby. Among the spectators at the Rugby headquarters at Eden Park on Saturday afternoon was the Governor-General, Lord Galway. It was the first occasion on which his Excellency, who is patron of the local union, had been on that grounds. On his arrival, accompanied by two aides, he was welcomed by Mr. J. Arneil, vice-patron, Mr. Harry Frost, president, arid Mr. T. W. Maben, secretary, and before taking his seat on the members' stand he went on to the field of play and shook hands with the members of the University and Marist Old Boys' teams. Throughout the afternoon his Excellency followed the play with interest. Racing " Oil " in Court. Racing information is unearthed in queer places. Even the Central Criminal Court is a source, states a Sydney paper of May 30. When jurymen were called, the Randwick trainer, Neil McKenna, was included in the panel. McKenna asked for exemption, explaining that he had a horse engaged at Kensington which he thought would win, and which he desired to saddle himself. "What horse is that?" asked Mr. Justice Davidson. "Sixteen Annas, in the jumpers' fiat race," replied McKenna, who was granted his exemption. Most similar stories would produce an anti-climax, hut Sixteen Annas, backed to warm favouritism, won and justified his trainer's plea. If the Court is full when next Neil McKenna is called for jury service, the reason will not be obscure. Propriety Questioned. A plea not to vote for restoration in Invercargill on the grounds that it would jeopardise the society's position and put a brake on its progress, besides affecting the solidarity of the city, was being made by Mr. iA. S. Froggart in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Southland Building Society, when Mr. T. Hyndman interrupted: "Is this a Prohibition meeting we've come to?" Cries of "Hear, hear!" followed, and Mr. Hyndman went on: "I've always voted Prohibition, but it shouldn't come in here." After noises among the audience had subsided, Mr. Froggart said he was referring to the question in the light of its effect on the society, and he Considered he had a right to do that. He then'resumed his address. Fortunate Escape. A lucky escape from injury was experienced by two young men who were driving up Green Lane Road, near the corner of Ascot Avenue, shortly after two o'clock yesterday afternoon, when the small sedan in which they were riding suddenly swerved off the road and struck a telephone pole at the kerb. The front of the car was completely wrecked, the radiator being forced back on the engine and the front axle torn loose, while the bodywork was considerably distorted. Neither of the occupants of the car was hurt, although both were shaken. After the accident the driver told a resident of a house nearby, who had run out when he heard the crash, that his hand had slipped from the steering wheel and the car had left the road before he could right it. "jbacco for Export. A new'development in the tobacco-grow-ing industry, that of an export trade, has become possible through a decision by the Unemployment Board to pay a subsidy on any leaf whieh might be exported in the next two years. Mr. B. T. Rawling, of Rlwaka, a member of the Growers' Association executive, stated that tobacco leaf had never had a higher value on the world's markets than at present. ■ England was paying 24d to 27d a lb for American-grown leaf. At the present time New Zealand producers had the advantage of the 25 per cent exchange and also of a "preferential tariff of 2/0-J on the English market for Empire-grown leaf. With the exchange and tariffs so favourable to New Zealand, and with the value of the leaf so high, it was considered that the present was the most opportune time for an effort to be made to place the locally-produced leaf on the English market. Collisions in Fog. In a dense fog on Mangere Road, about half a mile from Mangere Bridge, shortly after three o'clock yesterday morning, four vehicles were damaged in collisions. A headon collision occurred between a motor car driven 'by Mr. A. Knight and a milk van driven by Mr. F. D. Elder, of Te Papapa, who was accompanied by Mrs. Elder. The front wheels and windscreen of the van were smashed, and Mrs. Elder was cut on the face and arms by fragments of glass. The car ran across the road and stopped in a deep ditch, but it was not badly damaged. About two minutes after the collision Mr. F.j Hallivvell stopped his car alongside the damaged van to offer assistance to Mr. and Mrs. Elder, and as he was alighting his ear was struck from behind by another car, driven by Mr. P. Bruford. The back wheels of Mr. Halliwell's car were smashed, and the petrol tank was crushed, while the front axle and one of the front wheels of Mr. Bruford's car were twisted. Mrs, Elder was the Qtfa- person ( injured.

Open-air Meetings. No great interest was taken in the openair meetings held yesterday, the second Sunday since the City Council decided to lift the ban imposed by their predecessors in office. A meeting at the' Domain pavilion drew an attendance which almost filled the pavilion. Several policemen were among those who listened to the speeches. On the waterfront a smaller meeting was held, but there also the policemen in attendanca had no reason to take any action. What Improvements? Following recoinmenaations made in the Dairy Commission's report, the Government is insisting that farmers carry out improvements to their properties in order to improve the quality of butter and cheese. As the winter period is now here, the Auckland Farmers' Union has decided to ask the Government just what improvements are necessary to meet the requirements of the Dairy Commission's report. A Bit Long-winded. The Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, the Hon. J. A. Hanan, when speaking at the graduation ceremony at Massey College, confided in his audience that his speech was conceived during the train journey to Palmerston North, and later typed out by an efficient typist. As the oration went on for some time with no sign of a conclusion, an interjeetor was prompted to call out: "It must have been a long train journey." Young Brother Welcomed. The New Zealand Building Societies' Association last week received the following cable from the British Association: "Delegates to the sixty-sixth annual conference of the British National Association of Building Societies assembled at Folkestone learn with great interest that during the year your association has been formed. They desire to convey their cordial greetings to their coworkers in New Zealand, and trust that the formation of the association may lead to satisfactory development of the movement in the Dominion." Plunket Baby Competition. An amount of £520, from which a few minor expenses have yet to be deducted, will be added to the Plunket Society's funds as a result of the "niost beautiful Plunket baby" photographic competition held last week. The expenses will be small, as Milne and Choyce, Ltd., placed the exhibition room at the society's disposal free of charge and assisted in arranging the display. The three placed competitors in each section are to be awarded certificates, and section winners will be given prizes donated by the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, Lady Wilson, Mrs. Hugh Kirker and Mr. J. S. Milne. A function is being arranged at which the presentations will be made. Dilworth Old Boys' Reunion. During the week-end the Dilworth Old Boys' Association held its annual reunion. The celebrations began with a luncheon on Saturday, which was followed by a football match at the school. In the evening a dinner and smoke concert were held at the school, an address being delivered by Archdeacon Mac Murray, chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board and patron of the Old Boys' Association. Other speakers were the headmaster, Mr. Noel Gibson, Mr. J. W. Hyland, president of the association, and Mr. A. L. Greig. Yesterday a large number of old boys attended a special service held in St. Mark's Church, Remuera. The service was conducted by the Rev. P. Houghton, vicar of the parish. Naming Dunedin. Dunedin has. been Dunedin ever since the first settlers arrived from Scotland, but the name of the town when it was only a plan on paper was New Edinburgh, stated a correspondent recently in the "Christchurch Star.'' The name Dunedin, he wrote, was chosen after such names as New Reekie, Edina, Ossian, Bruce, Burns, Duncantown, Napiertown, Holyroodtown and Wallacetown had been rejected. In 1841 William Chambers, one of the founders of the "Chambers Journal," wrote to the "New Zealand Journal" (published at London for promoting emigration) with the suggestion that the old Celtic name Dunedin was infinitely superior to New Edinburgh. The idea was adopted, and the projected town became officially known as Dunedin in 184 C. Work for a Living. "The young person who has just left school is often in a most difficult position in these days," said Dr. G. Home in an address at New Plymouth, "but he should recognise the importance of getting quickly into some sort of occupation, for wages, if possible, but if not, for the sake of stability and character that work will give. Otherwise he may become a national liability, or, worse still, a national menace, for idleness is a most potent enemy to a healthy existence on both the physical and moral side. It may not be at times obvious; but it requires very little thought to arrive at the conclusion that it is a most salutary thing to work for one's •living." Delayed by Whistle. To the tune of a monotonous wail from the engine whistle, the valve of which had jammed, passengers leaving for the South by the Limited last night and their friends enjoyed an extra 15 minutes in which to say good-bye. As the train, drawn by a K engine, began to draw out, the engine gave its usual warning whistle —and .kept on whistling. The train stopped, and for the next 15 minutes the whistle defied all efforts to silence it. Arrangements were made for the engine which was to take the Hamilton train out three minutes after the Limited to be transferred to the latter train, but before this could be done the adjustment of the valve was effected, and the whistle stopped. The Limited was sent away at 7.18, fifteen minutes late, but it was expected that most, if not all, of this time would be made up. The Hamilton train followed it three minutes later. Maori History and North Shore. Stories of the early Maori days at Takapuna and Devonport were told on Saturday by Mr. G. Graham, in a field day held under the auspices of the anthropological and Maori race section of the Auckland Institute and War Memorial Museum. Mr. Graham gave his address on the summit of Mount Victoria. He traced the coming of the Maoris to the mountain and their subsequent movements. The Maori name for Mount Victoria, he said, was Taka-a-runga, the uppermost knoll, and that of North Head, Maunga-a-Mika, Mika s Mount. About 1250, A.D., one Te Kauea arrived at Devonport from Whakatane, intent on conquest, but he changed his mind, and married a local chieftaiuess. Peace prevailed until half-way through the fourteenth century When the "fleet" arrived from Raroton<m, some of the Tainuis and Arawas settled at Mount Victoria. Their descendants founded the tribe of the Ngati-wai, who gradually came to occupy the land from North Head to Rodney, in addition to the islands of Kawau, Tiritiri and the Great and Little Barriers. The Ngati-wai held the land until the advent of the Ngapuhis with the dread firearm. Hopeless a-ainst that, thev fled, like the tribes from the Tamaki isthmus, to inland forests, and the district became almost uninhabited. Thus it was when the Frenchman, D'Urville, entered the Waitemata early in the nineteenth century. He- ascended Mount Victoria and said that there were few signs of habitation. It was not until about 1835, when Christianity began to spread among the tribes near Auckland, that the Ngati-wai returned. In 1841 they ceded their land to the .Government for £200 in cash and a quantity of goods. Few traces of the old defensive works remained to-day. ,