NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 148, 25 June 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Absent-minded Pianiste. When a gathering: at a Loyal Excalsior Lodge dinner at New Plymouth one night last week rose early in the proceedings to fing the National Anthem, the pianiste absentmindedly played the equally familiar time of "Auld Lang Syne." The 500 present foliowed her faithfully until halted in the middle by the lodge secretary. Triple Rainbow. A phenomenon was seen from Devonport at about four o'clock yesterday afternoon, when a triple rainbow appeared in the southwestern sky. Although single rainbows are common in showery weather, and sometimes double rainbows, the triple variety is rare. The three bows consisted of a bright and a fainter bow, with a third crossing the others at a more acute arch. Onehunga Amenities. Reporting to tlic Onehunga Borough Council last night, the Mayor, Mr. J. Park, who had just returned from a visit to Wellington on municipal business, said that in several interviews with Ministers he had met with sympathetic receptions. Certain schemes he had in hand for the improvement of borough amenities in the general interests of ratepayers had 'met with tentative approval, and would form the subject of a comprehensive report to be submitted to the council at a later date. Unregistered Poultry puns. Two poultry farmers, J. G. Honore and T. 11. Tremain, were charged in the Fox ton Magistrate's Court with failing to register poultry runs as required under the Poultry Registration Act, 1933. Counsel for the New Zealand Poultry Board said both defendants were poultry farmers in a big way, and notices had been published in the newspapers and at the post office requiring them to register their poultry runs by June 30, 1934. They did not do so until March this year. The prosecution had been launched in fairness to thousands of poultry farmers who had registered. A heavy penalty was not sought. A fine of 10/ and costs was imposed in each case. National Flc-wer Show. Mention of the fact that the National Flower Show for 1930 will be held in Auckland at the eqd of February is made in the annual report of the, Auckland Horticultural Society. As so large a show could not be accommodated in the Town Hall, it was decided to ask the Auckland Rating Club for the use of their large grounds and .buildings, and the request was readily granted.' The national show will take the place of the local society's annjial dahlia showj but the usual trophies will be competed for. The report concludes with an -appeal to members to do everything within their power to show Southern visitors that Auckland's claim to be the garden city of the Dominion is no idle boast.

Historic Lighthouse. With the completion of a new light on Baring Head, the old light on Pencarrow was exhibited for the last time last Sunday night. Pencarrow is the oldest light on the New Zealand coast, and its passing will recall many memories of the days when Wanganui and other coastal towns were served mostly by sea from Wellington. Pencarrow light has been operating continuously since January 1, 1559. Throughout the changing years it lias served as a guide to the entrance to Wellington Harbour, and there are probably many old residents in Wjinganui to-day who will remember Pencarrow as being a welcome sight after a rough passage down the coast.- The new light on Baring Head came into operation on the night of June 17, and the tall white tower on Pencarrow then began service as a day mark only. ( i , . • The Shortest Day. Referring to a recent paragraph in this column, in which June 21 >is given as the "technical" beginning of winter, Professor S. E. Lamb, head of the School of Engineering, Auckland University College, writes: "June 22 is the shortest day in the southern hemisphere, and on that' day less heat is received in this part of the world from the sun than on any other day of the year. This is the astronomical mid-winter. The actual coldest day occurs about a month later. May I ask why June 21 is given as the technical beginning of winter, and what meaning is given to the word 'technical'?" The word "technical" was used in the everyday sense to imply that the local rule-of-thumb, or "mechanical," method of dating the winter months from Juno 22 to September 22 is subject to climatic changes. Fixed Date for Easter. For some time the Associated Chambers of Commerce have sought to have an Act passed at an early date which would enable a fixed Easter to be brought into operation in New Zealand whenever it was adopted in England. In Britain legislation fixing the date of Easter has already been enacted, but not yet brought into operation. Some critics of the chambers have been under the impression that the churches generally in New Zealand hostile to a fixation of Easter, but Dr. E. P. Xeale, secretary of the Auckland Chamber, states that before any representations were made to the Government the view of Bishop Sprott, of Wellington, the Roman Catholic Church and the Wellington Ministers' Association, which comprises all • the free churches and the Salvation Army, were obtained. All had been agreeable to a fixed date.

Stationary Population. "If all workers are to continue in employment under conditions of stationary population, one or more of several things will have to be done," said Dr. E. P. Xeale during his address on population at the Auckland University last evening. "Stationary population would involve an increased ratio of the population of productive ages to the nonproducing population. On a long view there must be reduced working hours per day or days of the week, without a reduction in the weekly rate of pay, if the demand for consumable goods is to be maintained; or the age of introduction of workers into industry must be raised, with an increase in educational facilities; or the retiring age of workers must be lowered, and holidays increased; or a wider range of increased quantities of commodities and service must be turned out. If none of these things is done, there is a danger of unemployment. Such unemployment is dubbed structural, since it is determined by the population's age structure." Height of Ceilings. The modern trend to reduce the height of ceilings in dwellings was reported upon at the meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council last night by Mr. A. A. Coates, who said that the subject wafi discussed at the last meeting of the Auckland Suburban Local Bodies' Association. The opinion was expressed by representatives at that meeting that it was undesirable to fix a minimum height of studs in dwellings for all districts. It was decided to leave the question for decision to each local body. At the same time the' trend of opinion appeared to be in favour of a Oft The Mayor, Mr. J. Park, said he considered it was a calamity when they could not get a company of men such as the association to say what they thought on such an important question. He hoped the borough would appeal to the Government to take definite action for a uniform set of by-laws for the whole of the Dominion. On the Mayor's motion the matter was referred to the council in committee to consider an alteration to the building by-laws with a view to reducmg the height of studs.

A Football Argument. The position in regard to the dispute between the Rotorua Rugby Sub-union and the authorities of the Rotorua High School regarding the < playing of inter-school football matches has been further considered by the sub-union, states a Rotorua correspondent. The question of the cancellation of affiliation for High School teams was discussed, but it was decided to defer it until a reply has been received to communications sent to the New Zealand Rugby Union. Men Prefer Sustenance. The Takapuna Borough Council yesterday decided to retain 00 men out of 190 for work approved by the Unemployment Board and to place the remainder on sustenance. It was stated at the meeting that a referendum taken of a large number of men showed that the majority preferred to go on sustenance rather than work under the No. 5 scheme. A representative of the Labour Department watched proceedings at the meeting. A Ghostly Train. Covered in enow which, speed had Converted more or less into ice, the excursion train from Timaru arrived back in Christchurch at about 9 o'clock one day last week, 35 minutes late. The train, picked out by lights from cach carriage window, had a ghostly appearance as it thundered into the light of the Christchurch platform. .The snow was piled six inches deep on the roofs and platforms of the carriages, and the travellers, coming from the warmth of the cars, soon began to assume a tell-tale blue and to exhibit signs of shivering from the cold. Losses from Snowfall. A Christchurch visitor to Blenheim remarked to an "Express" representative that the damage resulting from the snowstorm in Canterbury was not fully appreciated because it was virtually impossible to assess it accurately. He mentioned one case of a suburban poultry farmer who had 15,000 eggs in an electric incubator when the power lines were brought down by the snow. It was the best part of a week before the power was restored, and by that time the eggs were ruined. "Being good breeding eggs, they were worth aoout £2 a hundred, so you can work out the lost) easily enough," he added. Police and Wrestler. The report that the Police Department had refused Cy Williams, the American wrestler, a permit to wrestle again in New Zealand was confirmed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. W. G. Wohlmann, yesterday. "Owing to Williams' rough tactics in various bouts throughout New Zealand, culminating in a quite disgraceful exhibition at Greymouth on Friday night last, the Police Department lias decided to refuse to issue any further permit for him to wrestle in the Dominion," lie said. "Williams was to have wrestled last Saturday niglii at Blenheim, but the permit was withdrawn."

Honour to Rugby League Visitor. Departure from custom in order to pay a compliment to a visiting football administrator was made by the Auckland Rugby League Referees' Association last evening, when Mr, H. R. Miller, secretary of the New South Wales League and Australian Board of Control, attended. After giving some valuable hints in connection with refereeing, Mr. Miller, whose disarming frankness and sense of humour appealed strongly to members, was made the first honorary vice-president of the association. The chairman said he felt sure Mr. Miller would appreciate the honour, and that it would cause him to take a close interest in the affairs of referee organisations in this country. Snowballers and Motorists. Complaints were voiced by motorists in Invercargill ji few days babk at the action of children engaged in snowballing 011 Sunday throwing snowballs at motor cars. "There is a very real danger of windows being broken," said one man, "because the youngsters squeeze the snowballs till they become like lumps of ice. Also, snowballs landing on the windshield obscure the driver's view, and this occuring while he is passing through a group of children might result in an accident. I know that young boys and girls know no better, but their parents could take some action." It was reported that one motorist had been struck in tli,e face by a snowball flying through liis windshield, necessitating the insertion of several stitches. Governor-General's Half-crown. The wooden mere of the Auckland Rotary Club will be adorned with one more half-crown as the result of the visit paid to the club yesterday by the Governor-General, Viscount Gahvay. The mere has been for 14 years the official emblem of the club's ser-geant-at-arms, Mr. W. Blomfield, who wields it when leading the club haka. In 1924 the then Governor-General, Earl Jellicoe, on visiting the club, was mulcted in half a crown, which was mounted flush with the surface of the mere as a memento of his visit. The same was done with half-crowns contributed by his successors, Sir Charles Fergusson and Viscount Bledisloe, and by three other distinguished visitors, Mr. Sydney W. Pascall, a former governor of Rotary International, Lord Nuffield and Mr. Paul P. Harris, founder of the Rotary movement. His Excellency expressed gratification at the opportunity of contributing to the historical associations of the club's official mere. Twenty Shillings in the Pound. Each guarantor who stood behind the. executive of the Southland Men's Hockey Association when that body sought financial support to purchase a match with the AllIndia team will receive back 20/ in the £. Over £3SO was taken at the Rugby Paik gates at the match, and the advance sale cf tickets is expected to bring in another £50. After all expenses have been paid (including the rent of Rugby Park and the £100 purchase price of the match), the executive anticipate having a credit balance of about £100. When it is remembered how dismal was the outlook the week before the game, when the weather conditions were so threatening, th? executive rightly felt very gratified at the healthy financial result achieved. All that they wanted was a line day on Saturday, and the gods smiled upon them.

Request for a Dollar. A further example of the absurdity of the chain letter has been received by an Auckland business man. The letter, which is different from the usual run, is forwarded from the International Prosperity Club, which indicates that it trusts in God and was established in 1935. It is signed allegedly by two persons in Italy and four Americans, and the postscript points out that it has been started in the hope of bringing prosperity to the recipient. There is the usual request that within three days live copies be made of the letter, leavftig off the top name and address and adding the new' one at the bottom of the list, and that it be handed on to five friends to whom it is wished that prosperity should come. In omitting the top name the recipient is expected to send the person named one dollar or its equivalent. In return for this simple task tile recipient is given visions of a substantial sum, for it is stated that, as his name leaves the top, he will receive 15,025 letters, with donations amounting to 15,025 dollars, or close on £4000. "Now, is this worth a dollar to you?" the letter asks. It certainly would be an excellent investment if things worked out so. beauiifully as the Prosperity Club indicates, but the chances are that someone would receive a very easy dollar and the return would be nil. In this case the business man has broken the chain and is prepared to risk the consequences. distribution of this particular letter is believed to be very extensive, and the public is warned not to entertain the get-rich-quick scheme, which is not likely to have a silver lining.