NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

How Floors Are Polished. Vacuum cleaners and patent floor polishes are unknown to the natives in the Seychelles Islands, Mr. G. T. Stevens informed a reporter. The girls, after rubbing the floors with the decapitated end of a coconut, place a cloth under each foot and by this method of propulsion secure an excellent sliine. Future Conferences. Next year Napier will be the location of two important conferences. In February the Municipal Association will hold its annual conference, and immediately afterwards the Municipal Electric Supply Authorities' Association will hold its conference. Each will take a large number of delegates to the town, and they will discuss many questions of public interest. Month's Five Sundays. Those whose business it is to concern themselves with the management of church finances will be grateful to September, for it contains five Sundays. Thus the quarter will end with an appreciable impetus to church funds. Every quarter this year ends with a Sunday, whereas last year the first was the only one. Trains for Waitomo Caves. In view of the increasing popularity of the- Waitomo Caves and the need for improved railway facilities, the Railways Board has arranged for the afternoon Main Trunk express from Auckland to stop at Hangatiki to suit the convenience of visitors to the caves. The general manager of railways, Mr. G. H. Maekley, announces that from next Monday the ;i p.m. express from Auckland will stop at Hangatiki shortly after 7 p.m. Big Mails Arriving. An extra large quantity of oversea mail is due this week-end. The Remuera arrived this morning from London with 800 bags of English mail and 200 bags of parcels; the Golden Cloucl arrives to-morrow from San Francisco with 140 bags of American mail; and the Niagara is due at 9 a.m. on Monday with 318 bags of English and American mail and 203 bags of parcels. Massey Memorial Scholarship. A scholarship which perpetuates the name of the late Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, the Massey Memorial Scholarship, is tenable for two years at the Pukekolie Technical High School. Boys residing in the old Franklin electorate, represented by Mr. Massjy, are eligible for the scholarship when proceeding to their proficiency test for the first time. The fund for the scholarship was raised by public subscription in the year following Mr. Massey's death.

Misguided Sympathy. The story of the misguided sympathy of the Mayor of a small New Zealand town raised a burst of laughter, from the audience at a concert given by the Blind Institute Band. The director, Sir Clutha McKenzie, was describing a previous tour of the band through the Dominion, and mentioned that before each performance the chairman for the occasion, usually the Mayor, was more or less told what to say in welcoming the band. At one town, however, this was overlooked, and the Mayor began a speech in woeful strain. There were their poor blind friends on the stage, he said; it was obvious that they were different from the audience; the latter had been lucky enough to keep "our sight and our wits." The blind man, said Sir Clutha, deprecated the regarding of his life as a tragedy. Directors Thanked. In moving a vote of thanks to the dh'octors at the 31st annual meeting of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company yesterday afternoon Mr. C. Ford said that they started from a small beginning. There were' plenty of people who were ready i;o put money in, but they wanted to wait and see how things went. However, once they got a start they never looked back. In 1005 the company did not ship any butter, and this year they had shipped 3,790,000 odd boxes. He considered that the company had been vei-y fortunate in the chairmen of directors which they had had. When the vote was carried the chairman of directors, Mr. 11. E. Worsp, replied. He said thrtt he could also speak as one of the original shareholders. The company hud started in a very modest way, and they were proud of the position that the company hold to-day, commercially, and also of what it stood for. Treatment of a Deputation.

Keen disappointment with the response of Mr. W. Bromley, deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, to a recent deputation from the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association was expressed by Mr. T. L. Drummond at a meeting of the executive of the association. Mr. Drummond said that in a'nswer to the .deputation Mr. Bromley had quoted instances that were "decidedly weak," and that lie had dealt with the question of subsidies "in an academic manner." "When a deputation meets a man it is no use arguing with him," ho said, "because if we want something from him we will only alienate his sympathies by arguing. Mr. Bromley admitted himself that though his signature was on a memorandum sent to the executive, ho did not approve of what was contained in it. There may bo members who have faith in an organisation of that kind. Personally, I have not." Big Guns. So great was the concussion caused by the guns of the Navy during night firing between 0.30 and 7.30 last evening that houses as far distant as the Ponsonby waterfront felt the effects. Families at dinner were momentarily alarmed by loud rolls like thunder until they recalled -that the Navy was at in the gulf. Windows and doors rattled and telephone bells sang with the reverberations. Many families went outside to watch the flashes that illumined the eastern sky, flashes tiiat resembled heat lightning, which is a well-known phenomenon in summer months. Just before seven o'clock tltej guns were heard with great distinctness. This set some people talking about the old, unhappy war days, when the distant nimble, of the guns in Flanders could be heard on the south coast of Fng'. nd. Experience With Fireball.

Kecent reference in the "Star" to meteorites and fireballs lias caused Mr. D. Wilson, of 80, Sandringham Road, Kingslancl, to relate an experience which ho had in New England, New South Wales, 48 years ago. "It was a pitch dark night, and with another man we were standing under the verandah of a sha"ck on a farm watching a display of lightning," said Mr. Wilson. "There was a ten-acre paddock in' front of us sloping down to a boundary post-aml-wire fence. In the middle of the fence was a gum tree about SOft high, the top ending in a forked branch. A flash of lightning struck the tree and split it with a great crash from top to base. Then a ball j of intense bluish white colour rolled towards us. It came with the fizzing sound that fire works make. It struck the ridge of the roof rolled down the galvanised iron and burst. I was knocked flat, and had the feeling that I had been tossed into a tank of soda water. At first I thought that I had been blinded, but I soon recovered. My companion did not wait for the fireball. He cleared out." Mr. Wilson said that next morning there was 110 trace! of any mark le'ft by the fireball, and the' result of the lightning flash was half of the' gum tree on the ground with 20ft of fencing! wire attached to it. He added that in the J higher passes of the Alps in Switzerland he had experienced lightning 'which seemed to tear along the pass, and although stones were flung right and left he was not touched.

I Unpardonable! Puns are considered to be unpardonable at any time, but one overheard by a Hastings reporter is surely the most unpardonable one ever perpetrated, states the "Herald." A Napier la fly mentioned to a friend that she intended to look up her Bible, because she had been told that the Abyssinian trouble represented the. Armageddon mentioned in the Bible. Her friend replied: "Oh, well, it's getting late, and I won't disturb you. Armageddon to bed." Film Censorship. During the yeaV ended March 31, 2171 cinematograph films of all classes, of a total length of 0,314,410 ft, were examined by Government censors, who rejected 28 in the first instance, passed 140. subject to excisions, and passed 227 as more suitable for adult audiences. These figures arc shown in the annual report of the Department of Internal Affairs, tabled in the House of Representatives. The countries of origin of the quota, or long, films were: Great Britain 113, Australia 7," Canada 1, United States of America 354, France 2, and Germany 4. Meat on London Market.

Complaint in regard to the state of meat when it arrived on the London market was mentioned at the animal meeting of the Auckland Freezing Company yesterday. Mr. A. G. Brown said that the complaint had something behind it. He said that lie saw beef on the London market—not from the company's works—which was not dressed as properly as it might.have been. Two days before he left London he inspected a shipment of chilled beef from the company's Ilorotiu works, and it was very highly spoken of by the London experts.

The King's Cup. 'I ho final of the King's Cup Air Race was flown seven times round a circuit measuring 51.58 miles. This race was instituted in 1022, and has been won previously by ten different persons:—Captain F. L. Barnard, 1022 and 1025; Captain F. T. Courtney, 1023; Sir A. J. Cobhain, 1024; H. S. Broad, 5 020; W. L. Hope, 1027, 1028, 191)2; Flying-Officer 13. F. W. Atcherley, 1020; Miss Winifred Brown, 1030; Flying-Officer E. C. T. Edwards, 1031; Captain 0. de Haviland, 1023; Flight-Lieutenant 11. M. Seliofield, 1034. The fastest speed of any winner was Flying-Officer B. F. W. Atcherley, 150.3 miles per hour, in 1020. Coroner's Comment. "Although I do not think it would have affected the present case at all, care should have been taken not to handle the bottle, and it doesn't seem to me that the proper care was taken to ascertain if there were any fingerprints," said Air. Wyvcrn Wilson, S.M., yesterday afternoon during the hearing of evidence given at the inquest concerning the death of George Pollock, who was found dead in a city flat on the morning of August 20. Mr. Wilson said it was most important in all cases that care should l>n taken not to handle exhibits until an examination had been made for fingerprints. In the present case the bottle had been found on August 20 and had not been examined till September 24. Yachting and Women.

As in other branches of sport, women have invaded the aquatic pastimes. Some of them are regular members of yachting crews, while ot/hers content themselves with assisting their husbands in small craft, and very efficient have some of them become. The Royal New Zealand Yacht' Squadron stages a race in which women take the helm at the annual reunion at Kawau, but a suggestion at last evening's annual meeting that the fair sex should bo allowed to become sailing members of the squadron caused some head-scratching. Various complications were foreseen should this privilege be granted, though at the same time it was emphasised that there was nothing in the rules to prevent women taking part in the clubs' races, with the exception that they are barred from taking the tiller. The club's racing rules prescribe that the owner and helmsman must be members of the squadron. Tlie suggestion to allow women to bo sailing members was negatived.

Extension Work at Arapuni. One stage in the work of extending tlie Arapuni power station to provide for the installation of additional units has been completed by the removal of a portion of a cliff mid the excavation of a large quantity of material to make room for the foundations and walls of the new building. A largo quantity of concrete has been laid to form the foundations, and the walls are in course of erection. The main plant to be installed in the power house is not expected to arrive in New Zealand until next year, but the material required for extending the transformer station will be delivered within the next three months. There are 120 men employed 011 the constructional work in hand at Arapuni, apart from the permanent staff. Fair progress is being made by the two engineers, who came from Sweden to recondition the Ko. 1 unit in the power station. The unit was seriously damaged through a fault occurring in the'mechanism in February last, and it has been out of action ever since. ) Interesting Auckland Trips.

Further suggestions for interesting trips I are given by the correspondent who signs I himself "J.W.8." "To enjoy these," lie writes, I "it is essential to purchase the very latest map of Auckland and suburbs, described by 1 the publishers as 'up to date.' What this date is they do not mention. Certainly this map is invaluable, as without it certain places could never be visited. For instance, you may wish to visit St. John's Lake, shown 011 the map 'iit a most enticing shade of blue. On turning into Lake Road you may be surprised (as I was) to find that it apparently passes through the door of a golf clubhouse, but it is still Jnoro quoewti find that Grand Drive, leading off Lake Road, is simply a very nice fairway. Perhaps if you wnteii the golfers you may see a Grand Drive—l did not! Approaching St. John's Lake you will bo astonished at the clarity of the.water. I was only prevented from walking into it by reference to the map, which gives the native name as Waiatarua. This I take to mean 'very dear, or invisible, water.' It is inadvisable to leave the vicinity of the lake by Kilmore, Peterborough, or any of the adjacent roads marked 011 the map. They will be found to have the same elusive qualities as the water."

Nelson and Napoleon. A series of extraordinary coincidences came to light with the production in Auckland of a letter written by Lord Nelson as he was about to leave Portsmouth 011 one of his famous cruises. An old lady was listening 011 Thursday evening to a broadcast talk in which some . of Nelson's letters were mentioned. Yesterday she had sent to Captain G. Hum phrey -Da v ies at the loan exhibition of antiques the signed holograph letter which, over the date of March 12, 1798, was apparently written by Nelson to a friend. Part of the letter is torn, but the following is easily read: "Dear Sir, —Your pardon ... I wish him to get to Portsmouth as soon as possible, for if the wind is easterly I shall not be one hour at Portsmouth after, my flag is up, and on Wednesday I get my orders. You may rest assured of my regard for the son of my old worthy shipmate, and ever believe me, Yours most faithfully, Horatio Nelson." Cantain Huinphrfcy-Davies read the letter with delight, and as he picked it up he glanced down at some china in the glass case on which he had opened the treasured holograph. To his astonishment he had opened Nelson's letter over a saucer on which was the crest of Napoleon and over a cup from which smiled the pretty face of Marie Louise. He looked closer at the pieces, anil as he did so Nelson's Lady Hamilton came to mind, for the china was capi di Monte, made in Naples, where Lady Hamilton spent much of her time.