NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 249, 21 October 1935, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taxi Driver's Honesty. The honesty of a taxi driver saved a visitor to Auckland the sum of £14 on Saturday morning. The visitor, who arrived by the Mariposa, dropped the money when paying a taxi man outside a city hotel. The driver of another taxi saw the notes in the gutter later in the clay and handed them to the police, who returned them to the owner. Undertaker's Recollections. It is rather a curious fact that undertakers seem to possess memories that are almost unique. These men can usually recall from recollection's vaulte facts about people dating back for years and years. A Hawke'a Bay "Herald" representative approached a Napier undertaker recently and asked if he could give any information about a certain deceased person. The undertaker replied, "I don't think I can. I've only known him for about 40 years." Sweeping the Polish Corridor. Many were the amusing reasons given by sailors for H.M.S. Diomede's unexpected departure "for special service under the Admiralty." One that gulled some people whose geography was not up to sixth standard form was that she was going to sweep the Polish Corridor. Others said that they were taking supplies of tinned tacks to Abyssinia to throw in the path of the advancing bootless natives. Human Interest.

What is it in the hearts of human beings that makes them irresistibly interested in their fellow men? In the middle of a spectacular tableau and' display of figure • marching by girl athletes at. Gar law Park on Saturday, when the large crowd was held in admiration by the beauty of the scene before them, two St. John Ambulance officers ran along the edge of the ground. Immediately the scene was forgotten, and the people in the grandstand rose as one man and peered over each others' shoulders in the direction of the ambulance men. The main spectacle went on unheeded by them. An Opening '* Toucher." "A happy augury for the coming season" was the general comment at the opening of the Stanley Bowling Club, when Mrs. W. H. Bartlett, wife of the club's president, scored a "toucher" with the first ball of the season. The lady tossed the "kitty" across the green, where it was placed' in position by the club's secretary, Mr. R. Worthington, and then Mrs. Bartlett carefully drew-a lovely "shot" which just "trailed the jack." There was a spontaneous burst of cheering, to which the lady blushingly bowed her response. Play then commenced on all rinks, but there were very few among the veterans present who were able to emulate such uncommon success with an initial bowl. Then and Now. The revolution international relations have undergone since the war is demonstrated vividly enough, notes the "Spectator," by the contrast in the public attitude toward the Italian attack on Turkey in 1911, when Italy last possessed herself of African territory by force, and the sentiment created throughout the world to-day by her attempt to possess herself of another area by similar means. In 1911 Italy was doing what Britain and France and other nations had done. In 1935 she is doing what Britain and France and she herself have sworn that they will never do again. The difference is fundamental, and the public fully apprehends that. How the sentiment will be translated into action still remains to be revealed. Jubilee Chain of Fire. "When His Majesty lit the signal beacon in Hyde Park which was to light 1775 beacons in Britain, it was not dreamed that the scout movement would have circled the world with .an Empire-wide chain of beacons," says the annual report of the Boy Scouts' Association. "We in the Auckland Province have every right to be proud of our chain extending from Ninety-Mile Beach to Taumarunui. Over 40 fires were carefully arranged by land scouts, sea scouts, rover scouts and even lone scouts. The sight from Mount Eden was most inspiring, for over a dozen fires could be seen flaming up in answer to the inaugural fire on Mount Eden. It is said that the only fire -which did not burn well was the camp fire in Mount Eden crater, where some 300 city scouts assembled for the jubilee ceremony."

Comprehensive Aerial Tour. The value of travel by air as a speedy, comfortable and efficient means of making a scenic tour was strikingly demonstrated recently when Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Beatty, of Australia, and Mrs. §>. K. Barnett, of Dunedin, completed in a few hours a journey around the southern lakes district. In the Otago Aero Club's Waco machine, which was under the charge of the club's pilot-instructor, Mr. D. Campbell, the party left Dunedin at 10.30 a.m. and flew by way of Cromwell and Lake Hawea to Lake Wanaka, securing a magnificent close-up view of the majestic Mount Aspiring on the way. The 'plane then headed south, and at an altitude of 10,000 ft travellec over Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau and Manapouri, the passengers gaining a glorious panoramic view of the lakes and the intervening countryside. After a stop at Mossburn, the 'plane covered the final 100 miles to the North Taieri aerodrome at an altitude of between 3000 ft and 4000 ft, and the party reached Dunedin shortly after 5 p.m. A Lucky Decision. In the last three years over £30.000 in Tatts' prizes has come to Dunedin (writes the "Star's" Dunedin correspondent). Of the quartet who drew the £10,000 prize last week, the first to be informed of their success was Mr. Boyce, of Anderson's Bay, who explained it was Mr. Applegarth, a dental repair mechanic in Invercargill on a visit to his parents at Woodhaugh, who first , suggested buying a ticket. The suggestion was made rather jokingly, and Mr. Boyce had almost "backed out," because when Mr. Applegarth came to him to collect he was rather short of ready cash, and his share in the price of the ticket left him with only a few pennies in his pocket. Mr. Boyce was not a regular contributor to Tattcrsall consultations, although with four others he had shared a £10 prize about 12 years ago. Both Mr. and Mrs. Boyce were agreed that the money would enable them to give their children a better education than would otherwise have .been possible. For Scouts in Backblocks. . To bring the game of scouting within the reach of lads living on backblock farms, lonely lighthouses and in places where no troop is at present working, there was started several years ago a troop now known as the "lone scout" troop, Auckland, says the annual report of the Boy i Scouts' Association (Auckland metropolitan area). Similar troops have since been established in several of the other metropolitan areas, and uitfil recently two were connected with the correspondence school of the Education Department. Contact with the lads and the directing of their scouting activities is. carried on by correspondence under .the direction of the scoutmaster, assisted by the rovers. Copies of the "Scout," the official weekly publication of the Boy Scout Association, are circulated amongst the "members regularly. Work is being carried en with 33 lads at the present time, an increase of 20 during the past 12 months. Members of the troop were responsible for the lightiijj: of bonfires in connection with the King's jubilee celebrations at Pukenui, Hakatere (Matakohe)), Razoiback, and at Honikiwi.

Ceremonial Chain. A design for a ceremonial chain of office to be worn by the Mayor of Hastings is being prepared by a Wellington firm of silversmiths, and the chain will be bought as a part of the celebrations of the borough's jubilee next year. The council is awaiting receipt of the design, and will later decide whether or not to order the chain. An Interjector Squashed. "There is no unemployment in Russia," remarked an interjector when Mr. F. W. Doidge, Independent candidate for the Rotorua seat, was addressing his audience at the Lyric Hall the other night. "Well, that is true, but there is no unemployment in Mount Eden gaol either," was the prompt reply of the candidate. The Smiths Have It. A most unusual incident in cricket occurred in the Grafton v. King's Old Boys match at Eden Park on Saturday. In the two teams there were four players named Smith. J. S. Smith, batting for Grafton, was caught by W. S. Smith, off the bowling of S. G. Smith. . . Noisy Speedboats. "They rush about at a terrific "speed and noise, and will have to be dealt with," remarked Mr. C. E. Bellringer at a meeting of the New. Plymouth Harbour lioard, when the noise- caused by some speed boats on the harbour was under discussion. The harbourmaster, Captain O. F. Mclntyre, was authorised to take steps to prevent a nuisance. If necessary, the board could give, further consideration to framing a by-law, it was considered. " • New Zealand Roads. It is the opinion of Mr. Donald Scott, roading engineer of the Shell Company of New Zealand, that New Zealand roads compare favourably with those in other parts of the world. Mr. Scott has returned to Wellington after a visit to the United States of America. With the roads of America and Europe in perspective he considers that New Zealand practice is well up to date, and that the excellent work done by the Main Highways Board is something to be appreciated. To Maim- a Motor Car. A deliberate attempt to damage a motor car was made in King Street, Opotiki, a few, days ago (writes the "Star's" correspondent)! A car was parked opposite the borough chambers. A quantity of heavy glass was strewn on the street in the vicinity, and the culprit selected two suitable pieces and placed them under each rear wheel, so that if the car had been backed out from the kerb both tyres would most certainly have been badly gashed and punctured. Fortunately the owner of the' car noticed the glass before he got into the car, and defeated the object of the miscreant.!

Hymn Books on the Lay-by. The South Sydney Methodist Mission, Redfern, has sold 52 of the new Methodist hymn books to the congregation on the lay-by principle, says a Sydney paper. When informed that the new books were coming out, the superintendent, the Rev. F. R. Swynny, realised that few of his flock would be able to afford a lump sum for the oooks, so he introduced lay-by dockets. Children and adults subscribed from Ad to 2d a week, and by the time tie hymn books "arrived in Sydney they had been paid for. Stoat Catches Eel. The story of a stoat that caught an eel and carried it to a height of 50ft in the Orongorongos was related to the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society by the ranger, Mr. P. W. Wilson. "A trapper in the Orongorongos reported a most unusual incident," stated the ranger. "Jit one of his traps which was placed 50ft higher than the river and two chains back from the river bed, he found a ptoat imprisoned with an eel along-1 side. This eel was 2ft long and weighed 21b. Apparently the stoat had catight the was returning to its lair when it was captured in the opossum trap." Just Like the Farmer. "That's just like the farmer; he complains because he cannot get information, and then when he gets the opportunity of getting information he won't como along to hear it," said Mr. R. E. Talbot, president of the Hawke's Bay branch of the Farmers' Union, in reference to the small attendance at a farmers' meeting addressed in Hastings by Mr. T. A. Duncan, chairman of the Meat Export Board, and Mr. J. D. Ormond, Hawke's Bay representative on the board. Mr. Talbot said he felt he ought to apologise for there being so few present to reward the speakers for their trouble in coming to Hastings to give an address.

Olympic Games and Exchange. With the New Zealand pound worth only 9/7 in Berlins it is scarcely likely that . the Olympic Games to be held there next year will attract many from this country, or Australia either. Indeed, the currency complications in Germany are likely to act as a serious deterrent upon attendances from quite a number of countries. For example, regulations do not permit of admission tickets being paid for in register marks. They have to be paid for either in foreign currencies or free reichsmark cheques. On the other hand, the German Credit Agreement allows for the payment of lodgings with register marks. Rooms reserved in advance through the Olympic organisations must be paid for by March 1, 1936, which may be done through a travel agency. Cricket's Here. Cricket's here. Last Saturday was the! first of the season of long summer afternoons on which the best of all games (so some would say) will be played. The adaptability of human nature is shown on the first day of a season. Here was a crowd talking the previous Saturday about forwards not pushing in the scrum; about halves and fullbacks, and the correct way to break from the scrum. But now the season has changed —only by a Saturday, but still it has changed. Football has been firmly relegated to 1935. The talk that drifted along the sunny benches where cricket was played on the Saturday was not about the game of but a few Saturdays past at all. It was about the Dacres and the Ban Reeses and the Fishers and the Downeses, and other long summer afternoons in the sun, when the sound of bat on ball, the sight of white-clad figures against green, are a sort of summum bonum. A Popular Win. Perhaps the most popular win of any competitor at the annual sports of the Auckland Girls' Athletic Association on Saturday was that of a young giqj in the 75 yards event. The competitors got away to several false starts, and each time were recalled. There was another false start, practically the whole field moving away at the "get set," but after the competitors had gone only a few yards the starter let the second barrel of his gun go. Most of the competitors pulled up, but , two of them kept on. One completed half the course-, and then realised there was no race in progress, but the other girl, with plaited hair, completed the course. It .was a fine solo effort, which the spectators appreciated as the unrehearsed tit-bit of the programme. Such an effort would have taken all the sting out of many a male athlete, but in no way disconcerted the girl walked back for a second flutter. ' The next time the field got away to an even start, and little Miss Plaited Hair won the event in fine style. The winner deserved the congratulations which were showered on her from all sides, and the applause of the spectators for a wonderfully fine performance.