NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 272, 16 November 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A Good Percentage. A Taranaki poultry farmer was boasting to a contemporary of his success tliis season in rearing chickens, but his companion went one better. ''Why, X got 115 chicks from 114 etrgs," he said, explaining that one was double yolked. Weather Retards Shearing. The unsettled weather of last week has interfered with the shearing operations throughout the Otorohanga district. Mustering operations on some of the larger holdings back country had been completed, but most of the sheep have been returned to their feeding grounds on account of the unfavourable conditions for shearing. Schools Close on Polling Day. Owing to the fact that many public schools in New Zealand will be used as polling booths on election day (November 27), these-will, of course, be closed all day, but an announcement in the "Education Gazette" draws attention to the fact that the requirements of the Electoral Act, 1927., necessitates the closing of all public schools from noon on polling day. Player Organ for Church. A lady well-wisher recently presented to the Rev. Mary A. A. Dreaver, minister to the National Spiritualists' Church of New Zealand, an Aeolian player organ, a Cramer giahd model, which the recipient has gifted to the Auckland branch of the church. The instrument, which is one of three in New Zealand, was the subject of a! dedication service. A supply of classical and sacred music records forms part of the donation. To Save Panels. Special precautions were taken to safe- , •niard the valuable panelling which is to be installed in the Cunard-White Star liner Queen Marv, at Clydebank recently. T<y prevent the panels from warping owing to heat from steam pipes behind them they have been treated with, steel solution sprayed from air guns. The steel-treated panel work was severely tested before the work of fitting it began, and it was found, that it can resist the heat, 1.0 prevent moisture from steam forming on the walls of the eliip's bathrooms, "wood-steel" panels are to be fitted. Warnings of Illness. The noise'of traffic is'at times distracting even to the normal healthy individual, but to sick people it often constitutes a definite obstacle in their progress. In an endeavour to lessen this nuisance the Automobile Association (Otago) lias procured a quantity of flags, which will be officially recognised as a sign ot sickness. These flags may be obtained on application to the association and erected on each , side of a house where there is sickness. The fla", which is blue and bears the initials of the association, A.A.0., is a fairly conspicuous object, which should easily be seen and appeal to. motorists to reduce noise.

Sceptical Auditor. Further references to the harbour bridge were made by Mr. A. Harris, Independent National Government candidate, at liis Belmont meeting last night, no doubt as a result of recent criticism by another candidate. "/ sincerely believe that the harbour bridge will be started in a few months. There will be no hitch this time," he said. "Within recent weeks a substantial sum has been paid into the Harbour Bridge Company's account for the ri"lit to underwrite the whole of the capital to construct the bridge. By Easter it should bo possible to start this work." A voice: "Which Easter?" Mr. Harris: "Easter, 193b. Championships in Hawke s Bay? That the 1937 New Zealand national track and field championships will be held in Hawke's Bay is tho hope hold in athletic circles in Hawke's Bay, and at the next conference of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association an endeavour is to bo made by the delegates of the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay Centre to have this brought about. The matter was referred to at the annual meeting of the centre in Napier by Sir. N. A. McKenzie, who said that while he did not know what reception the request would encounter, it was hoped that the other centres would view it favourably. It is intended to point out to the conference that in McLean Park,, Napier, the centre has to offer an admirable ground for* the purpose. Art Displays for Children. The value of art exhibitions in the cultural education of children was referred- to by Mr. A. T. Pycroft, president of the Museum Council, in opening the special Chinese art display at the museum yesterday afternoon. The children of Auckland were very fortunate in having such exhibitions as part of their education, he said. This year no fewer than six special displays had been arranged, and the children had had the advantage of having them explained by experts on the staff. At tho moment he was speaking there were 180 boys and girls, in tho. building, listening to a talk jn connection with the shipping exhibition. In the exhibition of Chinese art, he said, those who were privileged to view it would see a very comprehensive display, embracing all phases of the culture of the centuries. The development of ceramics was especially interesting. Depression and the Telephone. The course of the last economic depression can be charted with fair accuracy by tho variation in the number of telephone connections of the Dominion. They had attained a peak of 132,855 in December, 11)30, and then declined month by month until the lowest point was reached in July, 1033, of 121,001. But in the following financial year the improvement set in steadily, and the gain at the end of the year was 2880 subscribers, making a total of .123,947. During the current financial year the net gain in new subscribers has shown an accelerating improvement month after month, with the result that after allowing for relinquishments (a steadily lessening number), 3070 additional subscribers have been listed, making a total at the end of October of 127,023, only 4.4 pe'r cent short of the highest number in the history of the Department. Three New Zealand Admirals. In, issues of the "Press" recently mention was made .of two New Zealanders who have risen to the rank of admiral in the Iloyal Navy, and the claim was put forward in each case that the. ' man concerned was the first New Zealander- to rise to the rank of admiral. The first article concerned CJaptain J. S. Mv Ritchie, A.D.C., R.N., who had been promoted Rear-Admiral and placed oil the retired list. He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, and was recently appointed A.D.C. to the King. The second message concerned '.Vice-Admiral J. E. T. Harper," an Old boy of Christ's College, who will visit New Zealand next month. Mr. E. R. Webb, bursar of Christ's College, received a letter, from yet another New- Zealander who had reached admiral's rank, and who was senior to the other two. This is Surgeon Rear-Admiral H. L. Penney, 0.8. E., R.N. (retired), who 'has been living in retirement at Cove House, Fayersham, England, for some years. He was at Christ's College from 1877 to 1881.

war She Be Lucky Superstition is by 110 means dead. Recently an Invercargill woman boarded a tramcar carrying in lier hand a horseshoe. In reply to a question from a friend, she stated that she was just coining out of a store aftei buying an art union ticket when she saw the horseshoe on the street. She considered that failure to pick it up would ruin her chances of winning a prize. A Vivid Rainbow. A rainbow of gorgeous and striking vividness was observed at .Mercury Bay at the latter part of last week (writes our Mercury Bay correspondent). From the front veran- ' dah of a house in the township one of the | ends of this gloriously beautiful rainbow was J seen half-way across the river about a quarter of a mile distant from his house, the other end apparently being at the opening of the harbour. Above it appeared a larger but much more faintly coloured arch, which, although of greater dimension, could be seen in the early evening. Both were visible for about a quarter of an hour. ■ . Adventures of a Deer. When the steamer Gabriclla was steaming j past the pilot station at Castlccliff, Wanganui, the other afternoon, a fallow deer was noticed to be swimming across the of the vessel in the direction of CastlecliiF. At j first it appeared that the deer would collide with the ship, but the animal increased its speed and was brushed aside by the bow wash. The deer, which is stated to have been a fallow doe, continued • its journey across the .river and landed oil the rocks of the north mole, to he pelted with stones by a number of childreli. The doe endeavoured to run along the uneven surfac", and, falling back into the river, swam back across to the south mole, where it became caught under the railway lines. The doe eventually freed herself, and when last seen was running in the direction of the War.ganui airport. The doe was almost fully grown, and was in line condition. Southland Congratulated. "I was tremendously proud of the Soutli Island display of lamb at Smithfield," said Mr. T. A. Duncan, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, who recently returned from Gryat Britain He congratulated Southland on its outstanding record in these competitions—four consecutive wins—and expressed his personal pleasure that the Hon. Adam Hamilton had won a prize. They were old colleagues, lie said, and he had a higher respect for no one than he had for Mr. Hamilton. "The board has always appreciated the difficulties of Southland farmers," he added. "There was a time, not so long ago, when the prices for Canterbury lamb were so much better that Southland lambs were being railed up just to get a Canterbury ticket. The position now is that Canterbury is being tempted to' send lambs down here to get a Southland ticket." " Speaker's Throat." The unusual spectacle of a Parliamentary candidate doing his campaigning by.proxy was presented to .50 or 00 constituents of Auckland Central electorate, at St. Thomas' Hall, Union Street, last night. Mr. W. E. Parry, the sitting member for the electorate, had been suddenly stricken by the malady commonly known as "speaker's throat," arid being unable to speak above a whisper, had to call on Mr. Jordan, M.P., to address the City Central electors in his stead, while he sat by the speaker, generally well in health, but condemned to bo dumb. To be deprived of the use of his voice in the height of an election campaign is an exasperating and rare experience for a candidate. Mr. Parry's throat was so much improved this morning that he proposes visiting Waikato centres to speak 011 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and to reply to the Minister of Finance at Whangarei 011 Thursday. Tax on Travellers. p . "One of out- best advertising mediums is the. conversation of New Zealanders who travel overseas, but the Government is blocking this means with heavy taxes," said Mr. J. E. Straliari at a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League. He complained that the 5 per cent tax 011 fares to overseas ports was an iniquitous one, particularly so when it was additional to the penalty suffered by New Zealanders through the exchange rate of 25 per cent. Mr. G. M. Hall made the further suggestion that publicity might be sent overseas by means of leaflets put inside letters. He said he had been impressed with the value of a spe«eh made by Lord Blcdisloe at Auckland as an advertising medium for New "Zealand, : nd had obtained his permission to use it in leaflets. So far nothing had been done with the idea, but he thought it should be pushed forward. The executive agreed to have it put before Mr. L. J. Schmitt, general manager of the Tourist and Publicity Department.

Rats! Said to house fewer rats than most other cities of the Dominion oil account of its isolation from the waterfront and the lack of congestion of the business area, Christcluirch nevertheless occasionally yields some evidence of their presence. On a recent evening, while waiting for the last tram to one of the suburbs, one man witnessed a chapter from the life of the rat community. He was standing near a corner looking into one of the shop windows when he noticed a dark shape slip 1 unobtrusively across the footpath and disappear into a drainpipe opening into the gutter. He walked over to the spot where the rat had gone and waited for a few seconds for the next development. It was' not long in coming. Suddenly there was a squeal of terror and the sound of a violent scuffle somewhere in the depths of the drain. The rat which had previously left the footpath on a foraging expedition lip the drain precipitated itself into the gutter, and fled for dear life along the ridging of the channel. The cause of its hurried exit was a rat nearly three times its size that gave chase in the same direction. It overtook its enemy about a chain further up the street, and for half a minute a fierce battle was waged. The result was never in doubt, and the victor limped back to his damp retreat covered in glory and blood. Preserve of Cricket? "My object in coming along here to-night," said Mr. J. W. Heenan, a life member of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, at the annual mooting, "is to urge the* centre not' to relax its efforts to get a fair deal with regard to the use of the Basin Reserve." Mr. Heenan said that during his 30 years' association with amateur athletics, the sport had .experienced many vicissitudes, but that whenever it was making money for the City Council there had never been any difficulty about dates. When the sport went to Athletic Park some seasons .ago the council did not rest until it had in-, duced the centre to return to the Basin. So long as the gates were good everything was all right. He reminded delegates that the centre had paid £800 for the installation of electric lights at the Basin Reserve. The City Council had advanced the money, aiid in three meetings the centre had liquidated the debt. To-day the value of the installation was, because of neglect, much below its original cost. There was nothing, continued Mr. Heenan, in the regulations concerning the Basin regarding its dedication solely as a preserve for cricket, or any other sport. He was of the opinion that the ground should not be coddled. In the old days it was free for all. "I strongly urge the centre," said Mr. Heenan in' conclusion, "not to weaken in its efforts t" get its fair share of the only money-making ground in the city."