NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Girl Secures 1530 Frogs.

Responding to an appeal from the Melbourne Zoo for live frogs with which to feed the snakes, Florence Dry den, a 14-year-old Seaford girl, has caught 1530 large green frogs and sent them along. She will receive 6d a dozen for them, with which she will help to pay the medical expenses of her mother's illness, which entails a serious operation.

In Event of War. Following tlic lead of 'the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, the Amalgamated Soeicty of Carpenters and Joiners has endorsed the decision to favour general strike action against the manufacture and transport of all war materials, and against other military measures, and to co-operate with any other organisation for the same ends. It also decided to urge the Government to demand the strictest application of such as will hinder imperialist designs. Infant Severely Scalded. Daniel Charles Dunn, the son,of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dunn, of Woodlands Road, Glen Eden, suffered severe scalds on the arms and chest last evening when ( he upset a pot of hot tea over himself. The child, who. will be one year old to-day, was attended by a neighbour, a member of the St. John Ambulance Association, and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. His condition this morning was considered not serious.

Napier's Silver Tower. Napier's highest water tower, that which is perched on the top of Bluff Hill, will in the future shine forth in the sunshine like a beacon, following the completion of painting operations, which have been in progress for some time past. The pripiing paint having been applied, a start lias been made with the aluminium surface which is to cover the entire tower. When this work is completed the tower will be clearly visible, especially in the sunlight, from many miles away.

Many Australian Visitors,

The Wellington manager for Thomas

Cook and. Son said that, the present season was rather a remarkable one, because of the large number of Australians who were spending their holidays in the Dominion. A curious sidelight on the situation was that a large proportion of the visitors came from the most distant State, West Australia. People from that State were invariably delighted with their experiences and the scenery of New Zealand, which presented such a complete contrast with their own country. However, 5000 miles—from Perth and back —was a long holiday journey. Maoris as Dairymen. At the annual meeting of the Ngati Porau (Maori) Dairy Company the report showed that owing to the dry weather experienced there had been a decrease in output. The grading (93.391) was gratifying, and reference was made to the success achieved by the company at the Waikato Winter Show. Sir Apirana Ngata referred to the history of the company, how it was financed solely from Maori resources, and how it had progressed during the ten years of its existence. lie believed that an annual output of at least 1000 tons was within reach, and that mark should be the objective of those in charge of the affairs of the company.

Sheep's Back to Consumer. A woollen manufacturer has been quoted as saying: "If the farmers gave us the wool free, it would not greatly affect the price of our product." In Australia recently an investigation revealed that wool worth £6700 as it left the shearing shed was worth £9200 when scoured. After combing its value was £15,300. Spinning added a further £5000, and weaving added another £20,280. Wool off the sheep's back valued at £0700 was valued at £40,000 when woven into cloth. By the time it was tailored and retailed, it had leapt in value by £34,300, selling to the consumer at £74,900. That is a true story of the farmer's £6700 worth of wool. Of ,the cost of the woollen goods to the consumer, the raw wool represented but one-eleventh.

Holland's 'Plaint. "Business in Holland is bad, bad!" said Mr. B. J. Baars, a Dutch business man at present visiting Wellington., "We have cheese to sell, and we have apples to sell, but we cannot because of the high tariff walls. The whole of Europe is grown poor through too high duties. That will still be so, as long as the statesmen pile up the tariff walls. Free trade we have got to have; if one people wants to buy from another, they must be able to, or the country will continue to suffer depression. You in New Zealand think that you are out of the depression, but as long as there is a depression in Europe you will be liable to slip back into that depression. That is, until free trade comes. Long years it will last, I think, before that is so."

Haymakers Caught in Rain. j A Taranaki farmer who travelled to ! Taranaki from the Waikato by car during last week states that a considerable number of haymakers all along the route had been caught by the rain during haymaking operations. In some cases stacks that were being built receivQd a soaking, necessitating several feet of the top being removed and spread for drying, but before it could be replaced on the stack further rain had fallen. He considered that some hay would be completely spoiled, which would be a seriouß loss to the farmers, who, in view of the shortness of feed experienced last spring, were keen to conserve all surplus pasture for use during the coming winter. On the other hand, the wet weather had had its compensations, for the pastures had come away remarkably well, and the country generally was looking very green, in marked contrast to the same time last year.

Fit and Well at Ninety-five. The claim to be the oldest able-bodied inhabitant of Auckland is made on behalf of Mr. Job Withers, of Waterview Avenue, Avondale, who recently celebrated his ,95th birthday.! Mr. Withers, who was born in Bristol, England, on December 12, 1840, came to New Zealand 64 years ago. He lived at Thames during the "great days of gold," and, like many others, experienced the ups and downs of fortune. He relates how, after he had lost a modest "pile" through injudicious speculation, he started in life again with a capital of one shilling, which he earned by carrying a passenger's bag to the station. Later he joined the staff of the Thames Mental Hospital, and was chief of staff, under Dr. Aicken, for 17 years. Mr. Withers is amazingly fit and active, and nearly every morning comes to town to do his shopping in Ivarangahape Road. He has complete use of all his faculties, and has often been taken, to use his own expression, for "a mere lad of 70."

Navy Indispensable. That the Navy and the . Air Force were each vital to .the other was the opinion expressed by .-Vice-Admiral J. E.. T. Harper iii an address given at the Radiant Hall 1 , Christchurchi; t Some people seemed to think that th'exday' bf"'the- sea* service "was well past, he •said. Navy was the only means of "keep'iug bpen-V-the sea routes "in a',time, of a camipaigrt; ft'- was the only means -pf '.carrying munitions to the Army and the Air Torce. Any severing of the ocean ■highways might be, fatal to the Empire. Then one needed to think of the time when, merchant ships had to be escorted, which sometimes meant weeks of irksome travelling through fogs, storms and darkness. The Air Force could never replace the Navy with this work. Before rating the Air For2o superior to the Navy, it had to be remembered that every arm had its limitations; the Air Force was an essential weapon, but it could not substitute either the Army or the Navy.

Mourning Streamers. - Purple and black, mourning streamers for the late King George V., have been draped down the front of the Chief Post Office from the third floor of the building. Each streamer i» about 30ft long. Many other public offices, including the railway station and the Government building in Customs Street, are similarly draped. A like procedure has been followed on official buildings in Newmarket, and in some of the other suburbs.

Twins Born on Speeding Train. Canada >is claiming another "baby record'' —tyin girls have been born on a Canadian National Railways train to Mrs. Adalgisa Ricei, 32-year-old wife of an Ontario railway foreman. The children were born as the train roared between the towns of Washago and Beaverton, and the train conductor acted as obstetrician. The mother and children are doing well. .

New Tourist Road. The Kingston-Queenstown Road, which will connect Southland and Queenstown, will be opened on February 1. As men will still be engaged on the road after it is opened for traffic, states the "Southland Times," motorists will be obliged to travel over it only in the mornings before 7.30 and in the afternoons a,fter half-past four. No motor traffic will be allowed during the intervening periods during the day.

A Lonely Island. Tristan da Cunha, the lonely island in the" South Atlantic, midway between Capetown and South America, will receive a visit this month from the British cargo steamer Auditor. The ship, the first to call at the islaml for nearly a year, will leave Durban for South America, and has been ordered to call at the island by arrangement between her owners and the British Government. She will carry mails and gifts, including parcels of food and clothing.

Meat Works Fire. Little damage was done 'when the cork and bitumeh lining of an old chamber in R. and W. Hellaby, Limited's, freezing chamber building at Westfield caught fire early last evening. Workmen were repairing the door of the chamber with a blow lamp, and when some bitumen was accidentally ignited its gaseous fumes caused a flash of flame, which set fire to the lining. The workmen slammed the door to stifle the flames, and the Great South Road and Onchunga fire brigades were called. Wearing smoke helmets, the firemen soon extinguished the outbreak with a lead of hose and first aid equipment.

Coals to Newcastle. "Yes, my dear, wc have moved into our new house, but there is a great deal to be done. The garden is an absolute jungle." This extract from a telephone conversation explains why a Fendalton -woman went to call on a friend recently arrived in the district, carrying gifts of flowers and vegetables. The donor's own garden was in the betweensea sons state of having little in it, but she picked a big armful of that great standby, the marigold. She also cut two tender cabbages. On arrival at her friend's new home she found that the garden was certainly something of a jungle, only two things in it, and tlicy were in profusion. They were marigolds and cabbages. War Pensions Agent. All branches of the U.S.A. have been circularised regarding the arrival in New Zealand in the near future of Mr. F. M. Smith, 0.8. E., agent of the Imperial Ministry of Pensions. To assist Mr. Smith local associations have been asked to gather, as soon as possible, parj ticulars of Imperial war pensioners whose cases arc considered to he worthy of tho personal attention of tho representative of the Ministry of Pensions. Dominion headquarters of the R.S.A. will then prepare the Dominion list of eases to be presented and submit it to the Commissioner of Pensions, so that files may be prepared and forwarded to the respective places of call, thus enabling Mr. Smith to refer and reply to each case as it is presented to him.

Memorial Service at Sea. [ Both British and American passengers on ; the Monterey joined in mourning the death of , His Majesty King George. When the news of , the King's death was announced the vessel v 'as at Suva, and immediately the Stars and Stripes at the stern were lowered to half- j mast. _ When the Monterey was at sea the following day a memorial service was conducted by Captain E. R. Johanson, assisted! bv three ministers of religion. Although there was insufficient space in the lounge where the service was held to accommodate the crew, all but essential work on the ship was ceased temporarily. Prayers were offered and hymns sung, and a short address 011 the reign of King George and the traditions of the British Monarchy was given by Dr. G. H. Schofield, New Zealand Parliamentary librarian. A wireless message also sent from the liner to the Secretary of State for the Dominions in London conveying to the Queen Mother and the Royal Family deepest sympathy. j Minister "On the Rocks." There was a marked absence of the usual Ministerial atmosphere about the meeting which the Hon. Peter Fraser, Minister of Education, Health and Marine, had with members of the fishing industry at Port Aliuriri. Discarding the suggestion that, the representations should be made in the hall which had been arranged for the purpose, the Minister suggested that they should go to the scene of the operation regarding which the requests ' were to be made. Thus, in the fading twi- ' light, the Minister, the Speaker-elect for the ■ House of Representatives, members of the J deputation and representatives of the Press sat themselves on the rocks which form the ' buttress at the eastern pierhead at the en- ' trance to the inner harbour, and, with the J waves lapping lazily a few fqct below them, J discussed in round table fashion the matters which were concerning those engaged in the industry. ■ ■

Real Mickey Mouse.. A "Star" correspondent, who is often a contributor to the Press on scientific subjects, had a queer experience the other evening on returning home from the city. Repairs to the house during the day had apparently through vibration caused a stone flower jar to inQve to the edge of a narrow shelf. On the householder's entrance, and before the light was switched on, a dull thud was heard. Investigation disclosed the vase on the carpet, and the flowers some distance away. Since the flowers were a gift, and very beautiful, the householder hastened to refill the vast! with water. While carrying the refilled vase and 'crossing the room under the electric light pendant, a dark object was seen to be moving 011 the surface of the water. The jar was held steady, and a few seconds later a half-grown moupe lifted itself' out of the water and' looked over the rini of the jar., Then it ; shbok itself, calmly rubbed its ears with its "paws, and looked reproachfully at the householder. A person who in childhood had adored; Alice's mouse chum in Wonderland, and later tlm ingratiate — Mickey and Minnie, could hardly do aught but convey the bather- unharmed to the nearest cloor.- Haltway' to the ; door, •: how,ever, Mickey (or Minnie), leapt for freedom* fell 3ft to the floor, and then ran nimbly behind a large bookcase. The householder is wondering whether the mouse habitually used the vase as & swimming pool, or whether it had made an instant decision to reside in the jar on encountering it. on the floor. It was all very mysterious, but the water on the carpet where the mouse jumped down remained as circumstantial evidence that the occurrence was not just a movio fan's dream.