NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 65, 17 March 1936, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Looking to the Future. When Sir. J. Price, chairman of the Thames Valley Power Board, was emphasising, at a meeting of farmers on Friday, the big reductions in charges which had been made to consumers, a member of the audience asked humorously how long it would take at that rate before farmers got power for nothing. He was beaten to it, however, by an Okauia farmer, who remarked, amid laughter: "You mean how long before the board pay us to use the power." Overseas Universities. The tutorial system as adopted at both Oxford and Cambridge was described by Professor W. A. Sewell, of Auckland University College, who returned by the Niagara yesterday, as admirable for the good student but not very helpful to the backward one, but at Toronto University, which he also visited, the lecture system was being scrapped for the tutorial system. At Toronto, as as Oxford and Cambridge, the university was divided into a number of colleges, with facilities for learning and recreation developed to an almost extravagant scale. Over 10,000 students attended. Award Wages for Skilled Work. The Manurcwa Town Board last evening decided to make the wages of all skilled workmen that of the award rate when employed at their vocation. Complaints were received last night at a meeting of the board that relief workers had been asked to do skilled work without extra remuneration. One of the workers said he had refused to do carpentry work because he would have had to supply his own tools, and would have received no extra pay or allowance. In coming to the stated decision, members said that tliey had not known of the position. Cast into the Sea. When the Monowai was last at Auckland a man approached Captain A. H. Davey with a request that when the steamer was on the way to Sydney an urn of ashes should be cast into the sea. When the Monowai cleared Auckland the captain found on his desk in his cabin a porcelain urn containing ashes, and on a paper M;as written: "This urn contains the ashes of Mrs. H. G. Osborn, to be committed to the deej) per favour of Captain Davey." When the liner was near midTasman Captain Davey and his officers quietly carried out the ceremony of casting the urn into the sea. Dominion's Telephones. The number of telephone subscribers in the Dominion now totals 128,723, only 3.1 per cent below the highest pcaic ever reached, according to a Report issued by the Post-master-General, the Hon. F. Jones, who expressed great satisfaction with the increase in business transacted by the Post and Telegraph Department. New telephone connections made in the Dominion during February totalled 1154, making a net increase of 559, compared with the figures for the corresponding month in 1935. The increase in business had been particularly noticeable in Auckland, where there were now 1(3,531 subscribers —2000 more than in Wellington, the next largest telephone exchange in New Zealand. First White Visitor. "The first recorded white man to visit the Waitemata was the pioneer missionary, the Rev. Samuel Marsden," said Mr. H. B. Burnett in a talk to the Auckland Rotary Club yesterday, "though this was disputed by Mr. Geo. Graham, the Maori scholar, who had stated that Thomas Maxwell, a pakeha Maori, built a schooner at Maraetai and sailed up tlie harbour as far as Brigliam's Creek in 1817. The investigations of the city librarian, Mr. John Barr, go to prove that Mr. Marsden visited the place in 1820, accompanied by Government officials in search of kauri spars for Her Majesty's Navy, and left on record a description of the isthmus. Later in the same year he visited the Manukau, and went as far as the Heads." The Maoris and Their Spouse. The harbours of Waitemata and Manukau were known to the Maoris for centuries, and were constantly used by them, both in friendly visits between the northern tribes and those in the Waikato and in war said Sir. H. B. Burnett, late superintendent of the Auckland Harbour Board, in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club yesterday. It was the custom of the Maoris, he added, to paddle up the Tamaki River, haul their canoes across the portage to the Manukau, go up the Waiuku arm of that harbour, haul the canoes across to the Waikato River, and thence make their way up that river or the Waipa, and back again over the same route. The isthmus on which the city of Auckland now stands was fought for so often by the Maoris that they named it Tamaki-makau-rau—the spouse of 100 lovers. Azaleas in Bloom. "Naturalist' 'writes: —An interesting feature of the present season is the blooming of the azalea bushes in the parks and gardens of the city. Always a "shy" bloomer, the azalea has been conspicuous by its absence, so far as blossom is concerned, for several summers, but this month it has definitely "staged a comeback," and the pink flowers, of an exotic shade that no other bush or plant can achieve, are deserving of more than a passing glance. "Azalea pink" is as characteristic and distinctive as is the pastel hue of the canna or the vivid scarlet of the salvia. A particularly fine azalea bush,»so big that it is almost, a tree, grows on uie lawn of the Supreme Court, near the side entrance. This year it bids fair to carry a record show of bloom, after having, for several years, been afflicted by the blight known as "smut." The foliage is now clean and healthy, the tree having evidently been well suited by the wet summer. The Cure for Homesickness. A homely note concluded the monthly report of Mr. A. Main, the manager of the Waitemata Electric Power Board, who made his first official return to the meeting of the board yesterday afternoon. In his reply to the chairman's welcome home from China and Japan Mr.-Main mentioned the poor quality of the butter found in those countries, and said that it was hard to break down old customs and old tastes. In Japan New Zealand had a good market for wool, but butter had not yet got a footing. The same characteristically New Zealand motif animated the concluding paragraph as above mentioned, Mr. Main's words being: "The trip to the I<ar East was full of interest in every way, except that the intense cold in North China and Japan necessitated shortening our stay there. After the absencc of grass and turf in those countries, both Mrs. Slain and I were glad to be back in New Zealand again to see 'cows and green fields.'" Anzac Address. Mr. W. J. Jordan, Labour M.P. for Manukau, wlio is expected to be the next High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, has accepted the invitation of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers' Association to give the address at the Citizens' Memorial Service in the King Edward Barracks on Anzac Day, April 25. Mr. Jordan is a returned soldier and was severely wounded in trance. He was elected to Parliament for the Manukau seat in. 1922, defeating the then Speaker, Sir Frederic Lang. He has taken a keen in teres in all questions affecting returned soldiers. A native of Kent, Sir. Jordan was successively a coach painter, a postal employee and a member of the London Sletropolitan Police Force. From 1904 until he entered Parliament he followed business and farming pursuits in New Zealand. In 1924 Sir. Jordan represented New Zealand at an Empire Parliamentary Conference in Canada. So far as his public duties permit, he still fills the office of a Slethodist local prcachpr.

Wrestling Boom in Fiji. Fiji to-day may be said to be under the spell of tlie lure of wrestling, reports the "Star's" Suva correspondent. Everywhere one goes one hears of the sport, and children struggle with each other on the parks with all sorts of grips in clever imitation of the ones tliey saw used at the stadium, for Suva possesses such an institution, one capable of seating 4000 persons. Suva also has two Punjabis, one Italian and one Greek, all trained wrestlers, and tliey make matches with each other under the control of a local syndicate, which is waxing rich quite quickly. So far one of the Punjabis, Partans Singh, has beaten all comers, and his latest conquest was the Italian, Catalino, who arrived last month. Much money and much excitement is enthralling many of the populace, while they give away the one, they appear to enjoy receiving the other. Fine Arts Centred In explaining yesterday to the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, the steps that had led up to the proposal for a fine arts centre on the old Grammar School site, the Slayor, Sir. Ernest Davis, mentioned the inadequacy of the accommodation for the proper display of the city's works of art. At the present time only about half the pictures belonging to the Slackelvie Trust could be shown, Jhe remainder being stored in a room that was originally planned for a workshop. When the exhibition of British art was held in 193-1 it entailed the closing of the gallery for weeks before and after the exhibition, as the gallery had to be stripped of its own permanent collection to make room for the loan collection. In other respects the gallery was inadequate. Sir. Davis thought it would be most regrettable if the Grammar School site, which was peculiarly suitable for the purposes of a fine arts centre, were lost to the city. Diver Attacked by Fish. Cream fish, those dainty little pink morsels, have been unusually plentiful this season, good hauls having been made recently in the Hauraki Gulf. Seeing tliem in a shop window, it is hard to realise what ugly, fero-cious-looking creatures they are before being skinned. The cream fish, or "leather jacket," as he is known in Australia, has a grey skin with a surface as rough as a rasp, and his head is armed with an upstanding spike, or strong spine, about two inches long. Sir. S. Sumich, an Auckland fisherman, mentioned a terrifying experience which befell an acquaintance of his, a diver, who was attacked by a •big swarm of leather jackets beneath the waters of Sydney harbour. He was working barehanded—(the hands of a diver are the only part unprotected)—and as he swung round the stern of the ship he was examining he encountered several of the small creatures, and the spike of one scratched him just below the wrist. Blood was drawn, and he was immediately attacked by a fierce swarm of leather jackets. His hands were badly gashed before he could be drawn to the surface. Schools as Polling Booths. The objection of the Auckland Education Board to the use of schools as polling booths when other places were available was expressed to the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, yesterday. The Slinister was told that in one case, that of the Peria School, the teacher had been informed that the authorities wanted the use of the school, and he had been threatened with a visit from the police unless he complied with the demand to vacate the school. In that school we're 50 children and three teachers, and other facilities were available. The experience at the Takahue School was similar. The teacher was informed of the desire of the returning officer for the use of tlie school, but the former managed to persuade the latter to be content with the shelter shed. The school is large enough to warrant three teachers. Yet the school was to bo shut for one day, when there was a hall 20 yards from the "school gate. The anomaly of the position gained added point when the Slinister was told that at the latter school during the day one sole and solitary vote was east. Sir. Fraser promised his consideration. Church Anniversary. The Rev. Ivo E. Bertram, who commenced his ministry at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Devonport in 1904, was the preacher at the morning service on Sunday, when the seventieth anniversary thanksgiving services were held. The church was crowded with present and former members of the church. During the prayers special thanks were given for the 70 years of congregational life and for the great work of the leaders of the past, who had set an example which those of to-day could follow with benefit to their spiritual life. The preacher spoke of how all unconsciously anniversaries enriched the life of man. They threw their minds back to thoughts of the past, and in retrospect they often saw the plans of God's purpose for them. We got understanding through anniversaries and realised how the years had worked changes in us. Special psalms and hymns, favourites in former days, were sung, and an anthem was sung by Sliss SI. Beadle. In the evening the Rev. W. Bower Black was the preacher, and Sirs. Fairgray and Sirs. Fraser sang a duet. What's in a Name? The fact that the wrong person went to the Slagistrate's Court at Slatamata in answer to a summons was not an effective plea before Sir. S. L. Paterson, S.SI., when expenses were asked for (reports the "Star's" Slatamata correspondent). The case was one in which a man named E. J. Brown, of Okoroire, was charged with fishing without a license in the Raparapa Stream on October 12 last. E. J. Brown, sen., went to Court in answer to the summons, which was intended for his son, who has the same initials, but is a farm hand. John Maunder, of Te Poi, honorary ranger for the Acclimatisation Society, Auckland, stated that on the Sunday in question he was patrolling the Waiomou Stream shooting shags. He met accused, who was fishing, and witness asked accused for his license. The reply was that the license was at home, and that it would be produced that night. The bait used was dropped in a hole in the creek. In reply to this evidence Mr. Brown said jt was his son who was concerned. The inspector admitted it was the son whom he had seen, but both had the same initials. The magistrate (to Brown): "You have no standing in this Court." E. J. Brown, jun., was then fined £2 and costs £1 ,1/0. On Mr. Brown, sen., asking for expenses, the magistrate refused, pointing out that the summons was for liis son. St. Patrick's Day To-day. To-day is St. Patrick's Day, the anniversary of the patron saint of Ireland, and an important figure in the history of that country and of the Irish Church. Banks are closcd in" the city, though tlie Auckland Stock Exchange and other places of business are open. All Catholic schools have a holiday, "and to-night 600 performers from 20 schools will give a concert in the Town main items from which will be Irish traditional airs. St. Patrick was born about the year 389 A.D., and lived near the Severn River. When he was 10 years of age lie was carried off by a marauding band of Irish and imprisoned in Ireland. It was during his imprisonment that »ie conceived the idea of evangelising the land of his' captivity, and story has it that he was confirmed in his intentions by visions, which at the same time helped him'to escape. He was six years a prisoner, and when he fled the country he went by devious ways to a monastery in France, where in 432 A.D. he was consecrated for the mission to Ireland. His success is a household word. Historically speaking, his importance was that he brought an uncivilised place into touch with Europe, while from the point of view of the Church he brought it into contact with Rome.