NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 156, 3 July 1936, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Private Hotel Tariffs. As from to-morrow private hotels' in Auckland will raise their tariffs by at least 10 per cent. This course was decided upon at a meeting of proprietors last evening, 54 being in attendance, with Mr. .7. R. Elsburv presiding. It was decided to form an Auckland' Private Hotel Proprietors' Association, to he affiliated with the Auckland Employers' Association. Weather Reports. "I do not think there is a man in this room who could understand it," declared Mr. W. XV. Mulliolland, at a meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury district, Xew Zealand Farmers' Union, when referring to the weather reports, given in code from a radio station. It would not take much longer to read the reports in English. Mr. Mulliolland contended. There was one announcer who read the reports in full, but unfortunately he was not very often on the air. It was decided to request the Radio Broadcasting Board to have the reports read in a readily understandable form. Combating Ragwort Menace. The importance of sodium chlorate in combating the farmers' "yellow peril," ragwort, is emphasised by the manager of a wellknown Auckland firm of chemists, whose plant, employing the electrolytic process, is the first in the Southern Hemisphere to produce this weed killer. It is said that the first ragwort plant was brought to Xew Zealand years ago by an old lady from Scotland, who had a tiny plant growing in a pot. In Xew Zealand the plant spreads extremely quickly, and grows to a tremendous size. Thirty thousand seeds ripen in one flower head, and a two-vear-old plant generally has from 1.") to 20 of these heads. Experts have found some 40 seedlings springing up iiv one square yard of ordinary J pasture land. It also propagates from cflsets of the roots, and if dug or ploughed up a score of new plants appear from the pieces of broken root. Sodium chlorate is the best, and indeed the only effective method of fighting the pest. Te Awamutu's Scenic Outlook. The Mayor of Te Awnmutu, Mr. Geo. Spinley, had partly formulated a plan for adding to the attractiveness of Te Awamutu district by the construction of a scenic road to the top of Kakepuku, the cone-like hill about six .miles from Te Awamutu. famed in Maori legend and dominating the whole of the Waipa basin. In an interview with the '"Star's" correspondent Mr. Spinley said a road could be constructed to the top without many engineering difficulties, and lie was confident it would provide one of the biggest attractions yet provided for visitors, for Kakepuku gives an unrivalled view of a very wide expanse of interesting country, hounded by the Pirongia Range on the west, Maungatautari on the east, Taupiri and Karioi to the north, and the Rangitotos to the south, besides being a vantage point on clear days for seeing Egniont, Ruapeliu and Tongariro. Travel Association. A communication has been received from the Lyttelton Harbour Board by the finance committee of the Cliristchurch City Council inviting the council to send delegates to a conference of representatives of local bodies in the South Island, tourist organisations and interests, chambers of commerce, and all organisations interested in the development of the tourist industry, for the purpose of forming a South Island Travel Association on the lines of the organisation in Australia. The committee, however, is of the opinion that, while the proposed association, if properly organised, would no doubt be of material value in bringing tourists to the South Island, the attendance of delegates from the council at the proposed conference is not essential, and that such duty might well be undertaken by the Expansion League. It is proposed to advise the Lyttelton Harbour Board accordingly. ' Discovery of Neptune. "The Astronomer Royal was having tea, and was not to be disturbed, so a great discovery was pigeon-holed," said Mr. A. C. Gifford, F.R.A.S., in the course of a lecture in Wellington on the solar system. The Cambridge student, Adams, he said, had worked out by mathematics that there must be another planet in the solar system because the planet Uranus in its orbit was going a million miles wrong. He had rushed down to London to test out his theory with the big telescope at Greenwich, but the Astronomer Royal "Was not to be disturbed. The papers remained in the pigeon-hole for several years until a Frenchman made similar calculations; the Astronomer Royal remembered the student Adams and set his telescopes to work, but though the astronomers actually photographed the new planet several times they did not recognise it. The Frenchman sent his calculations to Germany, where the planet was detected the first night. The huge new planet was named Xeptune. Humour in Industry. A recent news item, which is regarded as of some moment commercially, has been that announcing an order from Persia for 40,0001b of British steel. The metal is to be used in a large oil-refining plant, and is a repeat order, following others to Persia and also large contracts for Central Europe and the British colonies. The steel is alloy steel, and is specially heat-resisting, remaining stable at very high temperatures. Where the humour conies in is that the makers have named it "Abednego" steel. The story of Abednego, who with Shadrach and Mesliach refused to bow down at the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer and all kinds of music at the command of Xebucliadnezzar, and were thereupon bound and cast into a burning fiery furnace, but later emerged from it miraculously unharmed and unchanged, has from one generation to another been probably easily first favourite - among "first lessons" from the child's point of view. To children it always appeals as a kind of chant, with unforgettable recurring refrains of "burning fiery furnace" and "Shadrach, Mesliach and Abednego." Undoubtedly it was because of its mnemonic quality that a hard-headed Xorth Country steel corporation chose the name of a specially heat-resisting person for their specially heat-resisting steel. Half-Holiday Closing. From to-morrow offices in Auckland, with certain exceptions, will require to close on the statutory half-holiday at noon in accordance with the provisions of the Shops and Offices Amendment Act, but shops will carry on as usual in the meantime, an extension of time until September 1 having been granted in their case, so far as hours are concerned. The exemptions to noon closing of offices are actually greater than the list detailed ill the Act and its amendments. The reason for this is that the Arbitration Court has decided that some offices in a factory are part of the factory, aiid so come under the Factories Act, and that certain offices in shops are part of a shop, classifying office workers in such shops as shop assistants. In the case of an office classed as part of a shop, the shop hours will apply. The legislation relating to offices fixes no starting time in the day, nor does it fix any limit of weekly working hours, but in the case of banks it fixes the extended period in which overtime must be paid at anything over 80 hours a fortnight, or in the case of a period of four weeks for the purposes of each yearly or half-yearly balance, a total of 00 hours a fortnight. The amended legislation, however, adds a clause setting out a list of duties at which assistants in banks may be engaged half an hour after the closing time of their offices. It is stated that banks in the city have already met the situation by making adjustments from July 1 in the organisation of the staffs in order that so far as possible an 80 hours' fortnight shall be worked. ;

Maori Team Walks Off. The Rugby football match at Rugby Park, Wliangarei. arranged between two Maori teams in conjunction with the Winter Exhibition, yesterday, had an unexpected finish when j the team representing the visiting native show competitors walked off the field toward the end of the game, as a res'ilt of dissatisfaction with the referee allowing a try after the line umpire had signalled that C. White, of the Kia Toa team, was out of bounds. This try placed the Kia Toa team in the lead by 12 points to 10. Tt is evident that the referee. Mr. T. Conaglian, did not notice the line umpire's signal. As the match was in the nature of an exhibition, there are not likely to be any repercussions. Museum Acquisitions. Recent acquisitions by the Auckland* War Memorial Museum include a group of pottery vases adorned with painted concentric work, presented by Commodore the Hon. E. R. Drummond, R.ST. They are prehistoric objects from Cyprus, estimated to have been made between 3000 and 200(1 8.C., and are among the earliest of the wheel-turned pottery. Air. E. S. Kohn has given a bronze medal, to be presented in any competition which might be arranged. A snuff box made from timber from H.M.S. Royal George has come from Mrs. H. Stitchbury, and Mr. T. Bassett's gift of parts one to five of the "Illustrated War News" has been added to the collection of war literature. New Rugby Scheme. As from last Saturday the playing of club football in Waliganui is to have a wider significance, in that the community of interest fostered by the matches will cover a district extending from Waverley to Haleombe and out to Hunterville. Hitherto, club play in the city has been confined to city teams. Waverley became an acquisition some two seasons ago, but now, under what is known as the "Move scheme," which gets that designation from its sponsor, Mr. Jack Move, the club district has been greatly widened, making Wanganui the virtual headquarters for club Rugby extending over the area before mentioned. Shortage of Milk. Statements that milk suppliers in the city at the present time are experiencing a shortage of milk were made at the meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council this morning. Mr. X. R. Chapman said that it had been reported to him that all suppliers were short of milk, and that some were rationing their supplies. Mr. W. C. Xeill, technical adviser to the council, stated that one large firm could take 300 gallons extra a day for three months if they could get it. Mr A. C. Trousdale said that there would be any amount of milk at the end of August. It was decided to hold up the question of granting temporary licenses, pending a report on the position. "Bunnies" Come to Town. The sight of several rabbits running about amid the debris on the old Mount Cook prison site in Wellington, where the new War Memorial Museum is nearing completion, rather astonished a person who was making a short--cut through the grounds on a recent evening to reach the Wellington Teclinical College. Although it was about 7.30 o'clock, the lights from the college buildings partly illuminated the ground. The "bunnies" remained motionless, apparently hoping to be passed unnoticed, until the intruder was within a few yards of them, when they made off unhurriedly in dif-ferent-directions. They did not run far, however, and permitted his approach almost within reach before moving away again. Their presence on the site shows that there is much hardihood in what is usually-thought a timid animal, as they would have to pass through scvetal well-lighted streets to reach it. Boys' Employment Committee. After some discussion as to the future of the Auckland Boys' Employment Committee when a motion was put by the chairman, Sir Joseph Smith, that further attempts should be made to enlist Government support, it was decided to defer the matter for a month in the hope that some lead might be given by the Government. "Certain dislocations are taking place as a result of the new industrial legislation, and it is imperative that the. committee should continue while adjustments arq bein" made," said Sir Joseph. Archbishop Averill mentioned that it was one of the main objects of the organisation to look after the interests of the, lads whom it had already managed to place, and it would be a pity to disband before consolidation work had been completed. A decision to close the committee's farm at Purewa, owing to the small numbers of boys taking advantage of the training, facilities there, and the high maintenance costs, was made. Maori Belief in Omens. Other factors besides those of labour and raw material go to the making of a Maori war canoe. Referring to the project of building seven large canoes which will take a prominent part" in the 1940 centenary celebrations, a correspondent mentions that, a problem confronting Princess To Puea is that of finding men with a knowledge of the traditional priestlv lore, in order that the work may be done under the proper omens, and to the satisfaction of tribal deities. This, to the native mind, is most important. At Xgaruawahia is a handsome building erected by the efforts of Te Puea and her folk to serve as a Maori hospital. Though much needed, it has stood unused for more than a decade, not for want of patients, but because its doors were never opened. When the Duke of York visited Xew Zealand in 1927 it had been arranged that he should perform the opening ceremony, but in the hurry of events the train rushed him through Xgaruawahia without so much as letting liim sec the building. This was considered an "unlucky omen, and rather than have a hospital with no luck about it, the scheme was temporarily abandoned. Maybe, in 1940, the representative of the King will open the building, and thus enable the hospital to be used. Errors in Bronze. "Traveller" writes: —A whole article could be written about the errors of artists, whether in stone, metal, or on canvas, and one or two amusing instances come to mind. Whether or not the much-discussed figure of the athlete on the Domain gates is posed on the wrong foot, there is no doubt about the mistake ill the figure of the mounted rifleman at Otahuliu, for his stirrup leather (a bronze one, of course) is twisted the wrong way. Also there are glaring errors in those crude and badly proportioned figures of Xurse Cavell, a sailor and a soldier, on the entrance porch of the children's ward at Auckland Hospital. Some years- ago the late Lord Birkenhead posed for an equestrian portrait by Mr. A. J. Munnings, and a howl of protest went up from all the fox-hunting squires of Old England when it was noticed that the horse's legs were incorrectly placed, that is to say, the wrong hind leg was coming forward for the pace of- a walk, as depicted. While on the subject of equipment, let it be mentioned that Auckland, or rather Devonport, possesses a fine example of what is correctly done, namely, the figure of the young infantry soldier on the war memorial—a really good job of work. An "immortalised mistake" is to be seen in another war memorial, this at Xottingham, in the Old Country. The names of the employees of the Xotts County Council who fell in the war are cut in marble on a memorial slab. After the unveiling, a certain Bill So-and-so went to his former chief at the Shire Hall and said: "Eh, what about it, sir? Here I am." To chip out his name would have spoiled the memorial, so a tiny asterisk was inserted in front, and an asterisk below drew attention to the inscription (in very small letters), "Has since returned." It is Credibly recorded that one of the county aldermen, a hearty old squire, exclaimed: "Confound the man! What did he want to come back for?"