NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 183, 4 August 1936, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Manufacturing Progress. There have been some great strides made in secondary industries in New Zealand, according to figures quoted by Dr. W. 15, Sutch, M.A., 15. Com., ill fin address to Wellington seeretauies. In lfl.'iO there were SO persons engaged in the radio industry; this year there were over 1000. There were 7700 pairs of slippers made in New Zealand in 1020; the 1035 figure was'B33,ooo. At Auckland even a good brand of corsets was manufactured. Twenty-two Years After. To-day is the 22nd anniversary of Great Britain's declaration of war against Germany -—August 4, 1914. Though war and rumours of war were rife, only the initiated realised how near to a conflict Europe actually was,and the declaration came as a surprise. The cable announcing the news in New Zealand was read to a crowd of some 10,000 outside Parliament Buildings by the Governor-General, Lord Liverpool, on the afternoon of August 5. Too Old at Eighty. "The directors are too old, they are paid too much, their shareholding qualification is insufficient, and we have too many of them." All this came from a shareholder, who admitted he was 73, breaking in on the mutual back-patting of a successful company's annual general meeting, reports a correspondent. The critic agreed, however, when one of the directors got up, and proving that he at least had some vigour left, argued that some of the directors were perhaps not as good in the legs as they used to be, but they were still "all right in the head." Onehunga Council's Protest. Last week an advertisement appeared in the "Auckland Star" stating that the council would take part in the anti-war procession. Strong exception was taken by councillors last night to the wording of the advertisement, as the public would conclude that the advertisement referred to the Onehunga Borough Council. The acting town clerk, Mr. X. L. Norman, was instructed to write to the promoters of the organisation that inserted the announcement protesting against the way it was worded. The Onehunga Borough Council did not take part in the procession. Effect of Films on Young People. The detrimental cfTect of some classes of moving pictures on the minds of a section of the younger members of the community was stressed at a meeting of the Kaitaia Farmers' Union. "The general influence of the majority of films shown brings about a lowering of the moral tone of the community," said Mr. J. C. Marsh. "There are too many objectionable features in some of the films which just pass the censor. Not only are pictures inciting some youths to crimes of violence and lowering the moral tone," said Mr. A. Holder, "but people ar« spending money in pictures that they cannot afford." A suggestion was put forward by Mr. Holder that women should be placed on the board of censors of films, as one member remarked that the moral tone of women was higher than that of men, and there wast certainly a need for the cutting of a number of films. White Swans at Rotorua. Efforts by Mr. C. White, of Wliakatane, to acclimatise white swans on Lake Kotoiti have not so far proved very successful (reports the "Star's" Hotorua correspondent). Some time ago Mr. White secured a pair of these birds from Christcliurch at considerable expense and liberated them on the lake, but one of them was shot by a Maori and the other disappeared. Undeterred, Mr. White imported a further pair, which have remained on the lake for some considerable time. Now, however, they have apparently decided to seek fresh fields for exploration, and after working their way through the Ohau Channel a fortnight ago, made their appearance at Hamurana, on Lake Hotorua. They remained there only a short time, and yesterday appeared off Oliinemutu Village, where they were the objects of considerable interest oil the part of Maoris and visitors. Carrot in Child's Lung. Following the interest aroused by the removal of a nail from the lung of an Australian boy in Philadelphia, and reports of similar successful operations in Australia and New Zealand, a parallel case in Palmerston North lias attracted attention. As recently as Saturday successful steps were taken for the removal of a piece of carrot from the lung of a chjld at a local hospitad. Dawick Max, aged four and a half years, whose parents reside in Palmerston North, had a piece of carrot lodged in his lung and was taken to hospital. The obstruction was removed by Dr. W. S. Bransgrove by means of a bronchoscope. The process was carried through with no ill-effects to the patient, whose condition later was satisfactory. The danger likely to arise from the continued lodging of a piece of carrot in the lung is said to be greater because of the fact that such an obstruction is likely to become septic within a few days, whereas objects such as a nail will not rapidly do so.

Caught Napping. Mr. A. J. Sinclair, the well-known secre-tary-manager of the Te Awamutu Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Ltd., caused roars of laughter at the annual meeting on Monday afternoon when he told shareholders that he had earlier arranged with the company's agent in Wellington to telephone to the speaker as soon as he found out what the guaranteed price was to he, reports the "Star's" Te Awamutu correspondent. "I asked him to telephone, no matter what hour of the day or, night. Then at 11 o'clock last night I received a telephone call from Wellington, and grabbed the 'phone, saying at once: 'Hello, Tom, you old buck! What is the guaranteed price ?' Judge of my surprise and consternation to hear a quiet voice say in reply: 'My name is not Tom, and I do not consider myself an old buck! But I have the guaranteed price. My name is Walter Nash.'" When the roars of laughter had subsided, Mr. Sinclair added that for once he was rendered speechless. He further explained that the Minister did not tell him what the guaranteed price would be, but he wanted to confer with the speaker on some aspects of the Government's plan, and promised that the guaranteed price would be announced over the radio to the whole of the Dominion at 7.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening. " Dalmatian Lido." The Dalmatian town of Dubrovnik, where King Edward intends spending several weeks' holiday, is charmingly situated on a beautiful bay on the Adriatic, with rocky mountains rising steeply at its back. The waters of the harbour are described by an Aucklander who visited Dubrovnik two years ago as. being of a wonderful translucent blue; its lovely scenery, the most notable features of which are numerous tree-clad islets, each with its peculiar legend, make this part of the Adi iatic highly attractive for visitors from every European country, as well as from Ameri-u. The bcaclies near this old-world town aie well suited for boating, bathing and that modern seaside pastime, which consists of arraying oneself in fashionable swimming then abstaining from getting wet, and already this coast bids fnir to outdo the Italian Lido, on the opposite side of the Adriatic Sea, as a fashionable resort. Ihe people of the, surrounding district are more Westernised than those of other parts of Yugoslavia, and the Italian influence is plainly visible in dress and speech. During and immediately following on the war Dubrovnik (also known by its Italian name Ragusa) was a haven for refugees from Russia, Greece and other centres of disturbance.

Snowflakes at Hunua. In the Hunua Hills, behind Fapakura, snowllakes fell 011 Saturday morning between 9 and 10 o'clock, as low as the foot of the gorge near the county filters. The flakes | appeared to be dissolved with the rays of the morning sun before actually reaching the ground. Not a Hit and Run Case. A Papatoetoe resident who was taking the baby out for its afternoon walk 011 Sunday was proceeding along the highway near the Otahuhu Golf Club's links, at Papatoetoe, when he was struck violently from behind. Being somewhat dazed, he was unable to account for the accident until several minutes after the impact, when a young man wearing glasses and plus fours, and full of apologies, vaulted the fence and asked the victim where the ball went. A Man on Women's Dress. "It's 110 use asking a man what kind of dress a woman is wearing, because they don't know," observed Mr. Justice Blair in the Palmerston North Supreme Court when a witness was asked to describe a piece of green material. The witness admitted lie did not know, but his Honor, despite his own comment 011 the delinquency of man in the world of women's fabrics, decided to call it linen till he was corrected, and lie. was. It turned out to be britway. Random Bullet on Golf Course. The whizz of a bullet and the report of a .303 rifle startled golfers on the Okauia links on Saturday. The bullet passed between Messrs. J. Corbett and M. Lovcridge, who were standing close together at the third tee (reports the "Star's" Matamata correspondent). There was 110 clue as to where the shot came from, but the report of the rifle was. heard by a number of golfers on the links. The incident caused much concern. A few weeks ago a bullet struck the cab of a lorry that was parked in the Okauia district. Polar Bear for Zoo. Penned in a steel-lined cage, a young polar bear from Taronga Park, Sydney, arrived at Auckland by the Marania this morning, and was taken to the Auckland Zoo. Some' difficulty was experienced in enticing the young animal into its cage in Sydney, and eventually tliey had to use a method like that of the donkey and carrots —except that in this case the carrots were fish. They put the bear's food into the smaller cage, which it entered at meal times. This went 011 for some time until after a period the animal lost its fear. Then, one day, slam went the door behind it, and it was taken for a ride.

Unusual Damages Incident. The unusual case of a claimant for damages for injuries not being aware of the amount of the claim he hud brought before the Court occurred in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. A man who had had his arm injured through contact with a motor car was asked by counsel for the defendant to demonstrate how the injury had affected his limb. After he had done this and put his coat 011 again, counsel asked: "What are you claiming the £500 for?" When there was some dehtv in the plaintiff's reply, counsel asked him if he knew the amount of his claim. The plaintiff replied that he did not, and also answered to another question that lie did not know what he expected to get. New Zealand's National Anthem. There are various calls upon the High Commissioner's Office in London of which New Zealand may have small knowledge. Recently the British Broadcasting Corporation asked for a copy of the New Zealand National Anthem. It is usual to say that New Zealand's National Anthem is "God Save the King," but as "Clod Defend New Zealand" has been given official New Zealand recognition the, publicity oflicer sent along a copy of the words and "music. In future, on appropriate occasions, the people of England will hear the words and music of this composition, for in returning the score copy the Empire programme director wrote: "It has been orchestrated for recording by the British Broadcasting Corporation orchestra at future occasions." The Bishop's Telephone. Realising that once a prospective telephone subscriber has signed his application he will count the days before the instrument is installed, the Post Office organisation works quickly and keeps careful check of results. The Wellington staff, according to information recently published by the Post Office, led 111 the race, and it received a public tribute to its celerity from the Rt. Rev. St. Barbc Holland, M.A., the new Bishop of Wellington. 111 acknowledging a civic welcome, Bishop Holland remarked: "Everybody seems most anxious to be friendly and obliging and to help make a newcomer feel at home." Now Zealand, be imagined, was one of the few countries in the world where you could ask tli6 Post and Telegraph Department to instal a telephone at 11 a.m. and be using it at 4 p.m. He intended to write the British Post-master-General about it. Frost Observations. Unlike so many people who only think about making experiments with a heavy frost after it is all over, a Mount Eden resident has made some interesting observations on the bitter cold of Sunday and yesterday (when a" record frost figure for several years was registered at Albert Park). He writes: "In Mount Eden residents consider that these .two frosts were the heaviest ever experienced. Plants growing i.-r window boxes under the eaves of houses, which were- never before touched by frost, were, severely nipped. At 11 p.m. last evening (Sunday) the ground was white with the frost. Wet sacks in the garden were frozen stiff. I placed a thermometer, one I have tested and found quite reliable, at the. bottom of my garden, and at 11 p.m. it registered 21 degrees Fahrenheit. As frost point is 30.4 degrees, you can judge of the severity. Two dishes of water this (Monday) morning contained ice, which was half an inch thick in the middle and nearly one inch thick at the outside edge. My residence is 011 land sloping-towards the north, and misses all the cold southerly winds. The heavy frosts arc therefore all the more exceptional. I heard also that the frost was thick right up the slopes of Mount Eden itself." Link With Yugoslavia. Some of the relatives and friends of the Auckland Yugoslav community were visited in their native villages by two Auckland priests, the Rev. Dr. Buxton, administrator of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the R'ev. Father Colgan, of Avondale, a few weeks ago. Before leaving Auckland both clergymen promised the local Yugoslav congregation, with which both had many associations, that they would in the course of their European travels pay a visit to Yugoslavia; this promise was honoured after they had attended the International Catholic. Press Exposition in Rome. Sailing from Venice, they visited Trieste, Pola and other towns before reaching Split. The centres from which the greater part of the Auckland Yugoslavs come lie to the south of Split, and the travellers made a journey 40 miles down the Adriatic coast to Ma kanaka, a small town 011 a "beautiful little bay, where several contacts were made. Next day more friends and relatives were met at Podgora, where most generous hospitality was shown them. Little children came forward with bouquets of flowers, and in accordance with local custom others showered the priests with rose petals. The parish priest honoured the visitors by exposing the relics of St. Vincent, a Roman' martyr. Normally (lie casket is opened only twice a year. Both priests celebrated Mass, and were afterwards overwhelmed with messages for Yugoslavs in New Zealand. In lludiipest (hey visited the Cathedral of St. Stephen, where Professor Moor-Kuroly, now conductor of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland, was once the organist.