NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 271, 14 November 1936, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Department's Workless Saturday. From to-day the offices of the Labour Department in Auckland will he closed on Saturdays. Since the recent industrial legislation came into force the Department has been more than usually busy on Saturday mornings, large numbers of inquiries being dealt with. Part of the staff in the Placement Service, which is under the Labour ' Department, however, worked to-day. Many appointments were made during the week for this -morning, and those engagements had to be fulfilled. There will be no work on sub--1 sequent Saturdays. Harbour Bridge Cost. The figure of £1,800,000 given by Mr. M. R. Hornibrook, of Brisbane, as the cost of building the Auckland harbour bridge and , causeways is a definite price, and not a tentative or approximate figure. This explanation was made yesterday by Mr. Hornibrook, who added that if his company's proposal was accepted they were prepared to do the complete job at that price. He said they' had taken out the actual quantities of steel, cement and other materials, and had worked out the costs on the rates of wages ruling in Xew Zealand to-day, based on the 40-liour week. Travelling Studios. Film companies must be prepared to travel thousands of miles and to set up their camps "on location" in jungles and deserts and on sea coasts and islands. This was the impression gained from a talk this mornin-g with Mr. Charles Chauvel, producer and director of an Australian motion picture company, who is travelling to America on the Monterey. .It is especially the case with his company, whose policy is to travel far afield and to seek real background for its productions. As a result they have learnt to eliminate every inch of waste space, and they have built an efficient mobile unit, with the result that however inaccessible a location may seem they have little difficulty in establishing plant and headquarters there. The sound apparatus, for instance, can be packed into three large suitcases, and the cameras are of light yet strong materials. Albany Coronation Hall. To-day the Albany Fruitgrowers' Association is celebrating the silver jubilee of the opening of the Coronation Hall, which, together with the showground adjoining, is vested in the association, having been erected to commemorate the accession to the Throne in 1910 of King George V. and his Coronation in 1911. When Sir Joseph Ward was Prime Minister the Government offered a grant of £250 to local bodies towards suitable memorials such as public .buildings. This grant was secured, but had to be shared with Waimauku, each district getting £125 of the amount given to the Waitemata County. Arrangements were made with Mr. W. Hooton to relinquish the Glasgow lease of ten acres from the Public Trustee, and the freehold was purchased for the association. The foundation stone was laid by Mr. Leonard R. Pliillipps, M.P. for Waitemata, and the hall was opened in November, 1911. The annual shows have since been held there. Ability of Farm Workers. The relative merits of North Island farm workers as compared with those in the South Island formed the basis of an argument between two runholders in North Otago a few days ago. One was from the North Island, and was paying a visit to his Otago friend, who contended that the southern farm hands have a better all-round knowledge of their duties, and are more dependable than the men of the north. The visitor was impressed, and as he was in need of a farm foreman, a teamster and a ploughman, he agreed to give the southern men a trial, and asked the local placement officer to select the men required. They are now giving good service in the Poverty Bay district. An official closely concerned with the native land development activities in the Bay area noted how these imported men tackled their jobs, and opened negotiations with the placement officer at Oamaru for the supply of four expert ploughmen, at a wage of £2 15/ per week and found, plus a bonus. These men also are giving evidence, in their new surroundings, of special ability in their particular line, but the question of superiority as between North and South still remains unanswered. The Lighter Side. "There goes Indianapolis." was a cry heard at the Addington trots, when a sheep dog suddenly appeared on the track. A race ■was-■ffliout to start, but the field was held at j the post while the dog was caught. The dog had other ideas on the subject, and while trying to escape did not want to lie forcibly removed. The clerk of the course and a number of groundsmen had a good deal of chasing to do, much to the amusement of the' crowd, before the dog was caught. A rabbit later appeared, but it proved to be more wily than the dog. Disturbed from its hiding place in a ditch opposite the outside stand, the rabbit ran on to the track and crouched. A horse passing nearly trampled on it, and then a spectator approached. Just as he was reaching down, the rabbit ran and once again disappeared in the ditch. These were but two of the lighter incidents that helped to amuse the crowd, while another was given over the loud-speaker to the effect that would the man who had taken 10/ from a lady to invest on Bonny Azure (a winner) please leave the money at the secretary's office.

The Railway Gardens.

After the recent spring rains, the gardens in front of the Auckland railway station are looking their best, and the many varieties of flowers, set off by the beautifully kept lawns, add a touch of colour that is much appreciated. The lawns need special mention. On the Parnell side of the right-hand approach, and in particular in the main garden in the centre, the level green sward is closely cut, and presents an appearance quite in keeping with the Auckland tradition of gardens wherever possible. A Wrestler Needed! A hospital superintendent telephoned one day to a placement oflicer for two suitable men "to sit by the bedside of a mail who was a bit queer," one of the men to take the day duty and the other to relieve him for the night watch. The guardian during the day had a restful and uneventful job, but when morning dawned after the other man's first spell of night duty lie bore evidence of having been in a free-for-all scrap. His. clothes were in shreds, and his face and body bleeding from scratches. When he again reported at the placement office his advice to the officials was: "If they ask you again for an attendant up there, you had better make a deal with George Walker or Lofty Blomfiekl to take on the job!" " The Poor Farmer." "Unfortunately the farming industry does not occupy the place it should in Xew Zealand life" was the opinion expressed by Mr. F. Hayward, when speaking on the formation of a Young Farmers' Club in To Aroha. "We always hear the cry," he said, "of the poor old farmer, and what a bad way ho is in, what a rotten time he has had, and what a terrible life lie leads. To my mind this is entirely wrong, and gives quite an erroneous impression. Farming is not necessarily drudgery, though I know there are some, when they strike a hard patch, who have to work hard. In this country farming can be made a very profitable and pleasant occupation. This fact is what we should broadcast, and it can only be done by making men scientific farmers, who recognise proper and modern methods and -get the best out of the land." Ministerial Changes. ' The frequency with which "tho portfolio of Industries and Commerce in the New Zealand Government had changed hands in recent years was commented on by Mr. C. 11. Burson in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. "In the past, the office of Minister of Industries and Commerce has seemed not to be very permanent, for in II years we have had eight different Ministers," he said. After expressing appreciation of the way the present Minister, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, had received members of the Manufacturers' Federation, particularly in the matter of the Industrial Efficiency Act, ho added that he hoped Mr. Sullivan would continue as Minister of Industries and Commerce so long as the present Government was entrusted with the government of the country. Something New in Hedgerows. "Visitor to Auckland" writes:—Hedges in Auckland, or for that matter in any other town, tend to be stereotyped. They are neatly enough kept, it is true; but they bear the stamp of inevitable sameness. They are. green, , always green. Perhaps it is for that reason that I noticed the more a hedge ill Remuera as I walked along one of the streets there. This was a hedge of flowers, of bright pinks and crimsons. It is true that the hedge lacked that trim orderliness usually associated with hedges; but great masses of geraniums made the front of that particular section blaze with colour. Actually the hedge was not so much the mark of the front boundary as a continuation, or the climax, of the front garden. The people living there had not been content with geraniums only. At one end of the hedge, and immediately in front of it, was a line of tall and stately hollyhocks. These were not in bloom yet, but their effect ill a little while can , welj b.q imagined. This is the day of brighter colours, noticeable from men's dress to the colour of roofs and houses. This hedge, then, would appear to lie in keeping with the times. It I is a thought for others who are thinking of planting hedges. "With Doggie in the Bag." Peter is a Sydney Silkie, small,, but extremely wise, and most definitely a "one-man" dog. His owner had a sudden urgent call to the top of Symonds Street the other day, and as Peter was with him a taxi from Queen Street appeared to be indicated. Then a friend appeared on the scene, and he happened to be carrying one of those square, businesM-like leather bags with an expanding top. "Why take a taxi?" asked the friend. "Put Peter in the bag. He won't mind." And the sensible little creature didn't.: Vi;ry gently his master placed him in the bag, ' spoke a few words to him. and closed the top. Peter never even wriggled. He travelled i In dark seclusion in a tramear, and when the bag was opened after his master alighted at , the end of the section, hopped out like a jack-in-the-box. gave one; delighted bark, and 1 calmly continued the day's adventures. The < face of the train conductor was a study. That . Peter did not object to a renewal of the ex- , periment was shown a day or so later, when the friends met, and number two was again ] carrying the bag. When it was opened, he 1 made not the slightest objection to being 1 placed inside. However, it is not intended to \ repeat the emergency trip. Peter is very J pleased with life, and master has a new version of the old hunting song, "Away we go, 11 with the body in the bag." | <