NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 286, 2 December 1936, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

To Encourage Cricket. The Auckland Racing Club deckled yesterday to vote £100 to the Auckland Cricket Association, to go towards the capital fund of £2000 for the encouragement of the game in Auckland. Rewa's Foremast Collapses. While the ketch Yvonne was moored the other night near the old barque Eewa, which is used by Mr. Charles Hansen as a breakwater at Moturekareka Island, the crew were awakened by .a loud report. This was caused by one of the mainstays on the barque breaking, and a minute or two later the loOft foremast collapsed. The mast brought with it tons of steel in the main topmast and topgallant stays. Vessels are advised to approach the barque carefully, so as not to foul part of the debris of mast, stays and wire, which fell on the seaward side. Judge on Medical Fees. Charging 10/0 a mile for what costs fourpence astonished Judge Foster during the hearing of a medical case at the Melbourne County Court. The plaintiff, a nerve specialist, claimed £57 15/, and judgment was given for £38 8/. He considered 10/0 a mile for travelling a reasonable charge, and he was supported by Dr. Cox, the medical secretary of the Victorian branch of the British Medical Association. The judge described the charge as absurd. He said: "A motor car takes a man a mile in about a minute and a half, raid the cost to him is fourpence." Tar-sprayed Roads. The Automobile Association (Auckland), has received a number of complaints from members of their cars being spattered with tar when the users had to drive over sections of highways that have been sprayed with tar and left exposed. A comprehensive report regarding tarring operations and methods on main highways was obtained by the president, Mr. F. (J. Farrell. The association has now requested the Main Highways Board's representatives to insist that roads be surfaced in half-widths, where practicable, and in other cases that explanatory signs be erected notifying a wet bitumastic surface and advising motorists to wait 15 or 20 minutes until it is treated with covering material, or else proceed at little more than a crawl. Hamilton and Solar Eclipse. The solar eclipse on the morning of December 14 is of unusual, interest to Hamilton astronomers, as the town is within the narrow path from which tho spectacle will appear at its best. The eclipse will be observed by members of the Hamilton Astronomical Society. Nine observers will form the party, and they will use two Bin telescopes and one 12in instrument. All these have been made by members of the society. The principal interest is centred in the accurate timing of the four "contacts." A young member of the society is constructing a special long-focus camera, with which it is hoped a complete series of photographs will be taken. The programme has been arranged in collaboration with tho solar section of the New Zealand Astronomical Society, which will have several parties in the field, the principal one being at Pukekolie. The King's Colour. The British Post Office has heen looking into the origin of the use of red as the distinctive colour associated with that great organisation. It discovered that red had been from early times the royal colour of England, and as the Post Office organisation had its origin in tho royal couriers, established for the conveyance of the King's dispatches, the royal colour was the natural choice for the British postal service. In course of time brilliance has 'given place to utility in the design of postal uniforms, and now, except for the scarlet frock coats of the doorkeepers at the English Postmaster-General's office, scarlet piping is the sole relic of the splendour of earlier days. In New Zealand a red van is instantly recognised as a post office vehicle, and pillar boxes carry the same bright hue. The only survival oi' red in uniforms in New Zealand is the piping of uniform trousers and tunics and a touch of brilliance in the official caps. Blue is now coming into use as a post office colour, as this has been definitely adopted to indicate air mail activities. _ Air mail hags are blue, and air mail posting boxes of the same colour are gradually making their appearance in the Dominion.

Winstone Park Playground. The installation of £275 worth of playing equipment at the Winstone Park Domain at Mount Roskill has been decided upon by the trustees of the estate of the late Mr. George Winstone. This information was given at last night's meeting of the Winstone Park Domain Board, held at the office of the Mount lioskill Road Board. The gear donated will include a merry-go-round, an ocean wave, eight swings, two chutes and a rock-a-bve machine. A committee was set up to place the equipment 011 the estate. The board received a tender-of £185 for the construction of two preinix tennis courts on the estate, and referred it to the same committee. The rental of the two courts was fixed at £2(5 per annum for a period on lease. Mr. Percy Winstone, who is a member of the Domain Board, was present, ancl reported that the trustees had received seven tenders for the erection of a tennis pavilion ranging from £574 to £498. The latter was approved by the board and accepted by the trustees, who will finance its erection, and they will be reimbursed by the board out of revenue as it becomes available. The board placed on record its appreciation of the generous action of the trustees in this respect.