NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A Pink Rainbow. During the lovely glow which spread over the western sky shortly after sunset on Tuesday evening, writes a correspondent in the ranges, an extraordinarily beautiful and complete arch of pink was observed in the opposite direction. The sun had so far disappeared that the bow reached a "great height, and this broad band of delicate colour, edged in some parts with the merest trace of green, made a striking phenomenon seen against the background of a grey rainstorm. Unlucky Holiday Start. A rather alarming experience 'befell a party of motorists in a small car when passing through Dmry about 3 p.m. on Thursday, writes the "Star's" correspondent. The car had practically pulled up to allow.a cow and a bull to pass, when suddenly the bull leaped in the air and fell over the car, damaging it extensively. The passengers, two ladies and two men, who were just commencing a holiday tour, were considerably shaken, but not injured. ' » ' • Seeing the North Island. A party of 53 members of the Wellington branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, in charge of the general secretary of thW association, Mr. L. J. Greenberg, arrived in Opotiki on Tuesday in the course of a holiday trip round the North Island. They travelled in two large motor buses, and left Opotiki this morning for Whakatane and Rotorua. The Wrong Room. There was no more surprised young man in Christchurch than a visitor to a, city home who, returning to his host's house late on a recent evening, walked into "his" room and over to "his" bed, and in it found a young woman sound asleep. It was a. time for a swift and silent retirement. The young man proved equal to the occasion, beating a retreat and turning out the light without anyone but himself being any the wiser. In future the young man will take more care.when staying in a locality where two houses of identical design are neighbours; "Christ Church Island.** "/ ' In spite of the efforts of the Government Tourist and Publicity- Department overseas and the work of the South Islands Travel Association in placing the South Island "on the map," there seems to be room for still more publicity, states a Christchurch journal. Recently Mr. C. H. Clibborn, secretary to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, received a ~ lettercard addressed, "Hon. Port Authority, Christ Church Island, New Zealand." The. card said that the sender, Miss Marion le Doulx, West Mosholu Parkway, New York, United States, was very, much interested and anxious to import the products of the island. She said she would be appreciative and thankful if a list of the main houses could be furnished, and wanted them to write to her at their earliest opportunity. State Improving Golf Course. The Tourist Department will close «the Motutara golf course in the Government Gardens for an indefinite period from next Monday, to> enable extensive improvements to be made, states a Rotorua correspondent. Cabinet recently approved an expenditure of £1000 on the course, with the object of filling and turfing many of the bare spaces on some of the fairways. Until the work is commenced it is difficult to estimate to what extent' the money available will cover the work necessary on the course, but for a start workmen will deal with the No. 2 and No. 0 fairways, which are at present in a very rough state. No. 2 green will be raised and returfed. It is also hoped to do a* much filling as possible on No. 1 and No. 4 fairways*. . The, filling is estimated to occupy about ten weeks, and when it is completed the new fairways will be sown with grass. Rush for Taxis. T '"" *, Their earnings on New Tear's Eve gave Auckland taxi-drivers a prosperous start for 1937, though thejgresV bf the public, waiting long hours for means of transport homeward after their revels in the city, wished with all their hearts that th?re. were more drivers to share the fares offering. ! Drivers were kept busy throughout the day, the wet .weather increasing the demand for their services. Towards 10 o'clock orders began to come in faster than they could be met, and by midnight more than twice the number of cars available would have still been insufficient to fulfil requirements. Crowds gathered at every taxi stand, and stampeded madly to meet every cab as it returned. Those who were fortunate enough to secure cabs shared them with others wishing to go in the same direction, and the drivers, getting double .and treble' fares for the one trip, were hugely delighted. They attributed the unprecedented demand for their services to the caution of many owners of cars in leaving their own vehicles at home when they came to town to celebrate, for fear that they might be tempted to toast the New Year rather more freely than would be consistent with safe driving. Besides: this, however, the crowds in the city were undoubtedly greater than they have been for years previously.

New Arterial Road. The metalling of five miles of clay road that* will complete a new all-weather route linking Taranaki with.the centre of the North Island will be begun after the holidays, and should be completed soon after Easter, states a New Plymouth correspondent. The, road will provide a new alternative route for motorists travelling between Wellington and Auckland, for, instead of following the main joad through New Plymouth to Te Kuiti, they will bo able to turn off at Stratford, traverse the Paparata Saddle, where is to be seen some of the wildest country in the North Island, and go through the Tangarakau Gorge to Taumarunui, which is within more easy access of National Park. "Buy at Home." Throughout the United States a "buy at home" policy has been urged with great vehemence for some time past, and the tariff walls erected around the great nation by various Republican Governments have assisted in keeping out the trade of foreign nations. The many New Zealanders and Australians now stranded in California, while American shipping is in a static condition, will have cause to think of the "buy at home" urge which has probably come under their notice at one time or another. British ships in the Pacific for some time past have been running at a loss, with but few passengers offering, while the larger and newer ships of American lines have been well patronised. Perhaps this strike was needed to show those who live in the South Pacific the necessity of supporting British shipping. Child Marriages in India. Although child marriages in India are to-day forbidden by law, they still take place, according to Miss Joan McGregor, a New Zealand missionary from Poona, who returned to Wellington recently after 3ti years in India. As the law stands in that country, it is illegal for couples of under 14 years of age to marry.. This is one of the provisions of the Sarda Act, a measure named after the man who introduced it as legislation. Miss McGregor states that this law Is at present more observed in the breach than the observance, particularly anion* the villagers, -who comprise nine-tenth of the Indian population. Education of the native races, ■ however, was helping to improve the situation. "People get the idea that parents in India are cruel in allowing child marriages," said Miss McGregor. "It is the system of teaching that causes the trouble. lam pleased to Bay that the scheme of things is changing, particularly among the educated, high-caste people." A Mutual Surprise. How a Taranaki motorist visiting another province used his wits was related to the Taranaki A.A. Council when the meeting debated the ethics of an inspector taking a girl with him on his patrols. The motorist was driving, admittedly at a fair pace, when he felt that another motorist was following him. Knowing the capacity of his car, he decided in a sporting spirit to make a race of it if the other man insisted, for it appeared that he was insisting. Everything went well until the sound of a siren disclosed the identity of the pursuer. Realising he was caught, the motorist slowed down, and the other car drew alongside. It was then that the Taranaki man had his inspiration. Feigning ignorance of the faet that the overtaking driver was an inspector, he leaned out of his'car and said jovially: "My word, that's a pretty girl you have with you." The inspector, so the story goes, was furious, and he wasted no time in informing the erring motorist of his misdemeanour. "Was he prosecuted T" asked a member of the association. "Not yet," was the reply. "He has not heard any. more of the matter from that day to this." Fireworks and the New Year. A recrudescence of fireworks was s novel feature of New "Year's Eve outdoor celebrations in Auckland on Thursday night. The usual demonstrations of horseplay, such as car shaking, seat shifting, and, in come suburbs, door and gatepost, chalking were in evidence, but the pyrotechnics were a novelty. Whether this was due* to the record fireworks purchases which were made for last Guy Fawkes' Day or the need for extra cheerfulness over a damp holiday period is not certain, but a sporadic fusillade of crackers and squibs began as - early as eight o'clock and lasted until long after midnight, while a few "spares" were fired even in daylight on New Year's Day. Home-going parties made their presence heard in Symonds Street and other parts of the city until the early hours of Friday, and there was no doubt that the custom of seeing the new year in was observed as generally as ever before. The popularity of fireworks was remarkable during 1930, and it was authoritatively estimated that the total expenditure in New Zealand in this direction was over £12,000. The custom of pyrotechnical displays as a demonstration of rejoicing is Chinese origin, and was for centuries associated with the Chinese new year (which begins on February ,12). It is one of the very few Oriental customs which have become popular in British countries. Nowhere is it more so than in New Zealand, though no attempt is made at the "set pieces," such as were once big attractions at the Crystal Palace, London, and at seaside resorts.