NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Touring in New Zealand. V\ itli the experience of tourist travel in European countries, two visitors to Christchurcli, Flight-Lieutenants XV. H. Garing and (_'. D. Candy, of the Royal Australian Air Force, who are now on a visit to New Zealand. spoke very highly of the attractions of the Dominion as a tourist resort. Though they had not yet travelled very extensively, they were able to pay a high tribute to Xew Zealand roads, which they said they had been told in Australia were not very satisfactory. On the contrary, they had found them very good, and some were excellent. The arrangements for travellers in Europe, said Mr. Garing, were very thorough, but Xew Zealand had pood hotels and fine scenery, andfehe considered that a body such as the South Island's Travel Association could do much to further the attractions of the country for visitors. A Golfing Incident. A correspondent writes:—An incident which happened recently on the Warren Club golf course on Danbury Hill is worth recording. It occurred at the pond hole during a match between Mr. T. G. R. Blunt, a member of the club now residing near Maldon, and his son, Mr. Roger C. Blunt, who will be remembered as a New Zealand Test cricketer. While playing tliis hole, tlie "line" to which is over a pond and between a short avenue of trees, Mr. Blunt, sen., slightly pulled his tee shot, and his ball, striking the bole of the near side penultimate tree, ricocheted back across the water to where the players were standing. Mr. Roger Blunt, stretclrng out his right hand, brought off a pood catch, and coolly handed the ball to his father, with the remark: "Your ball, sir, I believe." The match ended in a victory for the younger player, who was conceding half a stroke, by 1 up. Mobs of East Coast Sheep. Sheep from Poverty' Bay and the East Coast are on the road again in considerable numbers, reports a Whakatane correspondent. Few sheep were sent by road during the past few weeks, the object being to keep them off the main highways during the period of heavy holiday traffic. A mob of 3000 passed through Whakatane for the railhead fit Taneatua at the week-end. It is stated that 90.000 sheep from the East Coast will be offered at the: Morrinsville stock sales early this year, and that about 10,000 sheep are at present on the road. According to a railway report from Tauranga, approximately 40 special trains will be required to convey sheep from the East Coast in Jahuary and February. The sheep will be consigned to Morrinsville and the King Country. Mr. Hunt and the Police. "My relations with the members of the police force while a magistrate have always been most pleasant, and I have never had to say a nasty or a sharp word to a sergeant or a constable," said Mr. F. K. Hunt yesterday afternoon at the central police station, when presentations were made to him as a mark of appreciation of his services in Auckland on the magisterial Bench. Mr. Hunt said he attributed this to the fact that 50 years ago, in Christchurch, he was articled to the Crown Prosecutor in that city, the late Mr. J. C. Martin, who later became a magistrate and then a judge of the Supreme Cout. "As a clerk in his office I spent a lot of my time at the police station, and for years I was closely connected with the inside of the police force," he added. "I have always had the greatest respect for the officers and men of the Xew Zealand Police Force." Quick Growth in Auckland. The growth in Auckland during the past week following the rains during the holidays has been exceptional for this time of the year, and many holiday-makers who had banked on the dry weather to keep their lawns and weeds in check have received a surprise on returning home. One Aucklander who was absent forj ten days is now working overtime to get his property in order again. When he set forth on holiday small brown patches were showing up on his lawns, and the growth was negligible. He had already cut his lawnmowing exercises down from two to one a week, and he believed that he would have little difficulty in pushing his mower after the elapse of ten days. Now he is regretting that he had not made arrangements to have his lawns cut in his absence, for the sward is fully six inches high, and not' so easy to work in the heat now prevailing. As for the weeds—well, he has not thought about them yet, but they have outdone all bis vegetables and flowers in the matter of growt^i. " Molesting " Poppies. We often read of things done to the anoyance of His Majesty's lieges, but a charge of "molesting" poppies is a new one toi me, writes Mr. Wilfred Blackett, K.C., in the December number of the "Xew Zealand Law Journal." The facts supporting the charge were that Eva Richards and her husband Cvril were at Hurstville Oval, Xew South Wales, and Eva picked a number of poppies when she thought no one was looking, and thereby, as it was alleged by the lqcal authorities, "molested" them. She was fined £3. It was sworn that Eva was incited to do this wrongful act by her husband, but he denied that he had nlaved the part of the serpent in Paradise. However, the fine of £3 ends the incident. and we may well regret that Eve was not fined £3 for "molesting" the apple and a satisfactory ending thus made to a somewhat unpleasant incident.

Preference for Dominion Wool. Favourable comment on the present high ruling prices for wool was made by one of the Mara ma's passengers on arrival at Dunedin. "I must confess my preference for your wool," he said. "It is mv intention now that I am in Dunedin to lay in a stock of Xew Zealand woollen wear in contemplation of a trip I am shortly taking to England. Unseasonable weather is to be met with there at all times, and I am going fully equipped against the weather's vagaries." Weather Variations. The variation of the rainfall in different parts of Auckland city is rather remarkable. The rainfall for the year 1930 registered at the official .meteorological station at Albert Park totalled 52.21 in, while at Benson Road, Remuera—only three miles distant as the crow flies—the total was 57.20 in, almost exactly sin more. Private records kept by Mr. Frank Penn, Remuera, show that every year the rainfall in that locality is considerably more, than at Albert Park, though the figures vary considerably each month. Gladstone Anniversary. I** Probably the greatest of modern British statesmen. William Ewart Gladstone, was born in Liverpool on December 29, 1809, 127 years ago. The length and fullness of his record of 60 years of public service are astonishing. "He was a great financier and a great practical economist, and he did more than any man of his "generation to advance the cause of peace and arbitration. A great worker, he was also the greatest speaker of his age, and an unrivalled master on the platform. Great as were his political achievements, it was his moral grandeur that won him the homage of mankind. .. '.•• > Poor Conditions for Anglers. The holiday season has not been kind to anglers; heavy rain and swollen rivers and streams have made trout fishing conditions very difficult, and in the Taupo area particularly few fish have been taken. Reports from Tokaanu state that the rivers are yielding fish in small numbers^/and that hardly one day of good fishing conditions was experienced .last week. Yesterday trolling parties on Lake Taupo enjoyed moderate success, the fish caught being in good condition and of good average weight. Anglers at Rotorua had little better luck. Young ChapUuns Needed. A want of response from the younger men to take positions as chaplains was the problem that faced the chaplain's committee of the Presbyterian G?neralAssembly, according to the report of the committee presented to the Assembly. The military authorities, stated the report, were asking for younger men in view of what might eventuate in the future. Last summer, in the Central Command camps, where Presbyterian waplains were needed, positions were filled by men on the retired list. An effort, however, was being made to bring up the strength in each command to what was required. This was also being done by the other churches interested. Officers of the Defence Department had been uniformly courteous and helpful, not only in the camps, but through their representatives on the chaplains' advisory committee. A Neighbour's Problem. A Fendalton resident (Christchurch) whose next door neighbour had gone away on an extended holiday was faced with a difficult problem. On the morning after his friend and neighbour's departure he noticed that the absentee had left a two-bulb chandelier burning in a front room. The question was whether he intended the burning light to be a ruse, indicating to possible burglars that the family was in possesion. On the other hand, the resident thought, if that had been the case, would he have left two bulbs burning for a month? As he did not know his neighbour's holiday address, the resident spent a couple of days thinking over the problem before, he decided to take measures to have the light switched off. Snow at Christmas. An example of our recent jumbled weather is related from the East Coast district by. travellers making the Gisborne to Opotiki trip via the new East Cape route. The week before Christmas a very cold snap occurred, and the rocky peak of Hikurangi Mountain, 5606 ft in height, was covered with a glistening cap of snow. It did not remain long, for the mid-day sun prevailed, and in a few days it had quite disappeared. Hikurangi is the giant of the main East Coast mountain group, the Raukumaras, which run down from the East Cape to Hawke's Bay and include the well-known |>eak Maungapohatu behind Wairoa. While snow often lies on the heights for months in winter, it has usually all gone bv August, and for it to appear in midsummer is unprecedented. An Unrehearsed Rescue. Pretence of being drowned which nearly became reality and a life-saving demonstration which became a genuine rescue were witnessed on Waihi Beach on Sunday by a large crowd. A "dummy" had swum out to sea and was awaiting the arrival of the rescue party, composed of members of the local lifesaving club, when the latter's attention was directed to a man on an inflated mattress, which bad been carried out beyond the safety limit. This man was in difficulties, although he was in no immediate danger, and the lifesaving squad brought him safely to the beach. In the meantime the "dummy" had become exhausted by his long wait, and was in danger of being drowned when his pli'rht was observed. He was brought to the shore and revived.