NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Poor Maize Crops. Fully double the quantity of maize has been sown this year in the Whakatane district compared with last year, but the indications are that the crops are not universally good. Areas around Whakatane are reported to have come on well, but the continued wet weather has had a bad effect upon some of the crops around the Edgecumbe district. Criminal Sessions. The criminal sessions of the Auckland Supreme Court open on Tuesday next. The list of cases set down for trial is a fairly heavy one. numbering 17, but this number may be added to by Tuesday. Two persons are charged with negligent driving so as to cause death, and there is a charge of unlawfully using an instrument, upon which a woman will stand trial. Theft, forgery, assault, and breaking and entering are other indictments in the list. Some Slice! About a week ago, sitting'in his tent, situated among the pine trees in that part of the Rotorua camping park which adjoins the Westward Ho fairway on the Golf Club's course, a Douglas Creditor (?), meditatively pondering. possibly over the "A and B" theorem, was pleasantly surprised to see a nice new golf ball come rolling into his doorway. As the fairway was over 60yds away, it certainly was '"some slice." However, being himself a player, he philosophically accepted it as a slice—of luck for him. Whales in Harbour. To add to the excitement of the regatta yesterday, several whales made tlieir appearance in the harbour. They were observed at different times during the afternoon, and were stated to have made their way from Rangitoto Channel up the harbour, being seen last off the Western wharf. A Devonport resident who was watching the yacht races through binoculars about 3.30 p.m. saw one of the huge mammals between North Head and Bean Rock, heading towards the Tamaki Yacht Club's headquarters. The whale, he said, looked as though it was being molested, because repeatedly it would lift its huge tail into the air and thrash the water to foam. He could see no sign of any attacker, but he thought it strange that the whale should behave so if nothing was attracting its attention. He did not see it afterwards, and he did not see more than one. A number of people, however, saw a small school, up to four in number. The size of each was variously estimated at between 30ft and 50ft. Caravanning Cat. Unlike the dog, which loves nothing better than a ride in the family motor car. cats are supposed to be more attached to places than to people, and are usually left at home when the family goes touring, but one of the passengers in a caravan that stopped recently at the Rotorua camping park was a handsome Persian cat, which, its owner stated, had taken with zest to life on the road. Whenever the caravan arrived at a camping place, the owner stated, the cat would seek the security of the nearest scrub, and remain there until it heard either a knife being sharpened (signifying that a meal was about to be served) or the engine of the caravan being started. Although a dozen engines .might be running, puss coidd pick "his"' one unerringly. A tut hat sound he would jump into the caravan and claim his accustomed seat, at a window 'whence he could watch the world go past. Important Office. If there were to be a gold cup presented to the man in Christchurcli who has held the most secretaryships over a period of years, it would almost certainly be won by the newlyappointed secretary of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand, Mr. C. W. Hervey (says the "Star-Sun"). In addition to this new and important office, he is at present secretary of the Waimakariri River Trust, the Selwyn Plantation Board and the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Among others secretaryships Mr. Hervey has held are:—The Canterbury Rugby Union, the Canterbury Rugby Referees' Association, the Canterbury Automobile Association, the Canterbury Aviation Company, the Riccarton Borough Committee, the Christchurch Kennel Club, the Saturday Half-holiday Committee, the Linwood Rugby Football Club. There are also many other organisations of which Mr. Hervey, although not secretary, has been a prominent member. Apostle of Humanity. Replying to the toast to "The Visitors" at the Burns Night function of the Nelson Provincial Scottish Society, Mr. H. Atmore, M.P., thanked the Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, for his address. The Minister did well to say that Burns was the apostle of humanity; he did well to defend him against the charge that he was irreligious. Burns' message to the world was similar to that given in the Sermon on the Mount. It was apparently customary for some people to pick out the defects that even all great men had. and that had been done in the case of Burns; but he believed that the majority to-day took the broader view. The world never needed the message of Burns as to-day. Democracies were going under in many countries, and it was the holding of such assemblies as that which he was addressing that brought back the message of pure democracy to the people of the world, when Fascism and Communism, both representing force, were rearing their ugly heads.

Retired—But Working. "I retired from the directorship of Cawthron Institute at the end of 1033, but I still work there," said Professor T. H. Easterfield, who is at present on a visit to New Plymouth. The professor explained that he had been granted the use of a research laboratory, and was able to work on problems which he had wanted to tackle for a number of years. At present he was very interested in the question of the formation of stone in the kidneys of stock. Paspalum Disease. Farmers and others whose work takes them through patches of paspalum will have noticed a greasy substance which coines from the grass and adheres to clothes, etc. This is a bacterial disease, which is attacking paspalum very freely about Thames. A motor car which had gone through a small patch was thickly coated with this greasy mixture, to which a quantity of seeds was attached. National Conference. Proposals for a New Zealand agreement on wages and working conditions in the coal mines of New Zealand have been submitted bv the United Mine Workers' Union to the Coal Owners' Association, and to the biggest mine owners, outside the association, including the Mines Department. It is expected that a national conference will commence in Wellington about February 24. Racing in Rain. Racing at Ellerslie has rarely been carried out tinder worse conditions than yesterday, when the Takapuna Jockey Club opened the summer meeting. Rain set in in the early hours of the morning, and continued without cessation till about four o'clock. It was both heavy and steady, and the lawn enclosure, particularly in front of the main grandstand, was a series of miniature lakes. The race track soon became cut up with the horses galloping on it, and just below the distance post there was a large pool of water. However. the course is well drained, and within a few minutes of the rain ceasing the pools of water had disappeared. Moths Commit Suicide. Since the new 2YA transmitter at Titahi Bay, Wellington, has been operating, there have been occasional stoppages from various causes, all trifling, and not essentially mechanical faults. By far the commonest .source of trouble has been the suicidal intentions of moths. Although the windows are screened to keep these unwanted visitors outside, they find their w»v in through the doors. They settle on the protective caps of the hightension leads that supply current to the plates of the valves. As the electrical tension is about 18,000 volts, the moths go up in a blaze of light, thereby cutting out the automatic protective devices and shutting down the station. Helensville and Its Show. Yesterday Auckland took advantage of all available shelter and watched yachtsmen and racehorses produce their best form. At Helensville residents for miles around gathered to watch the pick of local stock compete for championship ribbons at the annual agricultural and pastoral show. As in Auckland, the weather was not of the best. In fact, from, the accounts of visitors, it seems to have' rained considerably harder. The "ring" soon became churned up by the plodding of many hooves, and by the afternoon was unfit for use. Women and girls made for the secretary's room to escape the rain, and entering in soaked shoes and stockings found the floor under several inches of water. It stands to the crcdit of the judges in all classes and to the officials in charge of the organisation work that despite exceptional entries the judging had never been completed, in shorter time. Service to Gannet Rookery. There is a possibility that during the summer months a regular launch service will be maintained to the gannet sanctuary at Cape Kidnappers, near Napier, thus obviating the necessity of tramping the seven miles round the coast from Clifton. The rookery, one of the most famous in the world, is under the control of a sanctuary board, which has done fine work with little money in improving access to the rookery by making tracks. The proposal to have a launch service from Napier is under consideration, although difficulty is being experienced in obtaining a vessel, its the use of a fishing craft or any of the commercial vessels at Napier is prohibited by the fact that they have not the necessary Marine Department license to carry passengers. The insurance against injury of passengers presented yet another difficulty. Seeing the Coronation Procession. Some idea of what it will coat to witness the Coronation procession in comfort is gathered from inf< rmation supplied by Thos. Cook ami Son. regarding the firm's main stand in front of Apsley House (formerly the home of the Duke of Wellington), in Piccadilly. Seats on this stand ranged from 18 guineas to 25 guineas a person, and all have been taken. Advantages in connection with that position are that the service at Westminster Abbey will be broadcast to the stand, there will be a refreshment buffet close by, cushioned seats, and (in* case of wet weather) the whole of the stand will be under cover. For such advantages a mere 25 guineas a seat is hardly worth considering. Of course, there are other stands at from eight guineas upward still available, which may not be in quite such favourable positions on the route.