NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Hospital Boards' Conference. The l'.t.JT general conference of hospital hoards is to be held at Timaru on March 2. Over .">() remits have been received for consideration, and, in addition to these, there will b<? discussions on a number of subjects, including national health insurance; nurses' training ami medical stalling. Good Wheat Crops. Some good wheat crops are to be seen in the Rangitikei district. where harvesting o]>erations are now in full swing. During the past few days fine weather has enabled excellent progress to be made with this work, and full advantage is being taken of the fine, sunny hours available. Some farms are reported to be yielding 40 and <i 0 bushels to the acre of good wheat. Child Paralysis Position. The position regarding infantile paralysis in Auckland continues to be very gratifying. A young boy from Auckland was admitted To the hospital this week, and found to be a mild positive case, but the child is reported to be progressing favourably. Of the other nine positive cases previously treated in the hospital, only one or two remain to be discharged. It is expected that Ilie restrictions on children under the age of Hi visiting the hospital will be lifted at the end of the week. Horse With "Black Eye." A highlight of the Waverley A. and P. Association's show on Saturday was the appearance of one of the chief horse stewards and his mount each with a blackened right eye. The official had the misfortune to injure his eye iu a slight accident several days prior to the show. When he appeared on* a grey horse it was noticed that several of his friend's had blackened the eye of his mount. Horse and rider were the cause of much merriment throughout, the afternoon. A Country of Cats. Tn some districts in New Zealand the cat population is known to outnumber that of the human population. In most districts they are very numerous. "Ts it reasonable, therefore, to estimate that the total cat population of the Dominion exceeds one million?" asks the journal of the Forest and Bird Protection Society. "Ten birds a year is an exceedingly conservative estimate of each cat's kill. No! Of course, your cat won't kill birds, but have you watched it at daybreak? No observant friend of birds keeps a cat." Mr. Semple's Way. The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. symbolised his dislike of antiquated constructional methods in a striking way yesterday afternoon, when turning the first sod at the. Christehureli city airport at Harewood (says a Press Association message). After a typical verbal attack on the old way of doing things, he mounted the driving seat of a huge caterpillar tractor and scoop and drove straight over an old wheelbarrow and shovel, crushing both completely.

Sir Harry Lauder's Visit. Further evidence that Sir Harry Lander will l>e oominjr to Xew Zealand is contained in a letter to Mr. (J. H. Elder, of Dunedin, reports the "Star's" Dunedin correspondent. The letter states: "Sir Harry thanks you for your letter. The papers had" it all wrong. He only cancelled his visit for three weeks. We sail for Xew Zealand on February 27, when he hopes to catch some big fish.—Greta Lauder.' , A cable received earlier in the month stated that Sir Hary had decided to cancel his trip to Xew Zealand, and Mould fish at Bermagul, Xew South Wales, instead. Hints for Trampers. For the assistance of all active lovers of the out-of-doors the committee of the Federated Mountain Clubs of Xew Zealand has almost completed a booklet of notes and instructions. The publication will be small enough to carry handily in a pack, but comprehensive enough to cover a wide range of subjects. It will set out the safety rules to be followed by climbers or those going into rough and unfrequented country, nnd will contain hints on first aid, bush craft, distress signals, equipment, route finding, rock climbing and snow work, and etiquette on prvate property. Tt is intended to place copies shortly in the hands of all members of federated clubs. The Sheep Trek. Several large mobs of sheep which left Opotiki during the week-end arrived at Taneatua yesterday, to be railed to the Waikato. About 10,000 sheep are expected to arrive at Taneatua this week. The continued fine weather has been very favourable for the sheep movements, and no delays have been caused this month by rain. The roads, however, are thick with dust, and pastures along the highway between Opotiki and the railhead are very unpalatable owing to the heavy dust coating. Farmers will welcome rain. ' The continued movement of such large numbers of sheep, both by road and heavy trucks, has made the maintenance of a good surface on the highway very difficult, and the surface shows signs of breaking up in places. Placement Office Work. As the result of arrangements facilitated by the Auckland placement office an artificer] on H.M.S. Dunedin, which recently left the Xew Zealand station for service in the Home Fleet, will have a position awaiting him in a local engineering firm when he returns by the cruiser Leander. The man, whose term with the Xavy had nearly expired, was anxious to make his home in Auckland. He consulted the placement office, and was given a day's trial with an Auckland firm, who were highly pleased with his work. The naval authorities were unable to arrange an earlier discharge. but, upon a guarantee being given by the firm that the position would be reserved, agreed to include the man in the artificers on the Leander. His discharge will be effected as soon as the new cruiser arrives in Auckland. Shortage of Dried Fruits. Xapier, in common with other parts of the Dominion, is experiencing a definite shortage of dried fruits, the line most seriously affected being prunes (states the "Telegraph"). Shipping delays on the Pacific Slope have been responsible for the present position, which, it is hoped, will be eased with the arrival of a vessel from San Francisco in the near future. The majority of grocers in Xapier at present have only a few pounds of prunes left, but the price has not been affected. A grocer stated recently that it was almost impossible to buy prunes in the Dominion, as there were only a few eases left, while there was also a pronounced shortage of other dried fruits. Muscatels were experiencing little demand, and consequently the shortage was not noticed to the same extent. Loss of Graduates. "It is disastrous to the life of this country if envy, or indifference, or narrowness should quench library enthusiasm engendered at some cost," declared Mr. T. D. H. Hall, Clerk of the House of Representatives, during an address at the Xew Zealand Library Association conference. "We hear much of the loss of some of our best graduates abroad, and it is urged that we do not pay enough in this country," he continued. "It may lie so, but I have' spoken to many, to some who have stayed abroad, and to some who have returned to this country. What they miss is that atmosphere of culture, of general interest in fine things, which is so stimulating and so necessary for the maintenance of their own intellectual development and which they have enjoyed so richly in some of the great centres abroad." ,

Not That Kind of Title. Considerable amusement was caused at a meeting n t Walton last week, addressed by Mr. A. F. Moncur. M.1 , ., v lien .the ineiiibe'r misunderstood the question, "How many titleholders are there in New Zealand?' , "I don't know and I don't care much. There will bo no Sir Francis Moncur at any rate,' , said the ]• ember. "I meant land title-holders," said the questioner. Naval Reserve Recruits. There is no lack of recruits for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and 20 young men. ranging in age from 18 to 2:!. v ere svv~orn in last .vening. The recruits included clerks, chemists and labourers. Then is invariably ;< number of yachtsmen am.). g recruits for the referve. i nt many gain their first experience of lMV.tiiig in the reserve's whalers. Thenis an initial training period of four years, after which the men may continue iii the reserve for further periods of the same duration. The men have a week's obligatory training at sea each year, with the option of I a further week's training in the minesweeper Wakakura. Also, when opportunity arises, drafts are embarked on the two" Imperial sloops for combined mines weeping exercises 'with the Wakakura. After six months' training smart recruits are given an oj jwrtunity cf transferring to the Communications brunch, which comprises wireless telegraphy Rt'd vi-nal signalling sections. The former section does its sea training on the Philomel, and the latter in cruisers on the New Zealand station. Pertinent Questions. Several letters from the local Ratepayers and Citizens' Association were received by the Onehunga Borough Council last night dealing with questions of local interest. The first request was for a copy of the last balancesheet, which was granted. The next request was for information regarding the number of meetings lipid by the council since they look office in 193."). with the attendance of each member. The Mayor intimated that the association could obtain the necessary information at the council office. With regard to the Council's attitude in granting extension of leave of absence to Mr. (J. E. Haydon, a member of the council, the association intimated t"hat it had been suggested that if he was not able to attend the regular meetings of the council he should tender his resignation. Mr. Haydon was present kt the meeting, and he intimated that he had removed from Onehunga and would therefore tender his resignation from the council. The Travel Habit.

"Travel is a very essential tU'mg, which has been truly called the life-blood of the Kmpire." said Mr. K. O. Cox, traflio manager of the Southern Railway, England, at a. function held by the Wellington Travel Club. "It is at once interesting as a problem and as an experience. A wonderful transformation is coming about inexorably, and although we may l>e associated with one form of traffic, we cannot be so narrow-minded as to think that ours is the only form. Railway officers the world over have been brought to see the importance of the motor car and aeroplane as a means of transport. The great problem is cooperation. There is room for all. A travel habit has been created where none existed before. Xow everyone travels. Despite the fact that the roads in England are swarming with motor cars, the railways at Home are carrying more people to-day than ever before. . . . We cannot, as members of a single organisation or as nations, live to ourselves. We must live and thrive together to help forward the great civilisation to which we all belong." A Headmaster Abroad. Visits to universities in Britain and America were paid by the R»v. Dr. E. X. Merrington. rector of Knox College, Dunedin, who returned yesterday by the Awatea from Sydney. He said he hoped that the result of his experiences would be for the enhancement of the opportunities ami development of the students in Knox College and kindred associations. There was no question that the importance of residence and community life in connection with universities was being increasingly recognised, said Dr. Merrington, and he was much interested in visiting the houses or halls of residence at some of the leading American universities, as well as the old colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. At the University of London a large students' hostel. London House, was opened several years ago. and this was shortly to be extended on a large scale. The students' expenses at such institutions were greater than in Xew Zealand, but in some respects the universities and colleges failed to reach the standard, from the viewpoint of all-round equipment, of Xew Zealand eollepes and hostels. Glory of the Ranges. A cool, wet summer has its compensations, even for city dwellers. There has been no trouble with flies or mosquitoes this year, hardly any need to usp the garden hose, and no danger from grass fires in vacant sections. In the country the benefits of an abundant rainfall have been even more apparent, and of still greater practical value. Feed has been fresh and plentiful through the period usually associated with dry. unsucculent pastures, and a drive through any part of the Auckland Province shows cattle in excellent condition, giving maximum milk yields. From an aesthetic point of view the results are delightful. A walk across the ranges, starting from convenient Tailway stations such as (ilen Eden or Waiti'kere. reveals vista after vista of green bush glades, with glorious views of hill and valley at every turn, and sweeps of fresh green grass. The loss of much heavy timber owing to indiscriminate milling operations in the past is certainly to be deplored. but it lias had the effect of encouraging the growth of the smaller native trees and shrubs. The bush alongside the road to Bethell's. for instance, is just now n paradise of natural beauty, and n step or two from the metalled truck is well repaid. The best way to see the country is still afoot, and it is good to realise that the Waitakere Ranges are to be preserved for all time as a natural playground. In years to come, when Auckland is a far greater centre of population than at present, this wonderful asset will be still more appreciated.