NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Local Timber Substitute. Indigenous trees of the size and kind required to produce blocks fur wood chopping competitions having become so scarce as to lealise a high juice, the Kcrepeehi Sports Association lias had to order blocks of poplar for its annual sports on Easter Monday. This timber is easier to chop than white pine, or p liken tea, which is usually used. On Tapu Ground. When in Auckland attending the recent Methodist Conference, the Key. A. E. .Jefferson. of To A wain ut u, ascertained from the files of the Church tlie interesting fact that the first Weslcyan mission in the Waipa was established near Pirongia in the year IS4O. It was found, however, that the site chosen was sacred to the Maoris, whose hostility was thereby invoked, so that it was decided a little later to shift the mission to IV Kopua. where it was duly established, and where recently the golden jubilee of the native school was held, allusion then being made to the belief that the mission centenary would be next year. Ragwort Flies. Judging by their actions when released in Ohinemuri county, the ragwort seed flies nowbeing distributed by the Cawthron Institute may prove an effective enemy of the ragwort menace. Tin# county council contributed to the funds of the institute, and was rewarded with a consignment of flies. These were placed on flowering ragwort near Karangahake and tlie flies immediately flew or crawled to the heart of the flowers, seeking those so advanced towards ripeness that the seeds were not too tightly packed. The insects do not attack tlie seeds, but lay their eggs in the heart of the flowers, and the young, on hatching. eat the seeds. Cream on the Road. Improvements to the roads in rural areas have brought about yet another source of danger to road users. Among other classes tempted by the smooth surfaces to travel at fast speed have been cream cartage contractors. and it sometimes happens that in rounding a corner or bend a can of cream is thrown on to the road from the highlystacked lorry. The hot sun causes the cream to spread over a great area of road, and this surface becomes so slippery that cyclists often fail to negotiate it, and even motor cars have dangerous skids. The spilling of cream on the Paeroa-Xetherton road last week caused several mishaps, but on this occasion none of them had serious consequences. Strenuous Antarctic Days. Three times a traveller in expeditions to the Antarctic Circle, Captain R. Ci. England, who recounted a story of his adventures in yesterday's "Star." would not tell of the hardships endured and the risks that must have been run. "Strenuous times? Yes, there were •trenuous times, all right." he said. "I remember John K. Davis, who is now Director of Navigation for New South Wales. We were down South in the Ximrod. landing stores as fast as we could. The crew had worked all day and all night. Shackleton called a halt for breakfast, and signalled that we would start operations in half an hour. I signalled back from the ship that it would be impossible for the men to start work again for at least two or three hours, they were so exhausted. The men sat over their breakfast, half asleep. I remember Davis had some bacon on his fork. He got it half-way to his open mouth, and fell asleep with his head in his plate." Only one life was lost during Captain England's three voyages to the Antarctic Circle. A seaman aboard the Discovery" named Vinee fell over a cliff of iceand was killed. Down in the darkness of the South at a place called Hut Point a memorial was erected of stones, with a wooden cross. Captain England believed it would last for ever. Better Off in New Zealand. It might be a consolation to the teachers and pupils who on Monday creep, like snails, unwillingly to school, to reflect upon a recent article in an English educational review dealing with the school organisation in (lermany. writes a correspondent. It contrasts the present regime with the past, in which at least the teaching profession had considerable freedom and contained many members who were allowed to concern themselves mainly with teaching, having no clearly-formed political opinions. Xow. however, a headmaster needs • >fteti to be a Vicar of Brav to reconcile standard teaching with current variations, such as the Nazi race theories. The word "schoolmaster" is used advisedly. f<>r headmistresses have long since been removed, as women cannot be tolerated in lead in ir positions. The teachers' time outside of school is liable to he arbitrarily taken for "voluntary" 1 instruction in the Xazi Youth ((roups, sewing groups for winter relief, to attend teachers' camps, to join territorials, or for air defence drill. To support Xazi activities many contribnie considerable sums from their wages. Strict formulae fof communications between pupils and teachers, and between teachers and educational headquarters, have been laid down. At one time it was possible to see a letter that a teacher would bp absent /or two days, having sprained his ankle. Heil Hitler! or a note from a mother that Hans would not be able to come to school on a wet day. as lie had only leaking boots, Heil Hitler! Xow "Heil Hitler!" has only to be used as a termination to certain specified official letters. As for the pupils, they are required to make contributions of small sums of money for Nazi film shows, youth hostels fund, school outings, holiday homes, the Xazi children's newspaper, etc., etc.

An Early Frost. I he weather this season lias been remarkable; never lias it been what might be called seasonable. Last uight another surprising change t'lok place. and this morning there was a distinct nip in the air. At l'apakura there were evidences of an early frost. and before the sun rose over the Hunua Ranges the grass was tinged with the rime of a frost. It was heavier down towards the shores of the Miiniikaii Harbour than up in the township. Strange Find on Beach. Queer tiling* come ashore at Mason's Bay (Stewart Island), and it one kept a record of these it would make interesting rending, states a "Southland News'' correspondent. Last week a case of fish was cast up <111 the beach, and the contents were unu-ital. as the fish did not all belong to New Zealand waters. Iwo layers of a large crab with flat, long nippers were on top, and the lower In vers were a mixture of soles, turhot and a fish like snapper. "Something Over £1000." A report from the Very lie v. Dean -T. B. Biocklehurst, Dean of Waiapu. on his recent \ isit to England to raise tuuds for the new Napier Cathedral, was presented to the standing committee of the Diocese of Waiapu at a meeting in Xapier. The following statement was authorised bv the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Herbert Williams: "The Result was not considered to warrant any action being taken in the near future. ' It was revealed following Dean Broeklehurst s return to Xapier that the amount he had collected, with exchange, was "something over £1(100." Synthetic Wool. Evidence of the progress made ill the manufacture of synthetic wool front skim milk is afforded in the form of two sample* of the commodity which Mr. O. Hussa, of Rata o Rangi, near Te Awamiitu. has received from friends in Italy. The "manufactured" wool is remarkably fine and strong in texture, has a silky appearance, and is evidence of the manner in which science and ingenuity can blend to surmount economic handicaps, and perhaps influence the established foundations of world trade. Romantic Strategy. That the romantic strategy which lay in part behind the decision to establish camps in country districts for public works and harvesting was working out well was asserted by Mr. .i. Thorn, M.!\ for Thames, to a meeting of farmers in his electorate last week. The young men from the cities, he said, go along to the dances in the townships near where they are stationed, they meet the local girls, and thereafter are content to stay in the (jountrv. Overseas Lottery Propaganda. The competition between overseas lottery enterprises for the favour of New Zeakuid investors is keen. Recently local agents have been circulating by hand sealed envelopes containing the representation of a bird carrying a message, inscribed, "Will this letter be delivered?" Then "Have you a friend?'' takes the place of the address, followed by a request to pass on this letter. The contents, of course, are tircular* with details of consultations, together with directions for sending money for tickets. In some cases Aucklanders have received quite a number of these sealed letters with their implied request, and it is stated that the Dominion is being flooded with matter in this manner, postage being thus evaded. Box Office Successes. In his judgment, given in an action in which picture interests were the litigants. Mr. Justice Callan mentioned that the number of films to come to New Zealand in a year was estimated at from 400 to ">OO. The New Zealand public did not prove to be equally appreciative of all of them, and a witness of some experiece estimated that only about 2U per cent of the films imported into and exhibited in New Zealand proved to be box office successes. Another witness had stated that it was not unusual for persons to travel 50 or •10 miles to see a particular picture, but his Honor would not accept that statement as a fair example of the general habits of New Zealanders. The Arbitration Court. Reference to the fact that it ha« been suggested that two Arbitration Courts should be set up. that the Conciliation Council should be given wider powers, and that industrial magistrates, should be appointed, is made in "The Borer." the official ofjali of the Auckland Carpenters and -loiners' Cnion. It i--t;'t"d that the objection to the two Courtis that there mijlit be some confu-ion followii.g on different pronouu'-enient s by separate Courts. The possibility of this would be considerably lessened, however, if each Court was to confine itself to the hearing of disputes in connection with certain sections of the workers only. For instance, a finding in connection with a dispute in the grocery trade would hardly seem to be necessarily in conflict with the building trades, and in granting wider powers to conciliation commissioners this would be a matter that would have to be well safeguarded. But it did not seem riirlit that any agreement in conciliation council cou.d be upset and worsened by a decision of the Court. "The third proposal might well meet with at least qualified approval, in that industrial magistrates should l>e better able to adjudicate on breaches of the award than the ordinary civil Courts." it is added. "It is a well-known fact that these cases never get a fair hearing from the workers' point of view when tried in these Courts, and, furthermore. seeing that we are always told that owing to pressure of business such cases must lie delayed for at least two months, it would seem that the time is well ripe for something to be done to speed up the wheels of justice."