NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 146, 22 June 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Steamer AVith Brick Funnel. After many years' experience of sailingboat ferries between Auckland and Devonport, said Mr. T. Walsh in an address on old Devonport, the Provincial Government in 1858 called tenders for a steam ferry service to North Shore. There were to be two return trips daily. In 1859 a steamer was built at Riverhead for this service. The craft was the City of Auckland, and screw driven —an innovation in those days—but the boat was most remarkable for its funnel, which was built of brick.

To Wellington—for the Test. A football-tninded Auckland office is making the journey to Wellington to the Jifst Test match, Xew Zealand v. South Africa, on August 14, practically en masse. About 30 young men have made arrangements with the Railway Department for a whole carriage to themselves, and although the match is nearly two months away poker fours are already being arranged, as it is anticipated there will be little sleep on the way down the island. In Wellington the party has engaged 20 rooms at a city hotel. The matter of seats at the match is being left to chance and the gods of the weather.

Railways and Court Costs. "The police have instructions that wherever possible the railways are to be used by witnesses," declared Senior Sergeant Finch in the Police Court at Wliangarei ' yesterday when the magistrate. Mr. <r. X. Morris, S.M.. commented that use of the railways bv Court witnesses sometimes entailed higher expense in time ami travel costs. The magistrate Mated that in future he did not intend to allow railway fare in cases where other forms of transport available were cheaper. In (lie ease on whirl) the i|iie-tion «no~c the wit-lies-,'s" expenses elaimed were Cl'l 111/, and the magistrate reduced them to £14 2/(i.

Width of Great South Road. "Tiiis calls attention to a fact, that has been obvious for some time, that Hie widlli of the Great South Rca<l is insufficient to carry the volume of traffic,'' said Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., at the Otahuhu Police Court yesterday, during the hearing: of a charge of negligent driving preferred against a motorist. "If one is in a line of traffic." added Mr. McKean, "one must keep in the liive linti 1 the way is clear to overtake traffic ahead, and sometimes this means waiting a long time. The width of the concrete is 18ft. or roughly the width of three cars, but it is impracticable for three cars to pass in two lines of traffic." Mr. McKean stressed tlie point that in law it was the duty of the driver about to overtake to see that the way was clear before attempting to do so.

Hasty Air Mail Closing. The second illustration within a few days of the inconvenience caused from time to time by the uncertainty of trans-Tasman connections for the Kmpire air mail was given yesterday, ■ when postal officials were forced to close at Auckland, four days earlier than scheduled, air mail due -to reach London on July 11. Wireless advice from the Wanganella yesterday stated the vessel was meeting heavy weather en route from Sydney to Auckland, and that she would arrive on Thursday, a day late. The Post Office was advised by the Huddart-Parker Company that the ship would not leave Auckland until.noon on Saturday—too late to connect with the mail 'plane at Cootamundra. Instead of closing on Friday afternoon, the air mail was closed at seven o'clock last night, and dispatched for Sydney by the cargo steamer Kairanga.

Pacifying the Pup. A proud Auckland father has just acquired a six weeks' old pup for hiis son and heir, and as a result not only his household but also residents adjoining hia suburban home have spent wakeful nights. Father in nightshirt and dressing gown' on the first night slipped out. into *the fog periodically and administered a thrashing to the pup in an effort to minimise the howling, which was disturbing the neighbourhood. Weary-eyed, he made his way to work yesterday and confessed his troubles to workmates. Many were the suggestions for pacifying the lonely pup, including the filling of a beer bottle with hot water and tossing it into its kennel to delude it into the belief, that it was back amongst the litter from which' it came. He carried the bright idea home with him last evening, only to find that his wife had been doing a little investigating on her own behalf, and had acted on advice given her. She had swooped down on her husband's black silk socks, reserved for evening wear, filled them with paper, and presented them to the pup. The scheme worked moderately well, and there was more slumbering done in the particular locality last night than during the previous evening. The pup made few protests until an early hour in the morning, when he again came in for chastisement, and was heard no more until everyone was np and stirring.

Dances and Liquor. Representatives of organisations interested in the temperance and prohibition movements waited on the Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, yesterday and made complaints in respect to drinking at dances by young people. Attention was also drawn to the increased trade being done by hotels ■since the introduction of the 40-hour week. Dr. L. Gordon Drury, president of the Council of Christian Congregations, urged the Minister to put into operation whatever legal remedies already existed, and to secure any further legislation which might be necessary for checking the practice of drinking at dances. Mr. F. C. Pace, president of the Auckland area of the New Zealand Alliance, said many men did not appreciate the leisure which recent legislation had given them. The closing of bars, he said, should be brought into line with the 40-hour week. He also referred to the waste of sustenance money on liquor, and advocated the issue of coupons or tokens for the purchase of food, clothing and other necessaries. Stricter supervision of hotels was necessary. In reply, the Minister said several useful suggestions had been made. He could not promise anything in respect to legislation, but would give the representations earnest consideration and place them before Cabinet. j

Another Half-holiday.

A half-holiday is being enjoyed to-day by the pupils of the Xapier Street and Beresford Street schools in honour of a visit paid yesterday to the schools by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry. The City Schools Committee consented to this. After inspecting the classrooms and grounds the Minister addressed the children and told them to pay attention to the instruction they received, both in educational matters and in sport. To have a love for healthy sport, he said, was essential to their well-being if they desired to grow up stalwart Xew Zealanders.

A Lady Cyclist Goes to Thames. In the days when we wore long bathing suits, bushy whiskers and big moustaches, and our womenfolk wore skirts touching the ground and hats with birds' wings and big feathers, it was not common to see a lady ride such a contraption as a bicycle, states the Thames "Star." An old Thames resident can remember the awe that was felt in the town when a Miss Reynolds came from Auckland and brought a bicycle with her. and. what, is more, actually rode it in.Pollen Street. The local gossips had a subject to talk about for days. Cab drivers nearly fell off their seats, and the horses were much concerned. Thames really sat up and took notice!

Aucklander Blamed. Officially the delay on Sunday evening in the departure of the first Wellington-Auckland Limited express to leave the new Wellington railway station is explained otherwise, but one of the passengers who reached Auckland yesterday morning, when the train arrived on the dot of time, related that they were delayed a quarter of an hour in starting from Wellington through the default of an Aucklander. The current story on the train was that a member of a visiting Auckland Kugby League football team lost liis way in the mazes of Wellington's new railway headquarters. ami tiic I.imit''(l liad to lie held up until a search partv had located and got him aboard.

More Street Clocks. Two large clocks have recently been erected on the frontage of business premises in Karangnhape Road, between Pitt Street and the top of Queen Street. They are of the newest type, with thick white hands on a bliick face, and are easily read. A third new clock, with an illuminated dial, under the verandah near the France Street corner, is very usefully placed for the convenience <>f shoppers. Queen Street and Karangaliape Road are now well supplied with clocks, and two other electric street clocks have been installed in Khvber Pass Road between the top of Symonds Street and Xewmarket. Hut there is still Jieed for a big clock, public owned or otherwise, in Upper Symonds Street, placed in a position where it would be visible from the (irafton Bridge corner. Since the removal of the big advertisement clock at the St. Benedict's Street corner, a long stretch of busy street is "asking for the,time."

School Reference Library. A tribute was paid by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parrv, yesterday, to the enterprise of the Xapier Street School Committee and of the headmaster. Mr. F. .T. Mackay, in establishing n reference library, to which the children had access. The headmaster said he had been astonished at the frequency with which the children had made use of the library, and at the progress made in their studies. The method was for the children to take a hook from the library, study its pages, select a subject upon which ■they were interested, and prepare a lecturette. The Minister inspected some of these leeturettes, and considered them to be informative and remarkably well afipressed. Mr. Parry, who is interested in the preservation of native birds, commented on a boy's composition on "Why are many birds' eggs different in colour ?" "Very good—a fine piece of work for a schoolboy," said the Minister, after reading, the composition.

Winter Milestone. 0 In a manner different from the instinctive indication offered by frosts and fog and cold feet, New Zealand is reminded by scientific evidence this week that winter is here. Yesterday, or to-day, as some have it —it is the subject of long-standing controversy, though to the man in the street that makes little difference—was the shortest day. The sun has reached the most northerly portion of its annual track, the southern hemisphere is experiencing its minimum possible hours of daylight (a matter of seconds), and winter has officially begun. In actual experience it is not so sudden as all that. Any Aucklander will tell you that winter has been going on for about two years, reaching its peak of dampness at Christmas time and its limit of cold towards the end of July. Apart from that, yesterday—or to-day—was a definite milestone, and. having passed it. yon may look pleasurablv ahead to the Springboks, the Labour Day week-end, springtime and—maybe —summer.

Plantation of Native Trees. After eight or nine years the plantation of native trees and shrubs around the Auckland University College building in Princes Street has acquired a permanent interest, and is helping to break down the ignorance of native flora which is so marked among New Zealanders. Being within a few minutes of the heart of the city, the collection can be inspected in a lunch hour stroll, and is convenient for students and visitors who have not the time or the opportunity to go further afield. The collection represents most of the' better-known specimens of the bush, and the conditions around the college appear favourable for their growth. There are sheltered spots where tree ferns flourish, and cool corners where a number of Alpine plants have been successfully established. Among the more popular of the trees are the kowhai, the karaka, the puriri, the rimu and the kauri. The yellow-flowering kumerehou and the kowhai represent the spring attractions. Some of the Alpine specimens are from the high mountains of the South. For the benefit of students and visitors most of the varieties are labelled, which is apprciated by those who desire to increase their knowledge without revealing their ignorance.