NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 229, 27 September 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Judges at Golf

For three members of the Supreme Court Bench to be present together on the Mnftawiitii pttlt course on Saturday must in itself have boon a unique event, but more remarkable still was the confession of one of them that he was witnessing his first <rolf match. The thief Justice, Sir Michael Mycin, ami Mr. Justice Smith both enjoyed a round, thouph not participating in the lejrul profession's tourney, which was in progress. It was Mr. Justice Ostler who was being educated, and he admitted that he had enjoyed the day and saw the possibiliticN of the frame. His Honor, as is well known, is more ardent over Rugby and big-game hunting.

King's College Chapel. Within the past 12 months pupils of King's College have contributed more than £50 towards the cost of completing the oak panelling at the chapel erected at the college by old boys as a memorial to those of their number who fell in the Great War. The contributions have been made by the boys from their own pocket money. These facts were mentioned by the headmaster, Mr. J. X. Peart, when speaking at the old boys' annual dinner at the Auckland Club on Saturday evening. A reference to the chapel was also made by his Grace Archbishop Averill, at the college* yesterday, when he described the chapel as probably the most beautiful south of the Line. "When I meet visitors from -overseas and discuss the places they should, visit, I always say that one of the things they must see is the chapel at King's College," he said.

Problem of Earthworms. The tremendous spread of earthworms on some parts of the Hnuraki Plains was discussed at the meeting of the Kerepeehi branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union last week. Mr. H. D. .Tamieson stated that, according to a test taken at the Pekapeka Road, there were 82.000,000 worms to the acre. In wet months the worms rose to the surface, and in the dry season the earth cracked and caked, making it impossible for moisture to reach seed sown and preventing germination. There was no specific cure for the pest except a severe flood or a very dry summer, added Mr. .Tamieson. He thought the Department of Agriculture should he approached, for the worms were increasing and spreading rapidly.

The Trams Benefited. As the result of the Teat match on Saturday the Auckland Transport Board benefited to the extent of £3519 1/10 during the weekend. In making this report to the board this morning the chairman, the Hon. H. O. R. Mason, said that on Saturday 102 cars ran to Eden Park, carrying a total of 15,000 passengers, and that 181 care made the return trip. All the board's rolling 9tock was in use. The total for Saturday was £2403 0/4, as compared with the £2012 3/7 taken on the day of the Auckland-Springbok match, and £1000 for the ordinary Saturday. Yesterday £1019 1/0 was taken, as compared with £770 2/7 on the Sunday after the Springboks' first match here. "Better bring the Springboks back," commented Mr. J. A. C. Allum. "Well, they haven't done us any harm, at any rate," said the chairman. Lettere of thanks are to be sent to the Mount Albert. Mount Eden and City Councils expressing the thanks of the board for the co-operation in the handling of traffic.

Casualty Clearing Station. The Springbok Test on Saturday was more than a test of strength between two Rugby teams. On the bank it was a test of strength nnd staying power, with 40.000 people adding their weight to the toughest scrum of the day. As a result the ambulance tents were casualty clearing stations that held as many victims as they might had a war been on. In all, 230 men, women and children were given attention at the tents, mostly fainting cases, though several had been hurt by thrown missiles (including bottles). Seventy-two members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade were on duty at the ground, and they were kept busy throughout. Corps Officer W. R. Dawson was in charge, and was assisted by Lady Corps Officer, Mrs. E. Cammell, Corps Officer R. K. Crawford, and Divisional Superintendent H. W.Thompson. Assisting also were the men of the law. In all there were 90 constables, organised in sections under ten sergeants, and under the direction of Inspector D. Scott they did good work in keeping the unruly clement in order, and in clearing the ground.

Great Auckland's Growth. The latest estimates of population for the main cities, compiled by the Government Statistician, Mr. J. W. Butcher, reveal an increase of 2140 in Greater Auckland, and increases for the other leading cities of 1730 for Wellington, 040 for Christchurch and MO for Dunedin. Auckland City proper now has ft population exceeding 103,000. The suburbs In the metropolitan area in order of population are: Mount Albeit 10,!)00, Mount Eden 18,050, Onehunga 11.200, Devon port 0770, One Tree Hill, 8140, Tnkapuna 7350, Mount Koskill 7180, Otahunii r>.'>f.o, New Lynn 3510, Birkenhead 3430, Newmarket 20H0, Xorthoote 2370, Mount Wellington 1730, Pamnurc 380, remainder of urban area 0320. The total is 214,200, compared with 212,159 when the census was taken 18 months ago. Wellington has a population for the metropolitan area of 151,700, and Wellington City proper of 110.700. In contrast with Auckland's rinjr of important boroughs, Wellington has only four ind »p"ndently governed districts in the urban area, those being Lower FTutt 10,500. Petone 11,000, Eastbourne 2340, and Johnsonville 1750.

Dominion Day Observed. Banks, the Stock Exchange, the Supreme Court, legal and other professional offices observed to-day, the 30th anniversary of Dominion Day, which fell yesterday. Schools were open as usual. Yesterday marked also a Danish national festival, the birthday of the present King of Denmark and Iceland, Christian X. The Danish flag was flown over the office of the Vice-Consul in Auckland, Mr. S. P. Andersen.

Work for Recruits I It is the intention of the Defence Department to include vocational instruction in the general training scheme that is being prepared under the new special enlistment system. Reference to this was made by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in expressing his pleasure at the type of young man who was offering for the three months' training system. The Government intended also to try to obtain employment for those requiring it at the end of the three months' course. It was hoped next year, he said, to enlist men just after the harvest for training in the winter eason. There must be plenty of young men in seasonal work who would welcome such a chance. There had been a late start with the scheme this year, but Auckland already had its full quota. Wellington lagged a bit, but Christchurch had a surplus.

Football " Sportsmanship." "I think our crowds are deteriorating," remarked Mr. H. B. Lusk, first assistantmaster at King's College, when referring at the King's College Old Boys' annual dinner at the Auckland Club on Saturday night to the defeat of the All Blacks by the Springboks. "On several occasions this afternoon there was booing," he said. "Anyone who boos at a football match is beyond the pale." When a free kick was awarded to Xew Zealand there were loud cheers, but the cheers were not given when the penalty was against the home side. "Twenty minutes before the match was due to end the crowd started to stream away," he added. "Why? Were they fed up? Did they all want to catch a tram? Xo. Xew Zealand was being beaten. What does it mean? It means that winning is the allimportant thing in the eyes of a large section of our football followers."

They Were Weary. There were sounds of revelry by night on Saturday and until the wee sma' hours of /Sunday morning, but it found little echo with the weary crowds thronging the railway station after the match. They were tired—it had been a big day—and fatigued bodies crumpled into carriage seats ns soon as they were emptied. By midnight the platform was practically deserted, but yesterday unprecedentedly large gatherings farewelled the five excursion trains for Wellington and the specials for Palmcrston Xorth, New Plymouth and Wnnganui. Again last evening hundreds were down to see off the three long expresses which left within half an hour of each other. Platform tickets sold to the extent of 100(f and from one o'clock 184."> pillows were hired to south-bound passengers. Oreat interest was taken in the departure of Southern All Blacks by the 7.15 p.m. train. A number of Cabinet Ministers also left bv the Limited, and the Oovcrnor-Cicneral, Viscount Galway. was a passenger by the spec'wil which left for Wellington half an hour later.

The "New" Defence Force. A picturesque feature of the ceremony in front of the Cenotaph yesterday afternoon, when the "Retreat" was sounded by buglers of H.M. Royal Marines, was the mounting of four sentries, one- each from the Navy, the Army, the Marines and the Royal Air Force, at corners of the terrace in the Museum foreground. A few minutes before five o'clock tlic sentries formed up, in single rank, on the broad pathway which flanks the Museum building, awaiting the command to march to the front and take up their places. They were nn object of much interest to a group of youngsters, who were obviously intrigued by the combination of Navy blue, khaki, Air Force blue and.the smart full dress of blue and scarlet, with snowy white helmet, of the marine. "What's this lot. Billy?" was the sotto voce inquiry of a budding warrior, aged about ten. "Oh, that'll be our new defence force." came the response. "Of course, that's not all of 'em, you know. They live at Devonport and Hobsonvillc—thousands of 'em."

" Among My Souvenirs." "None but the brave deserve the .fair," the port has itj and if for the "brave" you substitute the "bluejacket" and for the "fair'' the "fla»" you will have a fair summary of what took place at Eden Park on Saturday after the debacle. Xo sooner had the flnnl whistle gone than two sailors leaped from the crowd nnd made a hccline for the Eden Park goalpost*, from the top of which proudly—too proudly—fluttered the Springbok flag. One of them clambered up on to the crossbar, and from there started to climb the upright. His intentions were obvious. He was souvenir hunting. But his quest was harder than he anticipated; in other words, the upright was harder to climb thnn he had thought. So, being a man of ideas, he removed hi* shoos. Even then the climb was too hard, so he took off bis socks. St ill success seemed far off. so his companion climbed to the crossbar, while the sailor higher up. wing the shoulders of the man below as a foot rest. mannTed to gain the prize. He wrested free the flair, waved it in triumph and slithered down. Tn the meantime a civilian was trying for the other flag. He had no one to help him, but. like the spider which Bruce so much admired. he persevered, and he also pained a prize. He could not wrest the flagpole free, so he had perforce to be content with pulling the flag down by itself. The crowd, so down in the mouth with the result of the game. still had enthusiasm enough to cheer the efforts of the three men.