NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 235, 4 October 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Rats In Rarotonga. The rat menace on the took Islands | plantations has been tackled earnestly, writes a Karotongan correspondent. In the past, many young seedlings have been destroyed, as well an beautiful berry-bea«in<r shrubs, and a percentage of the coconnt palms, by the depredations of rats. As the result of the latest campaign of rat destruction by trapping in Rarotonga, the district inspectors have received over J20.000 tails in less than a fortnight. 'Possum Trapping on East Coast. The number of opossum skins handled in the Waiapu and East Coast acclimatisation districts during the past season was 12,328, as compared with 15.282 in the record Reason of 1034. In the East Coast district the number of skins stamped by the Government officer was 0475. Actually the open season for trapping included July and August, but trappers are allowed an extra month to have skins stamped in Gisborne. The biggest catch made by any one trapper was in the vicinity of 700 skins, while most of the others secured between 200 and 400. In the past eight years the numbers of skins stamped in Gisborne have been as follows:—lJJ3o, 4837; 1931, 1447; 1932, closed season; 1033, 5734; 1034, 12;648; 1035, 2323; 1936, closed season; 1037, 9478

Rarotongan Freedom. When the Resident Commissioner for the Cook Islands permitted the natives of Xgutangiia district to elect a member to the Island Council to represent them, he restored to them a privilege that they had not been allowed to exercise for 20 years, writes the

"Star's" Rarotonga correspondent. To celebrate such an important event the native returned soldiers of the district presented him with a large key painted gold, and eaid that "through the kindness of his heart he had allowed them to exercise a vote and had opened the door to that freedom for • which they had fought in the Great War." The Ariki and Mataiopo and people of the Takitumu district entertained him to luncheon and formally.- made him a member of the great Takitumu Vaka.

Streamers Streamed. One of those rare occasions when a gentleman can watch, with equanimity, the lady at his side being repeatedly struck by solid missiles, and can even enjoy it when hit himself, occurred in His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night at the conclusion of "Runnymede," the eolourful operatic play now running an extended season of a week. The missiles were streamer rolls, a cloud or a shower of which fell across the orchestra and on to the stage even before the curtain went up again after the finale. The cast thereupon responded in Hnd, and a real "battle" was in progress. Stalls, circle and "god*" shared in the fun, the theatre presenting a scene of colour and bonhomie rarely equalled by the most popular professional companies of the past. Dozens of bouquets and other tributes were handed up to principals and members of the cast of nearly 400 players, all of whom were "on etage" for the grand finale. The audience eventually filed out, leaving work for an army of cleaners, but the cast remained on the etage for photographs and speeches. Their audience was probably in bed when they walked out of the stage door into the arcade. " Yellow Good Gracious.**

"Naturalist" writes:—ln the long flower bed which flanks the Princes Street frontage of Albert Park is a neat little wooden label alongside a neat little plant. The plant is a chrysanthemum, and its name is "Yellow Good Gracious." Further along in the park is the well-known circular rose bed, where are displayed such elegant and patrician titles as "Comtesse rle Castile," "Lord Castlereagh" and "Prince de Rohan," but, for the present season, "Yellow Good Gracious" steals the picture, as they say in filmland. It is perhaps more of an exclamation than a botanical title, but what a refreshing change from the ponderous Latin names inflicted on the native shrubs and flowering plants on the University College frontage just over the road. However, one must journey to the Domain to see the brightest pearls of nomenclature in this regard. The pretty little mingimingi is Coprosma Cunninghamii. the kohukohu is Pittosporum tenifolium, while a small prickly shrub staggers under the name Hymenanthera dentata var angustifolia. Help! What fun those botanists must have had in composing such names as these. Thank goodness for "Yellow Good Gracious." We can at least pronounce it correctly.

" Fine Feathers . . . ** If fine feathers do make fine birds, there was a whole aviary in the Ascot Reception Room on Saturday ni<rht. after the annual dinner of the Old Contcmptibles' Association. With dinner over, and the less formal part of the evening under way. hats were distributed to all the guests, and the transformation from conventional, dinner-suited New Zcalanders to glamorous, exotic personages was remarkable. And what hats they were! Stoutly made by hand, they should be for some time a tangible reminder of a memorable evening. Keen on the floor was Sir Clutha Mackenzie, erect nnd regal in a tall helmet reminiscent of Roman days, in silver, capped with white fur. Also there was the honorary chaplain of the association, the Rev. G. V. Gerard, in a creation which, if sponsored, would surely revolutionise ecclesiastical headgear. It was a tall hat in the shape of a mitre, done in blue and silver, complete with small bells, one on each side. But hend and shoulders above the rest was an ex-Grenadier Guardsman, of appro- 1 priate height, who, when he donned his tall helmet, shot to a remarkable height, and almost disappeared amongst the rafters.

Loud-Speaker System. When the question of installation of wireless was under consideration at the Thames Hospital Board, one member stated that he was opposed to the loud-epeaker system. "It is all right in the home," said another member, "where one can have one's own way, occasionally." Lost Interest. When counsel appearing in an appeal against a magistrate's decision asked for an adjournment in the Supreme Court this morning, Mr. Justice Callan said he had been through the papers and noticed that the action had first been set down for hearing some time ago. "It is a pity to waste the time of a busy Court when the parties appear to have lost all interest in the matter," said his Honor, in grouting an adjournment for a fortnight.

Seamen's Condition Satisfactory. The condition of the seamen who were rescued from drowning last Thursday is reported by the naval base authorities to be quite satisfactory. During the race for the Diomede Cup a galley capsized off Karaka Bay. Three men were drowned, and five were rescued. Though all five men were in a most exhausted state when they reached shore after being rescued, they eoon rallied when given hot drinks, and by the time they had arrived back at the base their condition gave no cause for alarm, and has continued to improve. Where Warmth is Lacking. "The warmth of the hearts of New Zealand people is only exceeded by the coldness of their houses," remarked Dr. G. J. Hucker. when lecturing to the Wellington Philosophical Society. Dr. Hucker, a visitor from the United States, went on to say that ever since his arrival in the Dominion he had been so carefully and kindly shepherded that at first he felt sure that there must be some unpleasant people round the corner somewhere — people whom his shepherds were trying to hide from him. But he was now of the opinion that they did not exist, and wherever he had been he had met with nothing but kindness and kind people.

A Close Shave. A miraculous escape from serious injury or perhaps death when a motor car was struck by a railway train on the Eltham level crossing recently, left the Maori owner-driver quite unperturbed. Recounting his experience afterwards, he said: "I have five Maoris in the car, and when we come to the crossing one of them says, "No train.' Igo ahead. Soon lam on the line and I look round and see the train coming. By korry, I step on it quick, but the train hit the back of the car and the next thing I know is that the spare wheel and the luggage box are torn off. I look round, and, py korry, I got five pakehas in the car!"

Hardy Tars. The hardihood of onr Jack Tars is proverbial, and was happily illustrated on Saturday afternoon, when two membere of the crew of the Achilles cutter, which capsized on Thursday afternoon, turned out for the ship's Soccer team in the final knock-out for the Home Cup for competition among all warships on the New Zealand station. The players were Leading Seaman Lund and Seaman Wakefield. "Lofty" Lund is the popular cnptain of the New Zealand Navy team (and also the Achilles XL), and one of the most finished exponents of the game in New Zealand. Wakefield ie also a fine full-back, and both played great games in the six-goal win of the Achilles over the Leander. Yet on Thursday night both were in the Auckland Hospital" suffering from exposure and exhaustion after the upset off the Bastion Point in a howling westerly.

Boat for Shark Fishing. A visitor to Tauranga for the deep-sea fishing off Mayor Island last season, Mr. W. Macpherson, of Alverstone, Hants, England, has written to a Tauranga resident stating 1 that he is having a launch built in Auckland. It is 4ft long, with an lift beam, and will be fitted with twin Diesel engines of 36 h.p. each. The launch will be utilised by Mr. Macpherson for fishing off Mayor Island. The accommodation will be made a feature, and a wireless set will be installed. . Mr. Macpherson intends leaving England on October 13 or 14 by the Orient liner Orcades, due at Sydney on November 18. He will stay in Sydney for a fortnight, and hopes to arrive in Auckland about December 7. He has taken a house at Otumoetai, Tauranga, and intends staying for about five months. The launch is being built by W. O. Lowe and Son, Ltd., and is expected to be finished about the end of November, when Mr. Macpherson will take it to Tauranga. Circus Monkeys' Escape. Seven monkeys that escaped when their cage was capsized with its trailer behind a motor lorry on the Buller (Jorge Road yesterday led most of the staff of Sole Brothers' Circus a merry dance before they were recaptured. It was not until 4i hours later that the last of the monkeys was caught, and the perspiring pursuers resumed their trip to Westport. A collision between a motor truck and the trailer on which the monkeys' cage was mounted occurred on a bend, both trailer and cage being capsized. The fall sprung some of the bars, and in a flash seven of the 3(i monkeys in the cage were free. Scampering through bush and scrub, the monkeys were difficult to catch, and showed a marked preference for climhing the nearest tree instead of submitting meekly to capture. Local residents joined in the chase with gusto, but strategy rather than numbers finally won the day. A tame monkey was used as a decoy, and the fugitives' curiosity eventually overcame their discretion, with the result that all were safely returned to the cage.