NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 268, 11 November 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

" Suicide Alley." Sonic adverse criticisms of the progress of street works in Dcvonporfe were voiced laet •■\ fiiintr when tlie council wns considering the course of its loan program me for road" improvements. The town clerk had stated that marly 70 per cent of the loan money had been expended, and the engineer's report reviewed the work in hand. Councillors stated that residents in various localities had complained about streets being left in a half-finished condition for lengthy periods, Mr. Aldridge reporting that (Slen Road was locally known as J'Suicide Alloy - ' on account of dangerous incidentals in the way of broken levels and heaps of unused material. The engineer explained that this condition was due to insufficient plant, and the iieet**ity for wing separate Jiangs for special sections of the jobs in hand. He forecast a speedy clean-Up of all the formation works under review. Meantime all dangerous features are to have special attention. Japanese Objective in Pacific. New Zca landers little know how vitally concerned they may be with the euccese or failure of Japan's war with China, according t<. Mr. R. T. Tosswill. a well-known Christchurch business man, who has just returned from a Jong tour through the Kast. "Only the Chinese—and fortunately there are 470,000,000 of them—etnnd betwee-i Japan and a vast empire in the Pacific, embracing ancient Kastern lands and extending down to Australia and N'ew Zealand," said Mr. Tosswill. "If China cannot hold out in this war the Japanese may rapidly push forward their plans, cut a canal through Siatn. circumvent the great British defensive base at Singapore, and asmime command of this part of the world." This design. Mr. Tosxwili said, depended for success greatly upon the outcome of the war in China. If the Chinese could hold out long enough the back of the Japanese military party might be broken, and the people of the southern parts of Japan, who were against the militarist*, might aseume command. It could be seen, therefore, how vitally Australia and Xew Zealand should be concerned with the fate of the ('lunette. Lighter Fleeces This Year. A reduction in weig?it of from 21b to 31b per sheep in wool clips thin season, compared with last, is expected in Huwke's Bay, owing to the abnormal climatic conditions which have prevailed in this district. A definite indication of reduced weights is obtained from the experience of Mr. Wallace Tod. of Otane, who is one of the first farmer* in Hawke's Bay to complete the whole of his shearing, including his breeding ewes. Mr. Tod remarked that hin clip this year was approximately 3lb per sheep lighter than hist season, there being a reduction of seven bales in the total number obtained from the shearing just completed when compared with the bales pressed in 1030 from the same number of sheep. Mr. Tod'* sheep usually clip particularly heavily, hoggets yielding lOJlb or more in a normal season. This year the hoggeta have clipped a little over 81b. There was practically no grease whatever in the wool clipped from thin flock, which was shorn prior to the present warm weather. Meritorious Local Effort. "This represents a very meritorious effort," said Mr. W. D. M. Mac Lean, speaking at the Devonport Borough Council last night, when a letter was received from the Vauxliall Hall Committee stating that the reconstructed hull would be open for public functions early in December. The committee comprise* members from the council, the Wakatere Canoe Club and residents of the Vaiixhall district. Moving that every assistance should be given the committee in improving the entrance to the building, lie said: "The officials and members of- the Wakatere Canoe Club have completely remodelled the previous ramshackle structure, and it is now a building of which the whole district may be proud. Thin work ha* been accomplished almost entirely by voluntary labour, and its equipment and finishing shows the pride which has been taken in the task." Mr. Mac Lean further praised the motive which had actuated the young men of Vauxhall in the completion of their self-appointed task, and said that it was a demonstration of public-spiritedness that deserved the commendation of everybody. Debt to the Jew. "The preservation of the Jew is a marvellous fact in the history of nations, ,, said the Moderator-elect of the Presbyterian Church of Xew Zealand, the Rt. Rev. W. H. Howes, in hie inaugural address at the opening of the General Assembly last night. "No one would grudge their scattered tribes a resting place in what for centuries was their national home, if that could be secured without prejudice to the rights and privileges of present occupants. The whole Christian world owe* an unpayable debt to the Jew, for Chriet was born of Mary. Their election to privilege was of God, and it may well be that He has yet some niche for them to fill in the service of the kingdom; but that does not mean that they will be the aristocracy of or a hierarchy in the kingdom, or that their blood relationship to Abram or their possession of Palestine are eseentinl to the consummation ot the kingdom. God's worship is not bound t*t» with this mountain or that, but in spirit and in truth, and the members of Hia kingdom are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Observation of Maoris. "Maoris apparently notice very different things from Europeans," remarked Mr. Justice Ostler, in the Supreme Court, Gieborne, when a Maori witness was beinjz questioned concerning the make of a motor car in which she had driven on numerous occasions. When the witness declared she could not describe the make of the car, his Honor commented that the point which would probably interest European* most was the manufacture, adding with a smile: "The greatest consideration to the Maori is will she go." Universal Half-day?

Mr. C. H. Burnett. M.P. for Tauranga. in a letter to Mr. H. H. Wood, of Te Aroha, has enclosed an extract from a letter received from Mr. H. T. Armstrong, Minister of Labour, who states: "I have to say that I anticipate introducing later in this Ressi«n a Shops and Offices Bill, and it is proposed in connection with this legislation to introduce the question of a universal half-holiday." A Word in Season. "A few words of caution to swimiiiens may he opportune, now that +he swimming season is approaching," is one part of a general public message conveyed in a leaflet just issued by the Department of Health. The message enjoiiiK parents to endeavour to have their children taught to swim, preferably by an expert; advises folk who can swim against over-confidence, and to conserve their powers by floating in the event of being caught by a back-setting current j and reminds people" of middle age that diving and over-exertion in the water should be avoided, as calculated to bring ear and other troubles. The leaflet addn that bathers generally should show some caution to avoid'the after-effects of chill, cramp and sunburn. The Human Touch. Mr. B. Suzuki, director of one of the biggest newspaper publishing companies of Japan, who passed through New Zeulaml a few weeks ago, mi a letter from Australia to the Mayor, makes an observation that it is well worth while recording. He writes: "Von will perhaps care to know what interested me most in Auckland, it was the inscription on the walk of the war shrine. [ have almost learnt it by heart:—They whom the inscription upon these walls commemorates are those from the provincial district of Auckland, who at the call of King and Country left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving their lives that o'thens might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that names be not forgotten. There is something that touches one's heart in this simple-worded sentence. Let me congratulate you. Mayor of Auckland, upon your city possessing an elegant war mennorinm and sublime eulogy carved uncra*able upon its walls." It seems apparent that it is the spirit of patriotism and self-sacrifice so well expressed in the short inscription on the memorial that make* an irresistible appeal to Japanese sentiment for the reason that it ig so akin to the national spirit of the Mikado s people.

Telephone at Rangitoto. The isolation of Hangitoto in shortly to be remedied by the installation of a telephone oflice at Islington Bay, according to advice received by the Rangitoto Domain Board at its meeting last evening. The District Telegraph Knginecr, in advising the board, stated that arrangements had been made for the new office to be available for continuous service, under the supervision of the board's caretaker on the island. The new line will be a continuation of the'circuit which takes in Motuihi and Motutapu. and a nominal toll charge will be made. Members of the board expressed their gratification at this announcement, as the isolation of Rangitoto from communication with the .mainland has Wen a serious detriment. Hitherto smoke signals and Morse communications have been the only means of contact apart from journeys by water, which have been found inadequate* in cases of urgency. It ie anticipated that the new' telephone service will be available in about a fortnight's time. An extension of the line to the main settlement at the Rangitoto wharf will be considered when further developments of public policy make it possible. Making the Roads Safe. For the twelve months up to the end of October a total of 1845 motor accidents has been reported in New Zealand, and during October the number .was 307, involving 15 J fatalities and 59 serious injuries. Commenting ' on these figures, the Alinister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, stated that analysis of the | circumstances and times of the accidents showed that 44 of them proved not to have resulted from collisions, so that "the other fellow" could not be blamed. Most of the fatalities, too, had occurred on Saturdays and Sundays, and hed coincided with the fine weather. With this in mind, he said, he had resolved to instruct the Department's traffic officers, while continuing their educational work, to start immediately upon the sorting out of those whose negligent driving showed that they should be taken before the Courte. There the question would be whether or not these drivers should be allowed to retain possession of their licenses during the peak period of the holidays. Mr. Semple also appealed to the nixteen automobile associations to co-operate by inviting their members to report serious traffic breaches that might come under their notice. With fine weather ahead and still more vehicles on the roads, the need for the greatest possible precaution on everyone's part In the near future became absolutely imperative.