NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Early Catch of Deep-sea Fish. For the first time on record, deep-sea fish have been caught at the Bay of Islands before the month of December. Yesterday was the opening day of the 1935-30 season, and on that day three striped marl in swordlish were taken. The lirst, weighing 2.">.'11b, was caught by Mrs. 11. .T. H<issal. of Oteliei Hay, and later she took another weighing 2(>4lb. In the meantime another *w<u<l fish hud boon taken from a launch owned by 3lr. J. Fuller, of Russell. The unusually warm season is regarded as being the reason for the early catches this

Helping the Children. Many mothers sending their children to school in the city are worried when the little ones luivo to cross busy intersections and main thoroughfares. Certainly instruction is given in traffic sense and the correct method of crossing city streets at the authorised pedestrian crossings, but even so mothers are often anxious until the children are home. A kindly act is being performed daily quite unostentatiously at a busy crossing in Dominion Rodd, where shop assistants watch for children going to and returning from school and pilot i hem over what is probably one of the most dangerous crossings in the 'suburb.

Detours Necessary on Highways. Advice received by the Automobile Association (Auckland) indicates that a section of tin . To Awatmitu-Ciimbridge main highway was closed from nine o'clock to-day, but a detour route was provided. Two and a quarter mi Ira of the highway luivo been prepared for sealing. am \ jf i], o weather wan fine in the district, to-day it was hoped to surface the entire length in one operation. Part of the Kotonia nmiii highway near Tirau lias been closed to heavy trailic. owing to wet weather affecting , the new works. The detour from Tirau will be made by the tar-sealed Matamata highway to its junction with the Taurangtt road, where traffic will turn left and rejoin the Rotorua highway at Pairoro, near FTorahora junction.

Week-end Trains. In order that those who wish to take (l d vantage of the extended holiday next weekend may do so. the Railway Department has arranged several excursion nnd special trains. For the first nine days of this month trains will carry passenger* to and from the Waikato Winter Show: two week-end excursion trains will leave Auckland on Friday and Saturday respectively for Rotorun, returning on Monday; a third train will run -fo the Waitomo Caves, and another to the Xational Park. Rugby enthusiasts wishing to see the match Auckiand v. Waikato on the King's Birthday holiday will he nblo to take advantage, of a special return train to Hamilton. J3eeides outgoing traffic, the Auckland Trotting and Racing Clubs' races will necessitate special inward trains.

Egg Marketing Control. Jn recommending a scheme for the control of egg marketing, the chairman of the Poultry Board. Mr. A. E. Knowles, of Auckland, said that high prices could not be avoided at this time of the year. "It is an unnatural time for birds to reproduce," he said, "and production is consequently limited to professional poultry farmers, whose business it is to eupply eggs nt all times of the year. The board realises, on the other hand, that there ie a limit to the price which people can reasonably be expected to pay, but this limit unfortunately must be determined by the fact that the poultry farmer has to purchase cereal and meal foodstuffs for the birds from industries which are themselves subsidised. That is the dominating factor in the price of eggs."

A Timely Warning. The prompt action of a roadman averted an accident in the Wai in ana Gorge on Tuesday morning , , reports a Whakatane correspondent. Mr. B. O. Edwards. Rotorua district orgnniser of the Xational party, was motoring to Waimana, and had readied a point on the hill going out of the gorge when lie was stopped by a roadman, who olso stopped a vehicle driven by Mr. R. Dickinson coming in the opposite direction. Xo sooner had he done so than a large slip of rock came down from the hillside, blocking the road. The roadman was warned by a trickle of nibble coming down the face of the putting. The. trickle gradually increased as he was cautioning the motorist*, and the vehicle** had only just stopped when the slip fell. Workmen were summoned, and in about three hours the slip was cleared away sufficiently-to enable traffic to pass.

Motor Licensing Figures. With the decrease in the number of applicants for new motor vehicle and drivers' licenses, the special depot established in tlic concert chamber of the Town Hall to cope with the rush at the end of May was closed last nijrht, and to-day the officials returned to their usual quarters. There was still brisk business to-day in the issuing of number plates, and the registrations branch at the rear of the Wellesley Street Post Office presented a fairly busy scene. The city traffic department in Grey's Avenue was also active. When the town hall depot was closed down the number of motor licenses issued totalled over 22,000, and of drivers' licenses 11.200. There has been much appreciation of the Department's and the City Council's co-opera-tion; thie year, in organising the Town Hall depot, and the method adopted is likely to be followed again next year.

Public Guessed Wrong. The many members of the public who thought that the platform erected outside the central window on the first floor of the Chief Post Office was a vantage point, from which someone of importance will speak on the King's Birthday, have been fooled. A "Star" reporter, believing such was the case, made inquiries, and learnt from Post Office officials that it was merely to be used by workmen. who are putting a clock on the building. The clock will be lighted at night, and will be visible for pome distance up Queen Street.

Communications Business Brisk. The Post Office recently called attention to a greatly improved volume of telegraphic traffic as evidence that the remarkable popularity of telephone communications has not forced the telegraph side of its business into a decline. On the contrary, there was ft good increase for the last financial year, which habeen maintained, the April telegraphic figure.-. with their totol of 407.27(i messages, showing an improvement compared with the corresponding month of last year of 23.80!), which is equal to a rise of 0.23 per cent. April was again an excellent month for the telephone, the toll messages handled reaching a high level, which easily exceeded 1,2.">0,000. It was an improvement compared with April, 1037. of 5.27 per cent.

Heavy Rail Traffic. Auckland railway officials are contemplating n busy time next week-end, when the extended holiday will give many people an opportunity for going away. Bookings for Friday are very heavy, while Monday night's Limited express is practically filled already, fn order to ease Sunday evening traffic, which. owing to three large passenger trains leaving within a period of 20 minutes, is always heavy, a change ha* been made in the departure platform of the 7.18 p.m. train for Hamilton. From next Sunday this train will leave from platform Xo. 7. This is approached by a special driveway, and consequently passengers can be brought by motor car to the side of the train, and a large portion of the traffic will be diverted from the main entrance of the station.

Unlicensed Motorists. Traffic oflicers wero kept busy on the Tamaki Drive yesterday afternoon and evening warning motorists who had failed to ob111in their new number plates and drivers' licenses. Although it was not the beginning of the general ronnd-up of unlicensed owners, the officers etopped all cars which were not fitted with the green plates, and the drivers were given a firm reminder of their obligations. A number of those warned were women. Within a few days the city traffic department and the traffic officials in other parts of the province will hegin n systematic checking of all cars, and prosecutions will be brought against drivers who have failed to comply with the law. The work in the city will be combined with the ordinary duties of traffic officers, and will probably be spread over several days. The former practice of organising a Sunday drive for offenders has been discontinued.

Entrances for Private Cars. Suburban residents who have been expecting attractive new entrances into their garages as a result of the Auckland City 'Council's street works have learned that such improvements are not entirely costless. In each insttince the ratepayer is required to sign an application to have the entrance formed and to agree t«> pay the cost involved. Many of these application forms have been presented and signed in the St. Helier's. Mission Bay. Kohimarama and Orakei districts during the progress of the streets improvement scheme, the charge in each instance varying between £3 and £0 according to the width and nature of the entrance required. The amount collected by the council in payments for crossings for the year ended March .'>l Inst was £2000. which* probably approached a record. Property owners are not entirely free in considering whether they will incur the payment. as a city by-law states that it i< an ofTenee to drive a motor car across a kerb or a footpath where there is no crossing. When offences of this kind are detected, the owners are usually served with notices requiring them to provide crossings without delay.

Maori Land Settlement. Steady progress is being made with tho Government's scheme to win the Maoris back to tho Innd in tho Waikato. Several large development schenipH are now being carried out. A Mock of 1000 acres at Wiiikaretu. south of Port Waikato, is being broken in by a party of 20 Maoris. The land is clean, open country, which is responding well to cultivation. Several homes have been built, and tho Maoris are busy, not only in preparing exten-

sive areas for grassing, but in cultivating; small sections for garden produce. At Waiknrctll there are several thousand aero-- of Maori land awaiting development, and it i> expected that when the first 1000 acres arc occupied further sections will bo brouirht in. Excellent work has been done in clearing .'iiiO acres of Maori land at Whatawhata. An area nf 170 acres has been grassed, and i< ready for stocking. Two dwellings hove boon built, and other jiving quarters have boon provided. From 25 to 30 men have been given work on the area during the last year, the number* varving from time to time. Work is alt-o proceeding on the development of tho Moerangi block. A foreman lia- been appointed, and under his supervision 20 Maoris are employed in bringing in nn area of 2000 acres and in snbdivisional fencing.