NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 189, 12 August 1938, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Canal Scheme. There was 110 display of enthusiasm at a meeting of the Auckland City Council last over a letter received suggesting that a canal should 'be constructed to connect the east and west coasts, and expressing the opinion that the work could be finished by 1940. The letter was received, and it was decided to inform the writer that the council had no money for such a major work as had been suggested. South Island on Hdliday. About 10,000 people in the South Island made special excursion trips by rail in-July. The principal figures were:—Bl9 on the Christehureh Corsair Club's trip to Greymouth and Hokitika; 1253 on a tramping excursion to Waipara; 300 from Christehureh to Arthur's Pass in the Southern Alps; 459 from the Fairlie and Waintate districts to Timaru for ; file Winter Show; and (5000 from Dunedin to [ Invercargill for the Ranfurlv Shield. Motor Cars from Otago. "We hope to reciprocate with similar arrangements when the return match is played in Dunedin," stated the Automobile Association (Otago) in a letter to the .general committee of the Southland Association. The Otago Association thanked Southland* for arranging special parking accommodation /or Otago members in the vicinity of Rugby Park for the Ranfurly Shield match between Otago and Southland. The Otasro Association had invited members to obtain stickers before leaving Dunedin, so that Otago cars could be identified. Hawke's Bay Earthquake Loans. Support for the Hawke's Bay County Council's efforts to secure finality in its application for the remission of earthquake loans was voiced at a meeting of the Hastings Borough Council. It was decided that the town clerk be instructed to write again to the Minister on behalf of the local bodies in Hawke's Bay concerned in the matter, referring to the February meeting and asking that a reply be given to the deputation's requests. The town clerk is also to point out the further serious setback that the district has received on account of the recent floods, and to

W*k that the matter be given sympathetic consideration. "I don't know what the Minis ter has in mind, but I feel sure that we will get sympathetic consideration from the Government," said the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Maddison. Advice to Young Farmers.

That the many former students of Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln,- could provide valuable assistance and advice for men just leaving the college was suggested by Mr. L. B. Scott, president of the old students' association of the college, at the annual reunion. When they were planning to begin farming on their own J.ccount. said Mr. Scott, many of those, who passed through the college were greatly in need of disinterested advice about land and stock. Among the former students of the college were many eminent breeders ami men with complete and expert knowledge of land values backed by practical experience. The advice of such men would be invaluable to young farmers. Mr. Scott suggested that an advisory committee for this purpose might be set up.

| ■ Postage Rates. 4;; Notwithstanding the publicity that has been given to the new overseas postage rates (-• which came into operation on July 26, the H Poet Office reports that a high proportion of d eorrespondenca is still being prepaid at the ' old rates. The- letter postage rate to all |f British countries and Egypt is now ljd each , half-ounce. Australia is excepted from this %, increase until the trans'-Tasnian air service i. operates. The postage rate to all foreign countries, including the United States ©if i| America, is 2id for the first ounce and ljii 1 for ,succeeding; ouncA It is the nniverr 8 «al practice of tlie Post Office, when letters i are shortpaid, to tax them double the deficiency, aiid rt is suggested that the public I make themselves acquainted with the new . jiostage rates, and so avoid embarrassment to ?» themselves or their correspondents. ' Railway Station Creche. • "The plans for the new railway station ' at Christchurch, as already announced, pro1, .vide for c children's rtursery and playroom flection," said the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in an interview. "I am particularly interested in the development of this amenity upon our railways, and .feel sUre • it will be appreciated by the people of Canterbury. When-the children's section on the top storey of the Wellington station was ■ opened on July 21 fast year, the possible i public response to the new service was -still ? in doubt. The figures for the first 12 months » at the Wellington station nursery are there- >; fore very gratifying as justifying the enter- ■ prise in the interests of passengers travelling with children .who may desire to leave their children in safe hands while attending to 1 shopping or other business in the town. For the 12 months ended July 9, 3305 children #ere entrusted at the Wellington station to the care of the matron and her staff," added the Minister. ''This, figure gives an averajte of more than 63 children a week, and it is . confidently expected that the patronage Will increase during the coming year. The highest attendance on any one day was 46 on Christmas Eve, and I am sure mothers and fathers will fully appreciate what a great boon tb* nursery was on that day for the young folk."

Water-logged Golf. CourseA mechanical pump installed on the Gisborne Park Golf Club's course has removed 160,000 gallons •of casual water from the links in. two days, and it is estimated that a week will be required to eliminate the lakes of surface water in some parts. The waterlogged condition of the links will prevent the playing of competition matches for at least six weeks. Stalin an Aryan! "The Georgians are>' the only pure Aryans in the world, although they are dusky," said Mr. Gregory Koshnit'sky, New South Wales chess champion, in an address to the Christehureh Business Men's Club. "The most prominent Georgian is Josef Stalin, who, although he is semi-Asiatic, is an Aryan. But I don't think Hitler is aware of tha-t," he remarked amid laughter. Deer Stalker in Fiordland. Xews was brought to Dunedin of present conditions in the wapiti country west of Lake Te Anau by Mr. K. Sutherland, of Masterton, who visits the fiord country every year for shooting. Mr. Sutherland, accompanied by a guide, was ten days in the wilds, and during that time he saw only three wapiti, the largest species of deer in the Dominion." These were a 15-pointer, a 13-pointer and a 12pointer, but unfortunately the last two disappeared over a 1000 ft cliff after he had shot them, and their antlers had been irreparably damaged. The 15-pointer, which he retained, was a specimen well above the average. Conditions were very cold, Mr. Sutherland said. There was often as much as 10 degrees of frost at mid-dav, and most of the lakes were frozen over, some with up to a foot of ice. Wapiti were very scarce, and could not be found much below 3000 ft. Avoiding Pedestrians at Night.

The necessity for pedestrians in the country to walk -on the right-hand side of the road at 'night so that they faced oncoming traffic was emphasised by Mr. A. E. Ansell at the meeting of the Automobile Association (Otago). Mr. Ansell pointed out that the annual report of the Transport Department showed that 84 persons were struck while walking in the same direction as traffic, while onlv 17 persona walking in the opposite direction to traffic were hit. The chairman, Mr. P. W. Breen, said he felt very sorry indeed for the motorist who overtook pedestrians at night walking in the same direction as traffic. In connection with this matter members present were shown a white belt, in the back of which was a small red reflector, Sir. J. L. Passmore explaining that it was desired that pedestrians should wear such a belt at night and so help motorists. The belt had been manufactured by returned soldiers, and if the public could be educated to wear it, it would undoubtedly be the means of avoiding accidents.

A Timber Trade Protest. "For many years our industry has been subject to discriminatory charges in relation to the transport of timber by road, and these charges are imposed by county authorities by authority of enactments passed in the days when most country roads were merely clay tracks," says the annual report of the Domi- ■ nion Federated Sawmillers' Association. "In those days there might have been some reasonable justification for loading upon the timber industry a special portion of the cost of road construction and maintenance. But those days have long since passed, and the policy of road construction, maintenance- and extension is provided lor mainly through imposed .upon afl forme and classes of motor traffic, irrespective of the form of • load which may he carried. Consequently it ie extremely unjust that, in addition to the road taxation borne in common with all other forms of traffic, an - additional impost should be plac'ed upon timber which in many instances becomes ai severe' strain upon the resources of the unfortunate sawmiller so situated as to be the unwilling victim of the rapacity of local authority. A task still lies ahead to removal from our industry discriminatory, local taxation." State Accused of Rabbit Farming:

' That the" Forestry Department was • Vabbit farming" was alleged by Mr. H. S. Ingram, a delegate from the Hurunui Babbit Board, at the annual conference of the South Island Babbit Boards' Association at Christchurch. Mr. Ingram said that in the Hurtmui Babbit Bonitfa area there were some 20,000 acres of forest reserve, which were completely . rabbit-fenced and subdivided into blocks. It should therefore have been clear of rabbits, but last year more than 20,000 had been taken off the area. "The Department seems proud of its record," Mr. Ingram said. "More than £600 was obtained as revenue from the sa'o of skins last year. The Department gets a pat on the back for this from Wellington. No one in their position should make revenue on this scale. They should be proud rather of having their area clear of rabbits. I claim that at present the Department is 'rabbit farming' and welcomes the revenue." Mr. L. B. C. Macfarlflne (Humnniy said that while a private landholder could be sued, it was more difficult. to bring an action against the Crown. The real difficulty lay in the fact that rabbit boards could not prosecute men adjoining the forestry reserves, who were not taking steps to eradicate rabbits from their farms. It was decided to make application to the Commissioner of State Forests, the Hon. F. Langstone, requesting satisfactory arrangements for the rabbiting of State forests in districts where difficulties were at present being experienced.