NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 90, 18 April 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Coming Eclipses

Three of four eclipses, which will occur this year, will be visible in Xew Zealand. There will be an annular eclipse of the sun on Thursday next, but it will not be visible in :Sew Zealand. On May 4 there will be a total eclipse of the moon, visible in X»nv Zealand, and on October 13 a total eclipse of the eiin, which will Lie visible in Xew Zealand as a partial eclipse. On October 28 there will be a partial eclipse of the moon, which will be partly visible in the Dominion.

Cheap Peas and Beans.

In striking contrast with the position in Auckland, all quick-growing green vegetables are unusually cheap in Sydney at the present time. Mr. R. J. Terry, Auckland dietitian, who returned by the Aorangi yesterday from a visit to Australia, said green .pea's were being sold off the barrows in Sydney for 3d a lb and beans for 2d a lb. The Auckland prices were from (kl to 8d a lb. After a most prolific autumn the coastal areas of the eastern States were like a green lawn he remarked.

Eminent Statesmen's Visit.

Recollections of a brief but enjoystfle stay in Xew Zealand were carried away by Viscount Runeiman, the eminent British statesman, who left to-day by the Aoranai for Vancouver, en route to England. "My visit of only a fortnight has been too short," he said before his departure. "I have been most kindly and hospitably treated everywhere, and I hope T shall be able, on some future occasion, to come back again for a more extended holiday." Ho declined to comment on conditions in Xew Zealand, which, he remarked., were a matter of internal policy.

To Visit Factories.

Advice that the Prime Minister, the. lU. Hon. M. J. Savage, would visit Auckland from April 24 to April 26, and would again take thn opportunity of visiting city factoriee, was received nt a meeting yesterday of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association from the Department of Industries and Commerop. The president. Mr. H. W. Shove, reported that he had written to Mr. Savage and the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. O. Sullivan, expressing the appreciation of the association eoncerninsr their recent visits to factories in Auckland.

Outward Traffic.

Outward traffic along Symomls Street was obliged to use the tram rails this niorniiisr at the safety zone near Xewton Road corner. The carriageway was fenced off to allow of repairs to the concrete to be carried nut. Between Khyber Paes Road and Mount Eden Road the reconstruction of the roadway is proceeding rapidly. The concrete is being ripped up outeide the post office, and at peak hours yesterday the traffic flow was retarded considerably owing to the closing of the carriageway on the eastern sido. Tt will not be lonjr before the repairs are completed and the asphalt relaid.

Auroral Display Last Night.

Though the plow of electric signs prevented a view from the city, residents in outer suburbs saw a brilliant display of the Aurora Australia, or "southern lights," in Auckland last night. It appeared as a dull red glow above the southern horizon. In the lower north, it is reported, the red glow changed when pulsations of light bejran at the lower portion of the light and travelled slowly across. An authority stated that two large sunspots at present close to the central meridian of the sun may have caused the display. Sunspots ore known to be connected intimately with aurorae.

Import of Polo Gear.

The view that the future of polo in New Zealand was menaced owing to the difficulty of securing supplies of gear from overseas was stated by Mr. J. M. Allen, M.P. for Hauraki, when presenting the provincial cup in the polo finals at Claiidelande on Saturday. Mr. Allen said that sticks, balle and other gear had been affected by the import restrictions. The goods came chiefly from England and India, and were fairly expensive. Willow balls were made in New Zealand, and had been used a good deal at the tournament. Mr. Allen promised to seek the assistance of Mr. Naeh in having the restrictions modified.

Lake Taupo Level.

The fact that the level of Lake Taupo this year was lower than could be remembered by the oldest Maoris in the district was mentioned by the chairman of the Auckland Electric Power Board, Mr. S. J. Harbutt, at yesterday's meeting of the board, when the question of augmenting the Arapuni power supply with power from the King'e wharf station was under discussion. Mr. Harbutt said he had just visited the area. The whole question of augmentation will be discussed in Auckland this week, when Mr. A. Caldwell, district electrical engineer of the Public Works Department, will travel from Hamilton and confer with Auckland Power Board officials.

River Steamer's Troubles.

The large river steamer Rawhiti arrived at the Hamilton wharf at one o'clock yesterday afternoon with a cargo of 400 tone of general merchandise from Port Waikato. The steamer left Port Waikato at 5 a.m. on Saturday. There were several stops en route owing to the vessel grounding on sandbanke. and winches had to be used to pull her off. The river level was exceptionally lew in consequence of the long spell of dry weather, and several new channels have been formed. The master of the Rawhiti, Mr. W. Wade, said the work of piloting the steamer up the river during the week-end was not more difficult than it had been on previous occaeions.

Citrus Pest.

, The presence of red ecale on citrus trees in some parts of the Auckland district has attracted the attention of inspectors in recent weeks, but eo far the trouble has not developed as rapjdly as during last autumn. The lack of humidity irt the air ie thought to have had a retarding efftect; in the opinion of experts, however, a change jn the weather conditions is likely to increase the danger to both trees and fruit. It is therefore suggested that where control measures are necessary they should be taken without delay. In past years it has been observed that the 9cale is much lees apparent when the fruit is green than when it begins'to < change colour, and in consequence spraying ie'often postponed until considerable damage has been done.

Distinctive Costume.

A new etyle in swimming trunks for men was demonstrated at a city baths yesterday afternoon by a visitor from the Monterey. His costume was a blaze of colour, and presented the appearance of having been made from a «eore or more of vari-cnlourcd patches, each having a name written on it. The costume attracted the comments of all swimmers present. Sonic frankly admired it as a welcome departure from the stereotyped plainness of male swimming attire, but one young man was heard to express the opinion that it had been expressly designed for u«e in sharkinfested waters, the suggestion being that the sharks would be blinded and thus rendered harmless. On one point all were agreed, however. The costume was certainly the most distinctive seen in Auckland for some time. Refugees From China.

A Russian refugee from war-torn China, Mr. A. P. Lissienko, accompanied by his wife and two children, arrived by the Awatea in Wellington to join relatives here. Mr. Liesienko left Russia over 20 years ago, since when he has lived with his wife in China, latterly at Tientein. The two children, a girl and a boy, were born in China. In an interview, Mr. Lissienko said that by profession he was a bookkeeper and accountant, but in Russia he had also done a fair amount of writing in Russian. Mrs. Liesienko summed up her aspirations, and those of her husband also, when she said: "We have come here because we want to live, to work and educate the children in a country where there is peace." Conditions had become impossible in China, ehe said. They had been living in one of the concession areas, but even there life was one of anxietv.

Chase After Ship.

When he missed hie connection with the Shaw Savill and Albion motor ship Waimarama, which was to take him to England to continue his training with the Royal Air Force, Mr. J. A. Paterson, a young New Zealand air pilot from Waikaka, near Gore, had a breathless half-hour last night. He arrived at the wharf shortly after 0 p.m.. to find the Wainiarama, on which he had packed his luggage earlier in the day, out in the stream. Frantic efforts to find a launch were successful when he visited the harbourmaster's office on Queen's wharf. There he contacted the owner of the launch Alert, which caught the ship in Rangitoto Channel about 10 o'clock. The ship waited in the channel after being notified by Mount Victoria signal station of Mr.'Patterson's pursuit. On board, Mr. Patereon joined seven other young Xew Zealandcrs. who had recently completed a course at Wigram.

Labour for Industries.

Several matters connected with the finding of men for work in Xew Zealand factories were discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association yesterday afternoon arising out of correspondence received from the Manufacturers' Federation. In the first instance the federation enclosed a letter from the Department of Industries and Commerce giving a list of the names and addresses of men on public works who were available for work in local industries, and suggesting co-operation in the matter of having them placed with the local placement officer. It wae pointed out that it was anticipated that a large number of similar applications would be received. It was agreed to co-operate as suggested, but to point out that it wae advisable in furnishing such a list of names in the future that the qualifications of the men seeking engagement should be 6et out. Another letter from the federation reported that the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, had advised that the New Zealand Trado Commissioner in Sydney was available for obtaining labour for the Dominion. The president, Mr. H. W. Shove, commented that the association had suggested that the Government should appoint a placement officer in Sydney, independent of the Trade Commissioner, to obtain skilled operatives for New Zealand, but nothing had been achieved in having such an appointment made as yet.