NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 122, 26 May 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Girl Labour in Demand. "We cannot get niouuli uirls for practically any i,f the trades connected with the clothing Uailc and millinery," said Miss E. Josscy. secretary of the Auckland Tailorcsses' I ninn. this morning, in discussing the labour position. "In fact, then- is a shortage of tail.. !•»•*>,.>. Generally speaking, thinjrs appear '" '."' —*• 11 riii tr down in the clothing trade following tin- introduction of import restrictions.''

Teachers and 'Flu. The lieaw incidence of influenza during the past few weeks was reflected on the agenda of the meeting vesterdnv of the board of manager.* of Seddon .Memorial Technical » ollege. when applications for leave of alisence by the staff were under review. Of 11 applications seven absences were set down as due to influenza. In each case the period of recovery was apparently short, for the term of absence varied between one and three da vs.

Art Appreciation. A pica for tolerance in judging work in the Auckland Art Society's .'iSth annual e\lii!.iti>n was made by the" president. Mr. R. O. (irnss. when he officially opened the display yesterday. "Some people will tind certain pictures too extremely modern and others will be judged too old-fashioned." he said. 'The measure of your appreciation should be related only to the artist's sincerity in endeavouring to convey something worth while. and not to an exhibition of clever technique or 'stunting.' " Unusual Imperturbability. Auckland taxi drivers may not 1*» renowned for their disconcert! and imperturbability in all situations, but one a rare display of these qualities a day 7>r two ago. He was standing on the kerb in Shoitland Street talking to one of his mates, with his l>ack to the road. Teetering on his toes, he ovcrttalanced. ami stepped liarkwards into the gutter. .lust as he put his foot back, a small car pulled into the kerb behind him, and missed crushing his foot by inches. The man turned slightly, glanced at the cm. and continued with his conversation without a break. Social Security Offices. Although no definite arrangements have yet Wen made for the removal of the Socyil Security Department's Auckland offices from the former Pensions Department premises in Chancery Street to Nathan's Trust Building in High Street, it is expected the change will be made during .Tune. Several Departments are involved, and it is necessary to arrange the move so as to canse a minimum of inconvenience. The Labour Department and the Employment Promotion Department, now in Nathan's Building, will occupy the present Social Security offices when they become available. Billiards in Schools. Social and holiday occupations of pupils of English technical schools engaged the interest of Mr. (J. .1. Park, principal of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, in his recent trip overseas. In a report to the board of managers yesterday, he mentioned that billiard rooms were not uncommon in English technical schools. The Polytechnic in London bad Swiss chalets, and could book anyone for tours in Ktiropean countries, or indeed, in any jiart of the world. Throughout Kngland and Scotland. Mr. Park said, he was greatly interested to see the large number of young people riding bicycles in all parts of the countries, and to see how fit they looked.

The traffic problems of Johannesburg i were referred to to-day by Mr. H. A. Robertson, who has returned to Auckland after an extended visit to South Africa. The town portion of Johannesburg, said Mr. Robertson, was built in small blocks, and had far too many and narrow streets. The result was that traffic became very congested, and this had necessitated the installation of "robots" at many intersections. The twiffic congestion was accentuated by reason of the fact that there were few suburban shopping centres such as existed in Auckland, and practically all shopping was done with the use of cars. Parking was restricted to a few minutes in certaiin streets.

Children's Health Camps. A report presented at the final meeting of the Auckland Out rail Council. National Children'* Health Camp, yesterday stated that the sum of £1000 was received this year from the health stamp campaign, ami this amount would lie divided between the health camps ait Motuihi and Ca uiphcU's Hay. During the year; it was added, ai total of 1422 children had been dealt with, the greater majority of them attending the camp at Motuihi. About 700 of the children were from country districts. It was also reported that £200 had lieen raised for the Sir (Jeorpc Richardson memorial, which would take the form of ai dormitory in the permanent health camp when it was established. An interview with the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. ■Tones, had elicited the information that the approval of the Director-* ieneral of Health would he necessary before any final decision could he made with resitect to the site of the proposed permanent camp.

King's Birthday Parade. The military parade to be held in the Domain on King's Birthday, Monday, June o, will lie the most spectacular *een in Auckland for many years, and all branches of the service will participate. By virtue of the expansion of the land forces, there will be a considerable increase in the number of troops, which are now being trained in ceremonial drill. Mechanisation will he reflected in a larger number of mobile units on parade, while there will be a strong representation of naval ratings from warshijvs in port. After the last cadet unit has passed the saluting base a. flight of the Xew Zealand Territorial Air Force will zoom past.

Maori Health Problems. Gratification that the young men had grasped the challenge and had seen that education was the important fact was expressed by Dr. H. B. Turbott, medical officer of health in the Waikato. speaking yesterday on the health of the Maori race before the conference of young Maori leaders. The younger men should see how the (iovernment was working through the native schools to teach the children health principles, he added. The trouble was that the children were not attending the schools. Some deference, he said, was paid to the tohunga, but in very many cases many people had died who might have been saved had a doctor got there first.

Faff of Barometric Pressure. For the first time since May 0, barometric pressure in Auckland, after dropping steadily since Tuesday, fell below 30in. or 1016 millibars, yesterday. A period of exceptionally hijrh readings preceded the fall, levels above 30.0.~>iii being reached frequently. The highest reading for years. 30.tJ2in, or 1037 niillitwrs, was attained last week. Last evening the reading was 20.71 in. or 1000 millibars. This fall in barometer readings, accompanied by moderate to fresh northerly winds, has given Ancklanders a foretaste of the coining winter. The weather has been comparatively mild, but gloomy conditions have prevailed, with dull skies and occasional rain. Actually, this month's rainfall has been slight. Up to 0 a.m. yesterday, only .(57in had fallen. Mice m Wellington. With the advent of cold weather, large numbers of mice have invaded houses in several Wellington suburbs. They are repotted to be causing a nuisance in Koseneath, Hataitai and Oriental Bay. and also in parts of the FTutt Valley. Rats are also unusually plentiful this winter. The long, dry autumn proved unusually favourable for the breeding and foraging activities of these vermin, which to a great extent spend the warmer part of the year out of doors. The subirrbs most afflicted by the invasion are those adjacent to reserves or to the seashore, or with steep hillside gardens, offering suitable shelter and scavenging grounds. All oily and fatty foods are highly esteemed by the vermin. A Roseneath resident last week had almost the entire contents of a pound carton of putty opened and devoured by mice, for the sake of the linseed oil it contained. Xone the less, it must have been an indigestible meal. The Digger Spirit. Born on the shell-torn, fire-swept heights of Oallipoli and nurtured for over three years afterwards in the storm of battle and' the hardships of heavy campaigning on the Western Front, the spirit of fellowship, the esprit de corps that characterised the X.Z.K.F. has not lessened in the years between. Tangible expression of the good fellowship that still exists was furnished this week by a letter received by the Auckland U.S.A. headquarters from the Rodney branch of the R.S.A. The secretary, writing from Warkworth. stated: "At our annual meeting held on April 29 very appreciative mention was made to your association's hospital visiting committee's work. The sum of £10 10/ was voted for your work for the benefit of patients in the mental hospital and £5 5/ for patients iu the general hospital." The local president. Mr. J. W. Kendall, and the members of the executive expressed deep gratitude for the generous consideration shown' for the sick Diggers in Auckland by the branch of the R.S.A. at Rodney.

Jews ami Arabs. "There has been no evidence of the slightest danger of Jews dominating Arabs, rather the contrary." says the statement issued yesterday by the Jewish residents of New Zealand in reference to the Palestine proposals. "Indeed, the Wood head Commission reported last your that since Jewish imniitrrntion stinted the Arabs have increased from 113.1000 to nMHMMt. or by .-»fi per cent. A substantial iMirt of tliis increase was dtie to illegal Arab immigration from surrounding Arab States, clearly indicating the Arab recognition of the improved living conditions in Palestine. According to the Peel Commission 20.000 Jews could immigrate, annually until 10(ti). and even then the Jewish population would not equal the Arab. This means that before even equality with the Arabs was reached, more than 000.000 refugees could enter Palestine, and. as the Culmination of a. lon<r succession of injustices, patiently borne by the Jews, the recent White Paper proposes that only 7">,000 more Jews be admitted to Palestine, and that after ten years self-government, with the Jews in a permanent minority of one to three. should be established. Not even the tiny Jewish State, proposed under the partition scheme, has been offered in compensation, for the Arabs are openly made the arbiters of whether Jewish immigration shall continue or not."