NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 151, 29 June 1939, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Broken Line Delays Trams. \\ lien a trolley power line broke near Xortheote Hoad. tirey Lynn, shortly after eight o'clock this morning, a long string of traincars from western suburbs was held up for 20 minutes. Two Transport Hoard breakdown trucks made emergency repairs, but many passengers preferred to walk to Ponsonby Road in an effort to reach their places of business in time. TTowever. there were many workers to whom the stoppage meant a late arrival. Taxi Cabs Busy. As a rule, a slack period is experienced bv taxi cab drivers between noon and •_! o'clock in the afternoon, particularly in the suburbs. This was not so yesterday, however, when a few showers of rain caused a heavy demand on the services of the drivers. In some of the suburban taxi ranks, where -there are nearly always at least two or three cubs waiting, there were none, and most people wanting cabs had to wait for some time before their requirements could be satisfied. Answer to Criticism. A statement that the Auckland Hospital Hoard was spending £10.004) a year 011 maintaining the Wilson Home for crippled children was made by the retiring chairman. Mr. A. L. Spence. at the annual meeting last night of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society. Mr. Spence added that the board had given an assurance • that it was prepared to accept this charge on its funds. fn his opinion these facts should be a complete answer to those who said that the society should never have allowed the control of the Wilson Home to pass out. of its hands. " Dreary Beat to Windward." The work done by the executive had been hard, and s*<mel imes without seeming result, said the president. Sir Krne-t Davis, speaking at the annual meeting yesterday afternoon of the Auckland division of the British Umpire Cancer Campaign Society. He described tinlabours of the executive in nautical terms, as a "dreary beat to windward." The work, however, had been carried 011. and now something tangible had resulted. Sir Krnest also felt that the community owed a great debt of gratitude to the medical profession. Too often the doctors' unselfish and self-effacing work did not receive the recognition it deserved. Spectators and Players. "Being. I suppose, a typical American. I was astounded a. few weeks ago at Helen Park to see a few Training College students out to watch their side play.'' said Dr. A. K. Botts. of New York, in an address at the Auckland Creditmen's Club luncheon yesterday. "But T found out that perhaps ten or a dozen other teams were playing football and other sports on the same day. and the reason was therefore apparent. That seems to me to bo one of the great differences between my country and Britain—we are spectators, and you are participants. And that difference would appear to extend into world relations, or world sports, if you like." Social Workers Busy. the funds and other resources of the social - organisations in Auckland have been as heavy in recent months as during the corresponding period of last year, and there is no sign of any reduction since the social security ilienefits came into operation. "We expected the position would lie relieved, but there-seems to be as much work for us to-day as there was last winter." said the ltev. Jasper Calder. Auckland City Missioner. this morning. "We have been very busy, and have had to turn away applicants for clothes and other I comforts, which are essential at. this reason. The social security payments are a considerable help in many cases, but they do not enable people to buy clothes, footwear, blankets and "other things they must have. Our relief activities cost us £100 more for the year ended last March" than in the previous 12 months, and the cost has continued heavy in the past three months."

Education on Cancer. As publicity directed to the education of the general public in regard to cancer has been found to serve a pood purpose in America the possibility of doing something similar in New Zealand is to be investigated by the medical committee of the Auckland division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. Such a move was decided 011 at the annual meeting of the society yesterday, when Mr. .T. M. Clark, director of surgery at the Auckland Hospital. cited what had been done in the I'nited States. In IU2O. lie said, it was found that only 20 per cent of tin- patients suffering from cancer were operable. As the result- of a widespread publicity campaign. the percentage was raised to over SO per cent. He suggested that a publicity or an education committee should be set up to work in New Zealand. The medical committee was instructed to deal with the matter, and consider the advisability of appointing a special educational committee. Australian Timber Barred. Permission has been refused the Waimate County Council to import lmrd wooil timber from Australia. At a meeting of the council advice was received from the Collector of Customs. Tiinaru. that an import license could not be granted for a supply of Australian hardwood timber, a tender for which had been let to H. -T. R. Somerville and Company. Timaru. The council was recommended to endeavour to obtain supplies of Xothafagus fusca or Xothafagus truncata timber from Tnvercargill or Hokitikn. The county clerk. Mr. Tj. .T. Collins, said he had written to the Controller of Customs, pointing out that the tender had been let for the supply of bridge timber, and explaining that it had been found that New Zealand timber was not satisfactory for the council's bridge requirements. The timber was already cut in Australia, and was ready for shipment. He had asked to have the matter reconsidered. The engineer, Mr. \V. P. Black, said Australian timber would last three times as long in bridges as New Zealand varieties, and he thought that the council would have to consider using concrete. It could even make concrete slabs for decking, but some of the stringers in the county bridges would not at present carry -eonerete slabs. Newspaper Advertisements in 1860. It is not always in the news columns of old newspapers that we can learn most about bygone times and manners. The advertisement columns of such a paper as the "New Zealand Spectator" arc full of interesting sidelights. The issue of July 11. 1800. gives us the information that totara timber was selling for 14/ per 100 ft, that a dentist's hours were 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and that desirable building sites were for sale in the town of Beaver, the old name for Blenheim. "It possesses a newspaper and a Customs house" are mentioned as attractions. The Wellington .Grammar School was shortly to open under the headmastership of Mr. n. Bcechy. There is a reminder that the Maori War was in progress in the advertisement of Captain Jerningham Wakefield (son of the great Edward Gibbon) calling for volunteers for the Wellington Yeomanry Cavalry, to provide their own mounts and accoutrements. But an insurance company had a cold douche to apply to all but this moderate martial ardour, rather-under-lining that the volunteers were only for home defence. It extended Its ordinary life cover to men in the volunteers, but any policy-holder enlisted in the militia, at grips with the Maoris, would have to pay an per cent on their premiums*

Egyptian Darkness. "As dark as an Egyptian night when I there is 110 moon." was the description given of n certain road in Mount- Koskill by Mr. R. j K Sanft oil Tuesday at the meeting of the j Bond Hoard. 'I lie street lighting question was under discussion when Mr. Sanft said the light in a certain road could not be seen for about 300 ft. as it was overshadowed by the high buildings. The board will take steps to give light in the darkness. Stop Thief! People at the foot of Queen Street were surprised one evening recently to see two young men running down the street, the first with a hag and the second shouting "Stop, thief!" in the recognised style. A policeman turned towards them, but did not interfere, which was just as well for the two young men concerned. After attending lectures at j the university they had decided to make a 1 dash for the early boat. One had not been very keen 011 the run. so the other snatched his bag and went "full out" down the wharf. Causes of Lower Exports. "Little of the fall in Xew Zealand's export values can be charged to lower overseas prices, except in the case of wool," says the Bureau of Importers, in submitting to the Prime Minister proposals for a change in Government policy. "The fall is due to several causes." adds the bureau. Tnter alia, facial eczema, a bad production season and higher wage costs. Production has been affected chieily by the shorter working week, and the rise in the wage level, which make it difficult for farmers to employ labour. This is particularly noticeable in the Auckland and Taranaki districts, and in the wheat area in Canterbury and Central Otago." New Zealand's Flight of Capital. "The main responsibility for the depletion of Xew Zealand's London funds does not lie with the trading position." says the Bureau of Importers in a statement containing proposals for a scheme to replace the import control regulations. The bureau adds: "The state of the London funds is due in the main to a flight of capital. This flight, apart from normal seasonal fluctuations, which accounted for £12,000.000 to £10.000.000 of the £20.000.000 ijost-in 1938, was the result of unremunerative interest rates in the Dominion and to the fact that Xew Zealand's overseas funds shared 1 in the huge international migration of capital from London to Xew York, for safer investment, between April and Xovember last year."

Fire Trtdning. The work of the Auckland Central Fire Brigade in the training of outside organisations in fire-fighting was indicated in the report of the superintendent, Mr. W. L. Wilson, received at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Hoard. A communication was received from the Air Department. Wellington, inipiiriug whether the board would arrange for quarterly inspections of fire services at. the air force station and for periodical training of the station staff in fire prevention and fire tisjhtinrr. Another came from the Auckland Hospital Board asking that arrangements be made for instruction of the nursiiK.' staff, domestic «taff and orderlies at the hospital in handling outbreaks pending the arrival of a brigade. It was indicated at the meeting that arrangements had been made in both cases. First Australian Oranges.

The first Australian oranges of the season have been released on the Auckland market this week by the sole importer, the Internal Marketing Division, which has fixed the rainje of prices from IS/ to 22/ per case. WiUi only one more shipment to come from the Islands Yew Zealand will soon be depending almost entirely on Australia rfor orange snprli's. (Irowers in the Commonwealth are niakint: a special effort this season to foster the trade with New Zealand, and arrangements have been made for Mr. C. W. S. Mueller to represent South Australian and Murruiubid£?ee growers in the Dominion 'during the export season. The general manager of the Victorian Citrus Council. Mr. A. W. Schwenneson. recently visited N'ew Zealand, and on his return stated that satisfactory arrangements had been made between the various Australian States which supply fruit to the Dominion. N.Z. Trout Ova for Australia. It is probable that the wishes of the Australian authorities to be supplied with NewZealand trout ova for the stocking of certain of the Commonwealth streams will be met again this year. Until a few years ago some thousands of trout ova were sent annually to Australia, and from the supplies a fair revenue was obtained by the Department of Internal Affairs. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. K. Parry, said that the fisheries authorities of the Commonwealth had secured in the past very successful results from New Zealand trout ova. When visiting Sydney hist year he had been asked to make efforts to revive the supplying to Australia of trout ova from New Zealand waters. With a successful season for the collection of ova. and there being abundant supplies for the lakes and streams of the Dominion, it was probable, the Minister said, that Australia's request would be met. The ova was placed in special cans and the journey across the Tasman Sea had little or no effect on it. Ttif|iiiries had come lately from Suva. Mr. Parry added, for supplies of New Zealand trout ova. and it was likely that business would result.