NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 196, 21 August 1939, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Record Wool Production. \\ mil production by Xew Zealand reached record proportions in the year ended June 30. Die Abstract of Statistics" gives the total for tlie period as 32i ,700.0001b. compared with 2!)(i.xfso,oo(i in tUe previous year. Of this quantity 100,0001b was exported, and only ! 7.300.001111) used in local woollen mills. The quantity used locallv shows a slight increase, and in the coming year a further rise is eXr _ peeted, as the mills are now more active than they have been for a number of years. * Early Rush of Planting (ireat activity in gardening and farming operations has been evident around Auckland since the fine «pell set in at the beginning of this month. As usual, sunny August days have caused an early start ' with planting operations, and it is expected that thousand's of keen gardeners, as well as commercial irrowers. will continue to make the most of the conditions while they remain favourable. I his activity should raise hopes of a fairly abundant supply of fresh vegetables during the spring, when well-stocked markets should encourage consumers to «buy. Worst Season for 11 Years. The past season was the worst experienced by dairy farmers in the Auckland province in the matter of production for eleven years. Average production of butterfat for the J)3.fi.»l cows tested by the Xew Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association in the past year was the lowest since the 1027-28 season. The average was 229.!»(>1b. while the highest producing herd, comprising 44 head owned by Mr. C. T. Bones, a* craved 4001b for the season, the test covering 270 days' milklnS- s Fruit Blossoms Late. Signs of spring are slow in appearing round the Auckland orchards, as the adverse weather has delayed blossoming. A few of the prunus variety of plums, the earliest of all. are now breaking out in a show of snowy white, but the cherry plums and peach trees are still bare. Close inspection reveals a multitude of buds, which promise a fine display of colour later on, but nothing much is expected for Another fortnight. Tf the fine weather continues, the delayed start may be made up in rapid development. Apples and 1 pears will come into blossom some time after the peaches and plums. Collection Drafts. One anticipated result of the present rationing of overseas exchange funds is the early disappearance of collection drafts from use. Although financing of imports by means of collection drafts has not been an extensive practice ,in Auckland, this method has been regularly adopted by some firms. The drafts, instead of being discounted before the goods are shipped to Xew Zealand, are sent through bankinj; channels for collection and remittance of the money, and, according to traders, this is a most economical methdd. "It looKs as if collection drafts will have to disappear in favour of letters of credit," said one merchant. New Zealand Visit Proposed. An invitation to attend the annual conference of the Xew Zealand Furniture Trades' Federation in Wellington early next year lias been accepted bv Mr. O. Schreiber, secretary of the Xew South Wales Furniture Trades' Association. Mr. Schreiber is a qualified soli s oitor, secretary of the Xew South Wales Trade Union Secretaries' Association, and writes a considerable number of articles on various topics, including finance, for newspapers in Sydney. The conference of the Xew Zealand Federation was held in Christchurcli, when it was agreed to invite the Australian organisation to be represented at next year's deliberations. Maori Hosts for Maoris. Maoris living,in the metropolitan area will act as hosts to visiting Maoris during the Centennial celebrations. This was decided unanimously at a meeting of 200 Maoris at Orakei native settlement yesterday, called by Mr. P. K. Paikea, M.P. for Northern Maori. It was stressed during the discussion that in view of the importance of the occasion it would be better for the people to forget their grievances over land and housing and to join wholeheartedly in the celebrations. The honour of the Maori people was involved, said one speaker, and it should not be injured in any way by the actions of one section. Earlier in the day there was a welcome to the acting-Minister of Xative Affairs, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, and proposals were pliyed before him concerning the Orakei "church site" problem, the people making representations for its solution. The Minister promised to go into the question on his return to Wellington. Tobacco Planters Should Not Smoke. "If we can free the beds of disease it will be an important feature in the success of the industry and a step in the right direction," , said Sir Theodore Rigg, director of the Cawtliron Institute, in the course of remarks at Dovedale (Xelson province), when a demonstration was given of a portable tobacco seed bed sterilising plant. Sir Theodore went on to refer to the increased production of tomatoes during the past 10 or 12 years, which had reached up to 81b per plant and sometimes higher, due to sterilisation of the earth to a depth of over 12in. The effect of the steam ( properly app.ied was to, give greater freedom from all disease, including mosaic, and permit the breaking down of organic compounds. The tobacco research officer. Mr. .T. M. Allan, said mosaic was most prominent in seed beds, and anything that could be done to lessen its incidence was wortl.y of commendation. Hi his experience rt ilie research station at Riwaka only four plant o were found in the growing beds affected with mosaic, while there were thousands in the seed beds with this disease. Steam sterilisation was used as a control measure where mosaic was most prevalent. Most of the brands of tobacco marketed in the Dominion carried mosaic, and for this reason smoking at the seed beds should be prohibited. Centennial Outlook. "In some districts the preparations for worthy Centennial celebrations are well advanced, because the leading members of committees and their associates have been properly impressed hy the time factor," states the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, in "New Zealand Centennial Xews." "In some other localities progress has not been remarkable, but there is pleasbnt evidence that the need for activity has been recognised, and it is anticipated that within the next few months the results will be creditable. It is necessary to pivc a reminder that all programmes for celebrations should be fixed as soon as possible on a basis which will avoid clashing of dates. Tt is very important to have the official national programme available within a reasonable period for prospective tourists in other countries, as well as for the (people within the Dominion. I wish apain to assure the members of local organisations that the Centennial branch of the Department of Internal Affairs is eager to offer any assistance within its power. Executive -members of those bodies are earnestly advised to keep in touch with Centennial headquarters at Wellington to ensure a helpful co-ordination of activities. The Centennial calls for a generous measure of public-<spiritedness in all districts. Wholehearted team work is needed everywhere to make the celebrations worthy of the national purpose. In every place the Centennial issue is a test of the local public. A locality failing to respond adequately to +he Centennial call confesses automatically that there is something lacking in its appreciation of the pioneers' stalwart work."

Hares Attack Seedling Trees. A number of young trees planted by the Taihape Golf Club on their course, with the object of beautifying their property, have been destroyed by hares. The young trees were planted prior to the recent snowstorm that swept the disv-ict, and hares would find the bark and tender shoots, somewhat tasty • when there was no other food to be found. The remainder of the trees have been proi tected against another possible invasion of the i pest. i Snow Galore. ' Ever since snow made its first dramatic appearance in Auckland some weeks ago there have been conflicting reports as to further falls. Despite the warmer weather one or two falls have been allegedly observed. One young man recently was informed that it was snowing lightly in a city street. Being of an inquisitive nature, 'he decided to investigate at the scene of the fall. On arriving there he found a steady rain of the sort well known to Aucklanders, but no evidence of the "mantle of white." A.R.P. Instructor. Advice has been received from the Chief Commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade for the Dominion, Colonel fi. Barclay, that Corps Superintendent E. C. Howes has been awarded a certificate appointing him a Grade I. instructor and examiner in air raid precautions and first aid for air raid casualties. Mr. Howes, who also 'holds the certificate of merit in air raid precautions and anti-gas measures, is the first member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade to receive a Oracle I. instructor's and examiner's certificate in Auckland. Runaway Car. An unoccupied light saloon car had a brief runaway career on Saturday afternoon when it crossed the intersection of Basque Road and Dundonald Street, ran down the steep slope of Basque Road, crashed through two fences in a fall of about Bft, and ended up with its radiator resting against the side of Mr. A. Harley's house at 5, Basque Road. The owner of the car, Mr. N. Bryan, of 323. Mount Albert Road, Mount Roskill. had parked the vehicle near the entrance to Basque Road. Although the front of the car was crushed, the side of the dwelling was undamaged. Frolicsome Lambs. The increasing number of lambs appearing on One Tree Hill is an indication of what is going on all over the Auckland province. The lambing season is in full swing, thousands being born every day, to spend their short life in frolic. From the farmer's point of view the purpose in life of most of the younff lambs is to eat and grow fat, for aJtliouah manv are kept to grow wool, still larfer' number's will be kiPed for export within six months of their birth. The sad thought that some 9,000,000 of their number through'lit Xe»v Zealand will be frozen and shipped abroad in the coming season fortunately does not affect the frolicsome lambs on One Tree Hill, whose antics amused many Sunday strollers. Radio Beacon for Reinga. Plans are being prepared for the installation of a radio, beacon at Cape Reinga, near Cape Maria Van Dieman, states the" annual report of the Marine Department for the vcar ended March 31. This will be in addition to the radio beacons at Cuvier and Moko Hinau Islands, which are nearing completion. Arrangements have been made for the carrying out of a survey in connection with the removal of the Cape Maria Van Dieman lisfhthouse station to Cape Reinga. The machinery, switchboard battery and radio masts are stated to be on hand for the installation of the radio beacon and electrification. An access road 14 miles in length is to be constructed to Cape Reinga. Trading Pioneers of Patea. The fortitude of the old pioneers and the hardships they went through are brought to mind by the death near Hawera, at the weekend, of Mr. C. E. Gibson, at the age of 92 years, who went to Southern Taranaki with an elder brother, John Gibson, in 1808, and started business in Patea. The young colonists, who were born in Chester, came to New Zealand with their parents in 1800 and settled in the Rangitikei district, where the onlv work they could get was a job of "ditching and banking" on the newlv-settled farms, even although the elder brother John had served an apprenticeship to a business career in the Old Land. Getting dissatisfied with the hard work, for which they {rot little remuneration, they decided to search for a new sphere of work, and started one fine morning, with their swags on their backs and all the money they possessed in their breast pockets, to see if they could find a suitable place to start business further up the coast. They reached the Patea Heads, where the old town of Patea was situated, after a long walk along the beach from Wanganui, and as Patea at that time was the leading settlement between Wanganui and New Plymouth they decided to start business there. One of the noteworthy things of their early business career was that for some time after starting the senior member of the firm walked to Wanganui every month to bnnk their money and to buy goods, a distance there and back' of about 90 miles.