NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Necessary Question

■smoker nr 11< >n --1 u i >k<T. mada mo ?'* the Kulu.iys oilirial J><>l it»• I\ a-ked fhe woman who "as booking a train scat. "Oh, non-smoker, of course!" replied the woman in a shocked voice. The oflicial explained that, that was a Accessary <]' I(>^ tion to-day, fur ihe most unexpected people smoked, and would be most annoyed it ui\en a I»• rlll in a noii-sniofccr ca rria pre.

Amateur Spirit in Hockey. "A truly amateur spirit is still apparent anions hockey players,"' said .Mr. L. L. Smith at a meet inn; uf ihe Canterbury Hockey Association. when he mentioned that each player in the many teams that had liecn 011 tour recently had paid his own tare. The game, and not the result, had been uppermost in the minds of the players, he -aid. Fifteen teams had travelled to places as far distant as Tnvcrcarprill this season.

Timber Trade Active. Reports from local timber mills indicate that demand tur building material is beinpr well maintained, and that petiernUy the mills are running full-handed and full-time.' The annual report ot the dire-tors of the Bartholomew Company states that the leeway to be made up to overtake the demand for dwellings would indicate a continuance of the present output. The proposed (lovcrnment rural scheme, states the report, would be welcomed, as it would provide a market for those prudes of timber not up to the standard required for dwelling's now beinp' built. Eagerness for Service. I nu~u.il keenncs- in hi- desire to serve his country «a - shown by a returned soldier at A<hbiu 1011 la» I week. Ib' was more than (ill years of ape. and showed pood health and an active body in spite of hi" ape. lni|uiiies thronpli t'ic usual channels met with a refusal for admission to active service because of the man's aae. He caused *01110 surprise among the authorities when he pripped the table beffire him and swung him-elt' up to poise 011 his hands with his head reeling °n 'be table, in an endeavour to convince oflieials of his abilitr to serve.

Tons of Rabbit Skins. Heavy slaughter ain oner ihe teeming rabbit population of Central Ola go is indicated by tin- offering at the Dunedin rabbit skin sale this week. About lmi< of skins were offered, mostly from "•Central." where sheep farmers have been eneourajiinu a drive against tlie pests, which have been seriously threatening their livelihood. Hnnedin is the main centre for rabbit skin sales, and at this week's auction demand was particularly keen. Buyers paid up to K7d per lb for tir-L winter bucks. Most of the skins sold will l>r shipped direct to Kngland or the United States. Spring is in the Air. Any doubts as t<> whether spring has really arrived can be dispelled bv a vi-it to the city markets. The ma-s uf colour in the flower stalls draws the eye of the crowd of business-minded greengrocers, who come to buy unattractive vegetables and stay to admire. the wonderful display of blooms. Yesterday there was abundance of frcesias, daffodils baronia, cyclamen, carnations, tulips and hyacinths, which flooded the section ot the selling floor set apart for flowers. Their fragrance spread to the fruit -ection. but was overcome by the reek of onion*, where the field produce was being auctioned.

Nurses for War Service. "Nothing has been said about nurses going overseas, but I believe there has naturally been some talk among the staff of volunteering for service if the need arises," said the superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, Dr. A. R. Thorne. The nursing 6taff, he said, had never been better than to-day, both in numbers and qualification?. This was partly accounted for by the large number of qualified nurses who were living out. "If it becomes necessary to call on the nursing staff later." Dr. Thorne continued, "no doubt, sufficient numbers will be left to carry on." The services of Y.A.D. nur>es, he said, would be very useful for relieving in convalescent homes and in hospitals for ward work, though it was not intended that they should replace trained nurses. Counsel in Uniform. Although young men who were in camp during the Great War appeared In Court in uniform to he admitted as barristers, it is unique in legal history for a barrister to appear in uniform to plead a case. An example was set in the Court of Appeal at Wellington yesterday, however, by Mr. F. C. Jordan, of Auckland. The position was that Mr. Jordan's client was party to litigation in the Supreme Court at Auckland. This case was taken to the Court of Appeal. In between sittings of the two Courts war was declared and Mr. Jordan was eallcd up for service on coastal defence in the Auckland district. It was the wish of his client that Mr. Jordan should go to Wellington for the appeal proceedings, and with the consent of his commanding officer he did so. By regulation he had to continue wearing his uniform. He could not don his wig and gown, as nothing can be worn over Hie King's uniform. In Mr. Jordan's case the uniform was that of a lancecorporal.

Salvation Army Appeal. In view- of the widening of its work as il le^. u j t the present national emergency, the Salvation Army has issued an appeal to the public for financial assistance to the extent of £2.300 for immediate needs. Camp equipment and comforts for soldiers, the outfitting of two ambulances and plans for the evacuation, if necessary, of children's homes. Jio.-pitals and homes for the aged, are some of the activities envisaged bv the organisation. It is expected that eventuallv the expenditure will be about £10,000. Fruit Canning Industry. Reference to the possibilities of the fnrfteanning industry in Hawke's Bay was made by Mr. ,T. Wattie, of Wattie Canneries, Ltd., in an address on secondary industries at the weekly luncheon of the Xapier Rotary Clnb. The establishment in Xapier of a factory for canning asparagus was being planned, he said, and the vegetable could be grown on a large ai ea of Harbour Board land near the Taradale I<oad. Tomatoes, peas and apricots could also be grown, and this would be a great asset to the district and would be utilising the land in the best possible wav. War Spirit ? The personal belligerence so lacking in Aueklanders is apparelitlv compensated to some extent by the fighting spirit of the City Council. At least, that is the impression given by their action in renaming William Street. Hie little lane running down from Albert Park to Chancery Street is now Warspite Street, named after the battleship. The older sign ''William Street" is still there, faded and dim. cancelled by a heavy black line. but. the new sign flaunts itself bravely on a standard. Before the naming of Auckland's streets were revised there were no fewer than four William Streets round the suburbs and one William Avenue, in addition to William Street. City. Novel Applications Refused.

Judgment on a point which had been reserved by his Honor when he decided, after having heard legal argument last week, that the claim of Lewis Arthur Adams, hawker (Mr. Quartley), against Stanley Owen Clark, printer (Mr. Xorth), should be the subject of a ne\v trial, was given yesterday by Mr. Justice lair. Mr. Xorth had asked that the assessment of damages l>v the jury at the first trial should stand, leaving the matter only of liability to be decided at the new trial, and the assessment applied onlv in the event of a verdict against the defendant. His Honor said that the question raised was a novel one, apparently without parallel in any former decision, and he did not see sufficient, reason for making a new departure by granting the application. Lazy Letter.

They make writing home an easy job in the I nited States. A Xew Zealander the other day received from there what was described as a "lazy correspondence card." a form of postcard apparently intended for the use of holiday-makers "'stepping high in the southwest." It is like a questionnaire with alternative answei— provided, and all the writer has to do is put a cross against the one that suits him best. For instance, one section begins: "Doing lots of—" and continues with a long list of alternatives including riding, fishing sleeping, dancing, "thinking of you." and "making whoopee." Another example: "Ho\v are you?" I am: Stepping high, feeling blue, inucho bueno, missing you, broke, in the money, studying Spanish, studying Indian. However, in case the writer is not too lazy to be satisfied with merely marking his answers, there is space on the back of the card for an ordinary message. " Many Deplorable Cases**

"It is a mischievous Court and a mischievous administration," said Mr. Justice Xorthcroft when referring to the maintenance or destitute persons' Court during the hearing of a case under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act in the Supreme Court at Christchurch. Mr. Justice Xorthcroft said the Supreme Court had had many deplorable cases arising from orders made in the maintenance Court. "It does more harm than good in many cases," he said. "I am not criticising the learned magistrate," he continued, when referring to his own statement that he would not have supported a maintenance order made in the lower Court. "It is probable that all the facts were not brought before him." Counsel for the defence. Mr. B. A. Voting, said the case was heard in a short time ill the lower Court, and not all the evidence had been brought there, that had been brought in the Supreme Court. Problem for Roadmakers.

A new problem to New Zealand's roadmakers has been presented in the Orini district, where the swampv nature of the country has baffled the efforts to improve the roads in the district. A conference between the Waikato County and the Main Highways Board has been arranged to discuss the position. Mr. A. A. Woodward, the Waikato county engineer, said at a meeting of the council yesterday that thousands of yards of brown metal have been spread on the roads in the district, and, as it sank, more was added. It was Imped to form a consolidated crust which would form a, hard foundation for a permanent road surface. The county council's efforts have been without avail, however. There are many places in that swampy area where a longhandled shovel can be pushed out of sight. Just when it seemed likely that the lieavy spreading of metal on the roadway might prove successful, heavy rains were experienced and the roads are breaking up airain vorv badlv.