NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Lower Ship Fares. Passengers by the Aorangi and Niagara to Sydney will in future benefit by the reduction in war risk surcharge from 33 1-3 per cent to 15 per cent. The announcement made by the Union Steam Ship Company, is an extension of the announcement mncle last week to cover the Awatea a m<l Wanganella. Inclement Weather. Some Auckland yaclitemen were chagrined to experience two Saturdays in succession of rough weather, and a number of sailing races had to be postponed, as the conditions were altogether unsuitable for sinal craft. However, thi> big keel yachts were able to face the bad conditions, and ninde a fine picture threshing their way down the harbour in a rough sea. Park Statuary. For the supply nml election of the stonework to form the pedestal for the IViitennial memorial statuary, which is to be placed in Albert Tark, tenders are being called by the Auckland City Council. Piaster casts for a group of symbolic statuary have been completed, and the bronze castings will be made in England. It is expected that the completed work will be received kick in about six months' time. Slow Journey. Crowds gathered yesterday to watch the spectacular sight of three powerful motor lorries chained one behind the other pulling Mr. K. J. Dixon's newmotor sailer from his home in Sinclair Street to the Devonport Yacht Club slipway, a distance of one mile. The journey took eight hours. The Devonport Borough Council traffic officer, Mr. B. It. S. Rutledge, was busily employed throughout the day controlling the traffic on the main street down which the boat was hauled. Rainy Spell Breaks. After nine consecutive days on which rain fell the skies cleared yesterday afternoon and there waa bright sunshine, although the weather, was excessively humid. Gardens, which hud become overgrown in many ca*ses, were once again scenes of activity. The total rainfall for this month is already well above the average for January of 2.eiin. Up to the week-end 5.47 in had been recorded. Metric System ia New Guinea. A preference for the metric system, as it obtains in New Guinea, was expressed by Mr. Guy Broad, a former Wanganui athlete, who is on furlough and who holds a position in the Commonwealth Government Public Works at Rabaul. Mr. Broad remarked that roads were so many metres wide and so many kilometres long, eight kilometres representing approximately five miles. The area of plantations was reckoned in hectares, a hectare being a little less than two and a half acres. The metric eystem was introduced into New Guinea under German rule prior to the 1014-18 war. Caff of tke Beaches. After being "cooped up" inside by the showery weather on Saturday and again yesterday morning, Aucklanders flocked to the beaches in their thousands yesterday afternoon when the sun broke through the clouds. In the morning the beaches were to a large extent deserted, but when the sun began to show through, and patches of blue sky gave promise of sun of greater strength utill later, crowds began to congregate at the various watering places, coming from far and near. The break in the weather could not have come at a better time, for the tide on the Waitemata was well in by then, and swimmers were able to enjoy their dips until well on towards evening. Worm, Bird, Cat a*4 Wind. A reader sends in this comment: — "Dear sir,—After reading your paragraph a few days ago in these columns in .which another of your readers describes, under the title of 'Death in the Storm, , the progressive death of a worm, a bird that ate the worm and a cat that killed the bird, all because a tree blew over, I am moved to wonder. I am amazed at the strangeness of things—l mean, how history repeats itself! You see, a story almost exactly similar in respect to its actual details, was carved on the stone tablets dug out of ancient Chaldea. There is a famous Egyptian tragedy, inscribed on yellowing papyrus, which relates much the same story—only it uses human beings, from slave to princess, Tor the principal actors. Far be it from me to doubt your correspondent's word —but is not history strange?" "All But The Milk." "British folk impressed me by the amazing brightness and optimism with which they put up with the alarms of air raids, the trials of the blackout* ami separation from their children, who have been sent to places of comparative safety," said an overseas traveller, who reached Auckland recently after having been in England for a large part of the war period. "I was highly amused when a email child who had been evacuated from London to, a court - ' try billet was induced, with eeveral others, to relate from the microphone at the 8.8.C. her impressions of her new mode of life. In reply to questions she said she liked her new home, and also wag thrilled by country life. She also liked the food she got—all but the milk. "Why don't you like the milk?" *be was asked. "Well," she replied, "in London we got our milk out of nice clean bottles; hero we get it from a dirty cow." Old A. and P. Show Medallion. An old medallion has been unearthed in the garden of the oleics*, house in Morrinsvilk, which was formerly the residence of Mr. P. -f. Marshall, the first Mayor of Morrinsville, Mr. L. Wenzlick, the present occupier, turned up with his spade a round oxidised object which ho at first thought to be a fiveshilling piece. After cleaning the object, he discovered it was a solid silver medallion presented by the W.A. and P. Association Show in the year 1SJ)8. The face side is in raised motif and depicts ati Knglish farm scene. In the background i-i a typical old farmhouse of stone, with a usb roof, and large shady tree*. The foreground shows two milch cows, a pig and fowl*, with a draught. horse harnessed to a single-furrow plough of ancient design. On the reverse side, surrounded by a wreath of laurel, is engraved: "Presented by the W.A. and P. Association Show, 1898, champion thoroughbred, F. Marshall TiPolanti*.' "

First Race Meeting. Details of the birth or racing in New Zealand are sought by a correspondent, but while these are lacking the actual date of the firet meeting is on record. In his book, "The City of Auckland," Mr. John Barr, chief librarian in Auckland, states that the first race meeting held in New Zealand took place on January, 5, 1842, at Epsom. Mr. Banis unable to state at what location the event was held, nor give any information about the event itself. Social Security Act. In discussing the Social Security Act iii a broadcast from Wellington last evening, the Prime Minister, the Kight Hon. M. J. Savage, said that he was optimistic enough to think that it would not be long before the full provisions of the Act were in operation. He said that the services would be developed and improved. It was difficult to understand people who were opposed to the provisions of the Act, and there was, he said, no argument against its development ami improvement. Freak Potatoes. Freak potatoes are l>y no means rare, but this season it would appear that they are numerous. Several specimens were shown to a representative of the Timaru '■Herald," as well as a number of samples illustrating the effect of the weather on potato croje generally., The specimens came from a garden in Timaru, and all bore a second growth. The larger potatoes had a number of shoota as well as second growth, while smaller potatoes had all thrown out new shoota. Poseibly this is the result of the long dry spell, followed by the soaking rain experienced on Boxing Day. White Butterfly Offensive. The muggy conditions that followed last week's rain have resulted in the reappearance of large numbers of white butterflies in suburban gardens in Auckland. Apart from the use of sprays, which attack the pest in the grub stage, there appears to be no better way of controlling the destructive butterflies than a frontal attack. Thus the sport of butterfly chasing is again in full swing and to date the tennis racquet appears to be the finest weapon of offence. However, an agile and ambitious cat is stated to be a good substitute, though probably the diet is not a suitable one. Philatelists, Be Ready! It seems that, after long years of waiting, the Tasman air mail service is to be an actual fact in the very near future, according to advice received by the chief postmaster, Mr. R. G. May. Arrangements have been made to assist those ardent users of inaugural services, the philatelists. Each envelope will be rubber-stamped "New Zealand-Auetra-lia-England through air mail service inaugural flight." The Auckland transmission date will also be stamped on the back. To aid the censor, senders should leave their envelopes unsealed; he will heal them before dispatching. The censorship requirements will necessitate earlier closing of the mails than is usual. Toll of Drowning. While fatal road accidents have fortunately shown a decrease over the recent holiday period, deaths by drowning show a liig increase. During the past live weeks at least 37 people lost their lives in the Dominion by this cause. For the same period last year the drownings numbered only 12. No fewer than 17 of the drowning tragedies occurred in the Auckland Province. The 37 victims comprised 14 men, 14 boys, eight girls and one woman. Of the five double tragedies, three followed the capsLse of small boats. Four men were recently lost from the yacht Ngahuia when it was wrecked on Matakana Island. In 11 eases the drownings occurred at beaches, while in 10 instances the drownings happened in streams or rivers. Two persons were drowned while attempting to rescue others. In the majority of cases inability to swim accounted for the tragedies, although several good swhniners lost their lives after getting into strong currents. The Bible and Mem Kampf. "New* that the sale of the Bible in Germany has been outstripping the sale of 'Mein Kampf by 200,000 copies a year comes to remind us that the juniper-tree mood is aa mistaken to-day as it was when it attacked the man who thought he was God's only survivor in Israel," state.* the London "War Cry," organ of the. Salvation Army. "With the above item we ought to place the considered opinions of chaplains serving with the British Expeditionary Force, that the average soldier is far more religious than he- was in (he last war. Tlie mimlter of communicants lias increased enormously. 'More and more,' writes E. A. Montague, the 'Manchester Guardian' special correspondent with the 8.E.F.. 'men, nauseated with politics and their effects, are beginning to feel .hat only a great spiritual change can save the world from a recurrence of these present miseries.' Man's extremity is. at the present time. God's opportunity," states the "War Cry."