NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 88, 13 April 1940, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Amalgamation Scheme. On tho outbreak ot war It was decidfd to abandon for the time being the .'.ocal Government (Amalgamation Scheme-) Hill, according 'to advice received by the Associated Chambers of Commerce from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. \V. E. Parry. The Minister explains that any further progiv-- with the bill is dependent on various factors arising out of the inter-

national situation. Good Lake Fishing. Two \i-itors to the di-trict gained limit bag- tishing at Luke Rerewhakaitu on I'hur-day. reports a Rotorua correspondent. Mr. C. M. Strand, of Auckland. and Mr. A. Sheer, of Matainata, between theni landed 20 fish averaging between 31b and 41b in weight. The heaviest was ,">lb. Another tine fish from larawera was a 121b rainbow trunt landed by Miss M. Adams, of Auckland. It was in particularly good condition. Memorial Window.

At 11 a.m. to-morrow a memorial window to the memory of Mr. L. T. Svines will be unveiled in St. Mary's Cathedral Church by Sir Carrick Robertson. The subject of the window is the Good Shepherd, and is the workmanship of Mr. A. C. Ward, of England, who was responsible for the windows in the King's College Chapel. Formerly a parishioner of St. Mary's. Mr. S'ymes was a member of the Stock Exchange and a former manager of the Bank of Australasia. The window has been donated bv his relatives.

Blackberry Eradication. A letter was received by the Taupiri Drainage Board from a settler expressing the opinion that the cutting of blackberries was a wrong method of destroying the weed, as it only promoted growth the following season. The settler suggested that the blackberries should lie killed by a poison spray. Members of the hoard agreed with the writer s views, and decided to adopt his suggestion. The board decided to supply thp equipment and do the work, the cost to i>e defrayed by the owners of the land. Suva Wharf Revenue. Some time last year, when the Government was considering banning the public from the wharf during the arrival of overseas steamers, the Suva Chamber of Commerce suggested a barrier system, with a small payment for admission. To date, writes the "Star's" Suva correspondent, the Government has benefited to the extent of approximately £100 from this source. The result has been most satisfactory to people with legitimate business on the wharf and incoming passengers.

Fly-Casting Contest. A great deal of interest is hem;: taken by fly fishermen throughout the Auckland district in the easting tournament. to be held by the Hamilton Acclimatisation Club at the model yacht basin in the Hamilton lake on April 20. Kight competitions have been arranged, in live of which the distance the competitors can cast a fly will be tested. In two of the events accuracy will be the aim. There will also be a teams' easting match. A large number of entries have been received. The annual meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society will be held in-the evening. Services of Achilles Recognised.

The presentation of a sterling silver salver in recognition of the services of 11.M.5. Achilles in the battle of the River Plate was made yesterday by Commander ('. H. T. Palmer on behalf of tlu- Auckland branch of the Xavy League. On behalf of the ship's com - pany. Captain \V. K. Parry expressed tile thanks of the officers and ratings for the gift, and also for tlie interest taken by the Xavy League in the welfare of the Xavy. The presentation was made on hoard the cruiser, and subsequently the salver was used for the first time, when several toasts were honoured.

No-Confidence Vote. At a recent meeting of the Auckland Milk \ endors' Association, a unanimous vote of no-confidence in the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council was carried. The association contended that the recent increase in the price of milk to consumers in the metropolitan area— OAd a quart in zoned areas and 7d in open areas—as fixed by the council, had resulted in a reduced margin to vendors of 20 )>er cent. It was further claimed that this did not permit of a vendor with an average round of from 36 to 40 gallons earning the basic wage. Another resolution was carried to appeal against the action of the council. The utmost confidence in the association's representative on the council, Mr. J. Haslam, was expressed. Sheep Industry. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. \Y. Lee Martin, has replied to a request liv the Auckland Chamber of Commerce that the Government re-establish the Sheep Industry Commission, which was disbanded on the outbreak of war. The chamber made its request in view of the national need for increased production. The Minister states that before the commission ceased to function it had obtained very considerable written and oral evidence, and its recommendations were being considered by the (Jovcrnntent. It was not thought that the re-establi>hment of the commission was warranted. It is proposed by the Associated Chambers of Commerce to ccmrewf-with the New Zealand Sheepuvners' Federation on aspects raised in the Minister's reply.

Not What it Seemed. When crane slings slipped and dumped a crate of hulk chocolate on the wharf at Lyttelton one day recently watersiders unloading an overseas steamer helpt-d themselves with relish from the scattered chocolate, and parsed the word round among their mates. It was not until some time later that the samplers began to have misgivings. Inquiry provided a simple solution —it was laxatixe chocolate. consigned to a manufacturing chemi-t. New Photographs Wanted. "I.et lis have a photograph of the Xordon Cup team taken." said Mr. <•'. f\. Laurie at a meeting of the Canterbury Swimming Centre. "If vou go round to the tepid bath you will see nothing but a lot of old photographs taken about 2(1 years ago. Let us have something to put in the new bath to -how that we won something in the Centenary year." Canterbury won the interprovincial swimming contest asainst Wellington la-t month by two series to one.

World's Smallest Brewery. Mr. I{. 1). Oliaudi. a visitor from Bomhay. who i- now cycling round the world, in an address to the Wellington Kotarv Club, said {hat while touring a remote district 011 tho east coast of Africa he came on what he considered to be the smallest brewery ill the world. An old negro woman was brewing beer in a quart pot. but what was remarkable about it was the peculiar instrument with which she was stirring the simmering liquid. On examining it closely he found it to be the skeleton of a human hand. One member of the club remarked that this was probably the origin of "handler" of beer. Century-Old Meal.

Carrot- packed in tins for Captain Parry's third expedition in search of the Norlh-We-t I'as-agv in 1524 were tound to lie in good condition for eating when the tin- were opened recently in a London laboratory. They smelt and tasted sweet, although they had taken on a slight metallic flavour, easily understandable as a result of enclosure in tins for lit; years. The chemists making the report on the condition of the food said that some of the meat from another century-old can was eaten with delight—but tiiey added that the distinction of sampling the 100-year-old meal fell to the laboratory cat.

Legend Disposed Of. Roman Catholic authorities in London have disposed of the legend of St. Theresa, the French girl saint, appearing in a vision to her sister and saying. "The war will be over in two months." following an upheaval which would shake the world. A priest said: "I I have a letter from Mother Agnes, the prrsent Superior of the Carmelite Convent. at Lisieux. Normandy (where the vision is said to have appeared to St. Theresa's sister, a nun there). Mother Agues denies the story completely, as it has been denied in 'Las Annalcs* (an official Catholic publication). The story was sent out by a news agcncv. who reported it from Rome, where it was said to be circulating in the Vati- ! can. Boy's Narrow Escape. Ihe action or a 17-year-old boy. who •■limbed ail clectriw power wire pylon ill the Opilii riverbed on a recent Sundav and had a narrow escape from scriou* injury, it not death, was referred to at a meeting of the South Canterbury Klectrie Power Board by the chairman, Mr. (i. Da-h. Ihe boy took hold of the wire and was unable to let go. He called out, but no one could go to his assistance. One of his feet touched a piece of metal and lie fell, fortunately being caught, on a crossarm as he did so. otherwise the consequences might have been serious. It was decided to communicate with the schools on the subject to prevent similar mishaps in the future, and. in the event of the board having legal lights, to take action. A Museum "Game."

\ isitors to the Otago Museum, as to other institutions of a like nature, suffer usually from an embarrassment of riches, writes a correspondent. There seems to be too much to see. and the mind is continually being sidetracked 011 to something else. In an endeavour to smooth out this difficulty, as well as to make the attractions more interesting. a new procedure has been instituted on the upper floor of the Kels winjr. which should develop. A trail is laid down, with small placards marked with a distinctive colour. Two trails have been made, one dealing with weapons and the other with pottery. The first "weapon"' card marks the early Stone Age specimens, and leaves a clue as to where the ncNt will hp found, giving in the aggregate a review of weapons of all the age*.