General News

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22104, 28 May 1937, Page 10

General News

+ "Tribal Laws and Customs" Some oversea writers, especially Americans, have indulged themselves in aerial flights of fancy when discussing the habits and "tribal laws and customs" of New Zealanders, but the palm must go to a German journalist. An Auckland resident has received a letter from a German friend, who writes: "Last week I read an article in a Cologne paper, which said that car owners in New Zealand are urging the Government to bring in a measure to remove certain figures on the, radiators of cars, which cause the superstitious natives much uneasiness, and sometimes result in their death, as they throw themselves under the cars." Radio News Service Suggested A suggestion that the Government should provide an internal and overseas news service for radio listeners is advanced by the Otago Labour Representation Committee. At a meeting of the committee last night the following resolution was adopted: "That the Otago Labour Representation Committee, recognising the danger of the press gaining control of broadcasting, as is the case in Australia, endorses the Government's policy of placing the broadcasting services of the Dominion under the control of the State, to be operated as a State undertaking, and urges that with a view to effecting an improvement in the present service to listeners, the Government should immediately plan for the setting up of an internal and overseas news service." Crossbred Duck A dead duck was produced for examination by the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society recently. It was stated to be a cross between a wild grey duck and a domestic Indian Runner. It was shot by a Palmerston North sportsman on the opening day of the season, and had been preserved in cold storage. "I think this disposes of the theory that the grey duck will not mate with any other breed," said Mr E. E. Aldridge, chairman of the game committee. The bird was very much larger than any ordinary grey duck, and, while part of its plumage was typical of that of the native grey duck, there were considerable white patches on neck, body, and wings. Mr S. T. Tisdall said there could be no question but that the grey duck and mallard mated in the wild state. The pure grey duck was rapidly decreasing in numbers, and fully half those shot this year were of the mallard-grey duck cross. Tostal Efficiency One of the apparent miracles of post office delivery was demonstrated recently when an envelope addressed "Placement Officer, Government Employment Bureau, Masterton, was handed to the addressee within five weeks of leaving Palestine. There was not the slightest indication on the envelope to show in which country Masterton was situated, yet it travelled unerringly from Jerusalem to the post office at Cairo, and thence to Port Said, where it was placed in a mail-bag on a steamer bound for Wellington. The letter was sent by a former resident of the Wairarapa, who had been requested .by the placement officer at Masterton to give bis opinion of the capability of a former employee who was seeking another position. Salmon Fishing Season The thought of standing on one bank of the Rakaia river after the salmon season watching fishermen on the other bank landing good bags is so strongly disliked by members of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that they urged their council to extend the salmon season to the end of April. Mr A. E. Smith said that while the North Canterbury season this year ended in the middle of April the Ashburton Society's season did not close until the end of April. Thus those on the north bank in the last two weeks of the month stood by while others on the south bank enjoyed their fishing. "Silent Policemen" "If we are going to have any police witnesses in this case, don't call it a 'silent pouceman'—they don't like it," said Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court at Auckland. "I know from experience. Call it a traffic dome. Counsel suggested that the familiar sign was widely known as a "poached egg." "I have been put in my place by a constable for speaking of it as a silent policeman," continued his Honour, smiling. He added that he thought they were quite right to object to the term. As the case proceeded counsel made a determined effortnot always successful—to avoid the use of the questionable name. A Wrestler's Good Deed A crippled boy who lives in Barbadoes street will remember for a long time the visit to Christchurch of the wrestler, Sam Stein. Some time ago this 15-year-old boy, who will be bedridden for life, wrote to Stein, whom he greatly admires as a wrestler, and asked him to visit his home when he came to Christchurch. Stein did not get the letter; but through the Boys' Employment Committee he heard of the boy, and spent nearly an hour with him, talking of bouts, of the wrestler's experiences as a star football player in America, and his life as an actor in Hollywood. When Stein started his bout the same evening he asked for a special broadcast message for the cripple, to whom he has promised to write regularly. Prevention of Fireblight Fireblight regulations issued last evening proclaim several districts to be fruit-growing districts and provide that in each such district all plants of hawthorn must be cut down between June 1 and July 31 each year to prevent any part of it from flowering.—Press Association. "A Wonderful Experience" "Surrounded by dozens of photographers, newspaper reporters, and cartoonists, members of the New Zealand cricket team were both bewildered and thrilled on their arrival at Waterloo station, London, on May 4," writes a Christchurch cricket enthusiast who is travelling with the team. "To the new members of the side it was truly a wonderful experience, and no doubt the ones who had been to England before were equally thrilled. London at present is in the middle of a bus strike and consequently private cars are being used by the people to a much greater extent than usual. The traffic blocks were so great that it took the team almost two hours to arrive at its headquarters, the Great Central Hotel." "An Excellent Service" "The opportunities that are offered by a visit to Great Britain and the Continent for studying world affairs at first-hand are often greatly exaggerated," commented Mr James Begg in an address to the Victoria League at Dunedin. "The news service to New Zealand is so good that people in the Dominion are actually better informed than those at Home. In many cases, it is easier to form opinions here, where the facts can be reviewed from long-range and with an excellent foundation of information.' 7 Queen Victoria's Courage The life and reign of Queen Victoria were the subject of reference by Mr Justice Callan, president of the Auckland branch of the Royal Empire Society, in an address at the Empire Day dinner recently. "She did not survive to see the twentieth century," he said. "She thus escaped a very exciting, very exhausting, and sometimes a very exasperating time. One thing I do know; she would not have been appalled by it, because she was a lady of vast courage." Mr George C. Pickett, who has resigned from the managership of the Milk Producers' Co-operative Company, Ltd., left last evening for Wellington. He will sail by the Maunganui for Sydney, where he will reside. Dr. H. G. Denham, Professor of Chemistry at Canterbury University College, returned from the north by the steamer express yesterday morning. Mr S. L. Wright, general manager of Woolston Tanneries, Ltd., was a passenger from the north by the steamer express yesterday morning. At the annual meeting of the Otago Harbour Board last night, Mr William Begg was elected chairman. Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P., was a passenger from the south last evening by the express. He left later lor Wellington. _