General News

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22237, 30 October 1937, Page 14

General News

Licensing Taxis Decision on the conditions for the granting of taxi licences in the city, which has been under consideration for some time, will not be announced by the Metropolitan Licensing Authority until after carnival week. The Mayor (Mr J. W. Beanland) said yesterday that the authority did not wish to impose new conditions at a time when taxis were abnormally husv. In the meantime the authority is busy considering the evidence before it. Distant Library Subscriber Even in far-away Samoa the Canterbury Public Library has a subscriber to its lending department. This subscriber has provided the library with a list of books he is interested in, and every time the Maui Pomare leaves for Samoa four books are posted to him. The library does not usually post books to subscribers, but an exception was made in this case because of the unusual circumstances. The Fishing Rivers The secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society advises that the Hurunui, Ashley, Rakaia, Selwyn, and Waimakarin rivers are in good condition for fishing for the week-end. Pedestrian Crossings Seven additional authorised pedestrian crossings are to be established in city streets before carnival week. Most of the new crossings will be in Cathedral square, to give pedestrians easier access from the main corners to the safety zones. On authorised crossings the motorist has to give way to the pedestrian, whereas on ordinary crossings, between white lines only, the reverse rule applies. Pedestrians are recommended by the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr J. Bruorton) to use the authorised crossings. Traffic lines on the streets are being repainted for carnival week, and full preparations are being made for the additional traffic. The Millbrook Reserve One of the show places of the city at this time of the year is the Millbrook Reserve, at the end of Carlton Mill road. Many thousands of people must have passed through the reserve during the last three weeks. Those who have not seen the azaleas in bloom there should not miss a visit.

Arawas’ Interest in Flight No section of the New Zealand community is more elated over the remarkable achievement of Miss Jean Batten in breaking the record for the solo flight between Australia and England than the members of the Arawa tribe, who in a ceremony in Rotorua after her flight over the Tasman bestowed upon her the name of Hine-o-te-rangi, or Daughter of the Skies. The progress of her last flight was followed with considerable interest by the Arawa people, partly because she is Rotorua-born, and partly because she has, under the old traditions of the race, been adopted as a daughter of the tribe. Accordingly, upon the successful completion of the record-breaking attempt, the following joint cablegram from both the people of Rotorua and the Arawa tribe was sent to Miss Batten at Croydon: “Congratulations on your wonderful achievement. Arohanui (greatest love).” Rentals of Rural Telephones The cost of rural telephone rentals was discussed at a recent of the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. Mr W. H. Ward said that the maintenance charge of £5 a mile a line was exorbitant. The farmers were in a most disadvantageous position compared with urban subscribers because of the high rentals and the small number of subscribers connected with rural exchanges, which caused heavy charges. It was decided to ask for a reduction in the maintenance charge. Historic War Canoe On behalf of the owners of a Wanganui river war canoe Te Wehi, an offer has been made to the Wanganui Museum that it might be deposited in the museum. At present the old canoe is at Parikino, some 30 miles up the river, and the Maori owners have offered to bring it to Wanganui if the museum, will accept it. The museum spent a considerable sum a year or so ago in restoring a historic canoe—Te Mata-o-Noturoa, which is now one of the great attractions of the museum. A member of the board of trustees, Mr E. Barns, a former interpreter, collected its story, and he has already gathered the story of Te Wehi. These old canoes, adzed from totara trees with stone tools, are becoming rarer each year, though a few are still to be seen on the Wanganui river. Te Wehi is perhaps the last one with an authentic war history.

Aero Club’s Flying Performance Canterbury Aero Club machines have completed 350 hours 5 minutes of flying this month. With two days in the month still to go the club has already achieved what is probably a record for aero clubs in the Dominion, according to the chief instructor, Mr G. L. Stedman. Unemployed Maoris The difficulty in finding useful employment for unemployed Maoris under the No. 5 scheme raised considerable discussion at a recent meeting of the Ellerslie Town Boat'd. Mr S. Somerfield said the 20 men in the board’s charge were “simply loafing.” “It is costing the State £4O a week in relief work wages and we are not getting 40s of work in return,” he continued. Unless the board took definite action he would consider it his duty to place his views before the Unemployment Board. The foreman, Mr W. J. Shiels, said he agreed that results were not being obtained. The men were clearing ground and collecting stone, and without additional transport the work could not be speeded up. The regulations prevented him from employing the men on any other work.

Message from Girl Guides The thanks of Their Majesties the King and Queen, for the loyal Coronation message sent from New Zealand on behalf of the Girl Guides of the Dominion last May, has been received by the Girl Guides’ Association. This acknowledgement was contained in a letter from Sir Alexander Hardinge, private secretary to the King, to the Chief Guide Commissioner in New Zealand, Miss R. Herrick, of Napier. The message took the form of an illuminated address, written on vellum in both English and Maori, and was accompanied by a coloured map painted on fine lambskin showing the route over which the message was taken throughout the Dominion before dispatch to England. Contained in a metal cylinder, the message was taken by relays of Girl Guides over an extensive route through both the North and South Islands, receiving the imprint of the seals of many of the cities and boroughs of the Dominion. Thermal Activity on Whale Island There are no signs from the mainland of any thermal or volcanic activity on Whale Island, near White Island. It is considered that a report of an eruption, which had been suggested might account for the recent series of earthquakes, had its origin in dense masses of cloud shrouding the lower slopes of the 2000 ft peak. The clouds lifted from the island, and in the clear atmosphere every detail of the shores five miles away could be seen. Very small hot springs exist on Whale Island, on the beach at Sulphur Bay, but not the slightest trace of activity can be seen at present. Occasionally fishermen are landed to collect crayfish, and Maoris camp there during the mutton bird season. White Island is at present throwing up a heavy column of vapour, which seems to be jetting from a slightly different spot. It is thought possible that the recent light earth tremors were connected with the formation of a new outlet. No boats have visited the island from Whakatane recently, and it is not possible to confirm this theory. Cosmopolitan Ship An unusually varied number of nationalities is to be found in the complement of the Silver Line motor-ship Silverelm, which is discharging Western Australian hardwood at Prince’s wharf, Auckland. The crew of the vessel comprises Malay sailors, lascar greasers, and Goanese servants, and her officers include English, Welsh, Scots, Canadian, Irish, and Anglo-In-dians. The Silverelm is the first ship of her line to visit Auckland since the war, the only previous vessel being the Silverasb. ,