NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

“Give, Give, Give” is “The idea of workers’ representatives trying every time, we meet to get something more and load up industry still further is a thing that should be stopped,” said Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, employers’ advocate, in Conciliation Council proceedings at Wellington yesterday. “Otherwise, where are we going to end if we have to give, give, give?” he added. “We shall never be able to manufacture anything at a price that people can afford.” Points of Law. Decision has been reserved by the Court of Appeal in the case stated to it by Mr. Justice Callan following a recent action in the Supreme Court at Auckland. One of the questions involved was whether a motorist from whose car a girl jumped and injured herself was guilty of an offence under the "hit an'd run” section of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 1936.

Visit to Fish Hatchery. Members of the council of life Wellington Acclimatisation Society are to leave Wellington for Masterton by car at noon to-morrow to pay a visit of inspection to the society’s fish hatchery there. During the afternoon the party will visit the Matahiwi Estate to inspect a plantation of alder trees. In the evening they will attend a meeting of the Masterton sub-cominittee of the society. A Tariff Benefit..

The importance of a tariff to the maintenance of the wireless-cabinet manufacturing industry was stressed at a Conciliation Council sitting at Wellington yesterday. As a result of the tariff, it was said, thousands of radio cabinets were being made in New Zealand where. before they were imported. “You- can thank Mr. Coates for that',” said a workers’ assessor (Mr. A. H. Dixon, Auckland). “This country can compete without any trouble." Prolific Pampas Grass.

An innovation on the Hauraki Plains during recent years has been the growing of pampas grass for the feeding of cattle. Much interest has been aroused in other districts by the success which has attended the efforts of farmers in this direction, the grass being burnt or eaten down to the roots before sending out shoots which are well liked, by the cattle. The present season has> been-especially favourable for the cultivation of pampas grass, and on a number of farms there are several acres devoted to it.

Prisoner’s Appeal. Douglas Henry Colin Baker, who in February, 1936, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on two counts of conspiring to commit arson and counselling or procuring the commission of tiie crime, appealed in the Court of Appeal yesterday against the sentence on the ground that it was excessive. He was represented by Mr. L. G. H. Sinclair, Palmerston North. The court consisted of the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), Mr. Justice Kennedy, Mr. Justice Callan, and Mr. Justice Northcroft. Decision was reserved.

Search for Interpreter. The hearing of charges against three young Portuguese farm labourers was delayed for several hours in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, until an interpreter could be found. The youths were Ornaro da Silva, aged 16, Arthur Teixeira Gaipo, aged 17, and Antonio Goaquim de Costa, aged 20. It was stated that they had stowed away in the ship Loch Don when it left Horta, Fayal, on February 8. When the interpreter arrived the accused were charged with stowing away, with being prohibited immigrants and with unlawfully landing in New Zealand. They were ordered to be taken into custody pending their sailing In a ship for Auckland and thence to Portugal.

Rosicrucian New Year. The vernal equinox yesterday, when the sun entered the astronomical sign of Aries, on jts celestial journey around the Zodiac, marked the -beginning of the new year commemorated by the Rosicrucian Order, a philosophical fraternity. For centuries the people of the Orient celebrated the beginning of the new year on or about March 21,. when this astronomical phenomena occurred, and since it also appeared the logical time, being spring, when all nature was in a state of rebirth and awakening. Among the ancient Egyptians it was marked by a symbolical feast of corn bread, salt and grape juice, representing the principal elements of man’s nature. The traditional history of the Rosicrucians records its establishment during the reign of Pharoah Amenhotep IV., in 1350. 8.C., and he is said to have instituted the ceremony and feast, which is continued in commemoration in the same manner by the Rosicrucians throughout the world. Rotary On Board The Queen Mary.

About three months ago, on his return from abroad, Mr. R. L. Button suggested to the Wellington Rotary Club that it might be a friendly gesture to send the club’s pennant to the Rotary Fellowship on the Atlantic liner Queen Mary, on which he had travelled from America to England. This was done. At yesterday’s club luncheon the president, Mr. R. Telford, announced that the following letter had been received from Mr. A. R. Bennett, the senior purser of the Queen Mary:—“lt is with great pleasure that I received the New Zealand flag which will be duly hung with other flags already received, and I would ask you to extend my thanks to Rotarian R. L. Button for his thoughtfulness. I think as a point of interest to members of your club the following figures will show how the Queen Mary Fellowship is appreciated by those who travel on. this ship. From the maiden voyage in May, 1936,' to the end of 1937, 943 Rotarians from ,521 clubs, representing 47 different countries and geographical regions, attended meetings; also' 78 flags and bannerettes have been received.”