LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 142, 19 June 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday Was the 107 th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought on Sunday, 18th June, 1815, and resulted in the overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte by the Duke of Wellington.

Dunedin, as the "Edinburgh of the South'" must evidently soon look to her laui'els, because Auckland if making a strong bid in the Scotch direction. Last week the Auckland City Council received a letter from Dr. T. W. Leys stating that Mr. Moss Davis had purchased in London for presentation to the Auckland Public Library the manuscript of a very interesting and valuable letter by the great Scottish poet, Robert Btii'ns. Mr. Moss Davis had had a suitable mahogany case made for the exhibition 01 this unique document, which it was anticipated was now on its way to New Zealand. A photograph of the letter and .1 sketch of tile exhibition case was also forwarded. The Mayor said that this was a most valuable letter, and it showed that their former respected citizen had not forgotten hig adopted city of earlier days.

The next strawberry crop is likely to bo seriously diminished in the districts around Auckland owing to the great shortage of young plants.. Ten years ago the new plants aggregated one million for a season.. Since then new plantings each year. have steadily increased, upwards of a quarter of a million more being averaged yearly, until last season the number totalled fully four millions. Growers of recent years have been discarding the poorer strains of plants, to the mutual advantage of themselves and consumers. This year, however, . probably owing to the unusual wetness experienoedj the propagation of the runners was considerably retarded (states the Auckland Star). After all the work of preparation of the ground and manuring had been completed, in readiness for the new plants, growers discovered that their full requirements could not be fulfilled. For the past few weeks all concerned in the industry have been much exercised at the shortage, and frantic endeavours were made to obtain supplies. Throughout the province, every locality likely to furnish plants has been canvassed, especially in the Waikato and in North Auckland districts. Motor-launches on the rivers, and motorcars in the country, have been employed to convey representatives intent on exhausting every source to replehish the large deficiency. Notwithstanding these strenuous efforts, however,, the number available represents a shortage of a million compared with the previous year. This means, under ordinary Gaoumstances, a decrease of 25 Dei1 cent.

"There have been a good many changes recently in regard to the method of examination," said the Hon. 0. J. Parr (Minister of Education) at tlie graduation ceremony in connection with ths Auckland University College at Hie ToWii Hall last week. This year, he continued, they would, see commenced in this country a system by which professors, -with independent assessors; \vould themselves conduct the exahiiiiaitioiiF for |3ass degrees. Me Considered that the old system by which the piioers were sent to Great. Britain, arid tljefe wus a, period, of waiting of foul' or five months Ijpfoia the results? were known, was nuiti? out i-f data arid Unnecessary. HtV Vvns liol ons of those who claimed thai there should Ijs no examination. There mils!. !>!• some exasniiiiilionx ilnd some lout- of the tcauhfir and his pupil, urn! lit? lialioved Dial, it was powsiblo to find in Nuu-, Zealiind or Australia, if .nCueMU'v, • me" to coticlud. Mia oKfcmUiatiuu at the university colleges,.

What the State has to expend on the education and maintenance of children in industrial institutions may be gathered from ths fact that a man appeared before Mr. E. 0. Cuttsn, S.M., at the Auckland Police Court, to asl< for a variation of an order. Senior Sergeant Rawle said there were seven children's maintenance to be paid, and arrears totalled £237. They were committed in 15)15. They were now working. Mr. Cutten declined to vary the order.

An interesting experiment in oyster cntivation has lately been carried out in Auckland by Mr. J. P. Bennett, inspector of sea. fisheries. About, 15 months ago, Mr. Bennett, working on a theory of his own, placed a. large number of prepared rocks on the scoria reef that extends for over a mile into the harbour frpm near Point Chevalier up toward Kauri Point. Previously there was not a vestige of an oyster mi this reef (states the New Zealand Herald), but Mr. Bennett states that his rocks are now smothered in. oyster spat, and he considers that if given the necessary protection, the reef -will supply from 500 to 600 sacks of oysters in about five years' time.

Regarding matriculation examinations, the Hon. C. J. Pan- (Minister of Education) stated at the graduation ceremony at the Auckland Town Hall that this year there were 4000 candidates, and the examinations Were getting rather. unwieldy. If it was good enough for the University to have internal examinations and deoffscs awarded on the reports of the professors, then it was good enough for some system of granting passes in matriculation on the recommendation of a competent headmaster, possibly assisted by an inspector. The headmaster knew better than anyone else who was entitled to go forward to the University. This would do away with the present overlapping and umvieldly system of matriculation examinations in this country.

In a report to the Taranaki Education Board, the chief inspector (Mr. J. A. Valentine) drew attention to the fact that only about half the schools in the district had been opened 396 times (half-days, equal to 198 days) during the year 1921, says the Herald. In the report Mr. Valentine said :-^lt is granted that in a number of cases epidemics caused the closing of a good many schools; still, it seems clear that too many of our schools are being closed for trivial fsisons, and it is suggested that the board should revise its bylaw 58, and then diftsct the attention of committees and teachers to the necessity for observing the provisions of the amended bylaw. Certain it is that net a few of our schools were closed for over three months in the year, and that seems to be UlineceSary Waste of both time and opportunity.

''J first walked on the Port HiUs on 25th December, 1856," said Dean Harper at a -lecture at Christchurch. "and I am greatly attached to them. I have crossed the equator lime times; I have seen the Rocky Mountains of America and Canada, and I do not know of any scene that surpasses the view from the' Port Hills in the stretch of some 200 miles of snow-capped peaks from the seaward Kaikouras to Mount Peel and further south. The Hocky Mountains are higher than the Southern Alps, but travellers lose some sense of their height on anddunt of the railways goin<j far up* the mountain sides; and from the Port Sills'- there is the additional attraction of the quiet atmosphere of homesteads, fields, and treer oil the _ Canterbury Plains, and, on the other side, there is the ocean. Perhaps another consideration is that people of Christ-church can see the view from the Port Hills for sixpence, while a trip to the Rockies will cost them hundreds of pounds."

The Auckland City Council has accepted the tender of "Mr Charles W Bavenhill for the erection of a crematorium at Waikumets cemetery, the sum being £2471 10s 4d. Referring to the matter, the Mayor, Mr. J H. Gunson, stated that loan proposals were submitted to the ratepayers nearly three years ago,_ but financial conditions Were unfavourable for the issue of a lyn. The fittings and equipment would mmediately be ordered for the building, and it is hoped that it will be completed and l'eady for use by the end of the present year. "It will be the first crematorium in use in Anck-' land," he said. "Previously those desiring bodies to be cremated had to send the bodies down to Wellington for that purpose. This will now be avoided, and the long-standing demand of the Crematorium Society and others will be met." The building (states the Star) is to be erected in brick, will be (juite plain in appearance, atid suitable in eVery way for its purpose.

In referring to the proposed new arts building at the graduation ceremony at tho Auckland Town Hall, the Minister of Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, said that at last Auckland .University College was to have a habitation and » name. The professors and students, past and present, had had to work under conditions probably unknown in any part of the British Empire. These conditions were enough to depress even the hearty young undergraduates who would derive the benefit front the new building. He was glad to see they appreciated that they were at last to have a new buildihg in which1 to pursue their studies (reports the New Zealand Herald). . "Wheri you consider that this University College had as its first home the old wooden building in Edeh-street, which was the home of the Mother Parliament of New Zealand," said the Minister) " and that part of its present building was riot good enough for the purpose of secondary education, you will agree that even . the parochial newspaper writer must admit that Auckland is justly entitled to a decent university."

How an ingenious mfen can nullify the harshness Of some of our railway regulations is illustrated by the following facts (say 6 the Dunedin Star): —Not a hundred miles from Dunedin a coal merchant got delivered to him in one day tl.vte trucks of coal. They were ordered to arrive on different dayß, but somebody had blundered. Hie dealer, whose plant was limited, found at the end of the time allowed for discharging trucks that he had failed to empty the last truck, which had two tons left in it. He approached the stationmaster for some latitude. But rule something or other was quoted: " If not emptied, then demurrage charge of 14s would be enforced." Pondering this over and making inquiries re freight, the astute one found he could consign it to the next station, some three miles on, for 5s 9d. This he promptly did* Next day tho truck started on its travels. For five days it ran up and down the line. The owner of the coal used to. amuee [ himself by waving his hand at it dally :i; it passed. On the fifth day it was brought to a stand at the station, and the coal merchant got his coal) and saved IBs 3d. The Railway Department's profit is not disclosed. News comes from the International Council of Women that on 24th February the Danish Kyihdesatilfulid, the eldest of all tlie unions in the Northern Counties, standing for women's rights, celebrated its 50th anniversary. To this representatives' from the three ' other | Scandinavian countries Were invited, and brought greetings from their respective 'associations. At tlie festival, given at I Copenhagen, ii). honour ot the day, the Danish Government was represented by some of its members, amonjr whom was the Premier himself, who foi- 40 years hits been mi interested member of tile Danisll Kviudesainlund. Tho PrUhlieO spulife to ill*) iissbinbly, and praised the \ excellent manner in which the Danish woman hud always worked, lot their-