LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 67, 19 March 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

tt '\ i? reS r3 Association message states that the lonic, which arrived at- Auckland from London last night, brought 046 assisted immigrants—lo7 men and 108 women, including 43 domestics and children.

All dubs affiliated to the Wellington Rugby Union are to be asked to supply information for the Government Statistician, who is compiling a record of the number of persons takin" part in sport in New Zealand.

A conference of senior inspectors will be held shortly, and will' be prosided over by the Director of Education, in the absence of the Minister, to discuss the grading of teachers. The New Zealand Educational Institute has been invited to send representatives to the conference.

If there are Rugby players on the British warships to visit New Zealand the Wellington Rugby Union is prepared to arrange a mid-week match' for them. The Union also intends to extend an invitation to the officials of the warships to send a party to the Rugby matches, winch arc to be played on the Abm April. Ihese decisions were made by the Management Committee of tlie "W.R.U. last evening, when notification was received that the Government was sending forward to the Admiral on Hie British warships a full programme of the entertainments, etc., to be provided when the ships were in Wellington Tho chairman of the Sports Committee asked for any suggested fixture for matches or other entertainment to be offered to the officers or 'jne.u of ihe warshijs.

Local applications to join the official party with the New Zealand Rugby team on the big tour this year must be made through the Wellington Rugby Union. The committee of that body decided last evening to recommend the application of Mr. H. Murphy, a member of the Management Committee.

Gas, as an illuminant of railway carriages, is a potential source of clanger in the event of accident, and its use onthe Main Trunk express trains is now being discontinued in favour of electric light. Sixty-two carriages are to be fitted up with electric light : the sets for which have arrived from England, and are being assembled and tested at Petonc railway workshops. Most trains at Home, in the United States, and other parts of the world have beeu lit by electricity for years, and the carriages of the old Manawatu Railway Company were so illuminated.

"The finest Leedsi we have ever seen," is the claim put forward by Mr. E. Oswald Reilly in respect to an imported narcissus that he has just flowered, and in the opinion of experts who were shown the bloom yesterday, the claim is amply justified. Mr. Reilly (states "The Post's" Dunedin correspondent), got the bulb from Mr. 1. D. Williams, of Cornwall, the narcissi breeder who produced Conqueror, Hospodar, Robespierre, and many other good things. Its name is Gry Falcon. Observers note its purity, its cool appearance, its true proportion, and declare it to be a flower of perfect balance, and of the highest quality, without a weak point.

The explanation that his attention had been attracted to the New South WalesNew Zealand cricket match, was put forth by David Browning when charged betore Mr. C.l E. Orr-Walker, S.M., yesterday atfernoon with negligently driving a steam wagon. According to the police, defendant's attention had been attracted by cheering at the Basin Reserve during the progress of the cricket match, and as a ■ result he failed to notice the approach of a tram, with the result that the wagon and tram collided, the tram being damaged to the extent of about £34. Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, who appeared, for defendant, said that whenever there was .a big match on at the Basin Reserve tlie trams simply "crawled" round the bend, and no doubt had the conductor or motorman in the present case been less interested in cricket, the gong would have sounded earlier. The Magistrate remarked that the accident was the result of carelessness or absentmindedness. It might have ended in a very serious accident. A fine of £4 and costs was imposed.

The Lower Hutt Gala Committee at a meeting last night voted £200 to the Borough Council to erect additional accommodation at the dressing sheds on the Recreation Ground, and to instal extra shower baths. The Mayor (Mr. W T. Strand) congratulated the committee on the success of the gala. The committee decided not to hold a gala at .Easter, but to meet early next year to make arrangements for one in 1925. Powerful electric headlights have been installed on five engines running on the Main Trunk railway, and have proved a decided success (states the '• New Zealand Herald "). More engines will be equipped as material arrives. The lights are of 250 candlepower, and can be dimmed considerably when the engine is entering a station. Power is obtained from a generator on the engine, worked by a steam turbine. As indicating the strength of the light, it. is stated that experiments have proved that a newspaper can be read without the assistance of any other light at a distance of 175 yards from the globe. He had always had a certain pride of birth and ancestry, said Dr. F. P. Emerson, one of the American delegates to the recent Medical Congress at Auckland, but it was not until he «ime to New Zealand that he became roally proud that his forbears were of good old English stock. He had been impressed by the loyalty of people in the Dominion towards Brfitain. One fact that appealed to him was that so many people spoke of " going Home" next year.. Nowhere else would one find that.

" home " meant the same place to so many. Referring to America's attitude towards Britain, Dr. Emerson said it had to be remembered that the Americans were a cosmopolitan people, and that, although there was a large volume in sympathy with England, it was still considered that the Monroe Doctrine was sacred (reports the " Auckland Star "). It might be that the doctrine had been outgrown, but after all the parents were often last in recognising that their child had grown up, and it might be a long time before America changed that historic policy. At any rate, in any great cause requiring a champion from the civilised world the Stars and Stripes would be found floating alongside the Union Jack. (Applause.)

As the weather has improved a good deal (writes "The Post's" London frrespondent on 7th February) some progress has been made m taking the films lor the Exhibition, illustrating the handling of New Zealand produce after it arrives at the quayside. Mr. R. S. Forsyth (Meat Producers' Board), Mr. W. J. Wirght (officer of the Agrieul-tu-al Department in London), and Mr. W. Wright (manager of the New Zealand Co-operative. D.airy Company) have been with Mr. H. T. B. Drew (Publicity Officer) to make the films a .success. The Port of London Authority, which has already had films taken of Thames docks, has kindly offered the New Zealand Government a copy of any section of these films They are a very excellent series. The offer has been accepted, and certain sections of the P.L.A pictures will supplement the present lilms which are being ma d e of the unloading of New Zealand producu, and of its subsequent handling and .treatment right up to the time °it is passed over the retailer's counter Mr Drew has been fortunate in making' an arrangement with the Ganmont Company to secure negatives, and ono copy of positives, at Is a foot. A quotation originally made was over 4s a foot

Work recently carried out on the Huti road through Petone was the subject of criticism at the .Pet-one Borough Council meuung ou Monday, it was stated that the work had not been doi c in accordance with instructions; the road had not ocen closed to trailic till the tarred surface set. The engineer stated that the traffic had not done any injury to the road. Councillors also" criticised the work done in Jackson street, where it was said considerable depressions were to be seen in the newly-tarred surface Councillor Hay considered the holes were of long standing, and had not been properly filled in. The Mayor said he was tired of receiving complaints about this street, and that openings made for connections with gas and water mains, etc., were not properly filled in. The engineer replied that the cause of the ■depressions was the sinking of the street owing to the Jackson street surfacewater drain having been damaged by heavy traffic. The only remedy was to open up and relay the drain. It was decided that the Works Committee, in company with the engineer, should look into the question, and take immediate steps to remedy the matter. Later in the evening the Mayor was criticising the work done in filling No. 2 ground on the Recreation Ground, and the engineer replied that he was told to use whatever filling he could get, arid only sand was available..

The Dunedm University Council lias received a letter from an Auckland bene' iactor, who desires to remain anonym°us> notifying his intention of. giving f-^OOO to the University, and expressing the desire that the revenue derived bo devoted to one scholarship of £100 per annum, or two of £50, in a subject involving research, not for classics or pure mathematics.—Press Ass"ciaiion.

\vV con/,f mi cc otl "Livi"g Beligions Within the Empire" is to be held this year _ during the course of the British Empire Exhibition-at Wembley. At this conference representatives of each of the principal religions, excepting Christianity and Judaism, will be invited to give an exposxtmn in English, of the leading tenets of their own faith. Two days will be devoted to recent developments in Hinduism and Mohammedanism. Tha conference which takes place from 22nd September to 3rd October, will be wider the joint auspices of the School of Oriental {studies and the Sociological Society. A meeting of Makara ratepayers kss leen called for Saturday evening to discuss a proposal for the raising of a small loan for the. improvement of the Makara' Hill and through the valley to Ohariu J^ay. If the ratepayers sanction the loan the work will involve the roanding-off of several awkward corners and >-encvil road improvement, but the big constructional works in connection with the final improvement of the road will coma out ■or revenue and the rate proposed to bo levied for the, loan will amount to only about 7-6 id. in the £. The Makara road carries a considerable volume of toffiu and a very fair s l, are o f pleasure, and signt-secing traffic on Sundays.

Commenting at the Methodist Conference, held recently in Melbourne, o>i a common form o£ guossing competition, the Rev G. A. Judkins said he had »«- jcnrtained from the Attorney-Genevai's , flepartment that competitions for guessing the number of lollies in a bottle the name of a doll, or the timt a -!o--!' would stop, which were prevalent,' at j v" maS tlmo' were iUeKal- He moved that the conference, viewing with apprehension tho increase of gambline 'a the community, should urge tlie Government to amend the Act so as to make all forms of gambling ilk-al, and in the meantime to enforce strictly the provisions of the Act. The conference c:,rned the motion, after two ministers had given instances of similar competitions p ™ »°, dlst Church fetes- Rev. U Wnlklatp, in opposing the motion, took exception to the way in which ll.e energy of the conference was diseiiatc.l in discussing small things, when ihero were so many great evils, such as ra.-e suicide, which was rampant in tho conxmuiuty, needing investigation. "The Post's" London correspondent, | writing on 7th February, says that Mr. 7,' - *i on' c Liverpool representative of limber and Wood-working Machinery, expresses surprise at the tremendous business which the United States I does with Australia and New Zealand, fhe chief increases of the year were in motor-cars, agricultural machinery, 'refined petroleum, and other manufactures of various classes. "It is time British manufacturers invaded Australia again, to see if it is not possible to «nter into strong competition with the manufacturers of the United States; the more we increase our purchases from,our own colonies, the more will our colonies buy from us, and it is time we had more m common with our 'own people than we have done of late years. One is glad to note that while the. export U-ade in iron and steel is disappointing au improvement is recorded in the in* quines for Australia, New Zealand, and some of the South American markets."

A complaint made in the Auckland Fress of the annoyance given householders in certain of the suburbs by a pair of house-to-house callers, who, to all intents and purposes, pushed in over front, doorsteps aiter making a few preliminary inquiries as to the amount of insurance cover on furniture and household goods ™s a fairly close parallel in Wellington.' Xlie suited purpose of the Auckland callers was to advise householders whether their belongings were adequately insured or no, but the Wellington callers merely canvass for orders for photographic enlargements. The annoyance given, however, is very much the same. The callers will not take "no," but argue till the woman of the house retires, upon which they follow on, select a reasonably comiortable chair in the front room and acclaim their good goods again. There are two equally effective means of getting rid of these gentry—to give an order for an enlargement, which is not wanted, or to call up the nearest police station on the telephone.

It is quite true that my term of office is drawing to a close," remarked Lord Jellicoe in replying to a civic welcome at Greymouth, " but it is some months yet before it does come t 0 a close, and I am expecting to spend those months just as happily as the three years and six months which I have already spent in this beautiful Dominion. I do not think it necessary for me to say so, but it is a fact that if I could extend ths period of my office it would be a very real pleasure to me to do so: I have been given to understand—and it is a great compliment to Her Excellency and myself—that a further term would be acceptable, but, unfortunately, circumstances over which I have no control prevent my remaining for a further term. It will be a very sad day far both of us, and, indeed, for our family, when w have to leave these shoresshores which have proved so hospitable to us, on which we have received nothing but kindness and consideration, and where we have bc-en the privileged witnesses of that great loyalty for which this Dominion has ever been famous. Especially shall we be sorry to ' aye the children of New Zealand." I do notreflect upon tlieir parents when X say that!" (Laughter.)

Steps were taken by the British Empire Exhibition authorities to ascertain whether exhibitors woukl not prefer, in the interests of everyone concerned, to abandon competitive awards. . The overseas Governments expressed themselves unanimously in favour of abandoning ing majority of exhibitors was against the United Kingdom sections, an overwhelming majority of exhibitors was against the competitive system. The board ot the Exhibition has therefore amended the regulations of the Exhibition, and a commemorative medal, accompanied -by a decorative certificate, will be awarded to each exhibitor who has rented space 'in the United Kingdom section; India, the Dominions, colonies, protectorates, and mandated teritories, will receive for distribution amongst their exhibitors a sufficient supply of identical medals and certificates. Exhibitors participating in collective exhibits of products or manufactures organised by the United Kingdom or overseas Governments, or in art and scientific research exhibits organised by Governments, associations, and committees, will receive a diploma of honour.

A motion of sympathy with the relatives of the late Mr. G. Miller, of Napier, who ivas at one time a Wellington representative footballer, was passed at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union la* evening.