LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 118, 14 November 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Referring to a title conferred apon him in the old Christ's College days, which definitely fixed him a place in the bird- life of the Dominion, the Hon. W. Pember Reeves, at the Old Boys' luncheon yesterday, said that he feared he was nqw a grey • duck, and ■was doomed shortly to become either a paradise duck "or a roast duck. (Laughter.)

Few farewells of a noisier nature have been made on the Auckland railway station platform than that given on Wednesday evening to 25 British seamen from the steamer Kent, who left for Wellington to rejoin their vessel after being on strike practically since the trouble commenced (states the "New Zealand Herald")- About 100 other striking seamen and women friends congregated outside the windows of the carriage., The farewell was the cause for tears on the part of several of the women, one of whom gallantly undertook to kiss each of the 25 men in turn. Loud cheers and good-humoured cries were exchanged as the train drew out. The men who refused duty on the Kent numbered 35, and it is understood that' the other ten have found occupations in Auckland.

When a motor-bus proprietor was prosecuted recently for overcrowding, his bus, he complained to the City Council tllat it was overcrowding its own tramcars, telegraphs "The Post's" Auckland correspondent. A report from the traffic inspector to the City Council on Thursday night drew attention to the fact that there was a defect in the bylaw dealing with tramcars. Apparently it was optional with a conductor whether or not lie asked passengers not to stand on the platform. When the matter went to the Tramways Committee ifc recommended that passengers should be allowed lo stand on the platforms. The Legal Committee, however, recommended an amendment of the bylaws in the direction of making it illegal for people to stand on tram platforms. In the usual complete way in which' these things have to be done in order to prevent the proverbial "coach and four" from beinp; driven through the law, the new bylaw is to go on and prohibit passengers from (ravelling "on steps, buffers, or thfe motorman's enclosure at either end of any tramcar, or stand on the roof or sit on the outside rail, on the roof, or the.platform of any carriage."

The members of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Association,^ at their meeting in Christchureh, before them a letter, in Spanish, from the Argentine Milking Shorthorn Association, and nlso a translation of the letter' into English, but the translation was of such a character that it was almost as cryptic as the original (states the "Press"). A specimen sentence ran as follows: ''For a long time in this country there has been making itself felt the necessity for the existence of an organisation of breeders of Shorthorn' herds, in the form authorised, being for the reasons expressed, the nature of our work, entirely basic and truly profound, meticulous, and extensive, for which we rely upon an excellent and important nucleus of specimens of first-class as regards milk yield anfl type of breed, considering matters, from the point of view of our present necessities.".. No wonder a sigh of relief went round when the secretary came to the closing sentence: "W^ salute you with the assurances of our highest and most distinguished consideration.''

• . Very earnest consideration - was given by the members of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Association at Thursday's meeting to an application from G. and B. Coates for the inclusion in the society's Herd Book of certain non-pedigree cattle (states the Christchurch "Press"). The reasons were .two-fold—the fact that the Prime Minister is a member of the firm was one, and the other was that he is a returned soldier. For three years the society kept its Herd Book open for tho registration of nonpedigree milking Shorthorns the property of returned soldiers, and some of the members were of opinion that this privilege might be extended to the present applicants. It was emphasised, on the other hand, that as the Herd Book had been definitely closed two years ago, to fall in with this suggestion would be to open the flood-gates, as what was done for the present applicants would have to' be done for others making similar applications. Another speaker remarked that much as ho respected the Prime Minister, he could not see his way to support the application. Even when it was decided to acquaint the applicants with the process by which the .cattle iv.respect of which their, application was made could bo included in the appendix to tlie Herd Book, there was one.member not satisfied, and he desired his dissent recorded.

Mention of the grave, shortage, of ministers kept echoing through the proceedings at the session of the Presby-i tcrian General Assembly yesterday, telegraphs "The Post's". ■Dunedin correspondent. The Rev. H. Mac Lean said the church had not taken seriously its most important work, the' training of its ministers. There must be a great deal of sympathy and support if the work was to be what it should be. He spoke of the lack of students in college. Although the church had increased in membership and resources in the twenty-five years of its united life, the student)) training for the. ministry had not increased. They ware concerned with the fact that the numbers were not greater. .They were not using their professors to. their full capacity. Someone had said that the reason was that the stipend was inadequate, and that the retiring - allowance was inadequate; but he was unwilling to believe that there was a single young man who would be deterred by those considerations. Others snid the Credal statements of the chnrch were deterrent, and others said the life of a minister of the Gospel had not enough' of that spirit which would attract a young man; but the speaker believed there was more quiet heroism shown in this work than people ql'ten realised. "It may be," hb proceeded, "that there is a lack of the prophetic in the preaching of' our day. It is only that voice which will kindle (he fire and the desire to serve in our young men." Another speaker said he considered that some propaganda work should be embarked upon lo increase the number of yuung men for the ministry.