NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume 137, Issue CXI, 10 June 1926, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

A Valuable Gift. The chairman of the Victoria College Council (Mr. B. M'Callum) stated at a meeting of the council last evening that a valuable gift of 800 books for the college library had been received from Sir Robert Stout. On the motion of Professor Hunter, seconded by Mr. A. R. Atkinson, it was resolved: "That tho council convey to Sir Robert Stout its very high appreciation of his munificent gift to the college library of many valuable books, which are further evidence of his continued interest in the welfare of an institution which owes its foundation to his foresight and energy." A Botanical Freak. Growing in the Public Hospital Gardens at Taihape is a botanical freak. It it a maeroeapa tree, of robust growth, on which, growing from the same stem, are branches bearing unmistakeable spruce foliage. Even on the smaller shoots radiating from the larger limbs spruce characteristics are to be found, says an exchange. The tree with its two remarkably different kinds of foliago is a beautiful sight, and should, when once known, attract more than passing notice. There has been no extraneous interference with the tree, such as grafting—like Topsy,. it just "growed." The different kinds of foliage do not alternate; the feathery spruce grows in clumps on one part of _o branch-; and then the macrocarpa, tho latter invariably being at the extremities., Mr. Tasker, an^old Wanganui man, who is the gardener at the hospital grounds, states that he has never met with anything like it before. Schoolboys aa Firemen. • Prompt work by pupils of the Gisborne High School yesterday saved'the. school gymnasium from serious damage, if not destruction. Shortly before 1 o'clock smoke was seen issuing from the building. A number of boys in the vicinity clambered in through windows (the door being locked) and passed out rifles and school books. Other lads ran to get the school hose and to ring for the fire brigade. The boys did such good work with the hose that on the arrival of the brigade there was little work to do. One corner of the gymnasium was slightly burnt. There is no clue to the origin of the fire, but it is believed to have been due to an elec,tric heater. The gymnasium is detached from the main school buildings, and is being used as a classroom. The Only Difference. A visitor at the Auckland Rotary Club's luncheon on Monday, Mr. W. H. Sawyer, of Columbus, Ohio, said he was impressed by the cordial greetings extended to him by Auckland Rotarians since his arrival (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). "I think that I have always been a pretty good Rotarian in my own club in my own country," he said, "but I did not know what international Rotary meant until I came over to this part of the world. Before I came, I thought that there would be a good few differences between you and ourselves, even though wo are tied together as Eng-lish-speaking people. Since I have arrived I have found that the only difference between us is in our ways of speaking English." Dairymen Oppose Control. An emphatic protest against the Dairy Produce Control Board assuming absoluto control of produce as from Ist September was made at a meeting of over 90 dairy farmers in New Plymouth yesterday, and it was decided to ask Parliament to prevent this unconstitutional and unwarranted seizure of lawfully-owned property, and to oppose any alteration in the present inothod of direct voting by the individual producer. At a meeting which was called by the Free Marketing League, two staunch defenders of control submitted an amendment expressing confidence in the board and its policy, but none but themselves voted for it. Yearling Trout. It was decided at last night's meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society to increase the number of yearling trout distributed this year. Last year 10,400 yearlings were put out. It was stated that some expenditure would be necessary, and doubt was expressed that large ponds for the rearing of yearlings were not the best, small boxes giving a larger percentage of roleasable fish, if a good fall of running water were available. It was decided to make full inquiries into the methods in use in the South. It was stated that the salmon ponds at Hakataraniea were on tho lines of the Masterton ponds, but much smaller, and with a plentiful flow of water. It was decided to send an officer tj Hakataramea and Clinton to inspect the arrangements there. Helping Backward Children. A special class for backward children is to be commenced in the Petone Main School. The idea is to take out from tho several junior classes of the' primary school children who have not shown an interest in the ordinary subjects taught, and by placing them in a small class, the teacher of which can give the children individual attention, an endeavour will be made to find the individual bent of each, and by this means establish a point of contact. It is emphasised that the class is not necessarily for intelligent children but for those whoso particular bent har. not been mot by the ordinary school course. The Technical School Board of Managers decided last night to grant accommodation for one of the primary school classes, so that room might bo found in the primary school building for the backward scholars' class. Dinner for Threepence. The death of Mr. David Goldie, says the Auckland "Star," brought to remembrance a characteristic story told of him. When he was first elected to Parliament in 1879, instead of travelling by steamer direct to Wellington, as was tho custom in thoso days, he was persuaded by the Hon. Mr. Scotland, M.L.C., who was also on his way to Wellington, to get off tho steamer at New Plymouth and travel by coach as far as Wanganui to have a look at the country and visit the Government relief works in Southern Taranaki, Singlo men were getting 2s 6d a day and married men 3s 4d a' day plus rations. Things were very bad in New Zealand at the time and economy was the order of the day. It was customary in those days for one publican to telegraph in advance to his fellow publicans when he knew that any special personages wero on board the coach, so that a suitable meal could be arranged as the coach passed through the different towns. When Messrs. Scotland and Goldie got off at Patea it was expected that they would immediately enter tho hotel and enjoy tho good things provided for them,. but they wore both of an economical turn of mind, and said it was no time to go in for expensive things. Asking the way to the nearest baker's shop they found when they got there that the baker was just turning out a beautifully-browned tray of Abernethy biscuits. This suited them splendidly, and both asking for a cup of water, tho two legislators enjoyed a midday meal at tho cost of threepence each, three of the old-fashioned penny Abernethy biscuits being quite a meal. Sir William Fox and Sir Harry Atkinson were known to practise similar economics. Messrs. Scotland and Goldie wore applauded in many quarters for their prudence,

Placing of War Memorial-. '' Think well before making choice of a site for a war memorial: select,, if needs be, a spot a little off the beaten highway, for tho first impression will bo the impression retained. A memorial seen by all who pass by day after clay may soon become nothing more than a civic ornament, and quickly lose all its original significance." This was Mr. Hurst Seagar's advice during his lecture last evening on the New Zealand war memorials erected on the battlefields. That this has been carried out in France and Gallipoli is more than evident, the site of each memorial being quite the most advantageous possible Dear Birds. The extent and variety of the- natural enemies of ground-nesting birds, and the added toll of poisoned baits laid for rabbits, makes it difficult for game birds to hold their own. The amount to be spent upon pheasants this season was discussed by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night. Mr. E. C. E. Wiffen pointed out that tho revenue from shooting licenses was greater now, and therefore more money should be spent in procuring birds. Mr. T. Fleming said that probably £800 of tho revenue was provided by duck shooters, for whom the society did practically nothing. Mr. Wiffen thought the encouragement of shooting was first promoted by the liberation of pheas- j ants, before the ducks were brought under license at all. .Last year £800 was spent on pheasants. Mr. W. G. Talbot moved that £500 bo spent on pheasants, outside of birds coming from the game farm. The motion was carried, Dr. Anson objecting on ,the ground of the uneven expenditure on the sports of fishing and shooting. Preparing for Whale Season. Two of the Norwegian whale chasers have completed repairs in dry dock at Port Chalmers. In addition to repairs, these vessels have had ice plates fitted to strengthen their hulls so that they may lead the chaser fleet through the ice. Two other chasers are expected from Stewart Island at the end of the week to undergo overhaul, and their Crews wiTT take the two repaired vessels back" to tho base at Stewart Island. Auckland. Harbour Scheme. • The Auckland Harbour Board a few months ago adopted a comprehensive schemo of improvements, estimated to cost £5,000,000, the expenditure to be spread over about twenty-five years. The'board yesterday decided to put in hand the first section of"the scheme, estimated to occupy five years and to cost £500,000. This instalment includes tho reclamation of the area to the west of the Western Wharf, near Ponsonby, which will provide extra berths for oil tankers; the construction of a boat harbour at St. Mary's Bay, Ponsonby, capable of accommodating six hundred pleasure craft, a new vehicular ferry for the Northcote service, and the building of a viaduct from Quay street to tho Ereeman's Bay reclamation, which will give railway connection with the reclamation, on which many important commercial buildings have been erected. One of the immediate incidental works.to be undertaken is the opening of. the quarry, which will provide work for about 100 unemployed. Married Men in Camp. The case of married men who have to enter camp for eight days, where they' aro paid 4s a day, was recently brought to tho notice of the Minister of Defence by Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. for Manukau (states the .' 'New Zealand Herald"). Mr. Jordan considered it a hardship that these men should, during the training period, forfeit their ordinary wages and receive only 32s as camp pay. In reply, the Hon. F. J. ' Rolleston states that the class of married men is a small ono, numbering under 200. A number of these are paid wages by thoir employers while in camp, so that it is not considered nocessary to make any special provision to reimburse the small remainder. If there is any genuine case of hardship application can be made for exemption. Such applications would not be opposed by tho Defence Depart-, ment, which had, in fact, advised married trainees to take advantage of the provisions for exemption when hardship would be caused by attendance at camps.