NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1926, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

An Appreciated Concession,

The action of the State Forests in granting permission to sawmillers to export a million feet of timber is a concession appreciated by the timber industry, whose progress has been impeded by the importation of American cedar duty free and by the embargo placed on the export of New Zealand timber. Those well versed are of opinion that unless there is some alteration the industry will be-unable to carry on. In the meantime the concession now granted will alleviate the position. ■ .

An . Oversight.

A long list of contingencies under which an insurance company reserves the right to refrain from paying out under an accide.nt insurance policy was read by counsel in the Auckland Supremo Court on Tuesday (reports the '•'^ew Zealand Herald"). When the recital ended Mr. Justice Stringer said: '' That reininds me of a friend of mine who actually read his policy when he received it and asked the insurance manager if he was protected at all. ' Well, if you are it is an oversight on our part,' was the reply."

Industrial Societies Amendment Bill.

A short Government measure was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday, and read a first time, making small amendments to the Industrial Societies Amendment Act. Authority is given for changing the name of an industrial • society, in accordance with request made ,by resolution paessd at a general meeting of the body concerned. If a society is no longer carrying on operations, or is incorporated by reason of a mistake of fact or law, or upon request by petition pursuant to resolution of a society; it may be dissolved by Order in Council. All surplus assets, after payments of costs, debts, and liabilities, are to be disposed of at the discretion of the society, or, in default of such determination, as appointed by the Gover-nor-General in Council. A minor clause requires that societies' annual accounts, statements, and reports shall be forwarded to the Minister of Industries and Commerce instead of to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Independence Day.

To-morrow, 4th July, is Independence Day—the anniversary of the birth' of the United States of America—and therefore a day of much importance in that quarter of the globe. The early British settlement of the North American continent was haphazard, but the union that diverse origins and natural conditions denied the British Americans was brought about by the selfishness and stupidity of the British Government of that time. The lapsing of Britain towards an intenser form of monarchy, coupled with the obstinate personality of George 111., precipitated the struggle and finally lost to Britain what might have been the major portion of her Empire. The American War of Independence began in 1775, being followed in the next year by the Declaration of Independence, the anniversary of which is celebrated tomorrow. Peaco bctweon the American colonists and their Homeland was not made until. 1783, wheii the 13 colonies became a union of independent sovereign States —a black page in British history. Four years later the Constitutional Convention of Philadelphia set up the Federal Government of the United States, which now number 49. Inevitably linked with the celebration of this anniversary is the name of George Washington, so dear to our early days in the story of the cherry tree and the birthday gift of a little axe.

Partridges Not Polygamists,

Commenting on the forthcoming introduction of varieties of partridge in both islands, the president of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society says of earlier efforts:—"lt was most unfortunate that the season was opened in North Canterbury in 1877' for the shooting of male partridges only, for if the poisoned grain had not killed the birds off,, the shooting of the male would have exterminated them in a very short time, because all partridges pair, and if one mate (male or female) is killed they do not breed. A re-, markable evidence of this fact was demonstrated in regard to the passenger pigeon of North America. It used to go to Oregon and the Southern States of U.S.A. to nest in countless millions, and everyone turned out to kill them, 'even 'to the smallest boys. For a few weeks the birds were sent in millions to the markets in the large towns and cities. On account of the hen bird being more easily secured on its nest than the.cock bird, great numbers of hens were .slaughtered, till the males predominated, resulting in the practical extinction of the bird. The only passenger pigeon in the world to-day is to 1)0 seen at the Zoo in Now York. Fortunately the law relating to bird lifo in U.S.A. has been altered so that the extinction of a valuable bird such as the passenger pigeon can never happen again."

Kauri Gum Control.

In view of the complete stoppage of the purchase of kauri-gum by storekeepers from the gum-diggera, who, owing to their credit being stopped, are at the present time on the verge "of starvation, Mr. Tau Henare (Northern Maori district) is asking the Government if it can see its way to repeal the. Kauri Gum Control Act, 1925.

The Biggest Broadbill.

A cablegram ■ has been received by the Publicity Office from Mr. Zane Groy, Avalon, California; that he has captured the world's largest broadbill to date, the weight of the fish being 582 lbs.

Direct Action.

"What happens when a sheiuers' cook is not competent?'■ asked Mr. A. Cook of a witness in the Arbitration Court at OM'istchurch. "Dismissal," replied witness. "Don't the shean.is get on to him1?" asked !>l.r. 'W. Scott, employers' assessor on the Court. ''•They take direct action, don't they?" queried Mr. A. Monteith, the workers' assessor. Mr. Justice 'Frazer: "Yes, I think they do. That is what I understood from the late Stove Boreham."

Different Now.

"That's what we're up again. You want us to go. back to the days when, station owners placed thpir own rules and regulations up in toe shearing shed, and they had to be obeyed. There was no redress. When a man refused to work under the employer's conditions he was hauled before a Magistrate or Justice of the Peace (who was himself an employer) and sentenced to perhaps three mouths' imprisonment." Thus spoke Mr. A. Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers' Union, in the Arbitration Court at Christchurch (reports the "Lytt.elton Times"). His remarks followed an interruption by Mr. W. H. Nicholson, secretary of the New Zealand Sheep Owners' Federation. Mr. Nicholson denied Mr. Cook's allegation. "Oh, well," said his Honour Mr. Justice Frazer, "we have advanced a good deal from those days. Let's get on with present-day conditions."

New Railway Cars.

The Bailway Department is about to undertake the construction of three new main line express corridor semisteel cars. These will be of a design entirely new to New Zealand. To meet the need for better sleeping accommodation on trains, and in order to provide this necessity at the earliest possible date, it has been decided to build five new sleeping cars. These will be constructed in New Zealand and be similar in many respects to the sleep-ing-car which created so much favourable comment at the Dunedin Exhibition and which, had so successful a trial trip on the Main Trunk, a few days ago.

Technical Education in Ciristcliurcn.

The chairman of the Technical College Board reported at last-, night's meeting that the need was urgent for. eaTly consideration by the Minister of Education to determine ; a policy for post-primary education inChristehurch, particularly in regard to technical education. The enrolment in the Teehni-. cal High School for 1926 was rather more than 940 pupils, and it was impossible and inadvisable to allow the school to cgrow beyond- that number. It was regrettable that the college was turning away prospective students in the elementary engineering course at the evening school, but that was being done solely on account of the lack of accommodation. A scholarship . , for girls who are in training as teachers of home science is to be founded shortly by the Technical College. It will bo known as the Gardner Scholarship, in memory of Mrs. Gardner, a pioneer in the Dominion in the work of providing suitable training for girls in the subjects of house craft and home-mak-ing. ,

Parliamentarians' Trip.

It was announced by the Prime .Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) last night that the new sleeping-car, which is to, be placed on the Main Trunk ser-. vice, will be attached to the . Limited express at Wellington to-morrow night, and a party of Parliamentarians, numbering about 18, will make the journey north. Mr. Coates said members would thus be provided with' an opportunity of seeing what New Zealand workmen could turn out. The party will return to Wellington on Monday.

Scientific Prospecting Methods.

Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) gave notice in the House of Representatives yesterday to ask the Minister of Mines whether he has made any mr vestigation into the ' latest scientific methods of prospecting, more particu; larly for gold, by which it.is sought to locate the metal from the surface; and whether he has taken or proposes to take any steps to facilitate the application of such methods to prospecting in this country?

No Distinction With a Difference.

Holders of first-class fifty-trip tickets at Lyttclton found the other morning that when they travelled on the electric carriage, they had only second-class accommodation. In the carriage were holders of first-class season and trip tickets, second-class tickets, and workmen's tickets, / all at different fares, but all provided with the same class of accommodation. A passenger who is the holder of a fifty-trip ticket, saidrthat_ she travelled on- the train, and although she had a first-class ticket, she could only find standing accommodation.' Her ticket cost £1 Bb, which, worked out at more than the ordinary second-class rate for the trip (says the "Lyttelton Times"). When the complaint, as to the users of first-class trip tickets having no accommodation reserved for them was mentioned to Mr. H. Chapman, District Traffic Manager,'he said that the carriage was a one-class carriage, and second rates were charged. The object of running the (Tar was to obtain economy, and there was not room to provide accommodation for' different classes. The carriage was built, to carry considerably more people than the average number who traveuued during the middle of the day. Mr. Chapman said that the passengers who had first-class fifty-trip ticketscould purchase second-class tickets in. order to come from Lyttelton and use. their first-class ones to return by the orc ninar3' train in the evening. . .

"The Devil Quoting Scripture."

"The League of Nations is a-very excellent thing, but it is being used in this country by the Communists for their own ends," declared Mr. W. Walton at the meeting of the general com-, mittee of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League (reports the "Lyttelton Times"). He was referring to a letter received from Mr. E. Darroch, honorary secretary of the conference of .the Navy.League in New Zealand, enclosing an extract from the "New Zealand Worker" attacking Commander Middleton for an address in which he urged the need for a stronger Navy.

Thirty-two Punctures.

A party of five Thames motorists will not readily forget a recent dijve from Auckland, for it lasted 32 hours. The party left Auckland at 9 a.m., and before Thames was readied 32 punctures had to bo mended (states • the "Now Zealand Herald"). As darkness canio on a wrong turning/-brought the hapless party to a mud road near Miranda, where the car became/ . hopelessly bogged. After a miserable night in the open the journey was continued by slow "tages until Ngatea wa3 reached at .'.'.30 p.m. I There more trouble was met with, nnd it was not until 6 o'clock that the car was placed on the Kopu ferry. It reached Thames at 7 p.m. The members of the party say they will not again ride in a car with worn tires.

■ Some women, who pride themselves upon their thrift, may be seen daily inspecting the new Stocktaking Specials in the Brandon street windows of Kirkcrildic and Stains. Ltd. • These women ar« both thrifty and-wist.—Adrt. ' .