NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 29, 3 August 1926, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Public Works in Otago. One of the big jobs now in hand by the Public Works Department in the Otago district, the formation of a main highway from Balclutha to Tuapeka Mouth, is proceeding satisfactorily, states "The Post's" Dunedin correspondent and between 180 and 200 men are being employed upon it. Another of the works engaging the attention of tho staff of the Department is the making of the railway from Miller's Flat, to Boxburgh. jMost of the heavy lock oporations are now finished. Not Appreciated. The laying of 'a new tram route along Hunter street so as to link up Lambton and Jervois quay is now in progress, but the work was roundly condemned by yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club. It was stated that, although intended for one-way traffic only, the tram rails were being laid along the wrong part of the roa#, that "they were not wanted at all," that "it was a.ll a muddle and that more likely than not the line would have to be closed," and that "there was going to be another duplication of the troubles of Molesworth street." The club decided to protest strongly, first of all agains,t the laying of the line at all across such busy intersections, as being likely to cause traffic hold-ups, and secondly against the laying of the line on the wrong side of tho road as being likely to cause accidents. Olympic Games Representation. It was reported at the meeting of the Council of, *ho New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last evening that the meeting of amateur sports bodies held'recently to discuss the question of Now Zealand's representation at the Olympic Games was a decided success. "Now that the meeting has been held," said Mr. F. Wilton, "I do not think we should rest on our oars." Ho suggested that a copy of tho minutes of tlio meeting, with a newspaper clipping, bo sent to each affiliated centre of the association, asking them to give full consideration to the matter in view o,i some concerted action being taken in the future, This cpnr&e. wa§ agiced to,

New Athletic Kecord. Competing at a sports meeting at Hawora on 3rd February last, the American athlete, Lloyd Hahn, ran 880 yarda in lmin 56 l-ssec. At last evening's mooting of the Council of tho N.Z.A.A.A. this time was passed as a Now Zealand record. Tho secretary was instructed to forward the time for recognition as an Australasian record, if no bettor performances had been registered. He Covered a Fire Plug. A discussion at yostorday's meeting of tho Wellington Firo Board in regard to penalties attaching to the covering iip of firo plugs has an interest to all thoso busy excavators and homo im- . provers who find tho roadway a handydump. One firo plug, it was stated, was discovered under a foot of earth, the filling having been done by tho owner of an adjacent section. Mr. D. E. AVilkie remarked that there was a penalty of up to £50 for covering a plug. Tho superintendent of brigades stated that an inspection of plugs was now being carried out in both.city and suburbs. Twelve Years Ago. Twelve years ago to-morrow the civilised world was on the tip-toe of cx- ■ pectancy. Germany, in her lust for world domination, was already on tho warpath, and the question whether the British Empire would be drawn into the struggle was answered in the affirmative on the fateful fourth of August, 1914. Owing to difference in time, as war was not declared until nearly midnight, the day of sth August was well advanced when New Zealand heard the news and responded with the offer to the Motherland of her uttermost resources. Since then much has happened in the world's history; after more than four years of sacrifice and slaughter without previous parallel, peace was declared, but no millennium arrived. Crowns and thrones were lost, the geography of Europe was -change^, and Germany's colonial empire became a memory. Conference followed conference; the cry of "Save the world from Germany" was changed by an American inclined to epigram to "save the world by saving Germany"; huge debt settlements faced, and still face, the belligerents, and even now the warweary world is only just beginning to recover from tho events set in train twelve years ago. More Tire Police Wanted. The Wellington iFire Police are to be officially recognised by the Fire Board, and an endeavour is to be made to" increase the membership. "I think that it would be a good idea," remarked Mr. F. G. Cray, at yesterday's meeting of the board, "if the members of the board could find time to spend a social hour with the Fire Police, to tell thoso gentlemen what good work they 1 havedone in the past, and'to let them know that we do not mean to let them go. I think the police have done splendid work, but they now want some younger men to carry on the work. Perhaps, if we were to meet them for an hour we could tell them how much we think of them, and discuss a policy for the future. " ■ Pioneers In Assistance. "Wo should rightly be pioneers in the matter of telephone assistance to motorists," said Mr. H. Filmer, as chairman of the Wellington Automobile Club when that body was discussing yesterday the provision of a telephone on the summit of tho Paekakariki Hill. "If it means the saving of a life its cost will bo negligible." added another member. It was stated • that the scheme of having telephones for motorists in trouble works well in England, and that it should be tried in New Zealand. The club has decided to inst'al one telephone on the Paekakariki Hill, in a box for which members will have a key. The club has also decided to take steps to take' over the existing telephone in the Manawatu Gorge, so that advice may be received ' as to slips as well as about mishaps, , which need assistance. ■ Trams and Buses. An animated debate' took place at the annual meeting of the Eastern Suburbs League last evening upon the 1 bus regulations. Mr. G. C. Blake, pre-. i siding, said that buses as well as trams i were required. Mr. J. Laurenson declared that there were forces at work ' to bolster up municipal enterprise. Pri- ; vate buses had certainly "shaken up" the municipal tramways, and had done good.service for the outlying suburbs. 1 Mr. Laurenson referred to the serious , overcrowding of the Corporation. . transport service during rush hours, and maintained that there should be 1 a depot at Courtenay place to deal with rush periods. There was ample room for private buses. Dunedin was the only city where the municipal authori- ■ ties had exercised common sense, said Mr.' D. M'Laron; there private buses were used as feeders to the trams. A 1 review of the whole of the transport - system of Wellington was urgently . needed, for, in his opinion, there was a danger of the city getting into a state 1 of muddleinent over transport. On the motion of Mr. T. F. Eves, who complained that the Melrose bug was not available to Melrose residents owing to 1 it 3 being crowded by short-distance travellers, it was decided to ask the council to make the bus leaving the G.P.O. at 4.40 p.m. a minimum fare bus. "In All the Calendars." The new Mission Church shortly to be built at Barrington street, Christchurch, is to be dedicated to St. Nicholas. He is one of the few Saints whose j name is in all the calendars, with more churches dedicated to him than any Saint in the calendar. In England [ there is said to be searecly a town without a church dedicated to his [ name. Yet it is believed that this will , be the first church of this Saint's namo • in New Zealand, states the "Church i Nows." St. John Chrysostom calls . him "father of. the friendless and . standard of the Faith"; St. Peter Damian, "the joy of the aged, the glory of the- young, the light of priests." He was Archbishop of Myra i in Asia Minor —but is often also called i Nicholas of Bari, because a daring band . of Neapolitan sailors, after Moham- ■ medanism had swept over Asia Minor, ' -seized his remains and the sainted body ; was transported to Bari in the Naples 1 territory. St. Nicholas' Church in i an ecclesiastical district of Barring- ! ton, has somehow on that account the ; ring of apt designation. Three hun- ■ -dred and seventy-two churches aro i known to be dedicated to this Saint. '. Fire Engines and Traffic Fees. In a letter received by the Fire ; Board yesterday, Mr. G. Reid raised the ; question whether heavy traffic fees • should be imposed in the case of fire i engines. The Wellington Fire Board ; was being asked to pay £115 in such • fees. Last year, stated Mr. Eeid, the . Auckland Fire-Board had had to pay £359 in heavy traffic fees, but this year it had been relieved of that burden, and now had to pay only £5 7s Gd in drivers' license fees. Other members of the board agreed that the imposition was a heavy. one, and tho chairman (Mr. D. E. Wilkic) remarked ; that, in view of tho infrequent use of the roads and tho fact that tho engines went over tho roads only to savolife and property, the board was entitled • to consideration. Mr. H. D. Bennett i said that more ev.idonco than was con-« tainod in tho letter beforo the meeting would havo to bo produced; the City Council was not likely to let £100 ' , M without bettor reason. It was left ; to Mr Eeid to ascertain on what grounds the Auckland City Council had ; remitted tho heavy, traffic fees this jear.,

Early Pohutukawa. A poliutukawa treo growing in the grounds of tho Parliamentary Build 1 ings has apparently lost the run of the calendar. At • any rate it is putting forth a lavish display of blossom just now, seemingly taking August for December. Fire Brigade Property and Plant. It was pointed out at yesterday's meeting of tho I('iro Board that under the Act the board had to report its intentions as to the taking over of brigade property and plant to tho City Council by 14tli August, and wore such a report not furnished tho board would have to take over everything. In tho circumstances it was decided to notify tho council of tho intention to take over tho land and buildings, but to refuso, in tho meantime, to take over the plant, which would leave the board in a position to decline to take over that portion of tho plant which may not be considered of valuo. The report of Superintendent Napier (of Dunedin) ;i3 to the valuation of the plant was not available for discussion. Auckland's Strawberry farms. The strawberry planting season in Auckland has just finished, and has been very successful. The weather conditions caused growers to plant earlier than last year and probably over 100,000 more plants have been put in. Tho recent mild weather .has suited the plants admirably, and they aro on the whole progressing favourably. So suitable has the weather been that there will probably be no need to replace plants this year. Wet conditions prevailing in former seasons have often made it necessary to replant, the 1924 season being a particularly bad one. The principal growing areas in the vicinity of the city are Northcote, Birkdale, and Mount Eoskill. Owing to the land at Northcote becoming too valuable there has not been such a large area cultivated for strawberries this year. Last year consignments were sent to Wellington, but it is expected that this year Auckland will be able to consume all the fruit it grows. Archbishop Julius. Advice has been received from Archbishop Julius, who is at present in England, stating that he will return to Christchurch next March. The Archbishop in a private letter to Mr. C. E. Jones mentioned that his health' is improved. He laments, however, that he has not yet regained his old activity, stairs being still a difficulty. In this respect he remarked: "You cannot imagine what a pleasure and comfort my car is to me—indeed, without it, in these days of strikes—(he wrote on 4th June)—l should be almost derelict.' The Archbishop has been accepting numerous engagements to preach. It Has gome Use. "The railing adopted is the usual post and rail fencing erected by tho council! The railing is for two purposes —to define the edge of the road and to keep motorists from taking a short cut over the bank. The only thing that will keep a ten-ton lorry from going over the bank would be a strong concrete wall. This railing has added to the safety of the road." The above was the text of a reply received from the City Council by the Wellington Automobile Club in response to the latter'a representations about ■ the inadequacy of the fencing pi Northland road. The reading of the letter caused considerable amusement, but objection waa raised that the road had been narrowed and that it would be better if white paint had been applied more liberally to the post and rails. The Importance of Sand. The Petone Borough Council, on the , motion of Councillor Jacobson, last "evening rescinded the motion passed at its last meeting, which would have had the effect of preventing the issue for two months of permits for the right to remove sand from the foreshore.- Councillor Jacobson said the stopping of the permits would have a serious effect on building and roading in the district, as practically all the sand for these operations came from the Petone foreshore, and if this was held up supplies would have to vbe obtained from either Eastbourne or Lyall Bay. It was decided that the Works Committee should report upon the whole question of controlling the permits to the next meeting of the council. Malicious False Alarms. The Wellington Fire Board, at a recent meeting, decided to apply to the Government to have the minimum penalty for the giving of a malicious false alarm increased to £5, and the Minister's reply was before the board yesterday. He stated that he was unable to agrefe to the request, as such offences were at times committed by the weakminded; he proposed that the minimum fine should be £2. Mr. F. G. Cray remarked that an engine had been damaged as a result of a false alarm quite recently. Generally such alarms were given out of pure devilment, and he failed to see why the Minister should not agree to increase the minimum fine. Mounting a Genna» Gun. Complaints as to the costly nature of the concrete foundations constructed on the north bank of the Avon near the Victoria street bridge for a German howitzer placed there led to a report being aaked from the Reserves Committee at the City Council meeting last night, states "The Post's" Christchurch correspondent. The committe reported that the superintendent of parks and gardens said the work was carried out in order to prevent the wheels- of the gun sinking into the soil after rain. The weight of the gun very often caused it to sink six or eight inches, and the superintendent was of opinion that the a solid foundation, such as that constructed, was necessary. He also stated 1 that a concrete kerbing about three inches-in height should be erected round the base of the gun, and the committee recommended that this be authorised. Councillor Carr remarked: "It is a pity that the gun did not sink out of sight altogether." Tho report was adopted. Small Praise for the Zoo. Members of the Eastern Suburbs' League had a gpod deal to say, at their annual meeting last night, about the Newtown Zoo, but few of the remarks woro complimentary. The matter was brought up by the reading of the letter from'the S.P.C.A. asking for co-operation in an endeavour to have the Zoo removed to a more suitable locality and ,-the animals better housed. A resident of Melrose described the duck pond as "a dirty, filthy place, which you have to go past with your hand over your nose." The Zoo, he said, was no place for children, andit should either be thoroughly cleaned up or removed outside the city boundaries. Upon the suggestion of Mr. D. M'Laren, it was decided to ask the S.P.C.A. to appoint representatives to wait upon the Civic League and to place concrete proposals concerning the Zoo before the members. He was firmly of tho opinion that the Zoo was in the wrong situation and that it should be outside the city.