NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1926, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Teachers' Superannuation.

It is stated in the eighteenth annual report of the Teachers' Superannuation Board that the number of contributors increased from 7443 at 31st January, 1924, to 7968 at the end of January, 1925, an increase of 525. Allowances amounting to £13,403 16s were granted during the period, compared with £18]490 12s in 1924-25. The total annual rate of all allowances payable at the end of January, 1D26, was £152,421 14s.

The Man He Did Not Know.

An amusing piece of cross examination was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon during the hearing of a case in which a constable said that he "did not know the defendant from Adam." Counsel for the defendant: "Of course, you know Adam has been dead a long time?" (Laughter.) Witness: "I don't know anything about Adam." Counsel: "We , of course, it's a matter of historical controversy how long he has been dead." The constable later amended his statement to mean that he "did not know the man from a bar of soap." • . >

Vulcanological Research,

Replying in the Legislative Council yesterday to a question by the Hon. G. M. Thomson as to what steps have beon taken to appoint a research student in vulcanology to make observations in, and report on, the volcano region of the North Island, the Leader of the Council, Sir Heaton Ehodes, said that the matter had come under tho control of Dr. Marsden, Secretary of tho Research Department, and arrangements were now in train for an officer of the Department to undertaiko the duty.

More Like Home.

"There is a tendency to treat home science as a combination of laboratory work, cookery, and dressmaking, and not to take a sufficiently broad outlook on household management as a whole," states the Inspector of Homo Scionce in her annual report. "This attitude of mind is probably largely duo to the fact that the work is taken in three class-rooms —a practical science laboratory, a kitchen, and a dressmak-ing-room—and is necessarily not taken in practical relation to the work of a home. No provision is made at present for including teaching in the care of children, although one or two centres have tried it successfully when it has been possible to make arrangements. The provision of more suitable working facilities based on the home is to be desired."

Motors and Better Eoads,

With only five months of the financial year gone, almost £30,000 has been -paid,in at the City Council offices in motor fees, £17,086 in heavy traffic fees, and £12,781 in Hutt road fees. The figures are remarkable by. themselves, but they are more remarkable when compared with last year's, for already this year over £3000 more has been collected than in the twelve months of 1925-26, when the total was £14,066. The Hutt road fees last year, £10,781, have' already been exceeded this year by £2000. Probably not much more will be paid in as Hutt road fees, a few hundreds possibly, but many of the owners of heavy vehicles have so far paid only half-year fees, so that it is quite probable that heavy traffic alone will bring in £20,000 this year. The whole of the money collected, Jess 1 a percentage retained by tho council for administrative work, is shared among the local bodies of the Wellington district for road improvement.

A Great Trading Port.

In a letter from Lord Burii'ham to the' chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board (Mr, M. Cohen), the writer says:—"l have just received the two magnificent views of Wellington Harbour, charmingly framed in New Zealand wood. Allow me to express my warmest thanks to tho Harbour Board for tho photographs, which romind me of the groat seaport of your Dominion, where my wife and I spent soveral happy days. We were both of use immensely impressed by the unrivalled attractions and unlimited possibilities which your harbour presents; and, if we could live ahead of ourselves, we should see it as one of the greatest of the world *3 trading ports, and a sure haven of strength for tho British Navy in tho southern seas."

A Study In Contrasts.

Arriving at the show in motor-cars and given soft cushions on which to lie dozens of pet dogs were very prominent on the wharf this morning. Judging by the noise they made some did'not altogether appreciate the change from a comfortable homo to a dog show, and many actively. resisted the application of brush and comb. The possession of a lengthy pedigreo has its disadvantages._ In striking contrast and enjoying his freedom was an ownerless terrier of unknown parentage and very mixed breed. Brush and comb ho obviously had not experienced for years, or even soap and water, but he was having the timo of his Hfo chasing "on Ids own" round the show nnd laughing at the discomfort of the polished captives. His triumph, however, -was short lived, and an attendant after a stern chase cast him forth into the hard world of tho Wellington waterfront, there to ruminate on hateful class distinction.

Technical School Teachers.

In his annual report, the Superintendent of Technical Education (Mr. W. S. La Trobe) states that the staffing of technical schools has improved considerably in recent years, and it has been found necessary to include in the regulations rules limiting the proportions of the more highly qualified full-time teachers who may be employed in any school. The average salary paid during the year 1925 to all assistants, men and women, was £323, as compared with £302 in tho previous year.

St. George and the Dragon the Best.

The reason why Greek coins are beautiful and modem ones commonplace, was explained by Professor BankineBrown in his lecturo at Victoria College yesterday, by the fact that Greek coins are miniature reliefs, and, like reliefs, have rounded or undulating surfaces made pleasant by graduations of light. The modern coin is more like a wood cut, a mere arrangement of lines with no depth. "Our own coins," said the lecturer, "have improved somewhat in recent yeara. The King's head is iv higher lelief than used to be .the case, but tho only design on tho reverse of an English coin that can be compared with the designs on Greek coins is Pistruccl's famous design of St. George and the Dragon on the prewar sovereigns—that wo seem never destined to see again."

An Ancient Relic.

"At Now Plymouth," said His Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson), at the annual smoke concert of the S.A.W.V.A., last night, "I was solemnly presented in the course of an evening with an original tin of the bully beef used during the Boer War, which has remained unopened all that time. It is still unopened (Laughter.) Nevertheless, in 1925, after a quarter of a century, it was solemnly presented to me. I have not yet had the courage to open it. Next year if I am spared, after mustering up courage to sample it, I will let you know the result."

Auckland's New Station.

The Railway Department has invited Messrs. Gummer and Ford, of Auckland, to collaborate with the Chief Engineor of Railways in the preparation of the final designs for the new railway station building. The announcement was made by Mr. W. R. Davidson, Act-ing-Chief Engineer of Railways, who arrived from Wellington yesterday. "In view of the civic importance of the main railway station and its prominent position, it is considered that the services of an architect of high standing should be obtained, and that the architect should belong to Auckland," Mr. Davidson said. "The selection of such an architect has been the subject of very earnest consideration. It was intended to offer the architectural design of the building for open competition, but this would have involved a serious loss of time."

A Dangerous Weed.

Ragwort is about the worst wee.d in a dairying district, remarks an exchange. Cattle will not eat it under ordinary circumstances, and so, in tho absence of any systematic effort to eradicate it, the weed spreads ever increasingly. Sheep eat it, with no apparent harmful results for a time, but to horses and cattle it soon proves fatal. There are limits to the amount that even sheep may eat before fatal effects ensue. They apparently thrivo on it for a time, but if fed on it long, experience has shown that there has been a heavy toll. An Edendale farmer recently attributed his bankruptcy in part to the loss of 40 cows in a single season, from their having eaten ragwort that be had cut.

Trade Classes.

The annual report.of the Superintendout of Technical Education (Mr. W. S. La Trobe) states that there has been a tendency in recent years for schools to provide more liberally for trade classes in which specialised machinery and other equipment are necessary. The question as to how far the Department of Education should make itself responsible for such training had not yet been settled, but in view of the growing demand for purely trade classes, a definite policy would shortly have to be adopted. Whatever such a policy might be, stated Mr. la Trobe, it should be possible for trade classes to be conducted by some competent authority, in at least Borne of the trades in which the training of apprentices was supervised by committees under the Apprentices Act, 1923. The general equipment of the technical schools for applied science, art, mathematics, engineering, etc., was in most cases suitable only for more or less elementary work up to a standard, in these subjects, about equal to that of the matriculation examination in its subjects.