NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 65, 14 September 1926, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Work as a Pastime.

"Stewards at sea do not keep watches," said Mr. \V. G-. Smith in opposing the eight-hour day for cooks and stewards in the Arbitration Court to-day, "but are day workers, and at present have fourteen hours of leisure every day. They cannot spend all this time in sleep; so what is more natural than that they should seek to occupy some of their leisure in earning overtime, which leads to a spinning out of the work in order to obtain such payments?"

Satisfactory Conference.

The committee set up by tho Petone Borough Council to confer with the Lower Hutt Council on the question of the carrying out of the hill water drainage scheme, reported last evening that most satisfactory arrangements had been arrived at, and it was hoped the work would be completed before the next winter.

Long Range Wireless at Sea,

A notable achievement in two-way wireless communication from ship to shore has been accomplished by Mr. H. Longuehaye, wireless officer of the Aorangi, reports "The Post's" Auckland correspondent.- On two consecutive voyages Mr. Longuehaye has established communication with the Canadian Government station at Estevan, British Columbia, when the Aorangi was nearing Auckland. This is a distance of 6200 miles, and is believed to be a world's record for twoway communication on the marine commercial wave lengths, which are not as effective in uso over long distances as tho short waves used by amateur operators.

"Cherish Your Heritage."

As a means of attaining its main aim —the formation of a sound public opinion—the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society is issuing an attractive poster, appealing for the interest of all New Zealanders. The keynote of the appeal is "Cherish Your Heritage " and this is enforced by briefly-stated reasons for the preservation, of the birds —thf natural guardian's of the forest. Those who may not be touched by an appeal to their patriotism are warned by a general caution to vandals, poachers, and collectors, that there are penalties for defiance of the protection law. The poster, however, is not an appeal by letterpress alone. It is attractively printed in colour with a faithful picture of a tui on a kowhai bough as the central feature. Copies of the poster are to be distributed free of charge upon application to the society.

Stoic Believers,

The religious fervour of the members cf •the Pentecostal sect was fairly tested on Sunday when the Herne Bay beach was the scene of a stoical 3hristeuing party, telegraphs "The Post's" Auckland correspondent. The gentle immersions of the orthodox font fall short of tho requirements of this sect, and it was this desire to re-enact more vividly the rites of the Jordan that accounted for the procession, until they were knee-deep in the Waitemata, of the ten white-robed disciples of immersion, six of whom were women. 'Some of them wore bathing caps, and one male candidate compromised with the spiritual necessities of the occasion by wearing a pair of white pyjamas. The officiating brother caught hold of each in turn, and after appropriate words, ducked the candidate with no half measures, amidst loud shouts of "Hallelujah." The men then returned to the shore, and the women waded out for their share of the ceremony. All took the wetting without a murmur.

Fruit Hawkers in Petone,

Petone greengrocers are much concerned about the competition caused by the influx into the borough of hawkers of fruit, and last evening a deputation waited on the Borough Council asking if some assistance could not be given. It was pointed out that the members of the deputation were all supporters of the borough by the payment of rates either directly or indirectly, and many of the hawkers had not even paid for their licenses. The Deputy-Mayor and councillors all sympathised with the deputation, but Councillor Brockelbank pointed out that as long as the hawkers were licensed no action could be taken, but he hoped that residents would be loyal to the business men of the town and cease purchasing from hawkers.

Lord Jellicoe Remembers,

Writing under date of 23rd July, from St. Lawrence Hall, near Ventnor; Isle of Wight, to Miss M. Gunnion, of Tenmka, Lord Jellicoe says: "We were quite overwhelmed by your father's most kind remembrance of us in so thoughtfully sending us a quinnat salmon to remind us of New Zealand in general, and of Temuka in particular. It arrived, too, most opportunely, as we were giving a dinner party, at which several New Zealand friends were present, and they were delighted to find quinnat salmon before them at dinner, and took it as a. great compliment to them. I had to admit that I had not specially sent for it for the dinner, but that my very old and valued friend the Mayor of Temuka had sent it. Will you please tell him how greatly we appreciated his most kind act and especially his remembrance of us. It was just typical of him. I am glad to say that my oldest daughter, who was so ill, is now quite herself again. My second daughter arrived from France yesterday, having completed her education. We camo here from London two days ago, arid yesterday the Prince of Wales lunched with us during a tour he made of the Islo of Wight. He is very well, but terribly hard worked. Will you give your dear father our very warmest good wishes and remembrance, and to take, too, the same for yourself. Wo hope so much to revisit Temuka before your father gives up being .Mayor of that delightful'township." •

Bad Weather in-the Sounds.

Judging from his observations it is the opinion of Mr. A. \V. Nisbet, of Yncyca Bay, Pelorus Sound, that tho Sounds district has experienced very bad lambing weather this season, says the Marlborough "Express." There was a cold south-easterly storm with heavy cold rain on the 30th of last month, followed by cold north-easterly rain on tho night of tho sth September, and all tho next day. Last month it rained on fourteen days at Yncyea Bay, where tho gauging totalled 8.77 in. On the 30th 2.27 in fell and 1.48 in fell on the 10th.

A Trip to England,

The "Manawatu Times" is informed by a Waikato- visitor that, four Native criofs will leave for England in September, and will present a further petition to tho Privy Council in connection with- their land claims. The position of interpreter has been offered to a resident of Palmerston North, who, however, has not yet decided whether it can bo accepted.

In Memory of Cook.

Usually tho Cook celebrations are held on the Thursday nearest to Bth October, says the "Poverty Bay Herald," but this year, in compliance with a suggestion made by the Minister of Defence, they will be held on Thursday, 14th October. The Minister has advised that H.M.S.' Dunedin will be. in Poverty Bay, and that officers and men would like to participate in paying respect to the memory of the great naval captain who first trod these shores, and unfurled on them the flag of his King and country. It is anticipated that the Minister will himself be present to deliver the annual eulogy in honour of the memory of Captain Cook, Sir Joseph Carruthers, of Sydney, who waß largely responsible for having set aside as a reserve the spot in the Sandwich Islands where Cook was killed, has written to say that he had hoped to be present at-Gisborne this year, but that he was setting out again for Hawaii and was afraid that the function would be over before his return.

Second Thoughts.

The question of obtaining a through street between Petone and Lower Hutt, which will not pass over ramps where it crosses the railway, is at present oxercising the minds of the Petone Borough Council, and it was decided last evening, on the motion of Councillor Jacobson, seconded by Councillor Scholefield, that tho Lower Hutt Council be approached with a view to joint action in obtaining a road under the railway bridge approach on the western side of the Hutt Biver. Councillor Brockelbank, the Deputy Mayor, said it was a great pity the Petone Council had not worked in harmony with the Lower Hutt Council in regard to the railway deviation; if it had, such a question as this could have been discussed earlier. Councillor Scholefield also said that tho fault lay with the Petone Council for not having co-oper-ated with Lower Hutt. "We took," he said, "no interest in the railway scheme, and, in fact, opposed it. This was a great mistake." :

Getting Fern Under.

One of the troubles which beset the settler breaking in new lands is the existence of fern. The problem is to get the fern down with the right grasses. At th« last conference of the New Zealand' Farmers' Union a remit was passed requesting the Government to take immediate steps to give financial assistance to settlers on" fern-in-fested lands, and to import-suitable new grasses. The Minister of Lands (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod) has informed the union that apart from the advances that might be made under the Deteriorated Lands Act, 1925, and the regulations thereunder, to persons whose holdings have been brought under the operation of that Act, there was no power whereby the Lands and Survey Department could make advances to ordinary settlers on Crown lands of any description for the purpose of fencing and topdressing. \

Basic Slag Sates Increased.

A cablegram has been received by the Government from, the High Commissioner stating that owing to the increased cost of running steamers, due to the coal.strike, the freight sate on basic slag has been increased from £1 5V to £1 10s per ton. The shipping companies, however, have promised, to give favourable consideration to a reversion to the £1 5s rate on the expiration of the present contract. The Minister of Agriculture (the Hon, O. J. Hawken) stated last night that the Government was anxious to keep the' price of manures.down as low as possible, recognising that it was highlyimportant that farmers should use manures to increase their production. "In fact," added the Minister, "we look upon it as one of the best means of securing increased production of our exportable products. It is most unfortunate that as the result of the coal strike the shipping companies have increased their freight rates, more especially after the Government's effort in reducing rates on the railways."

Making History Live.

A new way of teaching history has been found by the headmaster of the Newton ' Central School (Mr. Spenceley Walker (states the "New Zealand Herald"). On Friday 150 of his. pupils placed wreaths on the grave of Captain Hobson, first Governor of New Zealand, and listened to an address -on early New Zealand and the events associated most nearly with Captain Hobson *s name. The grave is in. the old Symonds Street Cemetery, on the slopes of Grafton Gully, and can be seen from Symonds street and Graf ton Bridge. It is marked by a -marble slab on a great concrete base surmounted by an iron railing, and is inscribed: ''Sacred to the memory of William Hobson, captain in the Royal Navy, first Governor of New Zealand, who died at Auckland, 10th September, 1842, iaged 49 years." Mr. Spencelcy Walker said the little act of homage on the part of the children was not only to commemorate the life of a very,great man, "a very brave and gallant gentleman," but also was primarily designed to make an important passage in New Zealand history a living thing. He was convinced that greater attention could with advantage be paid to the teaching of New Zealand's history than was at present devoted to it. Although only a young country, the Dominion possessed a history rich in life and colour, and as equally inspirational as the history of many older lands.

A Schoolboys' Chapel.

"No consecration service has given me so much pleasure," said Archbishop Averill at Hamilton on Friday at the consecration of the Southwell Boys' ■School Chapel, "because, as far as I know, it is unique in the British Empiro in so far that the boys themselves have been brought in to help in the building." The chapel, which is set in pretty surroundings in the school grounds has been built to hold about a hundred, and, realising that tho expense would be great, the headmaster (Mr. H. Sergei) sought the boys' co-operation. Each morning for about four years,. the boys have made a quantity of concrete bricks, about 30 daily, finally reaching a total of 27,000. This the boys have done most willingly, and during the term holidays the bricklayers have laid those already made, so that each set of boys has seen the building gradually grow (writes a eorrespon-. dent). Even the beams supporting the roof were cut from blue gums growing in the grounds. The chapel, bell, whicK was brought from England by the Monckton. family, is 100 years old. The service on Friday was attended by parents and friends and large numbers of old boys. The Archbishop, preaching an eloquent sermon,, congratulated the boys on their self-sacrificing work, which, he said, was a good preparation for th«ir lives' work, which was service to»thoir fellow-men.