NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 108, 3 November 1926, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Metal Workers' Dispute.

With tho exception of clauses relating to wages and "definition," a settlement was reached yesterday in the Wellington metal workers' assistants' dispute ijefore the Conciliation Council. The points on which no agreement could be reached were referred to tho Arbitration Court. Spotlight Misused. A test case was brought at Nelson against the driver of a motor-car for using a spotlight in a manner that niight have proved dangerous to the public. The driver of another car said that the defendant's headlights were on, and ho kept switching the spotlight on and off, causing the witness to pull up, while still two or three hundred yards off, for safety. Mr. Maunsell,, SiM„ .remarked-.1 that spotlights - might have their use^ but if used unnecessarily might prove a danger, and imposed a fine.of £1 with costs. Destruction of Bird Life. The wholesale destruction of bird life on Stewart Island was referred to at yesterday's meeting of museum representatives. Small bore rifles, it was stated, were taken to the island ostensibly for target practice, and tho young people on tho island, having nothing else to shoot at, naturally shot at any moving target they saw, which was usually native game. It was decided to call the attention of the Government to this destruction. On one occasion, it was stated, one of the boats returning with an excursion from the/ island was laden with slaughtered birds. A rumour got round that a ranger was on board, so a plucking competition commenced, and for three days the boat was decorated with feathers. Plant life, too, it was said, was ruthlessly destroyed by excursionists to the island. ■ ■ . • Abandoned Sections. Another move is being made with the object of having the many abandoned sections in and round the township of Pirongia transferred to the Waipa County Council for re-sale (writes a Te Awamutu correspondent). These sections were originally granted to soldiers , and members of the constabulary who took part in the operations against the Maoris in the 'sixties, and following' the slump in the country soon afterwards and the discovery of Thames goldfields, many of the sections were deserted by their owners and ultimately abandoned. The local body has not been receiving rates, and this fact alone has penalised the other settlers. Many of the properties have become infested with noxious weeds and rabbits. Nearly two years ago the local bedy and a committee of Pirongia settlers induced the Valuation Department and the Lands Department to send surveyors and valuers to the district to define the areas. Some of the sections have been, used by adjoining owners for several years, but as they have no title they cannot sell. There are several unused and unwanted streets laid out in the original township of Alexandra, now Pirongia, and it v> s desired to legally close and dispose of some of them. The Government officers appear to have done their task,' but the' County-Council demurred at the cost of securingl legal transfers, more .especially- as-many of the.sections are so badly infested with gorse and blackberry as to' be practically unsaleable. • However,. the' Settlers' Committee met-again this week to:confer with the. County Council1 and representations -, are .again to bo made! tot; tho Minister, of Lands to' solve the difficulty. There are similar abandoned sections in other parts of Waipa County, but not to: such extent as at Pirongia. Preserving Native Species.' . It has been said that if New Zealand were depopulated of its inimical fauna its .forests, would gradually reclothe the hills-and valleys, and its native birds would increase to their former numbers. It is certainly trio that nativo\birds, not of the ground-nesting species, thrive in" sanctuaries. Pigeons may bo seen in the Hayward's Scenic Reserve, as well as many smaller birds that will not be found elsewhere near Wellington, whilo in the Orongororrgo Stato Forest Reserve pigeons and tuis are fairly numerous. The birds seem to know they are safo in such spots. The presence of seedlings of ibig forest trees half a mile from the edge of native bush has frequently been noted where cover from the winds allowed growth, while the hardy persistence of single native, trees in the open proves that such outpost forest settlers would form the starting point for further extensions if unmolested. Unfortunately for those who wish to see the native birds and trees, they are interdependent for increase, and it is only on reserved sanctuaries that- both thrive.

Wet October. An abundance of rain was the outstanding feature of the weather experienced in Christchurch last month, the rainfall being 51 per cent, in excess of the average for October, according to readings at tho Government Meteorological Observatory, telegraphs "The Post's" Christchurch correspondent. During the four months prior to October, the rainfall was very much below1 the average, and the position was becoming serious until last month. The nominal rainfall up to the end of October is 21.704 inches, and the rainfall for this year to the end of last month amounted to only 16.308 inches. Of Educational Value, "That in view of the educational importance of museums the Government should be asked to give a pound for pound subsidy on all monetary gifts as is the case in other educational institutions," was a resolution passed by yesterday's conference of museum representatives. It was decided to make no reference to the remission of death duties, this being stated to be a hopeless request to., make. It was also suggested that the Government should recognise museums as educational institutions/. and establish a superannuation scheme for curators and assistants. The conference, however, decided not to pursue the subject further. Middleton Railway Yard. The work of forming the new marshalling and shunting yards at Middleton is now being carried on with the ballasting of the lines and the filling of the spaces between the tracks, states "The. Post's" Christchurch correspondent. A good deal of work has yet to be done in the way of packing the lines in order to bring them level, and thi3 is being carried out in conjunction with the ballasting. _ Practically all the points and cross-overs are now in position, there being only a few more at the south end of the yard to be put in. Preserving Rock Carvings. The question of the preservation of rock carvings found in shelters in some parts of the Dominion camo up for discussion at yesterday's meeting of museum representatives. It was stated that with misdirected zeal one enthusiast had cut out slabs containing some of these carvings, and had forwarded them carriage paid to one of tho museums. Other delegates said that it was not a case of misdirected zeal: it was far better that these carvings should be under shelter and protected from destruction by vandals, animals, or weather. It was suggested that some kind of preservative ' might be used on the carvings in situ. No resolution was passed on the subject. International Council of Nurses. The International Council of Nurses, with its full-time secretary and headquarters in Geneva, has now committees working all over the world, x and publishes a journal called "The 1.C.N." The essential idea for which the International Council of Nurses standsl is self-government of nurses-in their associations, ' with the aim of raising over higher the standards of education and professional ethics, public usefulness, and civic spirit of their members. The journal is issued quarterly; and the last number contains an article by Miss A. Bagley, of the district nursing staff of the Department of Health, New Zealand. Nurse Bagley says: "It is universally recognised by all who are in a position to know that the Health Department's nursing schelne has, since its inception in 1910, done much to conserve the health of the Maori race and to break down the innate dread of hospitals and medical treatment. This dread was due to -Native, superstition, and was largely,responsible for: the spread, of -typhoid 'fever, tuberculosis and other diseases, during the transition of the Maori from the splendid healthy savage, which he was when found, to the civilised, educated, but less healthy individual he is to-day. : The decline in the Maori birth rate has now been checked, as has. also the former incidence of the diseases mentioned, particularly typhoid; and it is hoped that tho same appreciable improvement regarding tuberculosis will soon become apparent." Flood Subsiding. = All day on Monday tho farmers round about Kaiappi and Clarkville watched the movements of the Waimakariri River with anxiety, noting every inch -of progress up the banks (states the Christchurch "Press"). Tho big fresh, duo to rains in the back country, reached White's Bridge early in the morning, the gauge showing liift 6in at 6.30 when the waters had reached their highest point. Gradually they subsided, until.at midday the reading was 14ft. The depth of the river at normal times, as shown by the gauge, is 6ft to 7ft. The waters raced past the bridge at terrific speed, and large clumps of broken branches and debris formed barriers round the piles, sending up a huge wash. The river presented an ugly sight, being very muddy and racing down to the sea, bank to bank. The stop-bank at Chaney's stood the strain well, and at no time was there danger of the flood breaking through. This bank saved Belfast from flooding last year. On the road to Clarkville a backwash from the river from Rice's I culvert covered tho road for abou^ 200 yards, but traffic was not blocked. The new stop-bank at Clarkville, which has only just been completed, has not had time to set properly, but it was ah effective barrier to the flood, and saved the land, which has always previously been subject to flooding. Handling Strawberries. "It is estimated that there are one million strawberry plants growing within half a mile of the Ridge road," said a member of a deputation which waited on the Minister of Agriculture at Auckland on Monday. Difficulties experienced by strawberry growers in the matter of railing fruit to southern centres were explained to Mr. Hawken. It was stated that parcel rates were charged, 3s per crate being the rates to Wellington. This worked, out at lid per lb. Sometimes- the ' whole' of thel consignment could not be taken, owing to lack of space. Strawberries that were consigned by private people were charged a lower rate (reports the "Auckland Star"). The deputation asked the Minister: if he could endeavour to.haVe matters so arranged that private and commercial consignments wore charged a flat rate of Is 4d'per crate, or Id per lb. "I realise that unless strawberries I are shot about the country pretty quickly they are of no commercial value," said. Mr. Hawken, who gave a sympathetic hearing to the deputation., The extent to which the,strawberry growing industry has developed was stressed by Mr. P. Turner, - who said that £45,000 worth of the fruit was put on the market in the- Auckland province during the two months' season last .year. "Like A Thief In The Night." - Complaints as. to lack of noise arc unusual, but on Monday night the council of tho Canterbury Automobile Association decided to writo to the Railway Department regarding tho electric train on the Little River route (states the "Lyttclton Times"). Mr. F. W. Freeman, in speaking on the-subject, said that yesterday the Railway Engineer and himself wei'o nearly run over while on a railway crossing. "It creeps along like a thief in the night," he said. "It's whistle has a most peculiar sound, a sort of a cross between a motor-horn and a baby's cry." It was decided to ask the Railway Department to equip'the train with louder warning signals.

A Charge Wiped Off. At last night's meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council the Mayor (Mr. A. J. M' Curdy) reported that an excess charge of fi-1136 Cs against the council for preparation costs in connection with paving under the Wellington City and Suburban Highways Board would not have to bo paid. A sub-committee had been set up to consider the matter, with the result that Mr. M' Curdy's contention that the charge was not in order was agi'eed with, and the Borough Council will not have to pay anything. The report was received and the Mayor heartily congratulated on the success of his efforts. National Museum Wanted. "There is plenty of room for a National Museum in New Zealand," said Dr. J. Allan Thomson at yesterday's museum conference. "Such , institutions in America and other countries are supported by Governments, and they employ large staffs of specialists doing research work. Much of the work i3 of no great value from a purely museum point of view, but from a. scientific point of view the work is of great importance. For this reason a National Museum is a needful institution." Wireless Set Licenses. The number of wireless receiving set licenses issued, according to a recent return from the Telegraph Department, is 8500, of which 500 are short-term licenses. The number of sets in use, whether licensed or otherwise, is a more difficult matter to determine. The number of radio dealers has reached nearly 800, as against 190 last year, and all seem to be doing fairly good business. One wholesale house sold 2000 loud speakers in a month, and all are continually restocking retailers with the better class of set now in demand to pick up the long distance services.