NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1927, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Speed on the Hutt Road,

The manner in which the motorbuses are driven on the Hutt road was again, referred to at a meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club last evening. It was alleged that the buses "pushed" people off the bitumou track, and several members supported this complaint. It was decided to write to the Hutt Road Board on the matter.

Winter Show.

Matters in connection with the forthcoming Winter Show were discussed at a meeting, of the executive of the Wellington Show Association last evening, Mr. R. H. Nimnio presiding. It was reported that Harbour Board sheds would again be- made available for the show, industrial exhibition, and stock show, and that exhibits for the stock display, were already being promised. Several other reports were received, all of which showed that the prospects for the show were never brighter.

Motor Camp Sites.

Camp sites for motorists were again mentioned at a meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club last evening. Members expressed appreciation of the action of the City Council in. regard to establishing a camp site at Karori Park, which it was decided to advertise with notice-boards on the Hutt road and otherwise. Mr. H. J. Stott and -Mr. F. W. Manton were instructed to visit the Manawatu with a view to finding suitable camp sites.

Peas Ruined by Fly.

Many Palmerston North garden enthusiasts have been wondering why their pea crops have failed this year, Successive plantings only met with the same result—failure. A peculiarity of the trouble was that not a.vestige of the seed could be found when the ground was scratched away, say, ten days after planting; it had disappeared completely, telegraphs "The Post's" Palmerston North correspondent. Investigations by the Agricultural Department revealed the fact that an insect was destroying the seed; they were eaten by the maggot of a small fly well known for its attacks' upon' these plants. In order to ensure germination of the peas the ground should first be treated with calcium cyanide at the rate of loz to the square yard. It should bo worked into the ground about 14 days before the peas are sown. As calcium cyanide is a very active poison it must be handled cerefully.

Petone "Wig-wag" Signal.

Complaint was made at the Wellington Automobile Club meeting last evening .that the "wig-wag" signal at the Petone railway crossing was not conspicuous enough, and the view was expressed that the signal should extend across tho road., It was decided to write to the Bailway Department suggesting that a conference be held be-» tween the Railway Department and the Automobile Club in regard to the matter. "

Tax on Users of Gas.

"When we met you twelve months ago I particularly referred to the differential treatment of the gas industry in comparison with power boards," said Mr. J. H. Upton,. chairman of directors of the Auckland Gas Company, at the annual meeting of" shareholders yesterday, telegraphs ." The Post's" Auckland correspondent. "No change, has since taken place in the incidence of our. taxation, so that our competitor is still exempt, while we have to pay income tax. This; is- grossly unjust. One of the basic principles of taxation as laid down by Adam Smith is 'equality of treatment for all,' a principle accepted Iby; all civilised countries. In our trade is seen the New Zealand application of that principle. It is distinctly antipodean taxation. Committees .and. associated chambers of commerce have recoinmendud. that this injustice should be redressed, but it still remains, and I may incidentally mention that during the last five years we have contributed £135,417 in income ;tax, while the power boards have contributed nothing. Nor is this all. Power boards receive an indirect subsidy through the. Customs, most electrical plants being free, -while gas plants for exactly similar use are subject to duty. Where electric appliances are not free the duty levied is less than in the case of similar.gas appliances.' For instance, electric cookers are subject to 20 per cent, duty, while gas cookers have to pay 25 per cent. We have given evidence before the Tariff Commission and hope that these anomalies mil before long be removed "

Deserting Husbands,

The deserting husbands trouble is epidemic," said a Dunedin philan- *^ pie J ,Wor2 i:er on M°nday, reports the Star." Sometimes half my time is taken up with that social complaint. Then it eases off and some other trouble assumes dominance. No doubt it is a serious matter in Otago, but I have no reason to suppose that it is more acute here than in other districts; in fact, fr.om all that one reads it seems to be worse Tip North. But it is an important problem here and everywhere, and difficult to grapple -with. I am not sure that the setting up of farm colonies would help much. Many of the men are artisans and clerks, and unless after a period of training the best that they are capable:of could not be got out of them. All that I can. think of is an amendment of the law in the direction of empowering Courts to order the employer to pay into Court a stated proportion^ the wages that deserting husbands may earn. In my opinion the root of the trouble in many cases is that our young people do not realise the sanctity of marriage, but rush into ■wedlock from pure fancy or because of a wish to save their names, without pausing to consider their suitability to one another. I know of at least one clergyman who has over and over again refused to marry couples who propose to wed for mere convenience."

Defective Children.

Was it true that 37J per cent: of Australian children were defectivo? asked Ai ■£;>?• ?^ erry ' of Port Adelaide, at. the Medical Congress at Dunedin, reports the "Star." He said he thought that the search for the septic focus in children had been very much ov.erdone and he did not agree with the wholesale cutting out of tonsils. Dr. Cherry was of the opinion that many of the children contracted disease after they had started attending school. In his experience the visits of the school nurses at private houses were resented. He also asked whether any prohibition was exercised on the admission of children who had been in contact with infectious disease la the schools and outside places like picture theatres. He had noticed that in some cases the '. schools were closed and the cinemas kept open In reply, Dr. Harvey Button said it was true that 30 per cent, of medical defects were found in the children, but. he pointed out that the figure included those with visual defects. In one high school in Sydney, with a roll of 420 boys, 111 had been operated on for the removal of tonsils and adenoids That was the' standard of the profession before the Department took over control and he claimed that his Department could not fairly well alter the standard The profession had set the standard and the Department must follow it. Tho school nurses went to the homes to help They had no legal powers, but they collected all the information needed Dr. Button said that in New South' Wales contacts were- prohibited from attending picture shows, but he admitted that the law was very difficult to ouforce. He wanted to have a small committee appointed to discuss the matter of the training of the. school and .public health, auraes. 'I"'_'l_T

A Week Out.

By an unfortunate slip, a news item published in yesterday's "Post' 1 stated that the Girls' Colleges and tho Technical College would reopen next Monday, and the "hint" has been taken by some pupils. These ' institutions opened yesterday.

More Supervision Wanted.

So law-abiding are the residents of Oriental Bay and those who walk round the Bay in the evening that supervision is scarcely necessary—except at times. A few nights ago that was undoubtedly tho case, for a gang of larrikins spent an hour or so in generally smashing up things. Two seats were taken from their fastenings and thrown ever the seawall, a tree guard was wrecked, and the lavatories in the small reserve near the band rotunda were practically stripped of their fittings. The matter is in the hands of the police.

Teachers' Superannuation Board.

The only nominees for the four positions of teachers' representatives on the Teachers' Superannuation" Board were the four retiring members Messrs. P. A. Gorry (Auckland), G R Kidson (Wellington), J...8. Purchase (Ghnstehurch), and H. E. Jones (Dunedin)—who are- therefore declared elected unopposed. The Government representatives remain as before- they continue in office at the pleasure of the Government, or until they are removed or retired. The returning officer was Mr.. Crawford, secretary' to the Superannuation Board. ' '

Robbed While Sleeping.

nv * A statement ; Mr. J. Stack (of Christchurch), who had £50 taken from his clothes, which were hanging i n his hearopm while he slept, said that he and Mrs Stack went to bed fairly late on Friday evening, ana were up early on the following morning. Until 5.20 0 clock they were not aware that they had been robbed. Mrs. Stack was the first to detect that their house had been visited by an intruder during the night. Mr. Stack at once thought of the £50 in his pockets and found them empty. He then searched the house and found the pantry window open, two dead matches in the passage, the main electric switch off, and the back door unlocked. There were no footprints and not a single clue to the identity of the intruder, who had opened the pantry window, found his way to the hall, struck the matches to find the light switch, and then proceeding to the bedroom carried out his daring theft. A.gold'watch and chain, worth several pounds, were passed over. The thief left by the back door. "It was the work of a master cracksman," said Mr. Stack. "No amateur could have done it so neatly. He had the whole thing mapped out from start to finish." He- said, that he did not hear a sound during the night. He was a heavy sleeper, but Mrs. Stack slept lightly.

An Exploded Idea,

There is a belief on the part of many Aucklanders that Lake Takapuna is so deep that its bottom cannot be fathomed (remarks the "Star"). In fact, guesses as to its depth are often made on the basis of the picturesque Maori tradition that Rangitoto was shot out from the basin, which would give a downward measurement of about 900 ft. However,. an individual who has been entrusted with the time-honoured vocation of "writing a book," went one better recently, and was prepared to state the depth at 2000 ft. Incidentally he happened across an' officer of the Marine Department, who promptly suggested that the deletion of a nought would get him nearer-the truth. This officer has taken numerous soundings, has never failed to touch bottom, and certifies that the greatest depth reached was 187 ft.; Any suggestion of ther-mal-activity was at the same time exploded, for he could never discover a variation of more than a degree of temperature between surface and bottom.

Well off for School Nurses.

. New Zealand was well off for school nurses, stated Dr. Ada Patersou, Director of _ Schools Medical Service in. the Dominion, at the medical congress at Dunedin. There were twelve medical officers a*d twenty-two nurses. If possible • the officers had .two nurses, one of whom went ahead to make a preparatory survey, and . Dr.' Paterson maintained that the effect of this ar-. rangement was that treatment results were brought up o 80' per cen. efficiency, and in certain areas even to 90 per cent. The nurses 5 personality counted most (reports the "Star"). Training was essential, but the nurses should not be too long qualifying. She thought that New Zealand was in a better position than New South Wales in that the Health Department controllbd the whole activity in the Dominion, whereas in New South • Wales it was divided between the Health and Education Departments. Dr. Paterson spoke in favour of the proposal of cadet nurses, who would be taken on after the completion of training.

Busting Out.

At the average rats of progress during the past twelve months, there is no doubt the Oriental Bay seawall will eventually be completed, though it may be a long, long time. About three years ago the completion'of the' wall was spoken of as an. already accomplished fact, but the money ran ■ out. The Carlton Gore road improvements threatened to make completion necessary, but did not, and now sea air and spray are workjng steadily upon exposed street work, which, in another year or so, will be useless as reinforcement. There is another matter in which no progress has been made for a long time': when the Carlton gore road walling was constructed provision was made for a public convenience, to be built inside the wall near- the tram terminus. Several mouths ago the City Council accepted a tender for the necessary plumbing but since then nothing further has been done. The men's convenience at Courtenay place has been spoken of'as "Wellington's worst, but compared with the tumbledown iron shanty which still disgraces the Oriental Bay tram terminus it is not really so very bad.

The Daylight Limited,

In comparison with last year the Railway Department has every reason to be well satisfied with the patronage accorded the Daylight Limited express in recent weeks, telegraphs "The Post's" Auckland correspondent. During January the express left Auckland with 50 per cent, of the seating accommodation occupied on an average. The numbers were considerably supplemented at Frankton and Taumarunui, so that the express continued south about three-quarters full. The position in January, 1926, was much the same, if not quite so good. The Eihib;tion at Dunedin was then in progress, and tho Daylight Limited „ was particularly popular with through travellers. The train is primarily for holiday makers and tourists, as it affords them opportunities of seeing the central portion of the North Island. It is considered likely that the train will be taken off before Easter. The visit of the Duke of York is expected to bring added patronage, and in addition to this many people are taking their holidays late this year, and the number of passengers is expected to be well maintained this month.