NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 14 May 1927, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Dangerous Tramcar Stand.

A real danger spot is created manytimes during the day at the corner of Customhouse quay and Grey street, by the parking of No. 7 tramcars, while waiting at the Post Office to make their runs to Brooklyn or Aro street. The I'trams stand practically in a line with Grey street, almost completely .blocking she vision, of drivers proceeding along the Quay towards Willis street. The intersection is- always a busy point, and the wonder of it is that serious accidents do not occur. The Terry Steamers. The ferry steamer Maori is to withdraw from the Lyttelton-Wellington service at the end of this month to undergo her annual survey. She will lay up at Lyttelton, and the Mirnroa, at prosent at" that port, will carry on the service in her place. On completion of the survey, the Maori will resume in place of the Wahine, which will withdraw for a similar purpose, the Mararoa continuing in the run until both vessels are overhauled. Exhibition Buildings for Auckland. It has been a reproach in the past that Auckland has not had a block of exhibition buildings, and the authorities have realised that 1 the dependence upon tho Auckland Harbour Board cannot bo continued indefinitely (states the "Star"). For years tho annual exhibitions have been held in the wharf sheds. Recently schemes for establishing exhibition sites, firstly, in tho vicinity of Grey street, and, secondly, at tho old Grammar School buildings in Symonds street, have been mooted, and allowed to drop. Tho latest attempt to solvo the problem is that of Mr. J. A. C. Allum, president of the Industrial Association, who said at the annual meeting that the preliminI ary steps were successfully concluded, and he had hopes that an organisation would be formed to tako the matter in hand. Point HalsweU Road. "The City Council appears to bo tremendously anxious to make a first-class job of Point HalsweH road," remarked a city motorist to a "Post" reporter I to-day, "but just why there should bo such immediate anxiety a lot of people, including many motorists,' do not quite see. Certainly we, meaning the motorists, will enjoy thiß addition to our Saturday afternoon and Sunday runs, but it is a straight-out luxury road, aud there are plenty of other 'Plain Jane' and very matter-of-fact roads which most motorists would prefer to see tackled first—Karori road, for instance. Possibly, however, tho council is wise in endeavouring to have this work pushed ou as a relief work, for really there does not appear to be any other solid reason for undertaking it, at any rate while other roads are still in bad shape. It has been suggested that, first and last, this little luxury will cost #10,000 or thereabouts. Even half that amount is too much, at the present time, Tho marine drive is worth a lot to Wellington, but Wellington can do without that length quite comfortably until other roads and footpaths are licked Linto shape." Evans Bay Road. Wellington's roadniakers have been extremely busy in laying down firstclass roads, as good as any motorist need wish for and in greater quantity than motorists in any other New Zealand centre enjoy, but, unfortunately, they have been so busy in that work I that the maintenance of the unpaved length of so important a road as the Evans Bay road has been passed over altogether. For certain classes of traffic, the heaviest haulage to and from Miramar, Kilbirnie and the eastern suburbs generally, Evans Bay road is more important than Constable street, and no doubt a great many more cars would take this route, so relieving the congestion over the hill and through Newtown, were the surface in reasonable order; a fair number of municipal bus runs are also made round the bay. The surface is not in reasonable order. It is in a disgraceful condition, and may without any fear of jealousy on the part of other unpaved lengths, claim to be the worst in Wellington. There is.no likelihood of the paving being completed this season, but a trifle of attention to the macadam may possibly be given.

Foxton High School. At present the secondary departments of the Foxton High School are carried on in various buildings in the borough. Cabinet has approved of a grant for tho erection of a substantial building for the secondary departments. Otaki Borough Bates. A considerable proportion of land in tho borough of Otaki is the property of Natives, and for some years past tho Borough Council hag had difficulty in collecting the rates on the land. Under existing legislation the consent of the Native Minister has to be obtained before steps can be taken by the local authority to dispose of Nativo land on which rates are due and which remain unpaid. A deputation representing the council waited on the Native Minister (tho Eight Hon. J. G Coatcs) on Thursday and asked him to give his consent to the sale of the land for tho payment of the rates. The /■.mister promised to send an officer to the district to inquire into the position with a view of determining what action should be taken.

Loyal Natives. The relatives of the late chief, Ihaaka Whaanga, whose death occurred at Nukaha on Sunday, received a visit on Tuesday from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. E. F. Bollard, wlio stated that he had heard with deep regret of the passing of the old chieftain, a close personal friend of the late Mr. W. F. Massey. The Minister spent a little time with the funeral guests and commented with keen appreciation upon the fact that the family of Ihaalca Whaanga had always been loyal to the Crown and to the Government, and giving a lead to other Natives in the district by their great influence, says the "Poverty Bay Herald." The fact that the father of the recently-deceased chief had been presented with a gold-mounted sword by Queen Victoria, for his services in the pacification of the unruly tribes in pioneering days, was mentioned with pride by the relatives, who also stated that several medals for bravery hpd been awarded to Ihaaka. Harp Pish Landed. Two harp fish have been caught on a line by Mr. W. Skipper, of Moturoa, New Plymouth. They inhabit the greater ocean depths, and are rarely landed. They closely resemble snapper, and are of a light red colour. While the front of a snapper's head is smooth the harp fish has several small bony ridges, and it has good fighting qualities among fish of its own class (states an exchange). The eye is totally black. When such fish are caught a belief among fishermen is that a good season will follow. Strollers, Keep Off!

The Thorndon reclamation appears to possess a tremendous attraction for certain evening strollors, and for fossickers and small boys at any time of the day. Possibly it is an interesting place, bu' it is very much better left alone. Strollers, keep off! Parts of newly reclaimed ground are solid enough for anyone, but at unexpected spots the silt is ■ wet and sloppy underneath a thin dried crust, and these patches provide highly efficient man traps—with a stroke of bad luck, thoroughly dangerous traps. One of these sticky patches, however, helped a day or two ago in speeding up the return of an erring schoolboy to his loving parents (and probably to the pickled rod without which, occasionally, the best child will be spoiled). This particular lad had registered a protest against family affairs in general by sleeping out about the waterfront. His parents rounded him up near the reclamation, but he bolted again, across tho new land straight into a very sticky patch. Father saw that he did not come ashore in one direction, and mother - walked half a mile round the dry edge while the lad pumped and floundered over a hundred yards of gummy silt. The family reunion was warm and touching. Botorua's Record Cargo. What constitutes a record cargo for dischargo at Wellington since the war is being unloaded at King's wharf from the. liner Hotorua, which arrived at Wellington yesterday afternoon from London. She has on board 11,267 tons for discharge at New Zealand ports, of which just over 7000 tons are for Wellington, consisting of 2000 tons of railway iron, 1000 tons of machinery, 2000 tons of cement, and 2000 tons of general cargo. This cargo will take about a week to discharge. Reduced Lighting Charges. Though householders are probablj- not aware of it their lighting is costing them a little less to-day, unit for unit, than it did this time lasC year, for from Slat inst. onwards accounts left with householders by the motor readers will charge up lighting at the nett rate of fivopenco per unit, instead of the former sixpence, and those readings go back over, as a rule, two months' supply. Heating rates will remain as at present. Tho saving on each account may not be great, but every little helps. But for the very sound financial position of the Electricity Department the concession could not be given, for all those little bits mount up to a very large sum which the department will not in future receive. The city and steam plants, by the way, are still helping Mangahao along, and once or twice recently have been called upon to supply their maximum output. The Evans Bay power station is not now often referred to as Wellington's "white elephant." Even if it is so styled occasionally, it is a white elephant" that is likely to be working hard all this winter and next Bpring and summer. Voting System Objected To. A discussion took place at the meeting of the Island BY branch of the Labour Party upon the municipal elec* tions and particularly upon tho system of voting by striking out names of can-' didates for whom tho elector did not wish to vote. The opinion of the meeting was that the system had many dis advantages as compared with the marking of wanted names by crosses, and it was decided to. ask the Parliamentary Labour Party to endeavour to hive the law amended. Complaint was madl that the number of polling booths was totally inadequate; and it was claimed that a large number of citizens were dfs franchise* owing to the difficuttv of getting to the booths, aimeult7 °f