NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 70, 20 September 1927, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

"Summer Time" and Cricket. "In view of the fact that one may expect that the Daylight Saying Bin will soon be on the Statute Book and operative this season, there should be a large increase in the number of cricketers," said the chairman (Mr. M. F. Luekie) at the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association last evening. He himself was thinking of taking up practice, and he was sure there were others who would "come out" again. Insurance and an Overdraft. Eeplying to an inquiry as to whether the insurance money from the Eastbourne pavilion, recently destroyed by fire, could be used for the purpose of reconstructing the building, the Audi-tor-General advised the Eastbourne Borough Council last evening that there was no statutory objection to the j use of the money in the way suggested. I In view, however, of the possibility of the Ferry Account being overdrawn at the end of the year in excess of the legal limit, he pointed out the advantage of retaining the money in the Ferry Bank Account, which would result in a partial reduction of the present overdraft. It was decided to adopt the suggestion of the Auditor-General. Quarrying at Mahina Bay. The Eastbourne Borough Council's protest against quarrying operations being resumed at Mahina Bay was referred to in a letter read at last night's meeting of the council from the Town Clerk of Lower Hutt. "This council is as much concerned as you are regarding the unfortunate happenings in this locality, and this council's best endeavours arc being directed towards koeping the road open and available for traffic," wrote the Town Clerk. "I am also to express regret at any inconvenience that may have been caused to the patrons of your buses and members of your staff, but such inconveniences will be reduced to a minimum." The letter was received. I Looking for Poisons. Those responsible for the maintenanco of law and order in tho Dominion have at times to utilise the resources of science in their detection of crime. This is exemplified by the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Bcsenrch which says: "Ten series of exhibits were examined for, poisons at tho direction of the Superintendent of Police, and in four cases cyanide, veronal, strychnine, and sodium arscnate were respectively found. Medicine, ointment, naphtha, and various liquors were also analysed." What steps were taken after tho results of j these analyses were made known to the police the report docs not state. The New Island Steamer. Tho steamer which is being built by Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., to the order of tho Government for tho Sainoan, Niuo, and Cook Island trade will bo launched at tho Dublin Dockyard on 29th Scptomber, and will arrive in New Zealand iluxt February. A detailed description of the steamer, which will have accommodation for thirty passengers and a cargo capacity for 10,000 cases of fruit, has already been published: The new steamer is to be called the "Maui Pomare," after the Minister for the Cook Islands, and the name is composed of two names well known throughout the Polynesian Islands. A cablo message received from London to-day states that tho Irish Free State Government-is giving a dinner to Sir James Parr, who will launch the Maui Pomare, and tho High Commissioner will be entertained by the Dublin Dockyard Company also. Valuable Vitamins. "A grant has been made to the Otago University," says the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Eesearch, "to enable an investigation to be undertaken into the vitamin content of various New Zealand foods and foodstuffs, to be conducted under the direction of Professor J. Malcolm. In Dunedin a local committee, consisting of Dr. Inglis, Dr. Hector, Dr. Holloway, Dr. Malcolm, and Mr. Bowman, has been set up to deal with the research, and also a related one concerning food-values. The work in these investigations is at pre-" sent somewhat limited on account of lack of funds, but it is hoped that ul.timately they will be linked up with the wider sphere as contemplated in the nutrient content of pastures investigation." Life and Beliefs. "It matters a great deal what a man thinks and believes, as our lives are governed largely in every walk of life • by what we believe," said Archbishop Julius, speaking at St. Matthew's Church, Christchurch, on Sunday. "I know people who are professed Christians, but who are selfish, unpleasant, and cannot be trusted, and on the other hand, I know people who profess no f.aith, win are genjrous and kind-heart-ed," said his Grace, "but I do not think the comparison holds for a moment. There are many true Christians who.take for their criterion Christ, and only Christ." His Grace said there was scarcely a man in the world who had not Christian traits in him. Practically every man was saturated with Christianity, reports the "Press," and in almost all men belief was interwoven. Men professed to believe in neither God nor devil, but the very lives they lived illustrated their Christian characters. There were some people who regarded the Scriptures in an intellectual light, and absorbed them in a purely intellectual manner. If they were told there was a new planet they would believe it automatically, and it was in the same i way they believed the Scriptures.

The Schoolboy's Way. The danger which lies in the practice of schoolboys carrying pens and pencils in their stocking tops was indicated when a fourteen-year-old boy met with an accident in a friendly rough-and-tumble in the Technical College grounds, says a Wanganui exchange. The pen was forced into his leg for about three inches, and when it was extracted the two points of the nib remained in the wound. The lad was taken to the hospital, and the metal was located by means of X-ray photographs. The Breach Healed. "I want the charge withdrawn, please; your Worship," asked a woman when her husband appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day, charged with assaulting her. Sub-Inspector Harvey explained that the woman went to the Mount Cook station at midnight on a recent evening, bleeding from a cut on the temple and complaining that her husband had thrown a boot at her. Since then, however, she had repented of her action and wanted the case dismissed. "Of course, a woman cannot be compelled to give evidence against her husband," said Mr. Page. "I will dismiss the charge." Husband and wife smiled affectionately at one another as they left the" Court. Motorists and Drovers. A drover from Tangowahine has written asking motor drivers to show a little more consideration when meeting or passing drovers of stock on the roads. This particular drover says that he has frequently seen car drivers rush right throught a mob of cattle or sheep without slackening speed. He also says that all drovers are willing to assist motorists and show them every consideration, and he asks that motorists should do the same for them. Special care, he says, should be taken by motorists when passing beef cattle and fat sheep or lambs, as it takes pounds off their value if they are hurried or frightened. Sea Wealth. "We are still savages. Primitive people hunt for their food, and civilisation began when our ancestors learned that it is better to domesticate and protect the ierds and crops of Nature instead of merely grabbing as much of "them as possible. In forestry we are just passing out of the savage state, for we are beginning to do something more than grab," said Mr. E. W. Bennett, M.Sc, in an address to the W.E.A. at , Christehurch on Saturday night (reports the "Press"). "We are wonderfully haphazard in this country, ".said Mr. Bennett. "We allowed the fur seal almost to be wiped out of existence. We do not get a penny of the rich harvest reaped by the foreigners who come from the other side o£ ■ the globe to exploit the whales of our seas. We value our whitebait, certainly, but in a senseless way, for we are doing our best to eradicate them. And some day, perhaps, one of the richest men in this country will be the man who develops an eel-canning industry." Wooing the Butter-maker. An ardent courtship is proceeding in the Auckland province in an endeavour to secure butter contracb, says the Auckland "Star." This Is a sequel to the abandonment of price-fixation and the fact that a new dairying season is at hand. A number of the produce export flrma are endeavouring to establish the contact with the dairy companies that was lost during the operations of the Control Board. On the other hand, the butter market is on the up-grade, and there is a disposition on the part of those who guide the affairs of the co-operative companies to | 'sit tight" and be chary about accepting a price for the season's output. Recently seventeen representatives of produce export firms metaphorically launched an attack on one of the best-known North Auckland companies, but so far the output is atill available for the highest bidder. According to Mr. E. Parsons, of Wanganui, a well-known member of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, who returned to Auckland on Friday, after making investigations in connection with' New Zealand produce at Home, New Zealand would have won out in connection with price-fixation had the fight gone on a little longer. The English firms were apprehensive by reason of the fact that they believed that the New Zealand Government was behind tho movement, but they kept a bold front, which ended in victory. Diatoms. "All flesh is grass, says the proverb," said Mr. E. W. Bennett, M.Sc", assistant curator at the Canterbury Museum, in a lecture on "Animal Life in the Open Sea," to the W.E.A. at Christchurch on Saturday night. This is obviously true in a literal sense in the case of green-leafers, and as for tho rest of us, well—a quarter of mutton is only muttonised grass, after all. But all fish, which, according to some, is not flesh, is diatom. The production of diatoms, minuto and indeed invisible plants which .swarm in countless millions throughout the ocean, is the primary industry of tho seas. The diatoms are tho food of minute crustacoans, barely visible, and these in turn aro eaten by shrimps, and so on, un; til the diatoms are converted into fish! Nor is this all, for, according to this argument, shags and terns must also be diatom. And even we humans have a small amount of diatom in our makeup." Seed and Plant Diseases. A survey has been made by tho Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of the losses incurred in the Dominion through plant diseases, and a special committee is arranging for the establishment of a research station in conjunction with the Agricultural College at Palmerston North. In order to make the work. of Empire-wide significance, contact with the Welsh Plantbreeding Station at Aberystwyth is being maintained. Research, breeding, and selection work connected with cereals will be centred at Canterbury Agricultural College, and in other matters connected with this branch of investigation co-ordination of effort will be closely maintained between Palmerston and Lincoln. Where conditions demand it, subsidiary out-stations will be established to facilitate the research done at the main centres. Impetus to Cricket. . Speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association last evening, Mr. M. F. Luckie said that a great impetus would be given to cricket by the very successful tour which haa just been completed by the New Zealand team in England. Nothing but words of the greatest credit could be used in referring to the tour. The New Zealanders had scored about 50 per cent, faster than their opponents in, England, and they had shown that the ball was meant to be hit. Ingenuity of the Rabbit. A story showing the ingenuity of the rabbit in protecting itself in time of floor comes from Mataura Island dur ing the heavy rains of last week, says an exchange. A district farmer who had some sheep in a paddock subject to flood shifted his flock overnight to a safer paddock. Included in these were ten ewes with lambs, which broke from their place of safety during the night and returned to the home paddock. Dur ing the night the field was sub merged ,and when the farmer came on the scene next morning he found the sheep huddled together on the highest point of the section in about two feet of water, their lambs drowned, and a rabbit safely perched on. the back of : each sheeg. ' " "