NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 132, 1 December 1927, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday in Parliament. The Licensing Amendment Bill, the reappearance of which had been eagerly awaited by a large section of members, oceupiea the House of Bepresentatives from an early hour yesterday afternoon until nearly 4 o'clock this morning. There was. another full discussion during the Committee stages, and before the Bill emerged shortly after half-past one o'clock this morning it was amended in several directions, mainly at the instance of the Prime Minister. Private members suggested a number of amendments, but these were allowed to go on the voices, several on the understanding that they would be further considered before the Bill reached the Legislative Council. One of the most provocative amendments moved by the Prime Minister was that which proposed the registration of barmen. This was debated at considerable length, mainly by members on the Labour benches, aud it was finally agreed to on a division by 51 votes to 22. At the conclusion of the Committee stages, Mr. Coates divested himself of any further responsibility in connection with the measure, and the Bill was "fathered" during the third reading stage by tho member for Oainaru (Mr. E. P. Leo). A number of members took advantage of the third reading to have a last say in regard to the Bill,' and' a division was not reached until 3.40 a.m. The third reading was carried by 39 votes to 32, and the Bill was passed. The House rose at 3.50 a.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Legislative * Council decided to insist on its amendments in the Coalmines Amendment Bill and tho Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, and managers were appointed to prepare reasons and to confer with representatives of the House of Eepresentatives. The Wellington City and Suburban "Water Supply Bill was put through its final stages and passed with amendments. The Council adjourned at 3.40 p.m. until this afternoon. Hutt Road Tax. Authority is given under the provisions of the Finance Bill for the payment of moneys from the Main Highways Eevenue Fund to the Wellington City Council in commutation of fees chargeable in respect of vehicles using the Hutt road. The Hutt road tax "is abolished. Agricultural Research. -■ "Tho fields for research are everywhere being broadened," said Professor E. J.lddings, Dean of Agriculture, and director of the agricultural experimental station of the University of Idaho, United States, who arrived in Auckland by the Ulimaroa on Tuesday after making a study of agricultural conditions in Great Britain, France, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Germany, the Channel Islands, Egypt, Italy, India, Ceylon, and Australia. Tho professor indicated that the meaning of this development was that agriculture to-day was- more closely allied to scientific facts and the trend of economics, the application of which to farming was absolutely necessary for its proper development in the highest technical phases, states the "Auckland Star." In England ana Scotland, he pointed out, there had been an enlargement of experimental institutions, and the establishment of others. Italy under the Mussolini regime was developing great schemes of agricultural research, and there had been established 30 miles from Eomo p. 3000-acre farm for the purpose of animal-production study. In Egypt, India, and Australia agricultural research was likewise proceeding. Mount Eden Direction Table. Arrangements are now l>eing made to place on the summit of Mount Eden the direction table that was presented by Mr. Ernest Davis, and manufactured in England, states the "Auckland Star." Built on a fireclay foundation, with a glazed porcelain surface, the direction table consists of -eight parts, which make a circle with a diameter of 3ft 7in. When placed in position the indicator will point due north, and thus any other compass point can be obtained The many places of interest in the vicinity of the city are given, with the correct distances, and apart from being of advantage to visitors, Auckland residents will receive a geographical education, as. even localities like Similes Hill, Pukaki Creek, Cockle Bay, aud P'ipoiiga Point, which are riot widely known, will be located'with ease. Ou the rim of the table the direction of places far afield is shown, including Cape Horn, 5.070 miles away, and Colombo, 6785 miles in another direction. It is proposed to house the table to render it saf-3 from the hands of the vandal, and until those arrangements are made it will not be placed in position. Singapore Contribution. Authority is contained in the Finance Bill introduced into the House of Representatives last night for the payment of £1,000,000 as New Zealand's contribution towards the cost of the Singapore Naval Base. ' ' "

Samoan Estates. Under the Finance Act introduced into Parliament last night New Zealand is authorised to lend money to the Samoan Treasury to the extent of £.46,----000 instead of £16,000 as the lav at present provides. O£ the profits accrued or accruing from the Reparation Estates £12,000 is to be paid into the Samoan Treasury, and half of the residue is to be applied towards the development of the estates. Artesian Water in the City. Artesian wells are common enough in New Zealand, but one successfully just put down by Messrs. Thomson, Lewis, and Co., of Tory street, is believed to bo the first sunk in Wellington city. Twenty-five years ago the firm drilled to a depth of 250 ft in another spot on the premises, .< but though the water when it was struck deluged everybody round about, it ceased to run almost immediately afterwards, and the attempt was abandoned for a time. Three and a half months ago drilling was again commenced at another spot, and yesterday, at 500 feet, a good and satisfactory flow -was struck, ana appears to be permanent. The water,, which is of exceptional purity, and emerges at a very low temperature, rises to over 20 feet from the ground. The drilling was a lengthy business, only six inches a day being made when extra hard rock was struck, but the pressure of water for a considerable time before the last hard cap was reached encouraged perseverance. A Regimental Alliance. Last Saturday, at Crown Hill, Devon, England, a silver statuette of a Maori warrior was presented on behalf of the Ist Battalion of tho "Wellington-West Coast Regiment to the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment. The 2nd Hampshires formed part of the 29th British Division, alongside whom the Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F., fought early in May,, 1915, in the attack on Krithia, Gallipoli, and it was for this reason that the W.-W.C. Regiment asked to be allied to the Hampshires when the former allied regiment (the 18th Royal Irish) was disbanded in 1923. To commemorate the alliance the Welling-ton-West Coast Regiment had two statuettes made, one of a New Zealand soldier in fighting kit, and one of a Maori warrior, the former for presentation to the Ist Hampshires stationed in India, and the other for the 2nd Hampshircs at Home. laeut.Colonel W. F. Narbey, who in 1916 commanded the W.-W.C. company of the Ist Battalion of the Wellington Begiment in IPrance, presented the statuette to the 2nd Hampshires, and special cable j messages of greeting were exchanged between the two regiments. Cloak Boom Complaint. A correspondent has written complaining of lack of control in the Town. Hall cloak room arrangements at a recent big evening function, which lack of control resulted in his going home mourning the loss of a good oveicoat. His hat and coat, he states, were checked in in the usual way early in the evening, but .-when he went for them, handing over his check, he was given his hat only. A request for the coat did not bring results and the attendant turned to other checks and hatu. When he returned a little later | to renew the request, he found a very lively cloak room, a mock auction of coats and hats being conducted on the counter by certain happy spirits, while others were behind the counter looking for their belongings themselves. In the general struggle he was pushed downstairs, but came again with his request. He states that he obtained no coat and even less satisfaction, being advised by a member of the staff that ho could take" tho matter to Court if he felt so inclined. His letter was referred by a "Post" reporter to the Town Hall authorities, and a repl£ was given that his wisest course would be to lay the complaint before the council, through the Town Clerk. Recently new racks have been placed in the hall . corridors' to improve cloak room conditions, but even, on such an occasion as the State luncheon to Mr. Aniery—af which the 'attendance was not nearly so large as at many evening functions—the arrangements came: in for a good deal of criticism. The cloak room rush is always difficult to meet, and if, as has been suggested, the main cloak rooms at the Town Hall are to bo used permanently for other purposes, the difficulty will certainly not be reduced. i Fruit—And Misrepresentation. "lam wondering whether or not legislation protects the purchasing public, from false representation of all foodstuffs or only Home," writes a correspondent, "Observer," to "The Post." "We mostly know that under the Pure Poods .Regulations, tho Department oilHealth requires to have the fullest information of kind and quality of goods sold. We know also that we are protected by weights and measures, and whereas we once used to ask for a twoounce tin of tobacco, and get only If ounces, we have now to be grateful to those who have brought about the change whereby we now get a two-punce tin -when we ask for it. But is it an offence or not for a fruiterer to sell us tomatoes saying they are Hutt grown, when they have come all the way from Rarotonga?" The correspondent asserts that he purchased tomatoes marked "Hutt-grown," and afterwards discovered that the tomatoes were not New Zealand grown. He wants to know what can be done about the matter. Kemp's Pole. The historic Kemp's Pole, situated at Raorikia on the Wanganui River, was the subject of a discussion at a recent meeting of the Wanganui River Trust, says the "Wanganui Herald.". It was pointed out that the area surrounding the pole was in a bad state. 'The trust had spent considerable sums in keeping the area in a tidy condition, but all to no purpose, owing to Natives letting stock wander there. A suggestion was made that the pole should be transferred to the Museum, but it •was finally decided to leave the matter in the_ hands of the supervisor. The following history regarding the pole is interesting: In the year 1880, the late Major Kemp saw that the lands of his people were fast being lost, and conceived the idea of forming the whole of tho Wanganui Native land into one big trust, to be managed by a council elected or selected by the people. A large number of Natives signed a document, but as means of communication were at that time bad, and a very large j number of signatures was required the people got dissatisfied and out of hand, and unfortunately for the Wj. I nganui Natives the scheme fell through ! The lands ,included in the trust were [ defined by erecting a carved post at each of the four corners, and Kemp's pole as it is known, was one of these land marks.