NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 17, 21 January 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Matriculation Results. Owing to delay in the receipt of the marks from the examiners, the matriculation results will not be available for publication until Friday next at the earliest. Busy Traffic Inspector. The traffic inspector who stands daily duty at tho entrance to the Queen's Wharf is a very busy man. His sole duty is to direct the traffic in the way it should go, but it is sufficient to keep him busily engaged from the time he commences work until ho finishes. Yesterday an observer kept tally of the number of signals it was necessary for him to give, and in the space of one minute the tally reached forty. That was between half-past 10 and 11 o'clock, probably not the busiest part of the day. Taking forty per minute as an average, the traffic inspector gives 2400 signals in an hour. Sunday for him must be a very real day of rest. Mercantile Marine Bell. The interest taken aboard deep-sea ships in the mercantile marine bell in the Wellington War Memorial Carillon is shown in the latest contributions which have been received by the committee. These, totalling £55 6s 2d, have all come from passengers on the Union Company's Eoyal Mail liners, and aro acknowledged as follows:— Passengers B.M.S. Maunganui, £7 12s 3d; passengers B.M.S. Marama, £13 19s; passengers E.M.S. Aorangi, £7 12s 6d; passengers B'.M.S. Makura (per U.S.S. Co.), £26 2s sd. This brings the total amount now received on behalf of the bell to £484 4s 2d, which, however, still leaves a considerable amount owing. It is hoped that the balance will be forthcoming in the immediate future, so that the amount may be paid on due date. A Fair Trial Wanted. "The present arrangement should receive a fair trial," said Dr. E. P. Ellison, Director of Maori Hygiene, at Auckland on Thursday, referring to the claims brought forward by the Akarana Maori Association for the re-establish-ment of the headquarters of the division in Auckland, reports the "New Zealand Herald." Dr. Ellison said although Auckland was admittedly more central for the bulk of the Native population, there were many points in favour of Wellington as an administrative centre, notably on account of the greater facilities for co-operation between the various branches of the Health Department. The Native Plant Museum. Dr. A. W. Hill, F.E.S., C.M.G., Director of the Eoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England, has taken a keen interest in the proposal to make the Otari reserve (Wilton's Bush) a place as representative as possible of the Dominion 's plant life by introducing whatever native plants, including alpines, that can thrive in that locality, and next Wednesday afternoon will visit the reserve. The afternoon's programme will include speeches describing the work proposed to be done, after which the points of interest will be visited by thoso present. The Mayor is inviting the public to attend, and it is proposed to run buses between the city's tramway system and the bush. This function gives a fine opportunity to lovers of Nature to see a lovely piece of native bush lying almost at their doors. A Year's Exile. . A lonely vigil on a Pacific isle, a voluntary exile from civilisation for a whole year, is a prospect that would daunt the average New Zealander, says the "Auckland Sun." Not so, however, Dr. Eaymond Pirth, a young Auckland anthropologist, who is now visiting his parents at Otahuhu after carrying off his Ph.D. degree in anthropology at London University. Dr. Firth has undertaken a year's field work on the island of Tikopia, an islet lying to the south-west of the Solomons, where the only visitor is the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross, and she puts in an appearance only once a year. He will be the only white man on the island, which is only six square miles in area and carries a population of 500 Polynesians. Dr. Firth is anxious to make this stay at Tikopia, because, from an anthropological point of view, it is particularly interesting and —what is even more important—untouched by scientific research. He will be surrounded by gigantic scantily clad islanders —few of the men are less than 6ft in height—and his first task will be to acquire the language. The natives are quiet and peaceful. The Tikopeans and the inhabitants of the Solomons are different in race, colour, physique, and in every other way. Dr. Firth's studies at London University have been in the direction of research in Maori economics, a. field practically unexplored. Australia, he said, had set an example to New Zealand by equipping a number of anthropologists iv the Western Pacific. Dr. Firth's sojourn at Tikopia will be under the auspices of the Australian National Besoarch Council.

Of Doubtful Value. Some time back a blueberry tree was planted in Palmerston North, but the borough curator (Mr. P. Black) told a "Manawatu Standard" reporter recently that it was not doing well, for the plant required an acid soil such as that in the Tongariro National Park. The commercial blueberry was a native of North America, and there were 20 or 30 different species. Tho plant, which was considered to have a future in New Zealand, was a hybrid or of hybrid origin, and had been introduced by private enterprise. Although some of the plants were showing promise, said Mr. Black, he doubted whether the blueberry would ever become popular as a commercial fruit, partly on account of the difficulty which would be encountered in the transport of such soft and tender fruit. Royal Naval Reserve. The New Zealand Naval Board has appointed Commander Francis A. Hull (R.N. retired) to bo commanding officer of the Auckland Division of the Royal Naval Reserve. Lieut.-Commander Charles H. T. Palmer, R.N.V.R. (New Zealand Division), has been appointed second in command of the Auckland Division. Commander Hull succeeds Commander J. R. Middleton, who was recently appointed Director of Naval Reserves, with headquarters in Wellington. Commander Hull is a naval officer of long experience, having had 29 years of uninterrupted service on the ships of the Royal Navy, states the "New Zealand Herald." During the war he was associated with the Grand Fleet in the Atlantic, tho Mediterranean, and the Dardanelles. Three years ago he was appointed to the command of H.M.S. Laburnum, and was in command of the forces which assisted in quelling the riots between native and Chinese coolies on Ocean Island in June, 1925. Commander Hull retired recentl. and took up his residence in Auckland. Lieut.-Commander Palmer has been divisional staff officer of the Auckland Division since its inception. He is a well-known yachtsman, and held commissions as lieutenant in the Navy and as district senior officer, Motorboat Service Corps, New Zealand Forces, during the war.