NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 126, 30 May 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Future Paving Operations. At tho conclusion of to-day's meeting of tho "Wellington City and Suburban Highways Board, Mr. G. A. Troup said that he had discussed with tho Public Works Department the possibility of employing the board's plant and officers to carry on paving work outside the board's area of,jurisdiction. It was a matter, ho said, that needed further discussion. Mr. 11. D. Bennett remarked that tho Main Highways Board would havo plenty of money to spend as a result of the p"otrol tax. Looking at the subject from a community point of view, it seemed as if tho Wellington Board's plant and trained officers might bo utilised, now that .they had nearly completed city and suburban work, in paving the Eimutaka and Paekakariki Hills, and so milking tho approaches to Wellington worthy of the Capital City. New Zealanders' Physique. "The average New Zcalander is much more fully developed than the average Englishman," remarked a witness in tho Supreme Court yesterday during'a discussion on tho respective merits of .English and New Zealand suit patterns. "Is that a well-known fact, among tailors?" queried his Honour (Mr. Justice Smith). "Undoubtedly," replied the witness. "The >English. standard is much smaller.'' No Reduction. A reduction in telephone ratos for long-distance calls during business hours ■was recently asked for by the Hawera Chamber of Commerce. 'In view of this request the secretary of tho Associated Chambers of Commerce has interviewed the Post and Telegraph Departmont on the matter, and has received tho reply that the rates for toll communications compared favourably with the rates in vogue, in other countries. Certain reductions- wore made iv November, 1920", and tho rates were now considered very reasonable. The Department regretted that at the present time no further reduction could.be made. This answer was considered satisfactory when repeated to tho recent meeting of tho exeeutivo of the Associated Chambers of Commorce. A Question of Time. .'(Do you want timo to pay?" asked Mr. T. E. Maunsell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday- afternoon, in imposing a fine on a young man for dangerous driving of a motor-cycle. On receiving the reply that time was needed, tho Magistrate asked how long. "As' long as you like," replied the young man. "I would like five minutes," said the Magistrate. The youth said he could not pay tho fine in fivo minutes, and he wafe allowed a week. For Exhibition at the Games. .In the art section of tho forthcoming Olympic exhibition at Amsterdam during tho progress of tho international games, a statuette by Mr. Vincent Evans, Wanganui Technical College art master, will occupy a -prominent position, says the "Wauganui Chronicle." Mr. Evans's model —that of a .Rugby player—was dedicated to the 1924 New Zealand All Blacks, and the New Zealand Olympic Games Committee, has been .responsible' for the forwarding of the statuette to Holland. High Finance. A young Wanganui woman, says the "Wanganui Herald," was recently short of a little ready cash, so sho c,allod on a money-lender and invitod himto come to her house,.as aho required a modest ;£3O on her furniture and household effects. She took the unsuspecting money-lender to a furnished, home where tho occupants wye away on holiday, and had no difficulty in getting a loan. After paying, one deposit, she promptly skipped the Tasman. The surprise of the- money-lender can bo imagined when he called at the house for his second deposit and learned that his lady client had no interest in the house or furniture. He Did Not Hear. , A witness in the Magistrate's Court at Duncdin on Monday, who had previously intimated that he was somewhat hard of hearing, left the box at the conclusion of his examination, and, obviously unaware of Court procedure, donned his hat as-he made his way to the door.' To the Court orderly's, admonition to remove his hat ho paid not tho slightest attention, and_ a second stentorian request to "Take off your hat" also passed unheeded (states the "Otago Daily Times"). Tho wellmeant efforts of some friends of the to draw attention to his breach of etiquette by frantically touching their heads, were apparently taken by him to bo a friendly farewell salutation, and, airily waving to them he passed out —still wearing his hat. Loyal Chinese. A striking1 testimony to the loyalty of Orieutal'Christians to their European teachers in timo of peril is provided by Misses H. and L. Beid, of the China Inland Mission, who are on furlough in New Zealand, stateß tho Auckland "Star." Tho missionaries, who wero born and educated in the Dominion, havo spent the past thirty-fivo years in the Central China mission fields, and they had many thrilling experiences in the time of civil warfaro before they sailed for this Dominion. As an cxaniplo of the loyalty of the Chinese, the Misses Reid relate how on one occasion when a party of soldiers arrived at ■ a certain mission station, the Chinese schoolgirls formed a ring round their European teacher, defied tho armed men, and succeeded in protecting the missionary. • On another occasion, at great personal risk, the Chinese civilians concealed their missionary in a well from tho marauders, tho worker haying to remain in a most uncornfort.ablo position for several hours until the danger was past. It- was of the brigands, however, whom tho Chinese stood -most in awe, and although they wero themselves in constant terror of these men, the first consideration was to protect the missionaries, who wero assured that no harm would befall them. The Old and the New. i After fifty years of service to the Railway Department and to tho city, the Christehurch Bailway Fire Brigado on Monday went out of existence (states the "Lyttelton Times"). Tho brigade made a gallant exit when tho old engine Powerful and mombers of the brigade took part in tho jubilee procession. An interesting contrast was afforded between old and modern fire-prevention methods, as following the Powerful in the procession was tho big engine of the Christehurch Fire Brigade —one bf tho most modern and' up-to-date of its kind. Tho Railway Fire Brigade was formed in 1878, and was given tho engine, which had been imported five or six years previously. Costing £2000, it was the largest portable engino made at that time. The pumps would deliver .1400 gallons of water a minute, and seven leads of hose could bo used. Even now the gunmetal pumps are still in thobest order, but two new boilers have had to be fitted. The brigade was of great service in the old days, and performed splendid' service on frequent occasions. Tho great pumping capacity onabled it to copo with tho biggest fires. Of late the brigado has beeu in little demand. Tho old-fashioned method of tho steamcngino was too slow, and the more modern and efficient engines of the Kro Brigado were able to copo with most of,tho outbreaks. Even the railway fires wero attended to by the city brigade. -The sight of tho old engino in Monday's procession recalled to the old pioneers memories of a onco invaluablo institution which performed groat sorvico to the city.

New Motor Regulations. By this time,- owing to tho publicity that has been given them in tho Press and at discussions at meetings of motorists, the. new motor regulations aro fairly well known. They come into force.on Friday, Ist June. Poisoned by Honey. As the result of eating honeycomb, tlio cells of which had not been closed, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and their two children, and some Natives residing at Omaramutu, several miles from Opotiki, were poisoned (states a' local correspondent). Mr. Taylor and his two children suffered from severe convulsions, necessitating medical attention. Mrs. Taylor, who did not eat as much honey as the others, escaped more lightly. Sonic Maoris who were ' poisoned also wore fortunate, in that their sickness was not very serious. : . Memorial to Bishop Nevill. ' A memorial to the late Bishop Nevill, of Dunedin, was unveiled by Bishop Richards in St. Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin, during the service on Sunday morning. Tho memorial consists of figures of two angels, in alabaster, supported on one side by the Nevill Arms of three bustards, and on the other tho arms of the diocese, the whole being surmounted by a bishop's mitre. The memorial bears tho following inscription: "To the Glory of God and in sacred memory of Samuel Tarratt Noville, D.D., first Bishop of Dunedin, 1871-1919; Primato of New- Zealand, 1904-1919; founder of this cathedral church, St. Mary's Orphanage; and Selwyn College; Sufi-Prelate of the order of St. 'John of Jerusalem. Born 13th May, 1837, died 29th October, 1921." A Colonial Civil Service. The desirability'of inaugurating some kind of training for Civil servants for service in mandated territories such as Samoa was advocated at yesterday's conferonco of the Dominion League of Nations Union. Systematic" training, including anthropology, for officials proceeding to the mandated territories, was suggested, speakers emphasising tho point tliat they were i looking! to the future and not casting reflections upon present officials. A Military Defaulter's Fine. A mother, whose son was fined £2 in the Magistrate's Court recently for failing to attend drill, in making an application yesterday afternoon to Mr. T. E. Maunsoll, S.M., for a reduction of the penalty, said that the boy was unable to pay the fine because he was paying off a motor-cycle, which he used to go to his work. "I cannot afford to pay," said the mother, "and my son cannot pay either." "Why should you pay?" queried the Magistrate. "What about him giving up the motor-cycle1?" "But what. will happen, sir, if he, doesn't .pay?" asked tho mother. "Will he have to go to gaol?" "If he fails to pay ho can go to gaol," replied .Mr. Maunsell,- "but if ■ he- is getting ;37s Gd a week he can pay all right." Tho defendant was ordered to pay the fine at tho rate of 10s a week. Bishop Favours Fixed Easter. At a meeting of the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, held last week, it was stated.that tho Bishop of Wellington had intimated that he was not opposed to, but in favour of, the stabilisation of the date of Easter. It was stated that the Wellington Ministers' Association was also in favour of a fixed date for the" observance of Easter. Tho secretary was instructed to; write to the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church, and, after receipt of his reply, to refer- the matter to the Prime Minister. Baths for Ngaio. The poqplo of Ngaio boliove that the City Council helps those who help themselves, and so they have provided for themselves, through special rating, their own district hall, quite the most attractivo building of its kind about Wellington, they run their own library, the books being supplied- by the council, and they have provided a playground for their children, Now they want a swimming bath, and last evening a deputation waited upon the Finance Committee of the council to say that an admirable site was at present available, and that the district was willing to raise onethird of tho money required if the council would do the rest. The speakers said that tho sito ,was excellent for such a purpose; it lay between the railway and the Main road, just to the north of the hall, and three hundred yards away was a good spring from which a plentiful | supply of water could bo obtaiircd. '-In view of the way in which the residents had always helped1 financially to^provide for the development of tho district they thought that the council might do something to acquire the site before it was disposed of otherwise. Tho Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, said that he was sympathetic, but tho .proposal involved a good deal more than tho acquisition of the site, arid money was scarce this year. However, the request would receive consideration. \ -