NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 82, 16 October 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Municipal Milk. "I would like you gentlemen to notice that this is municipal milk," remarked Mr. Leslie (custodian of the Town. Hall) when serving afternoon tea at the annual conference of the New Zealand Associated Chambers of Commerce at the Wellington Council Chamber yesterday. A ripple of. appreciative laughter passed over the assembly. A Disturbing Rumour. Concern at what was rumoured to be the intention of the City Council to erect conveniences at the corner of Queen's Drive and Coutts street, Lyall Bay, was expressed at the annual meeting of the Eastern Suburbs League last evening. Mr. P. E. Cairns said that ho know of several residents in the vicinity of the intersection who would object to conveniences being' erected. The chairman (Mr. A. C. Blake) suggested that the league should make a proposal'to the council that the strip of land concerned should be.turned into a beauty spot before the conveniences, were definitely,decided upon. Mr. A. B. Hislop moved, and it was decided, that the council' should be approached as soon as possible and urged to consider making a beauty spot of the corner. White v. Coloured Kaces. ■ The racial question in America • was referred to by the Roy. M. W. P. Lascelles in an address to the Baptist Union Conference at Christchurch (reports the "Lyttelton Times"). He said that the coloured peoples were in conflict with the writes, not for. racial but for commercial reasons'. There were 1300 millions of coloured people challenging 500 millions of whites. The speaker said that he hoped the coloured peoples would never' '.get together in the sense pictured by racial alarmists, arid suggested that the solution to the problem was not subjugation, segregation, nor' the mixing of blood in marriage, but the proclaiming of the equality of all men. ' Keturn Postage Pays. '^ Little- things do count, oven a penny stamp where fairly substantial sums are concerned. The Mayor, Mr. G;. A. Troup, mentioned at a meeting'of the National Art Galleiy and Dominion . Museum Fund Committee yesterday afternoon that ho had tried a little experiment in circularising citizens. A thousand letters requesting donations had been scut out, said Mi-. Troup,'soo with a stamped envelopo for reply enclosed and 500 without. In response to, the appeal £170 had been received, of which £140 had como iii the enclosed stamped envelopes and £30 from people who had not received envelopes ready -to <pos£ back with cheques or. notes in them, "in future stamped envelopes will go out with all such appeals. A Timely Message. Among the many -incidents of the Tour de France, the world's most strenuous road cycling test, one which deeply impressed the only New Zealander in the big event, took place.at the starting point. In a "field" of about 170 competitors, all but four of whom were specially selected' Continental, riders, H. G. Watson, the New Zealander, could scarcely be expected :to'feel at home,1 even though he was associate/ with three Australian representatives. His identity: was more or less lost in the big gathering at the starting point in Paris, but tiie evideneo that New Zealand remembered him was forthcoming in a cablegram from the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) wishing him the best of luck. The message could not have arrived at a more opportune time, and, Harry, Watson pushed off on the long "ride of 3360 miles in great heart: pn'his return to Wellington, last week from France Watson ox-, pressed his keen appreciation of the Prime Minister's action. The New Zoalander was among those to complete the whole' journey, in spite of' many hardships encountered.on the way. U.S.A. Press Hostility. Regret that a section of the United States Press continued to* take a hostile attitude towards the British Empire was expressed by Mr. H. P. Caughey (Auckland), the newly-elected president, at yesterday's meeting, of the Associated Chambers of Commerce Conference. Mr. Caughey, who has recently returned from-a tour of Britain and America, stated that facts were too often distorted and unworthy motives • imputed; _and it should be made known that such tactics not only did not enhance the reputation of American journalism, but were resented by the inhabitants of Great Britain and tlio Britaius overseas. "Unless," he declared, "the Government of a nation can effectively control an offending section of its Press, all its efforts to promote treaties to outlaw war and to improve international relationships are | prejudiced."

That Twopence on Cheques. A fairly long discussion took place at tlio sitting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce Conference yesterday afternoon on the Wanganui remit: "That legislation be introduced to provide for reversion to Id stamp duty on cheques and receipts instead of 2d as at present." The mover (Mr. Hague Smith) said that the amount involved was some & 150,000, the 2d on cheques bringing in £, 181,000 a year and the 2d on receipts £120,000. Mr. Agar and Mr. Norton Francis (Christehurch) urged that if the stamp duty were reduced by one half the revenue thus lost would have to be made up by taxation which would not be spread so widely over the community and would hit the individual taxpayers more. On the other hand it was argued that it was not fair that the stamp duty on a cheque or receipt for, say, £1, should bo as high as that on a cheque or receipt for £250,000. It was alleged that New Zealand is the only country still retaining the 2d on cheques and receipts, but it was pointed out, as against tliis, that New Zealand has reverted to penny postage while other countries have not. The remit was carried by a large majority. ' A Sea Serpent at Last. A sc.i serpent was caught off the East Coast recently, about three miles from the shore. According to the "Eotorua Chronicle," the catch was made by fishermen,on an ordinary snapper hook and line, but it was treated with every respect because of its formidable teeth. The creature was about seven feet long, with slender silverbrown body and a thin ribbon-like dorsal fin that extended the whole length of the body. By good fortuno Sir James Parkinson, the eminent physician and biologist, was in Eotorua, and he examined the find. He pronounced it to be a real sea serpent, and-justified the fisherman's caution, as it was highly venomous. Sir James stated that i'fc was out of its recognised habitat, which was the coastal waters of North Australia and the narrow seas adjacent. He had never seen so largo a specimen, nor one oil that colour.' The snake had a remarkable head, with, large eyes sot well forward above the:jaws. The teeth were numerous and' sharp,' being ; laid back at an angle that would lniikp reIcaso from a grip almost impossible. The poisonous fangs were in the middle of the jaw. . ■ ■ "Australasia" in Trade. A large sum is lost to New Zealand every year through the practice of some overseas manufacturers of appointing what they call "Australasian agents," said a delegate at the annual conference of the New Zealand Associated Chambers of Commerce,. Since the Australian firm acting as 'Australasian agent usually appointed a New. Zealand sub-agent on a commission of only about 1-i per cent., as against the average commission of 3J per cent, to a direct agent, Australia secured by this system a big "rake-off" on.New Zealand indents, and it was, urged that definite stops should at once be. taken to direct the attention of English manufacturers to the matter. New Zealand, which is as far removed from Australia as the Bock of Gibraltar from London, and is in area not much less than the British Isles, was hold to have a legitimate grievance in being thus lumped up with her big neighbour as "Australasia." . -.'..'• Commercial Men and Summer Time. That the chambers of commerce should submit to Parliamentary candidates a question as to whether they favoured the amendment1 of the Summer Time Act to provide for a permanent extension of one hour, was the request mado by a letter from the Summer Time Appreciation Organisation received by the Associated '■Chambers Conference yesterday. It was: objected by Mr. J. B. Eichafds (Stratford) that it was a party matter, and he predicted that directly the chambers, of commerce entered politics it would be the beginning of their breaking up. He had advised the Stratford Chamber to have nothing to do with the matter. The letter was referred 'to the executive. Appear to Extravagant Housewife. ' It was an undue strain upon trade, and only appealed to the extravagant housewife and to the extravagant individual who wanted to get extended credit, declared Mr. A.-Fletcher (Wellington), in moving yesterday the remit by which the Associated. Chambers of Commerce • condemned the ■ cash order system.- Mr. Fletcher, stated that the G-overnnieut had already'taken cognisance of. the system,; and .tlrat. it would probably- be the subject of a- Commission, of Inquiry. There 'was :a widespread desire that the; sy.stern' should be entirely eliminated. Coupons, were issued and men canvassed from house to house disposing of them>; 'The public paid a heavy interest'; of 10;' to 30 per; cent, on the coupons, ■ :in- addition to which the .company issuing the coupons reeeivecl commission' from'the suppliers of tho goods. .' Many-business people had been forced to accept the coupons ■ to retain their' business.:. The system lent itself to extravagance; people overloaded- themselves with; debt -which theycould not overcome,-, and /there was no justification for the existence of such a method of trading. '. ■:.'. ]. .-.. '' Example Stronger than Precept. '-' The leakage in church, membership came under discussion ;at ■ the Baptist Union' Conference at Christehurch. The Eev. E. N. Goring said'that, the problem lay with the people who were definitely Christian and keenly interested in the Church, but who.never attended the services (reports the . "Lyttelton Times"). They sent their-children to the Sunday Schools, and made them attend church at least once a day, but they themselves had simply got out of the habit of church attendance. to the young people," lie said, "and, ask them to accept church.. membership. They reply, 'Look-at so-and-so. He never goes to church, yet he is as good a man as anyone in iti' " It was a ease of example being stronger than precept. Family worship' was a thing of the past. The Eov. E. Titckwell (Dunedin) said that it must be recognised that there were two classes of people whom they were failing. so reach: they were the outsider and'thfe-insider. They were losing approximately 80 per cent, of the young people who'passed through the Sunday Schools. ' Mr. S. Barry, president, said, that evangelism 'was the first step towards membership. A serious weakness lay in the disloyalty of members. Girls and Liquor. ■ Further i-efcrencc to the; prevalence of drinking among girls, encouraged by the practice of men currying hip-pocket flasks, was made by tho Ecv. L. B. Fletcher, speaking in the Town Hallj Auckland, bofore an audience of 3000 people. Mentioning that remarks made by him at Whangarei had received wide newspaper publicity, he said he did not go out of Auckland to make statements regarding city life (reports- the "New Zealand Herald"). He would repeat them to Auckland people. "If I could t tell you what I know, and if the lips of other ministers could be unsealed from sacred promises, tho people of New Zealand would be roused from their apathy," said Mr. Fletcher. "In these last few weeks I have had cases brought to my knowledge which are so terrible that they nearly break my heart." Mr. Fletcher continued there were.more men in New Zealand carrying round hip-pocket flasks now than at any previous time. .Thousands of fathers, listening to tho tales told' by their fellow-meu, caught their breath with fear, wondering wlujj; would happen to their •.daughters. He himself often wondered, looking at the beauty of the children round him.

Upper Hutt Bylaws. A meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council was held on Friday night to confirm the new bylaws made at a special meeting of the council. The new bylaws are to come into force on 29th October, at which date all bylaws at present operative shall bo revoked. The council has also decided to have a plan of the brick area prepared. Appreciation of Broadcast. The honorary secretary of the Amateur Badio Society of Wellington (Mr. W. H. Taylor) has forwarded the following letter to Mr. J. Davies, director of broadcast station 2YA, Wellington: —"I wish to convey to you and the staff, not forgetting the man on the hill, the thanks of the members of this society for tho wonderful broadcast you have given listeners this week-end during Kingsford Smith's trans-Tasinan flight to Australia." Car Wheels for Carts. A little while back, it appeared us if the day of the horse was numbered in. Hastings and that "old faithful" would have to give way to the motor vehicle, but in some eases the love and use for the horse dies hard, says the "Daily Telegraph." The latest idea is to make something of a combination of the two, and two Hastings men, a milkman and a baker, have had carts constructed with an axle and the wheels and tires of a motor-car, giving the whole turnout the appearance of a chariot. With the new wheels, conditions are made much easier for the horse, and much more ground can be covered. Some of the horses did not at first take kindly to pulling a silent vehicle behind them, but so successful has the innovation proved that such vehicles are likely to become common. Measured in Yards! Tho sentiments expressed by the American poet, James Whitcombe Riloy, in the lines: "When God sorts out the weather and sends rain—-why, rain's my choice," are evidently shared by the residents of Otira, which .township can easily claim the highest rainfall in New Zealand (says the Christehurcn "Press"). The fact that nearly three yards of rain have fallen at .Otira during the past six weeks, and the inhabitants are still cheerful, says a lot for the tonic properties of the welladvertised bracing air of that famous holiday resort. The rainfall recorded at Otira for tho month of October up to nine o'clock on Saturday morning (twelve days) was 50.2 inches, with a fall of 5.3 inches for the twenty-four hours previous to nine a.m. on Saturday. Very wild weather was experienced at Otira on Friday night, the deluge being punctuated by violent gales and hailstorms. No -damage to property is reported, . Goats on Egmont. "There are thousands of goats on Mount Egmont," said Mr. E. W. Larsen, when relating to the National Park Board last week the results of his experience as a ranger on the reserves. They were increasing at a tremendous rate, he said, and though at present there were none on the south side, as far as he knew, it was only a matter of time before they must spread that way (reports ah exchange). The board took a serious view of, the damage done to the forest, and decided that the anticipated opossum revenue of .£4OO should this year be allocated for opossum ranging and for the extermination of goats. Mr. Larsen said he had found the country north from Egmont road to the Stony Elver very badly infestod. Every ridge, was eaten right out. Trees up-to 15in in diameter had all been barked. He had been right round tho Pouakais, and the goats were up every ridge and multiplying, very considerably. Mobs of- 50 had been seen on.the ranges,,and he had actually shot 42 in the Waiwakaih.q Gorge, just -below the mountain houses! There were goats around Bell's.Falls, and a week ago he had seen at least 50 on the Po\iakais. At one spot, there was very little left for the goats to eat—they had cleared out the floor of the forest, tho young trees and ferns, and the bark from the trees. : The Motor Regulations. Tho Upper Hutt Borough Council last night received a letter from the Wellington City Council stating that the latter body, having considered the i motor regulations brought down.by the Government, intended to protest against two provisions contained therein. The Upper Hutt Council was invited to. join in the protest. The provisions referred to are those providing that local authorities should erect traffic signs on roads where they aro by railways or tramways coming from land -which is not a road, and requiring local' bodies to.- erect signs in streets.to indicate the areas in which speed limits are reduced below those mentioned in the regulations. The Upper Hutt Council decided to support the protest regarding the former regulation, but could not see its way to object to the latter, as it was in agreement with it. ■ Percy's Mill. One of the most important reminders of pioneer days in tho Hutt Valley is the building . known as- "Percy's Mill," which nestles under Petone's western hills close to the ramped road over the railway on tho Hutt road. There are still living to-day a few of the pioneers who can recollect the days when the farmers, congregated round the mill door and, while wait-' ing for their wheat to be ground, told to each other the news of the day. Owing to the changes brought about by the railway deviation a new street has been made which leads up to the old mill, and some months ago tho Petone Borough Council bestowed upon it the name "Selwyn street." Last night, however, in order to perpetuate a historic building, and also to comply, at least in part, with a suggestion made by Messrs Percy Bros., descendants of the original owner of the mill, the council decided to rename the street "The Mill road." The building, built of unpainted ' totara weather boards, is still in a sound condition after weathering the storms of nearly eighty years. Women at Cricket. An outstanding performance 'in a women's cricket match is referred to in the annual report of the New Zealand Cricket Council. In' a match in the Rangitikei district.last season, Miss Jean Kcrr, of Mavton, contributed 144 runs to a total of 181, and followed up this fine, effort with the bat by taking ton wickets. At different periods in the history of the game in the Dominion, states the report, ladies' cricket teams have become prominent, but then, somehow or another, they have faded away, to bo^ resuscitated later by a fresh band of enthusiasts with a marked interest in tho great summer game. Petone Ramp. The question of the lighting of- the ramped road near Wakefield street, on the Hutt road, and within the Petone Borough, was disposed of , last evening, when the- Petono Borough Council accepted the- suggestion of a committee of Petone officials, in conjunction with the engineer of th Hutt Valley Power Board, that tho present lamps be removed and that two suspended 250 c.p. lamps be erected in their place. It was considered that the lighting would be more efficient and the cost to the borough reduced from £21 to £13 10s.