NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1929, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Aero Club's Moth. It is not expected that the Auckland Aero Club's Moth aeroplane, which has been assembled at Christehurch, will be flown to Auckland for at least three weeks. The club's instructor, Major G. A. C. Cowper, who is to pilot the 'plane, has commenced a special "refresher" course of one month, which is being given iv Christehurch to the officers of recognised aero clubs. Tomato-growing Industry. ■ The question of the restriction of the importation of tomatoes from the Cook Islands was discussed yesterday at li meeting of the council of Tomato, Soft Fruit, and Produce Growers. The opinion was expressed that, despite denials, tomatoes from Rarotonga wore at times affected with the fruit fly pest. Cheap labour wa3 also employed in the cultivation of the tomato at the Islands. With labour costs forming so large a proportion of the cost of production in the Dominion, local growers were, it was asserted, placed at a great disadvantage. In view of the problems confronting growers, it was agreed that immediate action be taken and that the council wait upon the Minister of Agriculture concerning the state of the tomato-growing industry.

Sydney Labour Daily? •• Ono man (remarks the Sydney correspondent of a Mclbounio paper) read with special interest the announcement that shortly the principals of rhe Australian Workers' Union will determine whether their organisation shall possess a daily newspaper. That man is Mr. J. C. Watson, the first Labour Prime Minister, and to-day ono of theresponsible heads of an important city business in Sydney. Mr. Watson is no longer interested in the A.W.TJ. or any other labour organisation. He has for many years been a conspicuous figure in the Nationalist Party. His interest in the proposed new venture lies in tho fact that Macdonnell House, the fino oight-story building next the V.M.C.A. in Pitt street, near Bathurst streot, built by him and named by him after a woll-esteemed political colleague, houses tho plant which he selected and installed in 1012 to print a Labour daily newspaper to be called tho "World." The plant has never run. Offers have been made for it, but the A.W.U., as holder of the paramount intorest, has always cherished the idea .of a daily other than the Labour daily now published, and it seems that 1929 will see fulfilment of.the dream. The impression is that if the new venture is launched it will be an evening paper.

An Aciuatic Chase. The Union Company's steamer Waiotapu which arrived at Lyttelton on Monday morning from Calcutta and Singapore via Newcastle, ■ brought a number of wild animals, birds, and fish for the Wellington, Hastings, and Auckland Zoos. The animals included some very handsomo spotted deer. This morning one of the pens was opened, and one of tho deer, an animal about the size of a large goat, escaped. It dived from the ship's boat deck into ■ the harbour. The deer swam nearly across tho harbour toward tho swimming steps at tho eastern end of Gladstone Pier. The services of a motor launch were obtained, and a chase began. It lasted about twenty minutes. Even after the animal had been cornered on the steep embankment under the wharf, it took some time to secure it and place it in the launch on account of its struggles. A few minutes later (says a southern exchange) another alarm was given from, the side of the Chatham Islands steamer Tees. A young heifer, while being shipped on board from a truck, had jumped' overboard. The cow swam around until it was cornered with the assistance of a launch. When hoisted out of the water into the ship's hold, it appeared to be suffering from shock, but soon recovered.

Slight Earthquake. At 2.29 a.m. on Thursday a slight local earthquake was recorded at the Dominion Observatory. The shock itself was a very small one, but the record of the east-west component seismograph is interesting. For several minutes prior to the. shock the earth was gradually tilting towards the west, returning to its normal position with a sudden jerk at 2h 29m 30s. The angle of tilt was very small, being of the order of one-hundredth of a second of arc.

National Park Hostel. The foundations and basement of the Chateau Tongariro, at tho base of Mount Euapehu, are now in an advanced state of progress, and the ferroconcrete framework is beginning to rise. The directors of the Tongariro Park Tourists Company have announced that the building will be completed in November and ready for guests in time for Christmas. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) has promised to lay the foundation-stone early next month. It is now possible to stand within tho framework of the lounge aad see the magnificent view to be obtained .from its windows. Guests will havo an uninterrupted view of Mount Euapehu's snow.white peak soaring above the beech .forests, of Ngauruhoe's smoking cone, and of the great expanse of tussock plains. Prodiictivo Gumland.

A demonstration of what poor gumland will yield is given on the property of Mr. H. J. Cooper, Blockhouse Bay, says the "Now Zealand Smallholder." On an area of one acre Mr. Cooper has a crop of Adelaide dwarf tomatoes, and he estimates the yield will be 3000 181b crates, or approximately 24 tons to the acre. He put down 4000 plants, some of which are very heavy bearers, one having about 100 good-sized tomatoes, which should give a yield of about 251b for that plant alone. Mr. Cooper's property is in an area of the poorest of gum land, but it has been in cultivation for a number of years. In the course of conversation, Mr. Cooper said he had this acre planted in strawberries in the Armistice year, which was also the year of the great epidemic. The latter circumstance caused the prico of fruit to soar, and thtS strawberries Bold up to 2a 6d per box. The return from strawberries grown on this acre was £1200 that year.

Fires and False Alarms. A report laid before the members of the Fire Board to-day set out the numbers of fires and false alarms during nine months of the current financial year, the corresponding figures for 1927 being shown in parentheses:— December, property fires 17, chimneys 2, gorse and other fires 8, total 27; nine; months, property 181 (175), chimneys 59 (74), other fires 63 (67); total 303 (316); justifiable false alarms, S3 (76); malicious, 26 (36). Fire Hydrant Indicators. The fire superintendent, in conjunction with the City Engineer, is making inquiries as to the most practicable means of making fire hydrant plugs readily distinguishable, the difficulty being that the public crowds upon footways and roads about fires, hide the hydrant plugs, with the result that the firemen may lose precious minutes looking for them. Pillar hydrants meet the position fairly well, but are some obstruction to the footpath, and another proposal is' that indicators should be placed at a uniform height overhead. More conspicuous road or footpath slabs would be some improvement, but would still be hidden if a big crowd collected. The Land Problem. The conference of Commissioners of Crown Lands and members of the Land Purchase Board, called by the Mm. ister of Lands (the Hon. G. W. Forbes) to formulate plans for the acceleration of land settlement, concluded its daliberations yesterday. The Minister stated that a summary of the recommendations arrived at by the conference was being drawn up, and would be submitted to him later. The next move, the Minister said, would be for him to visit the various districts of the Dominion tS ascertain whether the suggestions embodied in the report were applicable. Military Cadetships. Advice has been received from the Imperial Forces that the following cadetships in British Service Colleges are available to New Zealand candidates: —Four cadetships at the Sandhurst Royal Military College (for cavalry or infantry), two cadetships at the Woolwich Royal Military Academy, and two cadetships at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell (for commissions in the Eoyal Air Force). The necessary qualifications are. physical fitness and the passing of the matriculation examination. The ages of the candidates must bo between 18 and 19 years, except in the case of the Air Force cadetships, which are open to candidates between the ages of 17A and 19i. These cadetships are to be distinguished from those that have been offered and sponsored by the New Zealand Government, and which train officers for service in the New Zealand Forces. The cadetships now offered are for commissions in the Imperial Army and the Royal Air Force, and all expenses in connection therewith must be borne by the parents or guardians of the candidates.

Mosquitoes in Christehurch. Mosquitoes are unusually prevalent in Christehurch this season. Tho matter was referred to at a meeting of the Council of the North. Canterbury Acclimatisation. Society on Wednesday, when a member drew attention to a complaint made concerning the annoyance caused to hospital patients by mosquitoes, said to come from the Acclimatisation. Society's garden adjoining the Hospital. The Curator said that the ponds were cleaned our regularly and that the insects were no worse now than usual. "The wet December has been responsible for the pest," said a member, another adding that mosquitoes had made themselves a nuisance at the Selwyn this season.

Summer Dress Reform. A Summer Dress Reform League, aiming at an ideal state where men will bo freed from all the thraldom of conventional dress, has been founded by shopkeepers and businessmen in Armagh street, Christehurch, says the "Star." Thirty-three good heads of firms and their employees have signed a solemn, pledge that next Monday, wind and weather permitting, they will come to work clad, not with stiff collars and stylish cravats about their necks, but in the free and flowing canoe shirt. They do not believe in the restricting kind of clothes that their sex have so long suffered; they admire, and wish to imitate, the free and more comfortable styles of the other sex. They hope to have a month of fino weather in January and February to get used to the new attire; and the leaders of the movement predict that, once their supporters have accustomed themselves, they will never revert to the bad old ways. If successful, this will be the nucleus of a scheme embracing the whole city. The only shopkeeper who refused to join up with this scheme to abolish soft col-lars,-the "Star" says, was a. Chinese laundryman. Speed of Buses. A recommendation that the speed of 25 m.p.h. should bo not exceeded by the council's buses at any part of the journey except where absolutely necessary was contained in the report of the Transport Committee of the Eastbourne Borough Council to the meeting of the council last night. The Mayor (Mr. H. M. Jones) explained that the limit was' proposed in the interests of public safety and also to minimise wear and tear on the buses. On two of the buses governors were fitted limiting the speed to 25 m.p.h. The committee recommended that these be opened up to allow of 28 m.p.h., so that the buses might overtake vehicles more safely. The 25 m.p.h. limit, except where absolutely necessary, was to be strictly enforced. Both recommendations were adopted by the council.

Tests for Headlights. In order to give car-owners a reasonable opportunity of making sure that their headlights are adjusted to comply with the motor regulations, the traffic department, of the City Council has provided four testing grounds—in Herd street (off Clyde quay), Birdwood street (off Chaytor street, Karori), at the junction of. Homer and Mansfield streets (near the old tramway sheds), and in Ira street, Mirarnar. The testing ground is provided with a level concrete slab on which the car stands and a white horizontal line 3ft 6in from the ground level on a fence or wall 75ft_ from the slab. , If the main beam of light is thrown above the test line the head lamps or brackets must be appropriately adjusted by the car-owner. Up till now the regulation has not been very, strictly enforced,, but now that facilities have been offered for motorists to test their lamps those who fail to do so and to remedy wrong v adjustmonts may reasonably expect to run into trouble.