NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1929, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Coats Off for Church. It was a kindly spirit which prompted a minister in one of the Hastings churches on Sunday morning, says the "Hawkes Bay Tribune," to announce that in view of the heat he did not think it would be deemed irreverent if the men of the congregation removed their coats, if they cared to do so. Ono or two gratefully availed themselves of tho offer, but to the majority the idea was too surprising to be accepted, so the sensible few sat in tho easy coolness of white shirt sleeves, whilo the majority wished they had the courage to do so. Shock for the Driver. A motorist proceeding southward along Main street, Lower Hutt, on Saturday evening drove his car into an excavation in the street some three feet deep. He was approaching a portion of the street where a turn-off to avoid tho excavation is necessary, the hole being guarded by a roped barrier and flags. The motorist, however, had the sotting sun in his eyes, and was also tuying to avoid a motor-cyclist going in tho opposite direction, and did not see tho barrier. Very little damage was done to the car, but the driver suffered somewhat from the shock. The car was soon hauled back on the road and proceeded into Wellington.Winter in Summer.

While Wellington and tho ' South Island were being blown about last week by a gale of almost hurricane force, Taranaki was experiencing a less damaging but distinctly uncomfortable form of freakish summer weather, says the "Taranaki News." Mount Egmont was glistening with snow far down the slopes that are usually bare, brown, and sun-baked at this time of the year. The southerly wind blowing across tho summit reached New Plymouth with a temperature reminiscent of a vigorous winter's day, an..l though the sun warmed the air at midday it was really never very effective. Hardy swimmers who visited the municipal baths discovered wthout any difficulty that tho temperature had dropped remarkably and that the water was not as enticing as it was a few days earlier. There was a frost on Thursday night. Begonias and Gloxinias. The begonia house at the Botanical hardens was crowded with visitors on Sunday, and in tho rush it was difficult to see tho plants to proper advantage. These beautiful blooms are now at their best, and since Christmas they have been admired by many thousands. Late last yea.r an addition was made to the wing of tho begonia house, and a new heating plant installed, but while this allows the blooms to be displayed to better individual advantage, it does not alleviate the crush of visitors, nor does it allow hothouse plants to bo displayed all the year ■ round, as the house is only open when tho begonias and gloxinias are in bloom. Compared with Dunediu and Christchurch, Wellington is badly off in the'way of hothouse accommodation, and the city will bo inadequately represented until a modern Winter Garden is provided. Punakaiki in German. Much has been said and a good deal written of the beauties of the Punakaiki region, near Greymouth, but its fame has manifestly gone now beyond New Zealand, points out tho Auckland "Star." Tho latest ovidenco of the fact is the publication of a lino photograph of tho unique rock formations (often called tho "Pancakes") of I Punakaiki by the German popular I science magazine "Die Korallc " Bccath the picturo appear tho ' words "Die Pfnnnkuchen—Felsen yon Puuakaiki sudlieH yon Pependieular Point an der Destkusto dor suinsel yon Nousseland." It is to bo gleaned from the accompanying article that, tho special interest of the "Pancakos" for the Gcr mans is geological, but the speet'ipul-n" aspect cannot but. have m arS.

New Irish Coins. A set of the now bronze and silver coins recently issued by tho Irish Free j State has been received by the New Zealand Government. These are in tho denominations of a farthing, halfpenny, penny, threepence, sixpence, shilling, florin, and half-crown. On one side the coins display an emblematic harp and on the reverse such figures as a horso, a pig, a fish, a bull, a hare, and a greyhound. Tho figures on the reverse side were selected to symbolise tho natural resources of agricultural Ireland. Affairs at Home. Discussing industrial couditioris at Home, Lord Hillingdon, a director of the Union Bank, London, who arrived yesterday on a five weeks' business and pleasure tour of the Dominion, said that it would bo too optimistic to say that Great Britain had recovered from tho depression caused by the war, but whilo the peak of depression had been turned there was still a big task ahead. Brighter days were coming, but a good deal depended upon tho result of the forthcoming General Election. Tho conferences which had been held between employers and Labour had brought them closer together, and ho believed really good results would accrue from the round-table conferences which had been held. He thought possibly the Conservative Government would be again returned, but with a much smaller majority. Tho Liberals were rallying, but he doubted whether they could win tho election; neither' did there appear any likelihood of Labour meeting with another victory. He Didna Flee. There was a tense moment during the Burns anniversary concert at His Majesty's Theatre, Dunedin, on Saturday night. An elocutionist was delivering the stirring piece "Scots Wha Hae Wi' Wallace Bled," says tho "Otago Daily Times," and the audience listened in enraptured silence. Just as the performer spoke the lines: "Wha wud be a traitor slave? . . . Let bun turn and flee," a male member of the choir, who was seated at the rear of the stage, overbalanced his chair and caused the drop-scene to sway ominously, while the double doors swung open invitingly. The tension was snapped, but the invitation was not accepted, and the opportunity for a dramatic denouement was lost amid a ripple of amusement. Paid in Error. A situation similar to that which recently arose between the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board and the Wellington City Council was disclosed at the meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council last night by a lotter applying for a refund of 7s 6d, dog taxes, wrongly paid to the Upper Hutt Council. Tho Mayor (Mr. P. Eobertson) said that in cases like these the action of tho local body in retaining fees wrongly paid to it was morally wrong but legally correct, for by law it could not do otherwise. Ha thought that the Power Board should have the backing of all local, bodies in the stand it had taken against the City Council. If the Upper Hutt Council refunded tho amount claimed, it would, though small, be queried by tho Audit Department. He thought, however, that the money should be refunded, and a motion to that effect was carried. Avaiurt Collars! The movement known as the Summer Dress Beforni League for Men, inaugurated by the business men and shopkeepers in Armagh street, took definite shape yesterday when all of the thirtythree men who had made the compact to appear at business in open-necked shirts and to bo cool and comfortable in the heat of summer, kept their pledge and had the weather on their side into the bargain (telegraphs ."The Post's" special correspondent at Christehurch). The league's motto is "Comfort Before Fashion," and they certainly appeared comfortable in the heat of the nor'-wester which prevailed with their open-necked shirts and no coats or waistcoats. The movement, which aims at the freedom of men from the bondage of collars and ties, is gaining much support, and already there have been several additions to the ranks of the league. To-day the butchers, who were closed yesterday for their annual picnic, Joined up. The league has had cards prepared which are exhibited in tho windows of all its members, but the demand for them has exceeded the supply, with the result that more .will have to bo printed. People are- taking tho league quite seriously. New members arc coming in all the time, and the organisers are hopeful of converting Christehurch. Like Father, Like Son. Lantern slides shown at a Science Congress lecture at Auckland last week by Professor W. B. Benham, showed the striking resemblance, in the first stages of development, between the . human being and a rabbit. To discern the difference, even under microscopic examination, was practically impossible. Professor Benham said the wonder was not so much that the one developed into a man and the other into a rabbit, as that the characteristics of the parents were reproduced in such detail. "If a child shows some special ability, the father generally claims it is inherited from, him," he remarked amid laughter. The Leaving-school Problem. ' The problem of finding employment for boys leaving school is receiving the practical attention of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Circulars just issued to members state: —"The difficulty of young people leaving school in obtaining posts is causing at this juncture very grave concern to many parents who cannot afford to keep their boys and girls at school any longer. You are appealed to in order that you will consider whether you cannot make one or more vacancies for lads leaving school in February to minimise tho formation through idleness of bad habits among our young people." New Zealand's Champion Loaf. The championship of New Zealand for the best loaf of bread has been won at the Christehurch exhibition by Mr. J. Somorton, of New Plymouth, who won the Master Bakers' Federation's solid silver challenge shield, a special gold medal and diploma, and £25 in cash for distribution amongst the foreman and operatives in the bakery. The trophy is to be held until the next-exhibition. Mr. Somerton was also successful, in class 11., loaf from a no-time dough, open to all compressed yeast users, for the best loaf of bread made from a short process .fermentation, securing first prize and a gold medal to the master baker and £10 in cash for distribution amongst the foreman and operatives. No Distilleries Here. "Tho Post's' special correspondent in Auckland telegraphs that Mr. G. A. R. Cornish, a representative of a distillery firm at Leith, arrived by the Mauugumii from Sydney to-day on his twenty-first visit to the Dominion. He expressed surprise that New Zealand had not established distilleries for the manufacture of whisky. He said that Australia was distilling 1,500,000 gallons annually, and was approaching tho point where more would be produced than imported. The conditions were exceptionally favourable, almost rivalling thoso of New Zealand, where the climato was cooler.

It was reported at Friday's mooting of the Wellington Education Board tliat ;in address derogatory to education boards and advocating centralisation in the Department had been delivered to Kotariaus at Palmerston North by the Director of- Education (Mr. T. B. Strong). Members expressed resentment and decided to ask Mr. Strong to send a report of his remarks to the board.