NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 111, 6 November 1929, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday in Parliament. The railway construction policy of the Government formed tho main topic of discussion in the House of Representatives last evening and during the early hours of this morning. The second reading of the Bailways Authorisation Bill, making provision, inter alia, for the South Island Main Trunk railway, was challenged by the Opposition, Mr. Coates moving an amendment in which an immediate inquiry into the project was suggested.' The amendment was debated for well over six hours, and was then rejected by 42 votes to 25. After some further discussion the Bill was put through the remaining stages and passed. In the afternoon the Petonc and Lower Hutt Gas '• Lighting Amendment Bill gave rise to a somewhat protracted discussion on the question of whether a private company should have the right to supply gas to the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Board. The topic proved so popular that the discussion was interrupted by the tea adjournment at 5.30 p.m. The House adjourned at 3 a.m. until; 11 o'clock this morning. More City Loans. The City Council, yesterday afternoon passed, without discussion, formal resolutiona.regarding the raising of four new (not repayment) loans totalling £139,000. Tho separate amounts authorised were: A second" 1929 street widening loan of £80,000, a loan of £38,----000 for drainage and sewerage works at Seatoun, Kilbirnie (Bridge street), and Island Bay, and a loan of £21,000 for the relief of unemployment. In each case the loans are raised without a poll of the ratepayers. Rotary and Navy League. At the request of the local branch of the Navy League, Mr. "W. A. Armour, a member of the league, brought before tho Rotary Club, to which he alife belongs, the question of that body assisting the league to supply NavyLeague maps to remote sole teacher schools in the Wellington province. Mr. Armour reported to the league yesterday that the force- of the arguments presented was appreciated by the Rotary Club, many members being sympathetic individually, but the committee recommended that no action be taken for two reasons. The first concerned the financial responsibility shouldered by the Rotary Club in an: dertaking to clear up the £3500 mortgage on the Earitane Home, in addition to holding itself responsible for the interest on the mortgage. The other reason was that that Rotary Club, by its constitution, is unable to support any propagandist movement. ' Liquor at the Town Hall. The Mayor, at a special meeting of the City Council yesterday afternoon referred to tho recent deputation to the Minister of Justice, the Hon. T M "Wilford, regarding tho evil of the consumption of liquor at cabarets and other dancing places, {he "cocktail habit," as it is genorally styled, and moved that an amendment should be made to the city bylaws making it an offence for intoxicating liquor to be brought into the Town- Hall or any other hall or building under the jurisdiction of tho City Corporation without the permission of the Town Clerk. The councillors were unanimously agreed that some steps should be taken to exercise a cheek on the conduct of dances or other entertainments held in the Town Hall or Concert Chamber, and fully support ed the Mayor's motion. The management of one of the largest and most popular cabarets has also taken action, and by advertisement has notified patrons that the consumption of intoxicating liquor on the premises is absolutely prohibited. _ • ■ . . J

Pishing at Rotorua. Eeports regarding the trout fishing season at Eotorua are stated to be good. The fish have been out of the Ohau Channel for a fortnight, which, says the Eotorua "Chronicle," augurs well for anglers at Eotoiti and Hamurana. In the TJtuhina and Ngongotaha streams the run is late, making for a poor early and mid-season, but a. good lato season. The fish are not yet in good condition on the Eotorua side of the- lake. . \ ; In Trust. "The- National Park Board are trustees for Te Heu Heu Tokino, the rangatira Who owned the country round about here," said Mr. C. D. Morpeth at. the official dinner at the chateau opening on Monday. "We have to honour the memory of that great chief, because it was owing to his foresight that we are gathered together to-night. Ho did not wish the beautiful natural jewels of the peaks to fall into private hands, and* in order to preserve the mana of his ancestors he handed them over as a free, gift to the nation of New Zealanders, not only to the Maori, but to the pakeha, and thus the combined nation can allude to them for all time as its heritage^ On the shoulders of Ruapehu this beautiful building has been erected, and it serves to emphasise that the park is held in trust to preserve intact and in natural state this great gift." New Zealand Ports of Call. ''■ A letter has been received "by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce from the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce in which it is stated that as the contract for the shipment of New Zealand butter to Great Britaia will expiro in August next, the present would be an opportune time to ask the Dairy Control Board to unite with the Sputh Island and Wellington Chambers of Commerce for the purpose of securing quicker deliveries as regards both imports and exports of the Dominion. It is pointed out that at present quite a largo proportion of vessels in the trade with Great 'Britain make Auckland the first and final port of call, to the very great disadvantage of South. Island interests. It is suggested that an effort should bo made to have- South Island ports servedonly by vessels calling at Wellington and South Island ports. Under the existing conditions, it was asserted, interest charges alone represented a heavy annual loss to South Island traders. Tho council of. the Wellington Chamber, at a meeting last evening, referred the matter to a committee, to confer with the overseas shipping companies. . • ■ . :, Motors and Tire Hose. Brought as a warning to other motorists, a charge was yesterday brought by tho Palmerstbn North' traffic inspector (Mr. P. G-. Patton) against James Hyde, who pleaded guilty to driving over a. iire hose .during a recent fire. Tho defendant stated that the traffic inspector had been standing close to the hose when ho had run over it, but the inspector had not warned him that he was committing a breach; The superintendent of the fire brigade had taken his number. The Magistrate: "Did your own common-sense not tell you that you should not run over a fire hose?" Defendant: "It was quite flat, your Worship; there was no water in it." The Magistrate: "Palmerston North water pressure again, I suppose. Still, motorists must take notice that they are committing a breach by driving over a fire hose, with Palmerston North water pressure behind'it or not. You will be ordered to pay the costs on this occasion." Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse- stated that as tho defendant had appeared voluntarily there were no costs. Tho Magistrate (smilingly): "Then he is convicted and discha're" cd." b The TJnciuenchablc Scot. Aberdeen's monopoly of tho Scottish joke industry is threatened, there being a distinct challenge from Otago. In telling of tho popularity of the Eaihvay Department's hired.pillows on the long distance trains, the "New Zealand Eailways Magazine" records: "A member of tho Scots community at Duuedin booked for the first time by the 'Night Express to Christchurch recently.' Shortly after the journey commenced the train attendant went through the ordinary carriages with a supply of these pillows. 'How much? 3 asked the Dunedin man. 'One shilling,' was the reply. 'I'll take three'- said M'Tavish instantly. This rather staggered the attendant, so he diffidently asked why three were wanted by one man. 'Can't we keep them?' said M'Tavish."' The above is cruel enough, but the "Bailways Magazine" editor is ruthless.- He goes on to picture M'Tavish buying a holiday excursion, ticket at. a southern railway station, whereupon the following dialogue takes place between the ticket-seller and the Scot: Ticket-seller: "Fairlie? Yes. Change at Timarii, sir." Scot: *Sa, na, laddie, I'll no wait—l'll ha'e it noo." Dominion Cannot Compete. "The value of .imports of fancy goods and toys, combs, statues, lay figures, and dress stands during the year 1928 was £.343,019," said Colonel Duncan Colquhoun, giving evidence before the Economic Pensions Commission today. "Investigation may prove that a number of these lines could be successfully manufactured by partially disabled soldiers." Mr. S. J. Harrison, the national secretary of the E.S.A., drew attention to three hand-carved clips, of Italian manufacture, which he had seen displayed in a, Wellington shop window, at a price which would not have paid for tho labour in New Zealand. Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., remarked that .the standard of wages made it impossible to consider such avenues of employment for disablod men. The standard of living of some nations on the Mediterranean made local competition impossible, except in odd lines. "These things are made by piece work by whole families, who live on macaroni and a little Naples water," he concluded. Except in special cases tho same would apply to embroidery, which would only sell from its sentimental value, like a Union-Jack at a church bazaar. . '