NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 117, 13 November 1929, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Trampers' Holiday. ' An interesting trip for the Christmas and New Year, holidays is being planned by the Auckland Tramping Club, which is making arrangements to take a large party to Whangapara, Great Barrier (states the "New Zealand Herald"). It is proposed to arrive at the island on Christmas Day and camp in the mill houses, several of which are available. A week will bo spent in general exploration trips from the camp to places of interest, including the scenes of the wrecks of the Wairarapa and the Wiltshire, the copper mines, and the kauri bush reservations, for which permission has been given by the Kauri Timber Company. Scouts Welcomed. A warm welcome home to the- New Zealand contingent of Boy Scouts who returned from England yesterday was extended by local Scouts and Girl Guides in the Eeturned Soldiers' Association Club rooms last night. Amongst those who greeted the contingent were Sir Alfred Bobin, Commissioner for the Wellington District, and Mr. H. Hitehen, Assistant Commissioner for Wellington South. An interesting review of the trip was given by Commissioner J. E. H. Cooksey, who was in charge of the contingent. "Tho team I took Home," said Commissioner Cooksey, "fulfilled my every expectation. The boys played the game in every way, and there was a clean sheet from start to finish. Ttie name of New Zealand was kept perfectly clean. We had a glorious hour with the Chief Scout, and after this did not wonder that the Scouting movement has swept the world." ... Commerce Train Tour. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce has arranged for its members, and for leading citizens associated with industry and commerce in town and country, a nine days' tour, visiting many places of interest in the northern part of the Auckland Province. A special train has been provided by the Bailway Department, and officers of this Department, the State Forest Service, the Agricultural Department, the Public Works Department, and the Department of Industries and Commerce will accompany the train to give informaj tion about the activities in which they are interested. The object of the tour is to enable those taking part to learn more of their own land, and stimulate interest in the country and its resources. It is believed by the organisers that the tour will not only assist in demonstrating the resources of the province, but will foster settlement and improve the general understanding between town and country interests. Complete arrangements have been made for the "Commerce Train" passengers to meet the various local bodies and public representatives in the towns and districts to be visited. The tour will commence next Friday from Auckland. Maori Land Claim. Another claim to land now held by the Crown is being made by Maoris in the Kaikohe district (states the "New Zealand Herald"). No doubt emboldened by the success that has attended their claim to the bed of Lake Omapere, the Maoris are now assuming ownership of four acres of Crown land adjoining the acre at Ngawha on which most of the medicinal "springs are situated. This land is at present controlled by a Native Trust Committee, and all plans show the four acres as Crown property, but the Natives contend that they were\ set apart originally with the one acre to be held in trust for the Native race. On the maxim that possession is nine points of the law, the Maoris are fencing in the whole five acres, leaving the next step in the matter to the Government. Begret that the proposal made to the late Government to form a joint trust board of Maoris and pakehas to control the whole area had not been carried through was expressed by Mr. T. Guerin, chairman of the Kaikohe Town Board. It is difficult to say when the matter will be officially dealt with. There will be a sitting of the Native Land Court at Kaikohe in March, but it cannot deal with such a claim unless authorised to do so by Parliament. Planning for Future Aviation. The following remarks, from the Yorkshire "Evening Post," are not without their application to the Dominion:—"There will be few people to dispute the statement that the- day ia not far distant when civil and commercial flying in private and public aircraft will become an established national habit, if only as a means of escaping from the congestion of the roads," says that paper. "One of the pressing needs of our time is the provision of land suitable for the erection of aerodromes in the immediate vicinity of our towns. And, unfortunately, it is a need that is in danger of being overlooked by the town-planner. The development of civil aviation is bound up with the provision of suitable flying grounds near centres of population. Yet it is ignored in most town-planning schemes. Stretches of open country are being developed at a, remarkable rate. Suitable open spaces are being scheduled aa sites for main roads and byways. Soon every piece of vacant land of any size near our towns will be in use. As the supply of suitable land becomes smaller, the cost of securing it for the benefit of the public will become greater. Some day we shall have to pay for our present neglect, as we are paying already for the lack of foresight in our predecessors in tho matter of town-plan-ning."

Enough "Amenities." A suggestion that a destructor for the disposal of household rubbish should be erected in the Eastern Suburbs was strongly opposed by the chairman of the Mirainar Progressive Association (Mr. E. O. Thornton) at its annual meeting last night. ' "That means Bongotai," said Mr. Thornton. (Laughter.) We have already a masticator and a'bitumen plant, and that is quite enough." He suggested that residents could cut down the amount of rubbish put out for collection by burning as much aj.they could under coppers, etc. What garbage could not thus be disposed of could be gathered on a motor barge and dumped at the Heads. Bibles for Bedrooms. In continuation of his work of placing Bibles in the bedrooms of the lead- x ing hotels in New Zealand, for the use^ of the travelling public, the Eov. David Calder, Dominion secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, visited Dunedin last week. He has already completed his task in the area extending from Auckland to Timaru, and since his arrival in Dunedin he has received sufficient support to warrant the placing of vßibles in the leading hotels throughout Otago. To-morrow- he will leave to continue his work in Southland. Mr. Calder estimates that up to the present he has distributed 3000 Bibles, and by Easter, or perhaps a little later, he considers that 5000 will have been placed. The movement in New Zealand originated with the Dominion branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Boring Caterpillar. A caterpillar about eight inches long was on view at the last meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board (states the "New Zealand Herald"). It was stated that it had been found in the Paeroa pole dump, and had bored a hole about nine inches deep into the heart of a hardwood pole. It was presumed that it had been killed by the severe frosts. The caterpillar had been sent to the director of the Dominion Museum, Wellington, for identification. A reply was received by the board that the specimen was the caterpillar of a large Australian moth, which occasionally came to New Zealand in timber from Australia. As it was of considerable -interest, the director asked for permisison to retain the specimen for display in the museum. Mr. J. Allen: "Would it not be better to give it to the Auckland Museum? We do not want it down in Wellington." Mr. Corbett: "Better to bury it." It was decided to ask for further particulars regarding the habits of the caterpillar and whether there was a possibility of its thriving and becoming a menace in New Zealand.