NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Population,

A return published in this week's "Gazette"-gives the estimated population of New Zealand at 31st March, 1930, as 1,488,612. During the quarter ended. 31st March the population showed an increase of 3018, compared with an increase of 3702 during the corresponding quarter of 1929. Bacfc to "Good Old Days." "The method employed in feeding the- hounds belonging to tho Otago Hunt Club at Tahuna Park harks back to tho 'good old-days'," stated Mr. L. S. ftxercier at the meeting of the Dunedin City Ratepayers' Association (reports the "Otago Daily Times"). It was quite a common' thing, he added, to hear. a pistol s^hot ring out on a Sunday aftomocn, and investigation showed that this was due to the shooting in the head of a horse to provide food for the animals. This was done in the park in full view of the.public, and some-times children were watching. Tho .whole carcass was hung up on davits in the ope~ and left until it had been consumed by the dogs. This was undesirable from i hygienic point of view, as tho Taimii School was only 300 yards away. It did not seem right that horses should be dispatched in the open and that tho carcasses should be hung up to attract flieg and vermin. Tho hounds could not bo housed in the present manner, as residents within a milo and a half of the kennels had to onduro not only the yelping, but also a] dull roar which went on for hours at a time. It was finally decided to draw tho attention of tho Health Department to the conditions under which the animals are fed and to ask for the enforcement of different methods.

All That Mattered. . An ingenious submission was beingput to the jury by counsel for the accused in the Supremo Court yesterday afternoon regarding the complicity of his client iv ~ breaking and entoring offence when his Honour Mr. Justice Blair interrupted. "I don't want to spoil it, Mr. , but that 'is quite wrong. Once you start one of these little performances, you are in right from the time the curtain rises until it comes down." At a later stage, his Honour said that whether the accused took the principal part or was merely one of the supernumeraries, as long as ho was in the play that was all that mattered. Public Works Camps. A~ warm tribute to the work performed by the V.M.C.A. in public works camps was paid by the Minister . of Public Works (the Hon. E. A. Bausoni) in a telegram received at the quarterly meeting of the industrial committee of the National Council of the association. "I desire to take this opportunity of conveying to the Young Men's Christian Association my very high appreciation of the- splendid work being carried out by the association on the construction works of my Department," the Minister said. "The- efforts of the V.M.C.A. aro appreciated by both the Department and the men themselves,,,and I, as Minister, am indeed grateful to the association for its very fine efforts in brightening up the leisure hours of our public works employees, and of rendoring them such line facilities for recreation and profitable employment of their spare time. It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce that Cabinet a few days ago again approved the usual contribution toward the cost of your operations on public works." And They All Listened. The idea of short lectures tg school children at the Newtown Children's Library, introduced by Mr. J. Nome, City Librarian, has taken on with the youngsters tremendously, and yesterday afternoon there was a full audience of boys to listen to a talk given by WingCommander Grant-Dalton, Director of New Zealand Air Services. Because they were boys, because Commander GrantDaltou evidently understands boys, and because he talked of aeroplanes, that audience missed not a word. He described various types of machine and the uses of those types, engine and wing design, knowledge of winds,_ air navigation, and so on, and explained how a boy could enter the New Zealand Air Service at about the age of 17 years or could qualify to become an apprentice in the Boyal Air Force. Once boys were admitted, he said, their future success depended entirely upon their own efforts. The one regret is that the hall cannot accommodate a larger number of children to listen to such lecturettes by, well-qualified speakers, yet perhaps that is a good thing, for a privilege is something to desire heartily and to profit by the more fully. In any case the head teachers probably see that the privilege goes round. The interest that is aroused by the speakers is carried on by making books on the subject readily availableto the children, and thus the talks havo a double purpose. It is the intention to arrange further addresses at intervals of a fortnight or so. Delays in Surveys. , The delay experienced when surveys of school sites were being carried out by the Lands and Survey Department was pointed out when the Auckland Education Board considered a recommendation from its executive committee that the right to engage private surveyors should be sought from the Education Department .(states the "New Zealand Herald"). The chairman," Mr. A. Burns, said in some cases seven months , had elapsed before a survey was completed. This was due to the largo amount of work in the hands of the Survey Department, but school committees often blamed the board for the delay.' Formerly the board had the privilege of obtaining private surveys, but, for reasons of economy, tins Department had stipulated that all work should go through the Survey Department. It was decided to make representations to the Department. Sport with Big Fish. The conclusion of a most success.ful season's deep sea angling' at Whnngaroa was marked on 30th April. It has been definitely ascertained that the friendly challenge issued by the Whangaroa Club to the Bay of Islands Club, for the biggest fish caught this season, has been won by the Whangaroa Club, the largest fish being Mr. B. B. Watson's 7501b black rnarlin (states the "New Zealand-Herald"). In the terms of the challenga the losing club is to provide the winning club with a dinner "on a date to be appointed when the winning angler can be present." No doubt when final arrangements are made between the clubs they will decide to take advantage of the occasion to present the- challenge cup and the many other trophies of the season's sport. The VThangaroa Swordfish Club's records reveal most interesting results gained by anglers from New Zealand and abroad, many oi whom had remarkable and thrilling experiences. No doubt thg most exciting adventure was that of Mr. Alsid Bowyer, on the launch Dione; when a mako Bhark jumped aboard and played havoc with the fittings in the cockpit before it could bo dispatched with a whale spade. The two ' largest fish, both black marlins, which scaled 7501b and 6681b, respectively, were captured by Mr. B. B. S. Watson, of Walton, New Zealand, at the new Whangaroa North. Beef. Mr. Watson had long and exciting tussles with both of these monsters.