NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 9 August 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday in Parliament. At last the Budget Debate is over. It came to an end in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon after tho Prime Minister had replied to the numerous criticisms directed at the taxation proposals of the Government. Mr. Forbes readily agreed that for tho ■groater part the criticism had been fair, but he expressed tho belief that the Loader of the Opposition had discounted the value of his criticism by moving a no-eonfidencc amendment. Mr. Forbes vigorously defended the petrol tax, remarking that if members decided to take up a hostilo attitude towards it they would have to answer t<- the country ratepayers. At the- conclusion of Mr.. Forbes's speech, tho House proceeded to discuss the first item of the Estimates, and members took full advantage of the liberty allowed them under the Standing Orders. Miners' phthisis, grants to swimming and life-saving associations, and subsidies to Pacific steamer services occupied attention until the adjournment at 5.30 p.m. The Leader of the Labour Party moved a hostile motion in connection with the treatment meted out to suft'erers from miners ' phthisis, but on the Prime Minister promising to give further consideration to tho question ho withdrew his amendment. The House adjourned until 2.30 p.m. on Monday. Escape From a Bull. A motor-car salesman very narrowly escaped being seriously injured by a bull at Kopuarahi on Monday (states a Thames correspondent). He was crossing a paddock to interview the- owner of the farm when a Jersey bull charged him. Tho man ran for the fence, which was fifty yards away, but tripped over a tussock. The bull ripped the back of hia coat with a horn, and on the man's rising and attempting to reach the fence the bull again chased him and caught him as he was trying to crawl through. He was pushed through the fence, but his coat was torn to ribbons. Coal Lost in Harbour. An attempt was made on Wednesday to salvage the 50 tons of coal which was tipped into Auckland harbour when the Northcote and Birkenhead Gas Company's barge Moehau capsized alongside the Union Compauy's collier Kaponga at King's Wharf at midday on Monday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). The operations were carried out in the scow Ngahau by means of a grab. Tho operations were not a success because the coal lost was largely of slack and dust, most of which had drifted away with the tide or sunk in the mud. Each time tho grab was hoisted from the bottom of the harbour it brought more mud than coal to the surface. When tho grab was emptied on to the deck of the scow the contents wore of no use for fuel. Eventually tho material was dumped from the Ngahau at sea. Although very little coal was recovered by the Ngahau the use of the grab caused the coal to spread over the harbour bottom and when soundings were taken by a Harbour Board official after the Ngahau ceased operations it was found that the depth of water was tho same as before tho mishap to the Moehau. Loss of a Torpedo. A search for a torpedo, worth about £2000, lost from H.M.S. Duuedin in the Hauraki Gulf, is being made by the mine sweeper Wakakiira (states tho "New Zealand Herald"). Torpedoes are normally buoyant and, after losing the momentum of discharge, remain afloat. This torpedo was discharged from the Dunediu during exercises, which took place toward the cud of May, and it sank in 20 fathoms of water several miles off Flat Bock. A party from the warship searched for several days, but had not recovered the projectilo before tho Dunedin had to leave on its Island cruise. At that time the Wakakura was about to undergo refitting and, therefore, could not join in the search, for which her minesweeping equipment renders her particularly suitable. The torpedo contains no explosive, but care must be taken not to touch tho propellers, which aro part of a delicate mechanism liable to suffer damage from careless handling. The Dunedin carries 12 torpedoes.