NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 47, 23 August 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

» Amusements Cost More, The now scalo of amusement taxes came into force yesterday. Patrons of theatres and other places of entertainment found themselves called upon to pay amusement tax upon seats costing la 6d or moro, hitherto seats up to 2s in value being oxempt from amusement tax. The extra pouco demanded did not seem to have any effect on attendances, and, although the demand came as a surpriso to some, it was cheerfully paid in most instances. National Endowments. Tho total area comprised in the national endowment at the 31st March, 1930, was approximately 8,975,000 acres. Of this an area of 6,030,806 acres was held under lease or licence by 4477 tenants, the annual rental payable being £139,404, while a very large _ area (partly, however, co\'cred by existing leases) had been set aside as provisional State forests. The total revenue derived from the endowment during the year was £141j60G.

Living in the States. To the visitor from. Now Zealand to the United States the hotels are a revelation, according to a remark made to a Christehureh "Press" reporter by Mr. H. L. Bowker, who has just returned from a visit to the Pacific States. He stayed in hotels which had from 500 to 700 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and conveniences. , For a double room 10 to 12 dollars a day (say from £2 to £2 8s) was charged, but this included no meals nor any extras of any kind—no morning tea, nor even cleaning of boots. A friend of Mr. Bowker'a left his boots outside his bedroom door, and thoy disappeared entirely, the passage cleaners evidently thinking the owner had no further use for them, and had discarded them. Auditor-General's Veto. The sum of £750, which the Auckland Savings Bank has donated for the purchase of radium, was received by the Auckland Hospital Board on Tuesday, states the "New Zealand Herald." At tho same time the board was notified by tho Auditor-General that the law made it obligatory for the sum to be invested and the interest only used for the purpose intended. "It means we cannot use the capital sum to purchase radium, but that it must bo kept in trust for a permanent endowment," said the chairman, Mr. \V. Wallace. Mr. J. Rowe: "Then it is practically useless." The chairman: '' That is what it means. It will give us £40 a year for the purchaso of radium." A- member: "Ridiculous." On the chairman's suggestion, the matter was referred to the Finance Committee, with the object of having legislation enacted to, enable tho sum to be-used directly to purchase radium. "Most Absurd Tiling Yet." Tho receipt of a letter from the Department of Internal Affairs created quite a stir at Wednesday night's meqj;ing of the council of the North' Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, reports the Christehureh'"Press." The inhibition which it conveyed to the society in reference to the transference of Cali'fornian quail was characterised by the chairman of the council (Mr. C. IT. Lawrence) as "the most absurd thing he had ever come in contact with." The letter, which was from the TinderSecretary of the Department of Internal Affairs, advised that by direction of the Minister he had to inform the society that "owing to the destructive habits of these birds" it was not considered desirable to authorise their transference from one district to another, and the application of the society to transfer a consignment of the birds from the Nelson and Marlborough districts would have to be declined. "One cannot imagine anything more absurd," remarked tho chairman when the buzz occasioned by the reading of the letter had died down. "Is it possible that the Department is confusing the birds with Californian thistles?" asked a member. Mr. D. Deans: "It is possible that the Department has in mind:, the Australian quail, which is supposed to be harmful to gardens." The letter was referred to the Game Importation Committee, with power to act. Jazz and. Classical Music. "There is an element about jazz music of to-day that did not exist twenty or thirty years ago in the popular music of the day. If only those gifts that are called for in jazz music could bo directed into higher channels, the result would bo a considerable gain to music." The above remarks were passed by Dr. C. Edgar Ford, Mus. Doc, examiner in Christehureh for the' Trinity Collego of Music, in an interview <fn Wednesdsiy (states "The Press"). Dr. Ford declared that ho was not fiercely opposed to jazz, as he thought soino of the jazz writers wore very clever indeed. "There is always a war between jazz and the serious music, but I think that very often people have been turned to jazz because certain musicians always adopt a 'highbrow' attitude, and give tho impression that the only music that can be regarded as really good is ultraserious. Art is the expression of life, of every type of life, not only the serious side, but the lighter side, and a good deal of thoroughly good music, beautiful music indeed, is of the lighter type." The Council's Last Word. Just prior to the fourth test match tho Town Clerk wrote to the Bugby Union, suggesting that that body should contribute £7 towards the cost of the special traffic control which would be required. The suggestion was received with remarks of astonishment, as being "over the fence altogether," and was declined with marked emphasis. The council has met tho position in another, and rather more expensive way, for on Thursday night it was decided that the bylaws should j be amended to provide that the annual licence fees for sports grounds accommodating 10,000 to 20,000 should be increased from £2 2s to £20, and for those holding 20,000 or over to £30 per annum. The chairman of tho Bylaws Committee, Councillor M. F. Luckie, said that the old fees were not nearly sufficient to meet the cost of providing traffic control. For the Test match 27 men were engaged for from 10 to 14 hours, but the Eugby Union had declined to make any contribution. The reply which would be made was: "Look at the extra revenue you get," but that was nothing to do with it; it was a different department altogether. If an accident happened the council would bo blamed for it. In view of the enormous profits thaf were made he did not think the proposal was in the slightest degree out of order. In One Day to the Glacier. Strong support is likely to bo forthcoming from Westport for the proposal to run the expresses to Greyinouth earlier than is provided for in the present time-table, as advocated by the supporters of a project to enable the combined train and motor trip to the Franz Josef Glacier to be made in one day, when the Fox's Eiver bridge on the Greymouth-Westport coastal, road is completed (states the Christehureh "Press"). Travellers to the- Buller district from Canterbury will then be able to reach their destination about three hours after the express arrives in Greymouth, and as the road is rather dangerous, will be anxious to make the motor journey in daylight. A speed-ing-up of the expresses will render this possible. Two lines of service cars are now making the Westport-Grey-mouth connection regularly, in either direction, but the time,-table is liable to be affected by the. tides, as the motors must ford the Fox River, over which a bridge is now being constructed. Illness of Witnesses. The illness of essential witnesses has twice caused tho adjournment of a case ponding in tho Auckland Supreme Court (states the "New Zealand Herald"). It is a claim for moneys alleged to bo duo under a mortgage, with a counter-claim for damages alleging fraud concerning a salo of shops. When tho caso was first set down about three months ago one of the principal witnesses became ill, and an adjournment had to bo obtained. Defendant's counsel, Mr. Cocker, told Mr. Justico Herdman that although tho previous evening everything seemed to bo in readiness for the trial, another principal witness had become ill, and it was impossible to go on. His Honour said the case would have to be adjourned until the next quarterly sittings, as overy day in tho present sittings was taken up, but counsel was granted leave to apply to have tho caso set down earlier than next sessions if a suitable opportunity should occur.