NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 86, 8 October 1930, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday in Parliament.

Good progress was made in tho House of Representatives yesterday with the Estimates. At the commencement of the sitting the Acting-Leader of the House (Sir Apiiana Ngata) asked for urgency in order to pass the 16 remaining items, and the Leader of the Labour Party called for a division, which resulted in the motion being carried by 43 votes to 19. There was a long discussion on tho Agricultural Department's Estimates, and. before these were passed the Government suffered its first defeat on an amendment of protest against'the reduction of the Vote; After that there was little che-ck to progress. The Customs Department Vote gave the Labour^ members an opportunity for a discussion on the banning of literature, and the Nauru and Ocean Island Account, External Affairs, Lands and Survey, Discharged Soldiers' Settlement, Scenery Preservation, Land Settlement, Valuation, ana State Forests were passed with only a few local matters being raised. The House refused to keep up the pace when it came to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Acting-Prime Minister reported progress, the House rising at 1.14 a.m. i The Moon Eclipsed. Unseen by anyone in the Dominion, because'the- phenomenon was not visible here, the mo on. underwent a very small partial eclipse early this morning. Only about one-fortieth of the lunar surface was obscured by the earth's shadow, so that even had the eclipse teen visible, it would have excited little interest. The eclipse of the sun next Wednesday week is going to be 1 something more worth while. Third Party Insurance. Notice was given in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr.W. H. Field (Reform, Otaki) that he intends to ask the-Minister of Transport whether in cases whore insurance money is payable under third-party risk or compulsory insurance, following _ a motor accident, legislative provision will bo made whereby reasonable hospital, medical, and funeral charges shall be a first charge on such money, and deductible before payment thereof to tho person injured, or to the noxt-of-kin of such person if fatally injured. ' The Tung Oil Tree. The question was raised by Mr. K. S. Williams (Reform, Bay of Plenty) when the Agriculture Department Estimates were under consideration in the House of Representatives last night, whether it was quite safe to permit the tung oil tree to be imported into New Zealand. He wanted to know if there was any chance of its becoming a noxious weed: The Minister of Agriculturo (the Hon. A. J. Murdoch) replied that so far as the Department's information went tho tree was quito safe to allow into the Dominion. He believed it would be of some value if it. could be grown prolifically. It would create a valuable industry. So far as was known there was no fear of the tree becoming a pest. Advertisements on Trees. "The practice of advertising matter being nailed to trees ou reserves, etc., was brought under notice by the Canterbury Automobile Association, and the co-operation of the Department with other Government Departments was asked for with a view to effective stops being taken to deal with this evil,' 1 says the annual report on Scen-ery-Preservation, ' now available from the Department of Lands and Survey. "The Lands Department has never given authority for the display of advertising matter on Crown lands or reserves under its control, but a special investigation was carried out by field officers throughout tho Dominion to ascertain the- exact position. It appears that in practically all cases the advertisements complained of- are displayed on private property or on public roads, and the Department has, therefore, no jurisdiction in the matter. A careful watch is, however, being, kept ou all scenic reserves as far as possible, and appropriate action will be taken if any cases of unauthorised advertising come under notice. It may be mentioned that two County Councils, which have never give- any permission for advertising on the public roads under their control, havj consented to the Department removing and destroying trade posters or other advertisements fixed to any tree growing on a public road, and action in that direction will be taken by our field officers from time to time in the districts concerned." Scenic Reserves. Proclamations issued during the year setting land apart as scenic or historic reserves under tho provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act covered a total area of 6982 acres, states tho annual Lands and Survey Department's report on Seencry-Preservation. An area of roughly 2| acres at Lovwy Bay, Wellington, was purchased and set apart. Half tho purchase price was provided by the Bruce Trustees, the remainder being found by the Crown and by means of private subscriptions, Miss Nancy Wilson, of Bulls, was instrumental in bringing tho desirability of tho acquisition of this area under the notice of the Department, and also took a leading part in raising the funds required. The reserve contains a good selection of native bush, and should prove a valuablo public asset. The only other Wellington reservation was that of as area of 132 acres along tho Raurimu-Kaitieke Main road, on the watershed overlooking Raurimu. This is a rugged piece of bush country particularly rich in ferns, and lies in full view of the tourist traffic from the Chateau Tongariro to the Whakahoro Landing. Among the many interesting reservations mentioned is that in the Catlin's District, Otago, whore an area of 327 acres of dense bush was proclaimed for scenic purposes. On the face of a hill on this reserve a colony of penguins build their nests aucl rear their young, this being one of the few places where tho birds breed along that part of the Otago Coast. Tho numbor of scenic reservations in tho Dominion is now 851, covering a total area of some 511,793 acres. . '

1 Balked the Hurdles. To express his opinion of opposing cor/fscl's remarks on his argument in ■ a ciisc before the Court of Appeal yesterday afternoon the City Solicitor ' (Mr. J' O'Shea) resorted to sporting terms. Mr. O'Shea said that, to uso a football expression, his argument had j ; been side-stepped. Ho then turned to ■ the field of athletics. Opposing coun- ■ sel, he contended, hod not taken the hurdles; he had balked—cut straight • across the- field, in fact, to arrive at tho winning post, and should be clis- : qualified. (Laughter.) Mr. A. T. Don- ; nelly, appearing with Mr. O'Shea, sug- , gestod that counsel for the other side [ considered the race a flat event and 1 not a hurdle event. ', Herbert Smith Fund. i Under tho Herbert Smith Trust Fund (Hamilton) £10,000 was made avail- ' able to be spent on trophies over . a ■ period of seven years for athlotic coui- . petition among New Zealand children between the ages of nine and 15 with ' a view to stimulating enthusiasm in 1 sport. At last evening's meeting of , the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre an application form for a grant ' from the fund was -received through • the N.Z.A.A.A., and it was decided to . ask the Primary Schools' Athletic Asso- ; ciation if it would consider applying for two shields, one for girls, and the other for boys, for competition among primary school children.