NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 120, 23 May 1931, Page 12

NEWS OF THE DAY

Schools Reopen. The second term of the school year opens on Monday morning for primary pupils, and on Tuesday morning scholars of the four Wellington colleges will return to their lessons. The Wellington Technical School, both day and evening classes, resumes'on Ist June. The term just commencing will last until 21st August. • Ngauruioe Active. Ngauruhoe has been more than usually active during the past ten days, but now appears to .be quietening down again, states a National Park correspondent. For a few days last week there were loud rumblings, which were heard distinctly at the Chateau and, although the noises have ceased, there is still a heavy pall of smoke over the mountain. The activity last week was accompanied by disorder of another description. A violent gale swept down from the mountain, the Chateau being in the centre of the wind's path. One of die large plate-glass windows in the lounge was blown out and a few sheets of the asbestos roofing were lifted. No other damage was done and no one was injured. The gale raged for IS hours. Adverse weather conditions are hampering the erection of the hut on Scoria ]?iat. Tho track is sodden and the horses arc sinking in the mud in places. On Saturday during a severe squall two horses fell into a ravine, but after arduous work they were rescued uninjured. Thero was a heavy fall of snow on Wednesday night and snow was falling again on Thursday as far ' down as Scoria Flat. Progress of Aviation. Interesting observations on aviation iv Now Zealand were given by Sir Francis Boys, president of tho Canterbury Aero Club, at the annual meet- j ing held recently. "In two years over 200 pupils have been taught to fly in New Zealand," said the president. I "This represents about 11,000 hours, or approximately 750,000 miles. This does not include private companies or the permanent Air Force, whose combined mileages must have reached another half a million. What will the position bo in another two years?" New Zealand in Ottawa. i "When I was in Ottawa last year," remarked Sir Thomas Sidey, in his address to the Historical Association at Dunediu on Thursday (reports the "Otago Daily Times' 5), "I saw the New Zealand room in the Canadian Parliament Buildings, so called because it was panelled throughout with New Zealand kauri. New Zealand, on] the other hand, has a .room in its Parliament Buildings panelled with Canadian wood, mostly birds-eye maple. I was somewhat disappointed with the New Zealand room in Ottawa, because it seemed to mo that if other timbers besides kauri had been used it would have taken away tho monotonous tone of tho room."' "Government in Business!" "These figures are excellent arguments against Government interference in business," said Mr. F. A. Snell at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board, when a statement was submitted showing the prices at which the railway workshops could supply school furniture (states the "New Zealand Herald")' TIC statement wa3 received in committee, but on resuming in open board the chairman, Mr. A. Burns, said tho prices quoted by the manager of tin? Otnhuhu railway workshops for the furniture were considerably higher than the amount paid by tho board to the present contractor. It was decided to send the comparative prices to the Jiducatioii Department.

The Council Elections, In coiuii.-filioji with the results published Jn respect, l.v the. municipal elections, the JfeUiniiujj Officer states that the number of votes pulled by Councillor M'Keen was iiiiidvurtoiitly given as 10,3:i2, instead of 10.M2. This places Councillor M'Kcen sixth in order of: votes polled, instead oi.' ui.nlli. Kite's Long Plight. Bearing the name of a Devonpoil drapery linn, a lei to, which was presumed to liavo escaped from its owner at North Shove, hns been found ."it Little Barrier Island (states the Auckland "Star"). Its tail was complete, and not damaged, and about 500 ft of cord was still attached. Apparently this had trailed in tho water, giving the kite sufficient steadiness to remain aloft. It was first seen by Miss Harper, who was staying at the caretaker's house at the island. When she awoke she was surprised to sec a kite floating on tho breeze abovo some fig trees at the back of the homestead. She attracted the attention of Mr. J. Gozar, of Leigh, who was temporarily relieving the caretaker of tho island, Mr. R. Nelson. Mr. Gozar investigated, and found that the kite string had been caught in a bush of the cutty grass which fringes the foreshore. There are no people other than those at tho caretaker's house living on the island, and the only communication with_ tho mainland is by steamer every fortnight. The kito is now in the hands of Mr. T. W. Collins, of Warkvrorth. A Spider's Web of Hawsers. A ship as the centrepiece of a spider's web of radiating hawsers attracted attention the other day at Port Chalmers (states the "Otago Daily Times"). The turbine steamer Maheno was the ship in question, and she was in the final throes of her periodical survey. In the course of tho survey a mark had been descried on one of the twin turbines, and the chief inspector of machinery had been down from Wellington to decide whether that mark had a sinister significance. Evidently he had decided that it was innocuous, in a sense, but like a practical man bo directed that the machinery be given a trial run at full speed in order to dispel possible doubt in regard to impaired efficiency. Hence the steamer being surrounded by the radiating hawsers to keep her quietly in her berth when the engines throbbed and thrust. When everything was ready for the try-out, the vessel's boilers whined at 'high pressure, her propellers whirled to the. impact of tho expanding steam, and her engines hummed up tho scale to tho note of maximum effort. The mooring hawsers drew taut as fiddle strings as the water under the stern swirled and seethed like a mountain torrent in a cloudburst. But everything was all right; the mark on the engine was merely a mark. _ The Maheno, under the command of Captain W. J. King, took up her running in the Wellington ferry service on Tuesday evening, relieving the Maori. Blue Batlis "Ail Eyesore." The Government Gardens at liotorua aro showing the, effect of tho improvements which have been carried out in recent months, but a great 'eyesore is caused by the half-finished work on tho Bluo Baths (states a Eotorua correspondent). These buildings, on which work was recently stopped again, cover a large area of ground which was formerly a much-frequented part of the garden. Residents and visitors complain bitterly about their present appearance, and it is to be hoped that finality will shortly be reached regarding their construction. The completion of the Ward Bath buildings in place of the old Duchess buildings gives the southern entrance an attractive appearance. A new rockery is beginning to take shape in this portion of the gardens, and the botanical section is also receiving attention. Tho great array of flowers .which draws so much admiration from visitors' throughout the summer has now almost vanished, and tho beds are being prepared for a spring showing. The grass tennis courts at the back of the main bath buildings have been sown, and the surface should bo in excellent condition by next season. The cricket ground has also b^en top-dressed, and the large area adjoining,' off which much scrub has been cleared, has been sown with grass. It has been proposed to make this a nino-hole golf course. • The roadway through the gardens is being bituminised, and metal chips are being spread over it. In the past the white pumice dust has been an annoyance in summer. Another portion of land, on which a great deal oi' work has been done, is the "Kuirau Reserve, bordering tho mSin. road at Ohinemutu. No Discrimination. : At yesterday,'s> meeting, of the Wellington Kre Board it was made quite clear that thcro is no discrimination made betwoen the big man and the little man in the case of fire inquests. The question arose when one member wanted to know why in the case of two recent garage fires there had been "an inquiry in on© case only. The brigade superintendent, Mr. J. Creeke, said that in one case the brigade arrived soon enough to quell tho fire boforo incriminating evidence had been destroyed. In the other case tho whole building had fallen in, and there was nothing left to induce any suspicion' of incendiarism. Whenever there were suspicious circumstances, he added, he asked, for an inquiry, no matter the amount of tho loss. In all cases where he saw evidence of foul play he called the attention of the police to it. "Those inquiries run into money, and wo cannot ask for them without some evidence of a suspicious origin," said the chairman. "If there is any evidence, it is the same for tho big as for the little man as far as the board is concerned." , Dynamite and Gelignite. The varying forms of. dynamite were dealt with by Mr. B, A. Campbell, civil engineer, and formerly professor at Canterbury College, giving evidence in tho Supremo Court at Christchureh tin Thursday (states the "Christchureh Times"). Dynamite was called by various names, ho said, but was formed of nitro-glycerino with other materials. The names given to tho various explosives were purely connected with the trade. Although the amount varied, nitro-giycerine was the main. active compound. In gelignite there was from 02 to 65 per cent, of nitro-glycerinc, which rendered it a fairly high explosive. .To counsel, Mr. Campbell said that miners often carried' gelignite against their bodies to keep it warm. "But they do things like that," he added. "Personally, I would not like to do it." Mr. Campbell added that many practices of minors wero dangerous and common—he had done them himself, but he would not recommend them. •' Another expert witness said that gelignite was much less sensitive than dynamite, and that was one of the reasons for its use in blasting. Other reasons wore that it was more convenient, was a homogeneous-mass, and was not affected by water to such an. extent as was dynamite.