NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1931, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Flight of Black Swans. About 300 or 400 black swans were seen flying oft" the beach at "Waiau Pa, Manukau Harbour, at low tide on Sunday and Monday, states the "New Zealand 'Herald." It is usual for numbers of these birds to frequent this locality at this time of the year, but sportsmen find them wary. Little cover is to bo obtained near the beach, and at the slightest disturbance the birds fly away. ■ Views oa Voting Systems. "If we had used the first past the post system of voting wo would have wiped the Citizens' Association out of existence, "said the Rev. J. K. Archer at the Labour Kepresentatiou Committee's social at Cliristehurch on Tuesday evening, reports tho "Christchurch Times." "However, with proportional representation we have got a, majority on the council, and that is the main tiling." Mr. Archer's views were opposed by Mr. J. M* Combs, M.P., who said that only by including the votes of Mr. A. E. Armstrong could tho Labour Party claim that it secured the majority of votes cast at tho election. "I'm very glad there is not a blackboard here," said Mr., E. J. Howard, M,P., "or we would have our friend 'Jiminio' M'Combs proving definitely that nobody won! You can prove almost anything with proportional representation." Ancient Maori Kites. Eeference to a kite which evidently broke" away' from, its owner at Devonport and reached terra firma at Little Barrier Island is a reminder that in ancient times the Maoris, young and old, were expert kite-flyers, a pastime that seems to have originated from the East, states a correspondent in, the "Auckland Star.", The New Zealand Natives went further than to use kites merely for passing enjoyment. The fluttering forms asaumed certain divinistic significance referred to in ritual and in songs,, the method of transmitting messages up to the kitohead by means of tho holding cord being regarded with superstitious concern. So expert did the Maori people become that they were able to employ kites for the purposes of warfare. Using the wind, they would fly a kite, to which a fire-slumbering torch would bo attached, to land on a pa that was to bo attacked.. Several communal villages were captured in this manner, warriors launching an attack when the missive from the air had set fire to the homes of enemies. It is on record that a well-known chief, Paoa of Piako, was> an inveterate kite-flyer. One of his most prized kites on one occasion got out of hand and drifted across the gulf towards CoromandeL Tho rangatira followed in a canoe, and, after a desperate search over the ranges, located the object at Mercury Bay. The place, therefore, became known as "Whenua-kite," but that is only an abbreviation, the full name being To Whenua-Kite-o-te-Manu-Aute-o-Paoa-Taringa-Eahirahi, meaning the land where was found the kite of Paoa of the Big Ears. (The word "kite" in Maori means "to find."). Evidence of ancient Maori skill in the making of kites is to be seen at the Auckland "War Memorial Museum. One of the most elaborate, and probably the best speciment extant, belongs to tho Sir George Grey collection. It is about five feet across.

Fees for Concerts. While the majority of concert artists are suffering from a falling-ofi in door receipts, Mr. Mischa Levitzki, the famous pianist, who arrived by the Monowai, states that a contrary experionce was tlie case during Ids recent tour of America, reports the "New Zealand Herald" "The situation in the United States is rather paradoxical," he said. "Whilo the small artist has been hit torribly by the depression —and let mo assure you, the depression in America was very severe when I was there —the- big artists have had a marvellous time, and some of the are establishing records. Paderowski, for instance, has just broken tho record for concert takings in the United States, his fees for a total of 75 concorts from coast to coast reaching somewhere in the vicinity of £100,000. One Sunday afternoon he mado' £2500, and his average fee for a night was £1000. Heifetz, too, is reported to have had a wonderful success." Wairoa Traffic Bridge. Boring operations are in progress in the bed of tho Wairoa Eiver for the determination of the site of the new traffic bridge to be built across the stream, says an exchange. It was urged in some quarters that the new bridge should be placed some distance higher up the stream than the old one, but it has been decidod to place it somewhero near the centre of the business portion of the Marino parade. It is considered unlikely that it will be exactly on the sito of tho old structure; it will probably be placed about 100 or 150 yards lower down. Wairoa townspeople do not oxpect that the new bridge will bo available for use in less than eighteen months. Meanwhile traffic is still being carried across the river by a ferry, while pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are making use of tho old bridge, a broken span of which has beon replaced by a suspension bridge.