NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 139, 15 June 1931, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Firewood Levy. Objection to a levy liy the Sta.to Forest Service for the use of firewood is taken by the Tararua Tramping Club in Us annual report. The report States that tho levy amounts to threepence per member, and the committee felt that it was inequitable that this charge should be made to eluba such as theirs, when the major portion of the available funds was spent in the construction and maintenance of tracks and huts which benefited the whole community. However, after some fruitless discussion with the Department, tho levy was paid "under protest." Geysers Active at "Whaka." A Rotorua correspondent states that unusual activity hqs been observed in tho 'geyser areja. at Whakarewarewa during tho past week. On Thursday tho Pohutu Geyser, gave three magnificent displays, one "shot" rising to about 100 ft. The Cauldron, which always precedes Pohutu, also was very active, sending large volumes of water and steam to a height of 20ft and over. There wero two fine shots' yesterday. The Waikorohihi, a smaller geyser which lies in between the old Wairoa geyser and Pohutu, has also been unusually active, playing for three weeks past. It has not done this for years. Wild Birds Attracted. The grounds of the Auckland Zoo arc becoming a sanctuary for wild bird life, according to the annual report of the curator (Mr. L. T. Griffin). The large number of native and other trees and shrubs that have been planted have grown to such an extent as.to give some parts of the park a forest-like appearance, says Mr. Griffin. This has attracted large numbers of native and introduced birds, that find the park an ideal sanctuary. It is no unusual sight to notice large coveys of quail, numbers of pukeko, and thousands of smaller introduced birds, while the native pigeon and tui have also been observed. A pair of. the somewhat rare brown teal* took up permanent residence on tho large lake a considerable time ago a"nd are still there, while the common grey duck also visit the Zoo regularly morning and evening, and may be counted in dozens. Tho curator states that a large enclosure containing purely native trees has been; provided for kiwis, and provides an i&eal home for these interesting birds. Blast in Otago Harbour. The blast-shattered rock in Otago Harbour has been removed from the shelving rock on the Quarantine Island side of the channel, leaving a low-water depth of 30ft (states the Diinedin Star"). The blasted rock near the outer end of the shelf wasthrown into deep water by the force of the explosion, and as the depth was about 100 ft it will remain there. Dredge 222 has removed tho shattered rock which remained on the shelf. A rock drill which was lost, while holes wero being bored for the explosive has heon recovered intact. Investigation is now bedng made with a view to the removal of a patch of submerged rock which hampers tho berthing of vessels at the export wharf, 'Port Chalmers. , New Building Regulations. "The new building regulations arc generally on sound lines," said Mr. R. Lovell-Smith, architcpt, of Christchurch, on Priday (reports "The Press"). He added that concrete chiinaeys, in view of fire risk, should be constructed of a very dense mixture, and should extend in tho same material right to the ground; otherwise, in the event of,an earthquake, there "was likely to be a fracture at the point of junction with the brickwork. They should be reinforced with steel rods, and there should be no heavy heads or unnecessary top hamper. Fire risks -were- as great through: shoddy building in concrete as through a similar grade of workmanship with brick, and in Chriitchurch wero greater than those from, earthquake. Brick chimneys could bo cemented, inside and out as they wero built, a precaution that could not bo takan with concrete,-which was constructed in. forms. So little building had taken place here since the earthquake that, it was impossible to determine yet its influence on the choice of materials. • Auckland Garden Scheme. Desiring that the proposal to. establish a botanic garden in • Auckland should be kept before tho public, Mr. P. H. Lcon.-U'd succeeded at Thursda.y'3 meeting of tho Auckland City Council in having referred back to the Parks Committee its recommendation to defer consideration of the question for a year in view of the present financial position (states the "New Zealand Herald"), The proposal was.to establish the botanic garden at the" Domain? but somo doubt was later raised as to the suitability of tho site. Mr. Leonard thought the committee should give the matter further consideration, and suggested that in. the. meantime all possible sites should be explored. He also thought tho council might seeuro tho help of- an honorary botanist, who would bo of great assistance to the committee and to the parks superintendent. "I am anxious that the matter should not be lost sight of," said Mr. Leonard. "Even a break of 12 months may prove a serious setback to tho project. Many citizens will be disappointed if the council ceases its efforts to prosecute the scheme." Mr. Leonard's motion to refer the matter back to tho committee was agreed to. Nurses and the " Cut.'' ' [ A plea for some remission in the reduction made in the boarding allowance of nurses at the "Waikato Hospital was made in a petition signed by 84 of the nursing staff, which was considered at a meeting of the Hospital Board on Thursday. The petition stated that, while . accepting with resignation the necessity for a 10 per cent, reduction in salaries, the nurses felt that the further reduction embodied in the board's proposal to include in the cut their board allowance, was equivalent to a 20 per cent, reduction in salaries and imposed an undue hardship. Tho effect of the proposal would be particularly severe in the . case of junior nurses. For example, tho first-year nurses would receive only &1 10s 2d a month. Out of this sum they had to supply part of their uniform, including shoes, stockings, and cardigan, and books. Tho board must appreciate tho fact that after paying for these items there was practically nothing for personal requirements. "The girls are on a starvation wage to-day," said Mr. A. Livingstone. "If there is a way to help the nurses at all it should be done." Tho buard decided to inform the nurses that the reduction would be m-.onsicM'ecl .not later than Oejttbegj. .... J_

Trans-Tasnia.il Hoeing. "One of the principal features of tho past season was the trans-Tasman race," said the commodore of the Royal Now Zealand Yacht Squadron, Mr. N. L. Maeky, at the annual prizegiving ceremony at Auckland (reports the "New Zealand llerrild"). "The squadron took a certain stand in respect o.t: the Kangi. Whether it was right or wrong is open to anyone to judge. To Mr. Erling Tambs we offer our congratulations on winning tho race, and to Lieutenant-Commander W. C. Jule"r and tho crew who sailed with him wo offer our congratulations on a successful venture, which was against tho opinions of the officials of tho club. Ho sailed ncross tho Tiisman and back successfully and meritoriously." "Tho race was a very.large venture, and to a certain extent I am inclined to agrco with the view- of tho commodore," said Roar-Admiral Geoffrey Blnke. "You need for a race like that a particular type of boat which is not quite suitable- for cruising or racing in homo waters. I think such a race needs a craft which possesses some qualifications which are not ordinarily found in the usual cruising classes." Seeking Business. Extract from the "Auckland Star": The depression has hit the cabbago and carrot trade in Taihape, and the local Celestials arc right after business, states a correspondent. In light delivery vans they trundle garden produce around tho countryside. A local service car driver witnessed, on Thursday morning, a parallel to tho tea clippers homeward-bound or "how wo carried the good news from Ghent to Aix." It was on tho five-mile straight to TJtiku, when the vans of two rival firms wero observed proceeding "flat out." With Oriental simplicity the machine in advance kept to the.middle of the road, with the pursuing auto agitatedly klaxoning in tho rear. A wide portion of the road came along, metal strip in centre, clay on side,1 and frenziedly tooting, No. 2 pulled out to pass. A fall in vegetables followed as a natural sequence, as with frantically churning wheels the van slithered to rest in the drain. When tho smoke cleared, a, much wiser Chinaman was discovered stolidly at rest in a foot of mud, and crnrnished with vegetables. No. 1 got the business—ho didn't even stop.