NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 143, 19 June 1931, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Another Return Asked Tor,

Councillor J. M'Eldowncy has given notice to tlio Town Clerk of his intention to move at the next mooting of tho City Council: "That a statement bo prepared and submitted to tho City Council of the administrative costs of each of tho Corporation departments, excluding trading departments, for each year from Ist April, 1928, to 31st March, 1931, aud that as soon aa possible a copy of this statement be sent to each member of the council." A Slip of the Tongue. A smile went round the Arbitration Court to-day as a result of a slip of the tongue by Mr. Justice Frazer. His Honour had fixed costs in a ease at £8 Bs, but in entering formal judgment allowed £.10 10s. Almost immediately he rectified the mistake, remarking: "I don't know where I got the 'ten' from. It might have been tho 10 per cent, cut that was in my mind." A Comparison. "My own opinion is that Wellington's rates are political rates. Ouvs are based upon sound business lines," said Mr. A. W. Press during the discussion on oleetrioity: charges at the meeting of tho Hutt Valley Electric. Power Board yesterday. He said that in Wellington residential lighting was very cheap, but commercial lighting was heavily penalised. Ho could not understand why the big consumers had not protested before■" to-day . against their lighting rate, which was, perhaps four times as much as that of the domestic user. ! Expense to Motorists. A protest against the annual issue of motor registration plates was made at a recent meeting of the Waitomo County Council, and a resolution to that effect was forwarded to the Government, stating that the annual renewal caused unnecessary expense to the motorist. Mr. C. E. Wilson advocated the adoption of the system in vogue in England, wheroby the same number plate is retained each year and a paper disc pasted in the windscreen to indicate re-registration. Tho suggested change was unanimously approved. Tobacco and the Slump. Some people labour under the fallacy that a depression makes little or no difference to the consumption pi tobacco and cigarettes, but figures prove the contrary. The tobacco imported into the Dominion in the first four months of this year under review was valued at £176,943, against £283,488—a shrinkage-of £106,505, and the quantity was 986,6071b against 1,583,4461b. Cigarettes make a worse showing, the value of tho imports being £68,792, against.£l92,4o3—a decrease of £123,----601, or well over 64 per cent. Busy Arbitration Court. "It is a pity your Honour has not had an opportunity of determining several knotty points which are entirely without precedent," said Mr. C. G. White in the Arbitration Court to-day, referring to a case which had been disposed of without argument. "You know this Court is a pretty busy Court at the present time, Mr. White," replied Mr. Justice ITrazcr, with a smile. "I don't know that I share your regret altogether. If times had . boon less strenuous no doubt wo should have enjoyed tho experience.'' The Men's Shelter. Aftor a week's operation, tho City Mission's Men^s Shelter may be said to bo in. full swing. Yesterday ' 130 mon were provided with a dinner in the evening, a substantial one of soup, roast beef, vegetables, and bread and butter pudding. The dormitory upstairs has 110 beds in it, and there is room for more. Baths and'a room for resting are included in the building, the whole having a cheerful air about it and being scrupulously clean. The Mission is reimbursed at tho'rate of ninepence a meal and ninepence a bed, but that is not sufficient to enablo it to pay its way. Cash is • needed and would be gratefully received, as well as gifts of men's clothing, bedsteads, sheets, to-wels, pillow-slips, crockery, and fresh vegetables. New Zealand Tlora. Throughout the British Isles a native shrub of New Zealand grows prolifically, whereas it is scarcely known in this country. This is one of the curious aspects of the increasing use of New Zealand "flora in many parts of the world,-a subject, which lias been dealt with in. an interesting way by Mr. T. L. Lancaster, lecturer; in botany, at the Auckland University College,'in a report made to' the College Council (states the "New Zealand Herald"). The rare Now Zealand plant observed by Mr. Lancaster in such abundance in the Unitod Kingdom, during his rocent tour of a year abroad was Olearia Haastii. It occurs in. limited numbers in its wild state and is confined to two or three peaks in the Southern Alps. As.a cultivated plant it is practically unknown in the Dominion, yet, in the grounds of tho Glasgow Museum and Art' Gallery, it completely covers a large slope. As decorative evergreen shrubs are by no means common in tho United Kingdom, the plant has been gradually introduced into most parts of the country. Mr. Lancaster visited several places where there wcro remarkably fine displays of New Zealand flora. ■ At the Boyal Botanic Garden, Kow, the huge tompprato houso contained ■ plants principally from Australia,. New Zealand, South Africa, and the Mediterranean region. At the Museum, of Natural History, South Kensington, tho. herbarium contained specimens collected in Now Zealand by J. E. and G. ITorster during Captain Cook's second voyage. The Shortest Day. When the shortest day is left behind the" optimist begins to look forward to spring, and can oven descry summer in the far distance (in imagination). Sunday nextj'2lst June, is the. shortest clay in the Southern Hemisphere, officially and according to almanacs, but it would be a mistake to call it widmintcr day, as is sometimes done. Experience shows that most of New Zealand's winter weather, and the worst, usually comes ■ after the shortest day, but as seasons of late seem to be all wrong, perhaps that will not.be tho'easo this yoar. On Sunday next the sun is duo in Wellington to rise at 7.16 a.m., and to set at 4.28 p.m. Its time of rising, however, gets a little later even after the shortest day, and it is not until after 4th July, when the sun rises at 7.17 a.m., that the mornings will begin to get lighter. The sun has been setting at about 4.28 p.m. for the last ten days, but from now onward, until the longest day, its time of setting will gradually get later and later. It is interesting to note that, whereas in Wellington there arc over nine hours of daylight to be enjoyed on the shortest day, in London o)i tiio corresponding day, there are only night, tho sun rising at about S a.m. and setting about 4 p.m.

Eastbourne's Search for Water. Having spout .approximately £750 on the search for water in the borough, Urn Eastbourne Borough Council has decided to abandon tho quest temporarily. Boring on the present site has been discontinued. The council, at its next mooting, may consider the question of boring dn another place in the borough, and it.li.ls now undor consideration the possibility of obtaining water from outside sources. Earthquake-resisting Buildings. "We call them disastrous earthquakes, but we have made them disastrous, because we havo put up the type of buildings'that were not suited to resisting earthquakes," said tho Hon. H. Atmoro, Minister of Education,* when addressing a mooting in Christehurch, reports tho "Christehurch Times." He added that, since the arrival,of Europeans there, had never been an earthquake in New Zoalandr which would destroy a well-constructed wooden building. Air Space in Factories. Tho minimum air space per individual required in a factory is sought by our correspondent, "Inquiror." The Labour Department states that in cases where tho factory is occupied between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. not less thah 250 cubic feet per individual shall be provided; where occupied between 6 p.m. and 0 a.m., 400 cubic feet per individual shall be provided. • By written permit, tho inspector may allow persons to bo employed in factories between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with less than 400 cubic feet of air space per individual, provided the factory is electrically lit, that is, has no gas fumes, etc. In the case of offices, the specification of air space is loss definite, but tho regulations insist on its being adequate, the space being left to the inspector, who may bo invited to examine tho promises. Golden Scale and Green Aphis. Golden scale and green aphis are gaining ground rapidly on British oak and silver birch trees iii the reserves in Christehurch. "The disease is very thick in the birch and oak trees in Victoria square and Sydonham Park," said the superinentedeut of city parks, Mr. M. J. Barnott. Growth was being stunted and in. time the trees them-' selves must be seriously affected, said Mr. Barnott. An insect named Habrolepis dalinani had been liberated in the Domain to control the golden scale, but this could have no effect on the other pest. With a good spraying machine they could cope with almost all insect pests; but at present there was no suitable equipment.