NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 48, 25 August 1931, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Building Construction Bill. A letter from the Hastings Borough Council convoying a resolution regarding the Building Construction Bill was received at last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council. The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) said he had not had an opportunity of; going through the Bill, and at his suggestion further consideration of its contents was deferred, ponding a report from the City Solicitor. Married Women Teachers. There is a possibility that women school teachers may be required to resign when they marry if a recommendation made by the Canterbury Education Board to the Director of Education Mr T. B. Strong, is included in new legislation, states the " Christchurch irme4""™-7jhe lueßtioa brought up Mr. E. Wild, who asked Mr. Strong to consider the suggested amendment with power to re-appoint the teachers if necessary. An amendment on these lines would bring the service into line with the accepted business practice Mr. Strong said that he would brin" Mhii P t °f th° mattei> boforo the "Watchdogs—Not Bloodhounds." At the conclusion of his address at Hie annual meeting of the Wellington Ratepayers' Association last night Mr Harold H. Miller, president, said he trusted that flic incoming executive would bo watchful and alert—watchdogs, not bloodhounds. Criticism should bo constructive, not harasshv As citizens, members of the association were grateful for the time and attention councillors gave to the work of the city. They believed that councillors were sincerely grappling with the problems that confronted them. As an association, they would stand by councillors when they were right, and would discuss matters with them when they thought the council was wrong. Idle Steamers. Owing to the falling away of trade between Canada and New Zealand the Union Company's transpacific steamer Waikawa, 0G77 tons, is coming lo Auckland from Newcastle about Friday to be laid up until early in January" (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). When the Wjiikaivit arrives I here will" j be eight Union Company's steamers laid yip at Auckland owing' to the slackness of trade. The majority of the vessels have been idle for many months. With the inclusion oi" the Waikawa tlin fotnl tonnage oi' idle shipping in port will be 20,005 gross. *

Tlionno.H Soup Cimii. An iiiiiiiviiiii.n in tin' wririi di: iin-. ;-;«i v.-ilidii Army in Aiiclil.-mil i< I lie ilinlr'i lull i.hi ill1 sonp l.v iiiiiLni' Criiiii " lln-i i hul, iilmosl. iml.'linih'lv, :hi.| .-n.-i 1,1,- j UntH'-i- 'lislriliiifioii iij.i'-H lo ),<• mini.-. Valuable Akholh. A piuposnl I'or tin; building of ;i nriv .sl.nrn Id liniisr tliu cimin-il'M nnili-rinl imdor nun riinl" w.-is before I In- |,ihvpi lliil.l, lionnn;li OiiiiK-.il last uvrriiiuu. (..'omirillor M'linin snid it, was pr<i|mM-d Id build tlio sloro on tin: bud nppn.Hili: tin; Council Chnnibcrs snid Uii.iwn :.-. tin- old Town Hull siilc ll.■ Wils ( ,r (lie iipiiiinn lluil. (his land wns 100 v;ilunlilf: for Mir purpose, :inil uliouid be. di.ipoHfl of by li-iiso or s;ilc. IT n More had to he buill, tlieni was t.lir- council's .ItamlwiHi riunl properly, which was not fio valuable. Councillor Mitchell MiiKge.sleil tho old gasworks site as a good plan.for tlio store as being mure central Mum UiiiuhvH'k roacl. Tin.! council liad already tried to sell the old Town Hall site. Councillor Patrick said thai ■when limes improved an effort, should bo nuirlc to dispose of some of the conn, cil's properly. It wns decided to take 110 action in tho 'menntimu in regard to tho erection of a store. Lower Hutt Tire Engine. The Lower Hutt Borough Council proposes to purchase an additional lire engine. Tho finance committee reported last evening that one could be procured nt an approximate cost of iE-tHO. It was decided to sanction the raising of n portion of the balance of tlie Fire Prevention Loan as soon as the inquiries have been made regarding various machines available. One-sided Bargain. "An option to purchase is the most valuable thing you can have; it is so valuable that, nobody but a lunatic gives one," said Mr. Justice Blair in tho Wiiiigiinui .Supreme Court the other evening during the hearing of a easej concerning a leasehold farm. It bound ono party and did not bind the other, he said. Ono man only could profit and not lose, the other not profit. Given Another Chance. The white swan in the Queen's Gardens, Kelson, is in disgrace, and it narrowly escaped sentence of death at the hands of the City Council last evening. The allegations -were that the bird had killed a fish and had also shown a taste for the irises which, adorn tho banks of the pond. One councillor suggested that the swan should be done away with, but no ono was callous enough to support the proposition. Another suggestion that the bird should be fattened and disposed of to provide a Christinas dinner was not taken seriously. The delinquent is to be given another chance to improve his ways. Australian Loans. v The payment of interest on Australian loans, if properly negotiated, may, at the present time, become a source of revenue to local bodies. The town clerk of Lower Hutt reported last evening that a further payment of interest would shortly be due to be transferred to Australia. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of Councillors Campbell and Ginger and the Town Clerk. Ascent of Ruapehu. A party of eleven made an excursion to the Crater Lake on the summit of "Mount Euapchu on Friday, steps having been prepared by a climbing party the previous day. The ascent was accomplished in about five hours. Alter reaching Crater Lake, from which steam was issuing, tho party roped themselves together for the ascent of tho main Ruapehu peak. This climb involved considerable step-cutting owing to the presence of sastrugi- -wind-blown ice in i-hc form of large "mushrooms." Alter a short spell at the summit, the return journey was made under more favourable conditions. Exceptionally good visibility made the trip particularly interesting. Tho party included two women. New Zealand Newspapers. Mr. L. L. Leyshon, advertising manager of the Nicholas Proprietary, Ltd., Melbourne, the parent company of the Aspro organisation, returns to-day to Australia by the. Maunganui. Mr. Leyshon has toured the whole of New Zealand investigating trade conditions, and making a special study of newspaper production and newspaper advertising. Mr. Leyshon has had considerable experience with newspaper advertising and sales promotion generally in England, Australia, and other countries. Interviewed just prior to embarkation, Mr. Leyshon expressed his surprise at the standard maintained by the New Zealand newspaper Press. "The layout and general style of your newspapers appeal to :.e," he said, "and I think they are to be highly commended for tho service they render to both reader and advertiser. Tour newspapers are well up to the standard prevailing1 in much larger communities overseas.'' Weathering the Blizzard. Mr. C. S. Macdonald, sales director of the Nicholas Proprietary, Ltd., Melbourne, who has just completed his second visit to New Zealand, returns to his headquarters to-day by the Maunganui. Mr. Macdonald, after studying trade conditions in. Australia and in Great Britain, is of opinion that New Zealand is weathering the world-wide economic blizzard and will make rapid progress within the next few; years. He expressed the view that the manufacturers' organisations in New Zealand are doing good work in building up local factories, and providing a larger local market for the farmer's produce. Shearers' Dispute. A dispute connected with the shearing industry was heard by the Concilation Council to-day. Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, presided! Both the employers' organisations and the workers' union were applicants for fresh conditions. By agreement, the matter was discussed on a Dominion basis. The representatives of the employers were Messrs. H. D. Acland, B. Hay, and R. M. Morten; and those appearing for tho union wero Messrs L Anderson, J. Whytc, and A. Cook. The parties had previously met in conference, but no agreement had been reached. At the meeting ■ to-day it was found impossible to come to terms with regard to a number, of the major causes of dispute, such as wage rates and preference. It was decided that theso and other points be referred to the Arbitration Court for consideration. The case will probably be heard at. the next sitting of the Court in Wellington. Occultation of a Star. A good view was obtained in Auckland on Friday evening of the occultation by the moon of the bright star Autares in tho constellation Scorpio, states the "New Zealand Herald." Light clouds at the beginning of the occultation did not prevent the occurrence from being widely observed. Early in the 'evening both star and moon could be ,seen shining brightly almost overhead. At 9.32 p.m. the star disappeared, with startling suddenness, beiug at that instant obscured by the advancing lunar disc. As the moon was moving from west to east with reference to the surrounding stars, and as only the western portion was illuminated, the star disappeared while apparently at a good distance from the illuminated portion of the moon. Anlares remained behind the moon for •"IS minutes, emerging at 10.10 p.m. Tlio reappiNiranco was nut so striking, as it | occurred at the bright edge "i>f the j moon, and the star's light being dimmed by tlio moon's brilliance, the star remained invisible in the glare for somo limn after it had actually emerged, from behind I he moon.