NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

"The New Guard." "The New Guard has evidently disturbed the Labour bosses considerably —especially the Bed section —as they have brought it into prominence by their frequent references to it," said Sir Mark Sheldon, of Sydney, who is in Christchurch at present, to a reporter on Saturday (reports "The Press"). "Beally, of course, the New Guard is a counterblast to the basher gangs, which were much in evidence a year or so ago, and especially when the timber strikes were ■ on. Recently wheu there was some attempt to revive the basher gangs on the waterfront a mere reference to the New Guard had a detorrent effect." Will Not Let Him Kesign. "The Labour machine will not let Mr. Lang resign," said Sir Mark Sheldon, a prominent Sydney business man, who is visiting Christchurch, in reply to a reporter's question as to whether the Lang Government would run its full term in New South Wales (states "The Press"). "Labour will use every effort," he added, "legitimate or otherwise, to avoid going to the country. The modern tendency of government by regulation places undue power in the hands of those holding Ministerial office for the time being. They can formulate regulations under variouß Acts of Parliament, and really govern the country without appealing to Parliament. This tendency exists throughout all Ihe British possessions, but recent developments and abuses of this power must lead in Australia to the curtailment of the powers of Cabinet." A Vicar' 3 Flight. In order that he might confer on urgent business with Archbishop Averill, who is spending his Christmas holiday at Paihia, Bay of Islands, the Rev. l\ Gv Harvie, vicar of St. Barnabas' Church, Mount Eden, made a successful return journey on Saturday by aeroplane* (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Mr. Harvie left the Orakei aerodrome at 9.30 a.m. in a Gipsy Moth aeroplane piloted by Captain J. D. Hewett. A strong westerly wind was blowing, and on the trip north, which occupied an hour and a half, extremely bumpy conditions were encountered. After circling over Paihia, a landing was effected on a tidal flat a mile to the south of the township, as the state of the tide did not permit a landing on the Paihia beach. While Mr. Harvie was conferring with the archbishop, Captain Hewett took off and landed on his private aerodrome at Kaihere to take in petrol. Having conducted his business .and enjoyed a swim at Paihia, Mr. Hnvvio rejoined Captain Hewett at 5.:;0 on the mud flat, which was just large enough to permit the take-off'for tlio return journey to Auckland. This Wits accomplished in an hour and a half, and perfect flying weather was encountered at 6000 feet. A journey which would have occupied three day's if Mr. Harvie had travelled by rail, road, or steamer was accomplished in half a clay by air.

Sunday's Earthquake. Sunday afternoon's earthquake, which was felt locally as a decided but not severe shako ;it 3.4;! p.m., had ;i deep-seated origin about, (55 miles i'roni Wellington, somewhere off Stephen's Island. The epicentre being deep, the shako was felt over a wide, area embracing the lower half of the North Island and the northern portion of the South Island, but in no cases was it more than momentarily alarming. Plenty of Pickers. "I would certainly not advise anyone to go to Nelson seeking employment in the orchards there," said Mr. Arthur McKee, one of the biggest fruitgrowers in the Nelson district, who is at present visiting Christchurch, to a reporter. "Although the crops are large and many hands will be needed to harvest them all arrangements for labour have been completed for a number of weeks. Applications for employment were received from every part of New Zealand, and while we were able to give some people jobs we had to disappoint a great number. '' Early Tomatoes. A record was broken in Christchurch last week when a case of outside-grown tomatoes was picked by a grower at Heathcote. This is tho first time a grower has been able _to pick outside tomatoes from any of tlie gardens about Christchurch at such an early date. This case of tomatoes, which was dispatched to Dunedin, was ahead of Nelson. It is anticipated that crops will bo very early and plentiful this year, despite the set-backs they have received from hail, frost and drought. ' A Superior Songster. "Some time ago I mentioned that a long-standing disappointment at not hearing the nightingale on a visit to the Old Country had been softened after hearing a gramophone record of the famous singer, for I then came to the conclusion that in tho tui we had a much finer singer," writes a correspondent to the "Auckland Star." '.'A dyed-in-the-wool Englishman poohpoohed tho idea, and said it was mere insular prejudice. He recalled how he had listened entranced to a nightingale half the night in a Sussex glade, and ho was sure that .the incense burned at the shrine of tho bird by Keats, Arnold, and other poets was not a whit too fulsome. He could .not imagine a finer song. However, he is just back from a holiday at Waiheke, where he heard the tui for the. first time. Truth compelled him to admit that he-was amazed and charmed beyond telling. He had not believed that the throat of the bird could utter such lovely sounds. He confesses that the tui is the superior songster, and since his return he has done nothing but marvel at the beauty of its song." Cocksfoot Harvest. Cocksfoot seed has been ripening quickly under tho warm sun. of Christmas "week, and in some places cutting has commenced, says the "Nelson Evening Mail." The indications are that the crops will be lighter than usual on account of the dry spell in September and October, which had an adverse effect on the pastures in the " long paddocks." Another factor that will cause this years's crop to be light is the grazing of stock on tho roads in many of the southern districts of New Zealand during tho spring. Last year the unemployed were busy on the roads and vacant areas gathering grass seed, and it is expected that they will be harvesting on a considerable scale again this season. January is the month for best results, and the seed should be of good quality if the fine weather continues, though, like the present hay crops, it will not be as heavy as usual.