NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

At Last, One Tax Reduced. n ■ In the present circumstances, when most things have an upward trend, the City Council has caused somo surprise by deciding that the Corporation rat catcher shall be charged only half-fees in respect of the four dogs he uses in connection with his official duties^ "Cabinet Ministers Excluded." "This man is the New Zealand champion pessimist—Cabinet Ministers excluded," said a member of the Disabled Soidiers' Civil Eehabilitation Commit-' tee, referring at a meeting on Wednesday to a request for help from a regular applicant (states the "Christehuroh Times"). Smithy's- Visit to Wellington. The City Council decided last night that it will provide ticket and gate attondants at the Bongotai aerodrome while Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is flying at Wellington in llio Southern Cross,- and that the council should receive as its share of the takings 15 per cent, of the gross gate. Napoleon Up to Date. The failure of tho electric power caused an interruption during th 0 presentation of the Napoleonic comedy, "Madame Plays Nap," in His Majesty's Theatre at Auckland on Wednesday, the theatre being unexpectedly plunged into_ semi-darknesa while a most dramatic sceno was in progress (states the "New Zealand Herald"). In the halflight the audience' suddenly saw the austere figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, in tho person of Mr. Lewis Casson, walk on to the stage, and not a littlo surpriso was occasioned when "Napoleon" announced, "We are told the lights will be on in five minutes; will you kindly oxeuso us." Alterations to Ngaio Hall. ■ When the Ngaio branch library was opened in tho 'district hall it was recognised that the space provided was not altogether suitable, as it was necessary to use tho library as the main exit from the hall after gatherings of any kind. It has now been decided that a new exit is to be provided, the cost, £61 10s, to be met by the Libi'aries Department. Tho new arrangement will make it possible to provide additional library space. Power Board's City Depot. Satisfaction with tho uso made of the Ilutt Valley Electric Power Board's cir.y collecting depot in tho Hutt County Council office was'expressed by members at the board meeting yesterday when it was reported by the engineer-general manager (Mr. E. 1\ Hollands) that the amount paid' irtto the outside depots during January was £1522 23 7d, of which £541 13s Id was paid into the Wellington depot. Tho chairman (Mr. S. Blaekley) considered that tho proportion of payments made at Wellington fully justified the board in having established the depot there. Overseas Cruise. : An overseas cruise in a 3,Bft yacht is contemplated by a party of. young men, who propose to sail from Auckland for Suva at tho end, of this month or early in March (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Tho vessel, the keel yacht Kestrel, which is at present at St. Mary's -Bay, Auckland, was purchased recently, and is to undergo necessary overhaul and refitting. One .of those concerned in the venture stated that it waa not improbable that an attempt would- be made' to sail to England eventually, although time was no object. After Suva was reached the real decision as to tho next port of call would bo made, although it was generally proposed to sail to England by way of tho East. It was stated that tho Kestrel was regarded as being an excellent boat for tho purpose. The vessel had a 10ft beam, considerable space below, and an auxiliary engine. Thoso who intend to make up the crew havo not yet been announced. Wrecked in Islands. A report from Suva states that the auxiliary ketch Jan, owped by Brown and Joske, Ltd., of Suva, is a total wreck at the island of Naitauba, in the Lav Group. Fourteen passengers who were*bn board were rescued, but the vessel and cargo are reported to be a total loss. The island of Naitauba is owned by Mr. G. Hennings and is reputed to have a very dangerous entrance, tho depth of water in places being only 7ft in the channel through the reef.. It is,presumed that the Jan, which, was1 heavily loaded, struck tho bottom while probably in tho trough of a, wave. It is. said that tho bottom was torn out of her and that she sank almost immediately, T' c Jan was a well-known trader around tho- group. She had been involved in'aevoral mishaps, this being 'a frequent experience of tho small vessels engaged in the hazardous undertaking of navigating the reefs and islands in the Fiji Group." Offer of Playground Declined. ' , The Management Committee of the Wellington Boys' Institute recently offered to hand over to the City Council, free of cost, the apparatus at the children's play area in Riddiford Street, together with the institute's interest in the area, but the offer has been declined. This playground was the first of the children's play areas in Wellington, and ' has been looked after by the institute since it was first opened, the safety and conduct of tho children being supervised daily by attendant's appointed by the institute. Years of wear have made a difference to tho once spick and span apparatus, and nothing but loose metal remains of the asphalt surface of the/area, and apart from fair wear and tear somo of the apparatus has been deliberately broken by hoodlums, who apparently used an iron bar to snap steel rods. Considerable expenditure would be entailed in repairing tho swings, slides, round-about, and the area generally. ■

St. John Ambulance Branch. At a meeting at Blenheim presided over by the Mayor (Mr. MeKcuzie) it was decided to form a branch of St.' John Ambulance Association. A provisional committee was elected. Deer, Moose, and. Wapiti. A Gazette notice declares that the period from March 1 to April .30 will be an open season in portions of the Fiordland .National Park for tho shooting of red : deer, wapiti, and moose. ; -.'".' , ' , Public Works Accidents. A return was tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday showing that in the past financial year the number, of accidents oh Public Works totalled 2210. The total cost to the State, apart from' workers' comp'ensa-' tion paidj/was £2503, and the total amount of compensation paid , was £34,355. ,v; •. .- ; -■-~.,. ■ - : ■:■',• Visitors to the Akaroa. During the four days' stay at Wellington of the liner Akaroa she was visited by seven thousand people. Great interest was taken in the vessel's passenger accommodation, and the swimming baths were much admired. The Akaroa has a gross tonnage of 15,000, and she is the longest ship in the New Zealand-England direct service. Despite the large number of visitors daily tho liner was not overcrowded, and as the master (Captain W. H..Hartmah). said' when there were four hundred visitors on board at Auckland, one would never know they were'there.,:':': . Ten-acre Farm Cottages. ■ -According to^a/return tabled in the Houses of .: yesterday, the numhe'r >of '.cottages : that' have been .built: by the Government at the Otahuhu;;'and:.Fanshawe Street f ac-tories;'^drJ-;tlie 10-acre (farm scheme up to /November ;'3O; 1932, is 3.85. -" Of -that onumber, ;10^ -were built by, the Zealand: Eailw.ays,;at Ot.anun.W and ,76 at. Aucklana.; Tne-number of cottages 'plaeed.i;oij"'fariftß ia'i6i. The cost of construction; and erection of the cottages^as: £ 27,252 16s 7d. The information in: the (return relates to work under sharemilking. agreements as well as to the small-farm plan. ■. ■ _ . .Collections at Band Concerts. -V Qn the recommendation of the Keserves Committee, the City Council last night made a riik that the Wellington Brass .Bands' Association should bo permitted to :take up collections at band performances. a]t the Basin Beservo by authorised ■■ collectors circulating amongst the public, but that when band performances are held at Oriental Ba,y, in the Botanical Gardens, or at other places which are patronised by the public in large numbers independent of band recitals, the collectors should bo required to remain stationary in tho vicinity of tho band or near the entrance gates «f the reserve. Tho council declined an application from the association that bandsmen should be given free tramway transport when attending civic functions. Compensation Limits. The-Public Petitions Committee of the Hquso of Eepresentatives yesterday recommended that the petition of J. W. •, Garner, Wellington,-praying for a compassionate allowance in respect of injuries received while employed! by the-Railway Department should bo referred to tho Government for most favourable consideration. The .Committee also ■recommended" that'it be made compulsory upon all employers to exhibit in prominent positions at their works notices informing employees qf the limitations of the Workers' Compensation Act, 1922, for lodg-1 ments of claims in Tespcct of injuries. Last Month'is Fires. The brigades in the Wellington Tire Board's district answered 92 calls dur-, ing last month, according to ,a report' submitted1 to the monthly meeting today by the: superintendent, Mr. C. A. Woollcy. Gorse, grass, and rubbish fires accounted for 41 of the alarms, and there were 17 property and two chimney fires. False alarms numbered .32, of which 13 were malicious. For the past ten months of the board's year there have been 610 alarms as against 704 for tho same period last year. Malicious alarms havo decreased from 153 to 98. and property fires from 196 to 152. The Cost of Divorce. In two undefended petitions for divorce heard in tho Supreme Court today, the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) raised tho question of the time that had elapsed since proceedings woro begun "Is there any particular reason for the delay?" his Honour asked counsel appearing for the petitioner in,the first suit. 'Financial reasons," replied counsel. "Oh, well, I suppose you cannot havo anything'better.than that," said his Honour, smiling, in the.second easo counsel gave a similar reason for the delay that had taken place. : "I am not asking for costs," said counsel after a decree nisi had been granted. "For financial ' reasons, also," commented his Honour. Counsel: Yes, sir. I don't think an order for costs would bo of any value. -» , - New Plan- for. Organ. Eecitals. , The City Council last night adopted a suggestion that a trial should be inado of combined band and organ, Sunday' evening concerts in: the '■: Town Hall at fortnightly intervals, the proceeds to bo' divided between fho band and the Mayor's Pund. Councillor W., Duncan asked whether, in view of the' experience with organ recitals, Sunday! evening concerts were regarded as likely to bo successful: The. Mayor, Mr, T. C. A. Hislop, said that the bands believed they could make a success of Sunday concerts in tho Town Hall; certainly Sunday evening band concerts elsewhere in tho city had been well attended. Replying to Councillor J. Burns, Mr. Hislop said that tho programme would be submitted to the council, to ensure that no unsuitable items were included. Costly Wet Weather.' • The continued rains of tho past few weeks, while possibly of benefit to pastures, have been ruinous to large areas of grain and hay crops in the Rangitikei district (states'the "Eangitikei Advocate"); The manager of tho local roller-flour mills has estimated tho direct loss through deterioration in "the Marton- district at übout £20,000.' It is a sorry sight to see acres of wheat, cut' weeks ago, sprouting in the stbck,fand fields of the white tuscan variety, still uncut, now greentinted at tho ears. Fortunately, hay crops were early this year, owing to tho'fairly dry spring, and haymaking was almost over before the unprccedentedly long spell of autumn rains set in.