NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Law and Common Sense. During a discussion at a meeting of the Hutt River Board yesterday, the chairman (Mr. P. J. Jones) said that the legal position in regard to the control of artesian water had never been defined, and it was really a matter, for the Law Courts to decide. "But surely," said Mr. J. Brasell, "a com-mon-sense view would be taken." "We might," said Mr. Jones, "take a com-mon-sense view of the matter, but the Court might not. These eases are decided strictly on their legal aspect, which, very often, is not common sense." Hard Travelling. . > • The work of carrying out the preliminary arrangements for the formation of the public organisation known as the New Zealand Legion involved a great deal of travelling by air, motorcar, and rail. Between February 17 and March 26, Dr. B. Campbell Begg, who was assisted from time to time by other organisers, visited centres front Whangarei in the north to Invercargill in the south, and seventeen divisions' of ,tho Legion were formed. Dr. Begg addressed forty-two meetings, and explained the objects and intentions of the organisation. The distance covered by Dr. Begg and, those associated with him was as follows:—By air,----3782 miles; rail, 3427.; car,, Bol; ferry, 1396; total, 9406 miles. . Poaching and Vandalism. ' The New Zealand Nativo Bird Protection Society is still receiving reports of poaching and vandalism from many parts of New. Zealand.,. The administration of the Conservation- Acts, it was stated at the meeting of the society yesterday, foil far short' of being efficient. Eeports .were received of the] wholesale shooting of godwits, stilts (a1 protected species), and sea birds from | imoto'r-cars on the Ninety Mile Beach, despite the enactment prohibiting shooting from, motor-cars. On Stewart Island poaching was indulged in very, freely, and. the results of the poach-1 ing were disposed of openly,, while in the more northern districts pigeons and kiwis were illegally killed in largo numbers. "Much waste of wild life Tevenue," it was stated, "is undoubtedly the result of our present weak methods in attempting conservation, and all with less than negligible results." Referees and Communications. , The publication in "The Post" yesterday o;? matters discussed at a recent meeting of the London Society of Kugby Football Referees led ;to a question being raised at last night's meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby. Union as to whether the New Zealand Referees' Association was sending questions direct !to the London Society without referring them, to the New Zealand Union. "I think that what actually happens is that the New Zealand Referees' Association sends a copy of its circular," said the secretary (Mr. .A. E. Ncilson). ' However, there was 6iie particular item among those before the London Society as coming from New Zealand which members could not remember as having been placed before the committee. An inquiry was made of the secretary as to whether he remembered it, and the reply was in the negative. Nothing further was said of the matter, members turning their attention to the appointment of a sub-committee to study the latest issue of the New Zealand referees' handbook. • ~ ■ Questions About Rents. ■ Exceptions to members of the Auck-. land City Valuer's staff asking tenants what rents they paid was taken by an objector in tho Assessment Court on Tuesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). "But these values art fixed according to the rent," said Mn W. B. McKean, S.M. The objector claimed that a.member of the City Valuer's staff had told a tenant he was paying 2s 6d too much Tent. "My staff is too well trained to do anything like, that," said the City Valuer (Mr. P. F. Notley). "We have 'too many troubles of our own without interfering between landlord and tenant." . Rugby; Districts. ' 'Notification of a desire to break the Eugby combination formed by the Horowhenua and Manawatu districts was roceived at last night's .meeting of the New, Zealand Eugby Union* Management Committee. These districts haid been operating for some years as one! major Eugby Union, known as Mana-, whenua, but they now desired to -be recognised again as separate , Bugby units.\ "I take it that if this comes about they will be ranked as minor unions," remarked the chairman, Q£i, S. S. Dean) in pointing out that the matter would have to go before the annual meeting' of delegates to the Now Zealand Union, the committee not having the power to deal with ii;; ■ It was. decided to refer the application to tho annual meeting. Hawke's Bay Bugby Age. "There-must; be something: wrong there," remarked the secretary (Mr. A. E. Ncilson) in tabling tho annual report of tho Hawko's Bay Bugby Union. His remark was prompted by. the fact that it was tho fifty-sixth annual report. Some members of the committee also expressed surprise, and the chairman (Mr. S, S. Dean) remarked:'"They must bo one of the oldest' unions in. New Zealand?'' A ■reference to last year's Hawke's Bay report' showed that no mistake had been made in the age .claimed'-for the HawkVs Bay Union, / "When was tho 'Wellington Union' founded? I asked tho chuirman. "Wellington is fifty years old," the secretary replied/ No ■'Government Subsidy. • A successful year's work, in spite of difficult-conditions, was reported at the annual ', meeting of tho New Zealand Institute for the Blind at Auckland on .Tuesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). . Reference, to the financial difficulties of the institute, following tho withdrawal of the Government subsidy, was made by Mr. A. J. Hutchinj son in his annual report. Some seven years ago, he said, an arrangement was made by which the Government would pay either the debit balance of the institute or a pound for pound subsidy on tho subscriptions, whichever was the smaller amount. The year before last £2650 was paid by the Government, but. last year nothing was available. "We realise the difficult financial position of the Government, but wo ask for further consideration during the present year," ho said. "I certainly think the Government should at least provide the cost of the school, which would amount to only about I*lsoo a year."

Firemen's Weekends. Weekends are busy days for firemen in Pctonc; judging by the record of daily alarms, contained in the annual report of tne superintendent (Mr. J. P. Gaynor)' to tho Petoue Fire Board. Eleven alarms wore received during the past year, on tho following days:— Sunday (4), Monday (3), Saturday (2), Friday (1), and Wednesday (1). Monthly alarms were as follows:— March (3), May and September (2 each), and Juno, August, November, and January. (1 each). Three of the eleven calls wore false alarms. Rugby Parliament. ; It was pointed out to the Management Committee of the New Zealand Engby Union last night that the annual meeting of delegates this year has been fixed for tho day after the municipal elections. In view, of this, it was suggested that tho day be altered, thereby avoiding a clashing of engagements for, delegates; A decision was made to change the date of the annual meeting,of delegates to ,the New Zealand Eugby Union, from May 4 to May ,11. Island Bay Fire Protection. At the Island Bay Municipal Electors' Association last evening considerably opposition was expressed to .the. suggested disbandment of , '•■• the . local auxiliary fire brigade, which' for many years has acted in an* able manner. There arc four institutions in the dis-, trict, each housing a large number of people, and on account of the long distances from the city and Constable Street stations, the Fire Board-is to be asked by the association to-: give special consideration to tho matter before action is taken. ; Petone's New Fire Engine. To replace an old:machine which had been in use for years the Peto'ne Fire Board recently purchased a new British chassis on which a Jjody was built by members of the Petone Fire Brigade. The body is a beautifullyfinished job, embodying many interesting features. Superintendent J. P. Gaynor was responsible for the design, and Station Officer A. S. Burrows built the body, with the assistance, of De-puty-superintendent H. 'Whitcher. Yesterday the Fire Board passed a motion of appreciation of the work of these three' officers,' and after the meeting, with the members of tho Fire BoaTd as passengers. Superintendent Gaynor drove the new engine to Korokoro. Despite the restraint imposed by a governor on the new motor, the engine took the steep Korokoro hill "in its stride" in third gear and on the return trip did an. effortless 40 miles an hour along the Esplanade. It is certainly faster and easier to handle than the board's other engine, which is burdened with a heavier ladder and' a massive pump. Board members yesterday expressed themselves as more ■ than satisfied with their • new acquisition. School Bus Damaged. A party of twenty-three Pukekohe children, who were returning,to their homes from school in a motor-bus, had a narrow escape from -.serious injury on Tuesday, when r the vehicle collided with a. truck at the corner of Helvetia Eoad and Victoria Street (states the Pukekohe correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald"). Six children and the driver of the truck were cut by broken glass, but after treatment by Dr. L. J. Forman-Bull, they were able to proceed to their homes. Two children had to have stitches inserted in their wounds. The motor-bus,' owned and driven by Mr. W. Kane, of Pukekoho, was returning to Mauk'u 'with pupils from the Pukekohe primary school and the Pukekohe- Technical High School,' when a collision occurred with a truck driven by a lad, Graham Jackson, whose father, Mr. D. Jackson, of Great South .Eoad, Otahuhu, was also sitting in the driver's seat. Tho vehicles became locked together and skidded across the road W the footpath, where tho bus struck- a power polo, the impact smashing all the windows on one side and causing some of the seats to collapse. The truck,continued across the footpath, ,crashed through a gatoway, and came to Test on the front lawn of a residence. The truck was extensively damaged. Great Cricket Peat. To have scored 1189 runs in seiiior cricket this season is the. notable achievement of W. Carson, a pupil of the Gisborne High School and captain of the school eleven (states a Gisborne correspondent).. -Carson has opened for his club throughout the season. His outstanding scores were 175 not out, 100, 107, and 132 not 'out. His score of 132 not out was registered last Saturday and included three sixes and sixtoen fours. Of his season's aggregate to date 216 runs have been scored, in representative matches. ■■■■:■ Humour in Court. * , The grim business of fighting the Auckland City Valuer's figures has its humorous aspects, as was revealed during the sitting of the Assessment Oourt on Tuesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Nearly 2000 objections were listed, and the cases were dealt with in alphabetical order. One elderly gentleman, whose name began with O, had sat patiently throughout Monday's proceedings, hut the Court had advanced only to the L's by the time the sitting ended. Thus it was not until half-way through Tuesday's sitting that the" gentleman's name was called. "What is the, ground of your objection?" ho was asked. "I have no objection," he replied. "I was just 'told to be here." "There must be a mistake," said the ■ City/Valuer, Mr. P, F. Notley. "We made'the gentleman an offer, which we understood he had accepted. A notice was sent to him as a mere formality in case he was not completely satisfied." "I am well satisfied, thank you," repliod tha presumed objector> who retired,' /registering that satisfaction with a teaming smile. Another: "objector" intimated his withdrawal for a different cause. :'?! will ask that the case/be struck out,*' he said. "I have sold - the property." (Laughter.) :: ' V ; "r ■-.