NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Flooding at Meeanee. , .There is a slow but:steady fall in the level of the flood waters covering the Meeanee district, and although there is a good, flow down the,* new drain the settlers are resigned t_ the probability of it being several months before their land is completely freed from the waters which inundated the 1500 acres three weeks ago, says the Napier "Daily Telegraph." Gift of Shell Cases. ■A handsome gift of two shell cases which had been conv'ertod iuto vases and superimposed by the badge of the regiment, have been- presented to the Offieors' Mess, Wellington Regiment, by Lieutenant Broberp. At a recent meeting of the mess committee, Major Buxton, in expressing the officers appreciation for the .gift, said he hoped it would be the f oreruiincr of many more. Sold for Firewood. A vessel formerly well known in the coastal trade, the Tawera, has been sold for firewood, states a. Gisborne correspondent. Tho Tawera, which is now lying on a mudbank in Gisborne Harbour, is believed to be ono of the first petrol-engine vessels built in Auckland. Slie was launched in 1896 for Messrs. Kennedy and Evans, and on the way down tho coast to Gisborno created some excitement among the Maoris, who could not understand the sight of a "puffing ship" which made no'smoke. During tho Boer War the Tawera was rcgular-l ly engaged in carrying remounts for transhipment to South Africa. Although of only 5_ tons, she was an important link in Gisborn'o's earlier days, and saw many years 1 service before finally being scrapped., Labour Shortage at Taumarunui. Great difficulty is being experienced by the Taumarunui Borough Council in obtaining necessary labour" to cany out repairs in the borough after the flood (states the "Taumarunui Press"). The works on tho flat, stated the Mayor* at a meeting of the council this week, had now been completed and the staff ancl labour engaged had not been able so far to carry out the necessary repair' work at Matapuna. They were now endeavouring to move on to Matapuna as soon as possible so that the ratepayers in that direction might have their wants attended to. The council had had a number of. relief workers'on the job, but many of these had gone into camps and no fewer than eighteen unemployed men of Taumarunui had found employment with the Railway Department. It was a happy position to see men obtaining employment, though it had heldj up the repair works of the council. ~; Highway Classification. ■ The classification'of highways in the Buller district is having a serious effect on to and. from Westport, and with the-object of improving matters the Westport Borough .Council and Buller County Council have.applied to the Main. Highways Board to .have the Buller Gorge road made a secondclass highway (states the "Westport Times"). Replies have been received from tho chairman of the board that the mattci^ will receive consideration. The position is that the Gorge Eoad is . a third-class highway, with a 6-J ton limit, including the weight of the vehicle, and if it were made a second-class highway the load would be 84 tons. It is reported on good authority that there is no reason to believe that the road could not stand up to the heavier, loads entirely satisfactorily. If the alteration were made, it would be a valuable eontributi, l to the trade of Westport, as timber and other goods which it does not pay to,, carry under present conditions, could be transported down the Gorge profitably;.

Paintings and Sculpture. "The arts section of the tenth Olympiad also proved a great success, and tho display of paintings and sculpture was very impressive and of a very high artistic merit," states Mr. P. N. Bundle, manager of the New Zealand Olympic team, in his report. "I see no reason why -New 'Zealand artists could not compete in this section, and would suggest that the/interest of the arts societies of New bo enlisted with this object in view." The Olympic Torch. "From _ commanding position atop the peristyle at tho 'front door' of the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic Torch fulfilled a tradition as old as the Games themselves," states Mr. P. N. Rundle ; , manager of the New Zealand team, in liis report on tho Olympic Games at Los Angeles last year. "Beginning its function with the opening of the tenth Olympiad, this torch continued unceasingly until the final session of the Games. Since the seventh century B.C. the Olympic Torch has been associated with the Games. In early Greek history it is mentioned as having been illuminated to summon neighbouring tribes to the contests. When the Games ended the torch was extinguished, not to burn again until four years had elapsed and the Games-were renewed." Special Trains. ' Special trams are now being run every morning from several outlying districts to cope with the largo number of pupils who attend'various colleges in Wellington. ' Prior to this action on the part of the tramway authorities there waa considerable congestion between 8 a.m. and 8.30 on cars from suburbs, city workers and college children all travelling together. . Under the present system special cars aro run from Seatoun, Island Bay, and Karori, and carry the college girls, thus relieving much of tho congestion. The boys are still left to fend for themselves, but workers in the city have noted with satisfaction that early morning travelling is less unpleasant from the point of view of crowded travelling than formerly. . , A Feminine Swagger. The experience of a Dunedin motorist suggests that all are not men who carry a swag (states the "Otago Daily Times"). At the foot of the hill on the Green Islanjl side of Lookout Point on Thursday afternoon a motorist noticed a young woman walking along the road. She was not dressed for hiking, and was carrying a small bag. Asked if she would like a ride, the-young woman quickly accepted the offer and saia she Was going a long way. Eive miles further along the road the driver had gone as far as she intended, and asked her passenger if she had. much further to go. "I'm walking to Kelso," was the reply tho surprised driver received. Anxious to assist the woman further, she continued several miles out of her wav, and finally dropped the passenger at "Mosgiel. The walker still had 87 miles ahead of her.