NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 8, 10 July 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Plans for. Arbor Day. Plans for tree-planting at Wellington College on Arbor Day, August 1, were brought a step nearer completion yesterday at a meeting which was attended by a number of those.interested. It was stated that his Excellency the Governor-General; Lord Blodisloe, would bo present and also the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, and the hope was expressed that the attendance of the publieo would be large. The Wellington colleges will plant about 1000 trees on this occasion,' the Board of Governors co-operating with the Wellington Horticultural Society in the rcinstitution.of Art or Day. Building at Lower Hurt. N Building activity at Lower Hutt still sliows an increase over last year. The value of the buildings erected in June was'£l3Bs, .as compared with only £355 in June, 1933. Old Karak* Tree. An historic fcaraka tree growing in a paddock at the junction of Anzae Parade.and No. 3 Lino is to be given due recognition by the Wanganui Beautifying Society. This tree which is over 100 years of .age was a wellknown landmark in the early days of Wanganui and was used by the Maoris as a mooring post for their canoes. It was also used to moor the Surprise, the first vessel to sail up the river. In those days, of course, the river flowed where the road is noiy. The soeietv has decided to protect flic tree for future generations and intends erecting an inscription recalling its early associations, states the "Wangamii Herald."

Boads- Open Again. The recent rain following the snow has made a number of roads very muddy, but slips ami snowdrifts have all been cleaved, Care is still necessary for. negotiating the Rimutakn Hill and the Altatarawa roud from Upper Hutt to AVaikauae. The big slip on the latter road has now .boon' i.-lenivil-and ears, can get through, but great (•Are in driving is riei-ossaiy- owing to the overhanging tron.s. Seal Destroyed. The ciub-onting seul wliieli a few days ngo wits captured on the bunks of the Hutt" Ilivor iionr.'thb Moiling Bridge, flick and wounded, ami was taken to the Newtowu Zoo, has bo<;n destroyed, for it was evident that the Animal would not recover. It is proposed to prepare and mount the skin for inclusion in,the Dominion Museum, together with tho skin of a similar seal which-wns found at Potone last year, and which also had to be destroyed. A 1 Busy Minister. ' -■.-. / ■" 1 Tho Minister of Education (tho Hon. R, Masters) hns boon invited by the "Wellington School Committees ami Educational. Federation, to !dellve.r an ad/dross. .Iv a letter replying to the fedoration last night, the Minister; ex-prossQcl-thanks for tho compliment paid him, .During the. session of Parliament,, howover, lio could not find tho necessary time, siiico ho not only held two-portfolios as » Minister but also ■\vus Jjoador of the TJp'por House; ■ Ho indicatod that Jio would bo vo^ry ploased to address the federation at a suitab'lo time after the session. ' Government Trading.' On tho motion of Councillor C. J. Ashton, it wns decided by tho Lower Hutt Borough Couucil last evening to offer to the Manufacturers' Association any support it desired in protesting against'-thc Government railway workshops' tondering in competition: with private firms for tlio' inan'ufactur'e ■of any article while tho railway workshops fail to ; pay rates, ;>•:. Councillors Wilson and Grierson dissented .from the motion on the ground that there was no proof that tho shops wore supplying goods to any but Government. Departments." Press of the Empire, According to advice received by the chairman of the New Zealand section of the Empire; Press Union (Mr. H. Horton) from-the president (Major tho Hon. J. J. Astor) arrangements have boon made to hold the. fifth Imperial Press Conference in South Africa in February and March next, states the "New Zealand Herald." New Zea-. land has been invited- to send four dologateSj who will be tho guests of tho South African section and will spend six and a,.half weeks in the Union. The programme covers the period from February' 4to March 21. It is ..proposed, that tho conference, tho first .of. its kind, to be-hold in South Africa, shall moot for throo days in Capo Town, in tho first week aud for two days in Johannesburg later. Arrangements are Being- made for an extensive tour,' including visits to Kiniberloy, Pretoria, ' Bloemfontciu, Zviluland, Southern Rhodesia, Victoria Falls, Bcchuanaland, Basutolarid,:'•., tho Matoppo Hills, and the Krugor National Park. It is probable: that'the Union Goyorniuent will prpvido two special trains 'for the tour, which has boon dosignod to show as" many aspects as possible ,ot the country' 3 Hfo and activities. "'--Tho twonty-fifth; anniversary'of the Union falls next " yoar, which promisos to bo :ono of special importance and interest in the political and economic 'development of South Africa. The Finest Scenery in the Finest Way. In tho address which ho gave ' last evening to memborsVf the general- committee :of the Chamber of Commerce on aerodromo'construction, Mr; E. A. Gibson, of the Public Works .Department, said tho finest way of- all to view New Zealand's finest scenery was from the air. Mr. Gibson said he was convinced that there were great possibilities in the development of sigh't-scoing air tours of tho West Coast and Southern Alps, the beauties of which were so often completely passed over by visitors to the Dominion because they had no time to spare, but an air tour would open up the whole region in a matter of hours. Mr. Gibson illustrated his remarks with a fine series of lantern slides taken from aeroplanes running down the western side of the Alps at a considerable altitude, showing, as well as the recognised scenic attrae-' tions, such as the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, Mount Cook, Tasman ana other peaks, quite a number of unknown and unnamed glaciers, river valleys terrific mountain, gorges, and' suotvfieias. of wonderful, grandeur. Coastal scenes were nrbst interesting also, and the tour -was concluded -with aerial photographs of farm." lands and .homesteads on the eastern plains of the South Island.. Members of the committee were veryunuch impressed with Mr. Gibson's slides and his "argument that there is a .big field in air tourist possibilities, •