NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 9, 11 July 1934, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Overdue Schooner. According to a radio message broadcast Suva last evening and received by the Acting Director-General of the Post and. Telegraph Department (Mr. J.Kobertson), tho 153-ton auxiliary, schooner Isabel i (Captain Stewart) 13 "J?™" 0 ott hbr yoyago from Sydney to Fiji.. All ships aro requested to keep a good lookout for tho craft. The Isabel leffc Sydney on June" 14 last for Suva,- having been sold- to.-' Island buyers. • i.■....'•.-■.., ■■■'•■•■■(-:•■ ..'•■•: Naval' Minesweeper. ',- .■.-:•'. It;;.-; is :expecied tL.it ■tiie steamer JJuchoss, L whichhas .been chartered by ttio ,Now. Zealand Division of tho Boyal i^avy, wiU be feommissioned about next Monday, to commence her new duties as a training vessel, reports the "Now Zealand .Herald." ' The steamer is it present at tho DovonrJort Naval Base where- rJjb is undergoing minor alterations, including the removal of some of the seating accommodation. Tho Duchess will carry out minesweepine experiments during the remainder Of tho month, and is expected to engage in rmnesweeping in conjunction ■ with tho Wakakura during August, probably in- the Hanraki Gulf. ,-■■.. J Main Highways Fund. A remit from the Combined Conference, Wanganui, impressing upon 'the Government "the necessity of restor#fnnnnn Main Sighwavs Board tho S-500,000 per annum previously transferred to the Consolidated Fund" was approved at the meeting of the Dominion executive of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday afternoon. "We look upon this as the; first step towards derating," said Mr. W. Morrison (Wanganui). "it. is no USQ ta]k . ing derating until we get that money reinstated. That is the whole -position." *■ ... ■ Farmers and Taxds."That the Government bo urged to amend, the legislation, so that losses that have been incurred in the. two previous years to the year Under- review bo allowed to be taken into con-' sideration with Tegard to the emergency unemployment tax," and "That tho Dominion' executive bo urged to renew its request for tho" allowance of land tax as a deduction for income tax and unemployment tax purposes," were the remits passed by tho Dominion executive of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union last night. The former was moved by Southland and the latter by North Canterbury. Menace of Bagwort. ; Concern.at -the spread of ragwort was expressed at tho conference of tho National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand yesterday, and the following resolution was carried: "That this conference views with alarm tho spread of. ragwort, Which if not checked and eliminated ' will' seriously affect the quality of New" Zealand honby, and requests tho Government to have the legislation amended to make it compulsory to declare ragwort a noxious weed under the Noxious Woeds Act." It was pointed out by speakers that ragwort affected th© flavour of honey a groat deal and consequently both the overseas and local,markets suffered. Preserving Native Flora. With reference to tho letter from Mr. A. D. Beddio in "The Post " last week stating that the credit for starting- the agitation fbr the'protection of native flora should go to tho late Mr. W. J. Percy, Mrs. K. C. Kirk, of Petone, states that she wishes to support Mr. Beddie in his contention. Mrs. Kirk says Mr. Percy started a petition urging the preservation of native flora, and he did a great deal Of work in connection with it. Mrs. Kirk adds that sho obtained many signatures for tho petition in Wellington atld Nelson, the members of tho Staff of.tho Cawthron Institute in Nelson signing the. petition. When Huias Were Seen! Contrasting the state of tho country as it is now with what it was more than 40 years ago when ho first became attached to the Lands Department, Mr. T. Brook, the retiring Valuer-General, remarked yesterday, on the occasion of a farewell presentation to him, that ho could remember going over a block of country and seeing six huias in one day. That bird was now practically extinct, hq added, such were the changes in the last forty years,

Conversion of Motor-cars. "I think we can all agree ivitli this," said the president (Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P.) when the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union had before it yesterday afternoon a South Taranaki remit advocating moro rigorous action against offenders converting motor-cars to their own use and heavier penalties. There was no discussion,' the executive adopting the remit unanimously. Petono Tire Board. The report of the superintendent (Mr. J. P. Gaynor) received at yesterday's meeting of the Petonc Fire Board, stated that during the quarter ended Juue SO the brigade had been called out three times. A member nnarked that this was very good as it showed tho absence of fires in 'the district. The plant, appliances, and alarm system were- reported by the superintendent to bo in first-class order. Cnts and Exchange. "We have heard a lot about the 10 per cent, cuts," said, Mr. Albert Russell at the Town Hall last night. "That is Only a small part of it. Yon earn, say, 15s for your services for a day, less 10 per cent., 13s 6d. When you take that money to buy goods you find'"-20. per cent, duty added and 25 per cent, exchange. Say the total is 50, per cent. It means that you set 75..6 d worth' of goods for your 15s. when the .last 15 per cent.' exchange was added, it was exactly the 'same thing as raising- the duty on British goods 15.sper cent." ~ Birth on Aorangi. . "Some excitement was caused on the steamer Aorangi, when the,vessel was a day out from Auckland, ,by an announcement that a baby had been born on board, states the "New Zealand •Herald.-V.. The infant was a girl, and was born to Mrs. Townsbnd, wife of W Townsend, professional boxer, of Canada, irho'.wa's returning with his wife after completing a. scries of engagements in Australia. When the Aorangi arrived at Suva it was' announced that the mother and child were doing well. Tho father received many congratulations from fellow-passengers. Whales Pass by Sydney. The unusual spectacle of a school of whales passing up tho New South Wales Coast, off Sydney, was witnessed on. June 27 by the officer on duty at tho South Head signal station. Single whales off the Coast,. are not tinusual, but a largo number together is rarely observed. As they swam past the Sydney Heads about a mile from the shore, tho signalman counted twelve, and it is probable that there were moro. Several of tho whales sounded and , others spouted water high in the air.'ln about an hour'they had disappeared to the north,; : . ■ : Not the Kemedy. ■ Speaking yesterday at a,presentation to Mr. T. Brook, who is retiring from tho position of Valne^General, tiio Hon. E. A. Ransom remarked that revaluation had become an important quostion at tho present time, and many were saying, especially primary producers, that revaluation was what the country required as some measure of relief. However, revaluation was not the sovereign remedy; it would bo of small help or assistance- in itself without a readjustment vof mortgages. A complete revaluation for tho purpose of local body rating -would entail an enormous amount of work and a huge increase in office staff, and could hardly bo undertaken under, the present circumstances. ; ; '"••-.' A Primitive People. ' :'■ The discovery of a primitive native people on tho islands of the St. Matthias group ~in .the Bismarck archipelago, about :90 miles from/ the equator, Was mentioned by Pastor A. G. Stewart, a prominent' Sevent- Day Adyentist missionary who' ■, passed through Auckland by the Niagara yesterday on his way back to Australia after a. missionary tour "of tho South Sea, Islands (states an Auckland telegram).,' Friendly', relations had been established with the natives, ho said, as a result of a visit paid by a mission, schooner three years ago. " The people never, wear clothing," Pastor Stewart said, " and their frizzy hair, common to all Melanesian peoples, is plaited. They are woll built and appear to. be intelligent. They dig the ground, with pointed sticks to plant Toot crops, and all their cutting is done, with sharp stones or broken shells; Tobacco is unknown to them." - Thieving in Shops. ■ "The'increase of shoplifting offences is causing much concern to retailers, and the only jncans by whidh it can:be checked is by instituting prosecutions in every case which ' comes under notice," states the report of the Otago Drapers, and Clothiers' Association. It was observed that in the past there had been a reluctance on the part of employers to take this coarse because of the adverse publicity which, arises, "but it will be of interest to learn that except in eases which are defended both the Press and tho police aro willing to withhold from publication tho name of tho firm concerned. It is strongly recommended that .proceedings should I}e taken in every caso as being the best means of discouraging offences of this nature." ! Territorial Camps. The question of holding Territorial camps at a date suitable to dairy farmers or their employees was raised at yesterday afternoon's meeting of tho Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers', Union. Mr. L. Hammond (Marton) said it, had been found that owing to the late dairy season this year a great many volunteers had been deprived of tho '.opportunity of attending camp. He suggested that the camps should be held at ,a later date or that there should bo a casual camp' to cater for dairy farmers and their employees. The defence authorities, ho thought, were anxious to meet tho position. Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., the president, said ho would undertako to bring the matter under the notice of the Minister of Defence. Thawing "Frozen Credits." ■ Hopes of tho drapery trado for a loosening of the public's purse strings are expressed by tho New Zealand Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers' official .organ. That journal points but that "When the new Contral Bank starts operations its first responsibility will be to redeem the enormous amount of Treasury notes now held by our trading banks. If tho sudden acquisition of these excess funds reduces bank interest to a point where frozen savings are thawed Out for active circulation, the stimulus to trade should go far towards restoring better and brighter business conditions." , Crown Tenants. , In the opinion of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union the Crown should be responsible fbr all damage, loss/ and disability of neighbouring settlers where tho Crown places settlers without money on land and finances their operations, and it should also be. held responsible for all damage through fire originating on Crown land. The matter was the subject of an Auckland remit adopted at the meeting of the executive yesterday aftornoon. The mover of the remit, Mr. H. 0. Mellsop, said that men had been put on small farms who had absolutely no money. There had been several instances of fences being burnt and other damage being dono to adjoining lands. Thcso men could not pay anything and the Crown did not accept liability, i

Reduced Toll Pecs. . It was decided by the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' union yesterday afternoon to urge the Post and Telegraph Department to give immediate effect to proposals for a, reduction in toll fees, between 7 and S p.m. and S and 9 a.m. Mr. L. Hammond (Marton) said that it had been stated last year that the question of reduced toll fees was being considered. Nothing, further had been heard about the matter since then. A Note of Optimism. A strong .note of optimism concerning the future was struck by Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., in concluding his presidential address at the annual conference, of the New Zealand Farmers' Union today. "If we persist in tho policy we have planned for lowering costs," ho said, "I am satisfied wo can successfully compete- with the world, possessing, as we do, advantages of soil and climate beyond the scope of our competitors. Such a programme, involves no sacrifice by any section of the community. if it is cai'ried into effect according to a pre-arranged plan. On the contrary, it would in my opinion offer real compensation- to wageearners for the sacrifices' they have been compelled to make in the shape of substantial reductions in living costs. We, seek to maintain decent standards of life for all, including the primary producer. We can only do it iil the rface .of the world's competition by so adjusting th©' cost* that they; go" hand in ~ hand with, efficiency in enabling us to carry on,''':^ ~ : , , Sewer ''Blow-outs." ■ aY- v The "blow-outs" in storm-water sewers that occurred in'some parts of Auckland city at the* height- of ,the storm early,, last Sunday morning were commented upon-by Mr. J. Tyler, city engineer, the "New Zealand Herald.";; 'fin- most cases ><>£■:blowouts, the particular \ sewers are very old ones whichv have become, overcharged with water, " Mr. Tyler said. "In very heavy downponrs a head of water ' accumulates, •, and in two instances on Sunday, in the Newton Gully and at CoHegeHill, blow-outs occurred in old brick sewers Which were uot strong enough to.Tesist the pressure." Mr. Tylor said the ." explosion" that occurred at the corner of Victoria Street West and Halsey .Street, hurling debris over 20ft and leaving a gaping hole, was not in a main sewer. Tho trouble occurred at the end of an old sewer which used to discharge, into Freeman's Bay, but which was later diverted along Victoria Street into a larger one running under Victoria Park. Water had found its way into the end of the old sewer, and tho pressure had caused the "explosion." Most sewers were designed-to cope with a certain rainfall, hut .when, the downpour was abnormal, they had to work under pressure. Reinforced concrete sewers would; probably withstand the pressure- from a considerable . head of water. , ■ . .