NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 102, 27 October 1934, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Price of Butter Raised. Tho wholesale prico of butter in tlio Wellington market was increased yesterday by one penny per pound,, bringing tho price up to lOd for first-grade butter. Community Singing Earns £628. The final cheek of the receipts oi the last community sing of the season, for the Mayor's Relief Fund shows that £,91 10s Id was earned, making the total for the season £628 12s 2d, reports Mr. J. Palliser, chairman of the committee. Children's Health Camp. Tho children's health camp at Otaki has reopened. There are 32 children in camp from the following districts.— Wellington 21, Dannovirke 6, ,1-lawora 2, Shannon 2, and Hastings 1. If tho funds permit, it is hoped to admit 100 children to the camp over the Christmas holidays. Tho school medical officer, Wellington, reports that there is a waiting list of about 80 delicate children. Tho children in camp havo medical supervision and the ciK'o of registered nurses. Gift for His Excellency. As an expression of appreciation of the services rendered to tho Dominion by his Excellency the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe), and his keen interest in the native flora, the council pf the New Zealand Alpino and Rock Garden Society has arranged for a collection of nativo pot-grown plants to bo specially prepared for shipment and presented to his Excellency on the evo of his departure. An opportunity will be provided for members of the society to view tho collection before shipment. Sweepstake Ticket as Court Exhibit. A ticket in tho Irish Free State Hospitals' Sweepstako was an exhibit in a case in tho Supreme Court yesterday. His Honour Mr. Justice Ostler asked to havo a look at the ticket. "I have never seen a ticket in the Irish sweepstake," ho said.' Thero was somo laughter from spectators at the hack of the court. His Honour smiled, and after looking at the ticket, said he did not supposo the gentlemen of the jury had seen a ticket either. Tho ticket was handed down from the Bench and was passed round among the jury. Ex-Ministers as Tellers. Two ex-Ministers of Education acted as tellers in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon during a division on the Education Department's vote on tho Supplementary Estimates. Mr. 11. Atmore (Independent, Nelson), who held tho portfolio of Education in tho United Government, moved that the vote cf tho Department be reduced by £1 as an indication that the Minister of Ec ucatiou - should, as roquested by tho teachers and school committees,- reduce by 10 per cent, tho numbers determining tho grades and sub-grades of public primary schools in order to obviate the down-grading of schools which necessitates transfers, dismissals, and changes of teachers. There was no debate; and tho amendment was rejected by 34 votes to 21. Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs), who was Minister of Education in the Reform Ministry, supported the motion, and acted as Mr. Atniore's second toller. Wood for Butter Boxes. The possibility of a shortage of white pine for butter boxes was mentioned by Mr. B. Dawos at a meeting ofclairy factory managers held at Castleclii'f, Wanganui, on Thursday. A discussion took place as to tho necessity ot1 using first-class butter boxes for sending the produce Homo to England, and it was remarked by Mr. Dawcs that if a standard white-pine box wore used throughout the Dominion thero might soon be a shortage of the wood. Mr. N. Fulton, chief dairy produce grader, said he understood that white pino was being exported to Australia, where it was made into butter boxes. The Australians, he said, always used white pine to send their butter Homo. It was suggested by Mr. Dawes that legislation might be desirable to prevent Now Zealand supplies becoming exhausted through this exportation to Australia. The Auckland Harbour Bridge. The possibility of local bodies in the Auckland metropolitan area meeting to discuss proposals for the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, was mentioned at a recent meeting of the Auckland City Council, states tho "New Zealand Herald." The matter was introduced by Mr. J. W. Yarnall, who, in the courso of a lengthy question concerning remedies for unemployment, suggested that tho council should call a conference of all local bodies in and around Auckland to consider ways and means of taking over the charter granted to the Auckland Harbour Bridgo Company, Limited, with a view to having the charter vested in tho local bodies as representing the people of Auckland for the purpose of having the 'question of erecting the bridgo examined as a suitable work to provide employment and a much desired public utility. The Mayor (Mr. G. W. Hutchison) said he had been asked on a former occasion to call such a conference, but was later askeel to postpone it until October 15, as negotiations were proceeding concerning the financing of the bridge. His information now was that the bridge company had not succoeded in making the necessary arrangements to enable it to go ahead with tho construction of the bridge. He suggested that the matter be left until ho returned from Australia, when, if no new information had come to hand, lie -would oall a conference of local bodies.

Farmer Gets a Shock. "I sold a wireless outlifc to an outback settler recently," said Mr. Hyde, of Shannon, at the last district Power Board meeting. "Some days afterwards I called to see how the outfit was working. The settler told me to take it. away as it was costing too much in electricity. Ho had not turned off the current sinco it had been installed!" concluded Mr. Hyde. That reminded another member of a farmer who bought, a motor-ear and whilo waiting for the vender decided to set her going. He succeeded in circling the paddock several times whilo ho called to members of tho family to get tho vender as "ho couldn't stop tho darned thing!" Chant of the Turtle. The mysterious powers possessed by the natives of one of the islands in the Fiji Group to call turtles from the sea was mentioned by Dr. A. H. B. Pcarce to an "Otago Daily Times" reporter on Wednesday. Dr. Pcarce, who is the chief medical officer for Fiji, said that these natives lived on the Island of Kadava. Tlio native girls would climb on to a high rock overlooking the ocean and commence a strango chant. Beforo long a big red turtlo would swim up from the depths, and on some occasions he would bo joined by a second. Dr. Pearce, who said ho had himself seen the performance, wns unable to account for tho power which tho natives possessed, and no satisfactory theory that would explain it had ever been put forward. The natives never fed tho turtles, and it was, therefore, not the desire for food that caused them to answer the summons. The Yacht Te Rapunga. A brief visit to old friends in the Hawko's Bay district is to be paid by Captain George Dibbern, owner and skipper of tho German yacht. To Rapunga, which has spent the winter in Auckland, states tho "Star." Tlio 40-ton, ketch lias left Auckland for .Napier with two passengers, Mr. J. Hill and Mr. E. R. Leusche. Captain Dibbern's nephew, Gunter Schranim, is with him as mate. The yacht arrived at Auckland early in March this year, having taken three years to cruise leisurely from Germany, via tho Mediterranean, thence tho Atlantic and Pacilic Oceans. Beforo tho war Captain. Dibbern spent about nine years working near Napier, and it is at the invitation of old friends in that district that tho present, trip^ is being undertaken. About tho middle of next month the yacht will leave Napier for Auckland again to prepare for the transTasnian race in December, and after that a visit will be made to Melbourne. Later, Captain Dibborn will probably recross the Tasman to Auckland, and both men may settle in New Zealand. Gunter Schranim has been on his first visit here, and has been much impressed by the attractions of the Dominion. During tho winter tho yacht was hauled up at Devonport, and is now looking neat with fresh paint and some new rigging. "If I Were Dictator." The problems facing Now Zealand anil tho remedies necessary were outlined in an address given by Mr. W. J. Holdsworth under the auspices of the Workers' Educational Association at Auckland on Wednesday night (states the "New Zealand Herald"). The address was the third of a scries, "If 1 Wero Dictator of New Zealand for Five Years." Tho proposals which Mr. Holdsworth said he would put into force wore ho dictator included the abolition of interest, tho repayment of capital borrowings, the establishment of a national insurance fund, State control of credit and currency, State control of production, land settlement on a large scalo, the creation-of industries in the centre of agriculture "so that a man could havo one foot on tho soil and the other in industry," the introduction of town-planning legislation for tho cities and suburbs, tho abolition of military training and tho substitution of physical culture- and organised sports among tlio young people, an overhaul of the existing educational system and its establishment on "sound practical lines," and a reduction in tho retiring age of public servants in order to give the young people a chance. In addition, extensive reforms would bo carried out in connection with local government. Beforo his term of office had expired, Mr. Holdsworth said, ho would create a council of twenty members, with an executive of five, to carry on tho work. The members would function like a board of directors and devote tho whole of their time to the interests of their country. Aid to Engineering. A decision to contribute £1000, to assist tho School jf Engineering at Auckland University College was recently reached by the Auckland City Council, according to the "New Zealand Herald." The 'finance committee reported that it had received Mr. S. Irwin Crookes, who had been requested by tho University College Council- to mako an appeal for assistance for the School of Engineering, which "was in danger of being closed down. The committee recommended that tho council should undertake to .contribute £1000 at the rate of £250 a year, commencing during tho next financial year, providing that an endowmentfund was created for carrying on an engineering sehgol in Auckland. Mr. W. T. Anderton said it appeared that tho council intended to spend money which properly should come from the Government. It might be a dangerous precedent. The Mayor (Mr. G. W. Hutchison) said an effort was being made to establish a capital fund, the interest from which could bo devoted towards the school. It was felt that other schools which should havo boon established in Auckland had been established in the south, and it was hoped to retain a school of engineering in Auckland. If it were closed, all engineering students would have to go to Canterbury. Other local bodies wero making contributions. Mr. J. Sayegh said the Government wag refusing to meet its obligations. It, was subsidising heavily special schools in tho south but was doing nothing for Auckland. ,