NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

"Extraordinary Bird." Presenting the Rev. Dr. C. W. Gordon (Ralph Connor) with a silver kiwi surmounting ' a block of greenstone at the New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday, Mr. Stanley Fe^rn, the chairman, said that he would refrain from relating the humorous anecdotes regarding it. "It is an extraordinary, bird," remarked the guest, expressing his appreciation of the souvenir. "I would have liked the humorous anecdotes to take home with me, but for; most people it' will be quite enough just to look at it." By-pass Roads. The executive of the North Island (N.Z.) Motor Union at a meeting yesterday approved the principle that main highways should follow the shortest route where circumstances justified. The question arose as a result of the proposed deviation in the South Island which will result in the by-pass-ing of Geraldine. The chairman (Mr. W. O'Callaghan) said that Geraldine was greatly concerned over the fact that it would be by-passed. * Visiting; Motorists. \ Representations to the authorities concerned are to be made by the North Island (N.Z.).Motor Union with a view to obviating the necessity of tourists who bring their own cars to the Dominion registering their vehicles here and obtaining. driving licences. It was pointed out at an executive meeting of the Motor Union yesterday that the present system greatly inconvenienced visiting motorists. Provided the owner of a car produced the registration papers and driving licence of his own country, he should not be required to re-register the car in New Zealand or obtain another driving licence. "Living: on a Crust." Proof that blow-outs may occur at any time and place in Rotorua was furnished the other day, when portion of a road on the outskirts of the town "went"up." A party of Wanganui excursionists went past this spot in a car, and saw a fairly large boiling mud hole on portion of the road over which there had for years been a lot of traffic. A Rotorua resident, referring to this minor eruption, said: "We are living on a crust here, and never'know what is going to happen next." No Defeatist Spirit. ' "I was told by one clergyman who came out here that he was (struck by the defeatist spirit of the New Zealand Church," stated Bishop West-Watson in his sermon at St. Luke's Anglican Church.on Sunday evening (reports the "Christchurch Times 4'). "There can be no defeatist spirit in the Church," declared his Lordship. "We have the faith to overcome, as Christ overcame, and we have the faith to sow that others may reap." • "An Entire Misconception." The idea that, bread and potatoes are fattening is an entire misconception, according to a paper that has been prepared by the Wheat Research Institute, states the Christchurch "Press." It states that if more food than is required for perfect health is eaten, then, for instance, an ounce of rump steak with its usual amount of fat will put on twice as much fat as an ounce of bread will, and an ounce of butter will put on three and a half times as much fat as an ounce of bread. This does not mean that butter and meat are to be entirely avoided by those wishing to reduce weight. Butter contains essential vitamins, and meat contains essential animal proteins. Much harm can be done by neglecting these essential foods. The difficulty with persons of excess weight is to satisfy the cravings of appetite, and at the same time to eat food that does not tend to produce excessive fat. Bread is one of the foods that best fulfils these opposite demands.

Petone Post Office. Tenders are being called for the erection of a new post office at Petone. The present post office is to be vacated by June 1, and the work of demolition will commence in that month. Temporary premises, which have yet to be chosen, will be occupied by the staff for approximately nine months after leaving the present building. , Paremata Bridge. ; In the House of Representatives yesterday Mr. W. H. Field (Government, Otaki) asked the Minister of Public Works whether the plans for the Paremata "bridge had been prepared, and when the work would be proceeded with. The Hon. J. Bitchener replied that the plans had not yet been prepared. Mr. Bitchener detailed the preliminary work which was now in hand to make the road and build the bridge, and said that although it was not possible at present to state when the work would be commenced, he could say that the preparations were being . expedited. Initiative in New Zealand. "In New Zealand we are ready to try anything new, for we are always very much afraid that we will be out of the swim," said Miss M. L. Roberts, j speaking of new methods of treatment at the Masseurs' Conference at Christchurch on Saturday (reports the "Press"). She said that New Zealand was consequently sometimes very much ahead of the rest of the world in many things, and spoke of the advanced methods that were tried out at the Dunedin training school. But she criticised the present generation of students, who were less subject to discipline than those of her time. Baths Loan Proposal. Is it too late to amend the baths loan proposal? asked Councillor W. H. Bennett at last night's meeting of the City Council. Councillor Bennett said that he thought that the inclusion of Turkish baths in the proposal would turn many votes against the loan. Turkish baths were expensive to run, a special staff was required, there was already an establishment in the city, and the majority of the citizens would not avail themselves of the facilities. Secondly, if it was now too. late to amend the proposal;- was it obligatory on the council to carry out the work? The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said that the Local Government Loans Board had cut out Turkish baths, but not slipper baths. As to the second part of the question, it was not obligatory on the council to carry out the work; a vote; of the ratepayers was merely an authority to the council to do the work voted upon.