NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 91, 14 October 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Shortage of Spring Lambs.

Owing to the backwardness of this reason's spring lambs, and their comparative fewness, it is not likely that any substantial quantities will be shipped overseas for some weeks,yet. A small consignment, amounting to about 600 carcasses, is to leave Auckland by the Tongariro tomorrow for London and the West Coast ports of the United Kingdom, and, in addition to shipments by. the Remuera and Middlesex, is scheduled to arrive Home before Christmas. In compensation for the small numbers available for sale growers expect to receive prices as good as, or better than, those ruling last season. ■ The Jubilee Stamps. When the New Zealand Jubilee stamps were withdrawn from sale, after having been in issue for six weeks only, 4.800,000 halfpenny ones had been sold,' 8.400,000 penny ones, and'32o,ooo sixpenny ones. The set was extremely popular, and a writer in" the "Philatelic Journal of Great Britain" selects it as the best Of the Jubilee sets from an investment-point of-view. Postally used specimens of the sixpenny value • are very hard to accfuire now." When the set was finally withdrawn from sale, 1,200,000 halfpenny stamps,. 1,600,000 penny stamps, and 186,000 sixpenny stamps—the remainder of the stocks printed—were destroyed. Various Island stamps overprinted as a special Jubilee issue were sold to the number of. approximately 762,000, and when these were withdrawn approximately 73,000 were destroyed. Bowen Street Tram Route. "At last, after persistent efforts made by the City Council for the last your years, the matter is a little further on the way," said the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), referring to the proposed diversion in the tramway access to the western suburbs from the present roundabout Molesworth StreetTinakori Road route to one via Bowen Street, Museum Street, and Sydney Street West, joining up with Tinakori Road at the corner of-Anderson Park. "Now that the Parliamentary Committee has recommended favourably on the proposal, we will.be taking the necessary steps to make application for the necessary Order in Council." This route, mentioned for the first time many years ago, will save. 54 chains as compared with, the present tram route to KaTori. This has been stated as meaning a saving of many thousand tram miles in a year, and the new route will clip a' considerable time oft the trip: The actual cash saving per trip in running costs will be just about lOd, for tramway running averages just under 20d per mile. In a very few years; the full outlay will be recouped in tramway savings alone, without taking into account greater convenience and tune saving to passengers. : Clergy's Changed View. The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League (Mr. C. J. Treleaven) reported to the meeting o£ the committee on Thursday the arrangements that were being made to celebrate Nelson Day (states the "Christchurch Star-Sun"). Nelson's famous signal will be flown in Victoria Square and wreaths placed in front of the Cathedral. "And," he said, "at one time we used to invite clergymen to refer to the significance of the day the Sunday before. But the clergy have got different views now. -I don't think it is much use writing to them." The matter was not discussed further. Mutilation of Books. ■ • The most consistent mutilators of books in the Canterbury, Public Library were those persons who had a hobby,, said Mr. J. R. Templin, chairman of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, at a meeting of the society, reports the "Press." Mr. Templin said he felt quite justified in making that statement, • since he had seen for himself a number of mutilated books in the library. They were mostly about radio, gardening, or some hobby. People with hobbies seem to be altogether without conscience, he remarked. In one encyclopaedia, however, a whole section about the manufacture of whisky had be'en removed. "Spiritual aspiration rather than a hobby," someone remarked. Where the Gaol Is. "Here we have a beautiful suburb which has to bear the stigma of having a prison named after it. No matter where you go, people say they know where Mount Eden is because that is where the gaol is," said Mr. R. Mills at a meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council (reports the "Star"). He suggested that the council should support the submission made by Mr. F. W. Schramm, member for City East, in the House that the prison should be removed from Mount Eden. Failing that, Mr. Mills said the council should press for a change of name. Mr. E. R. Greenfield said that if the name were changed many of those who went out might not be able to find their way back again. It was decided to seek to have the name changed. A Maori Celebration. Maori men • and maids sang lilting melodies in celebration of the coronation of the young King Koroki when 3000 representatives of the various North Island tribes gathered at the Waahi Pa, near Huntly. But some of the Maoris who had come scores of miles to take part in the celebrations did,not even get across the bridge which ;leads to the pa, states the Wa--hgdhui "Herald." They held their celebrations in the hotel, where dozens of gallons of beer were poured into dozens and dozens of "handles," and down dozens and dozens of Maori throats. Here a member of the royal family watched the activities with impersonal gaze. "A beer for the King. A beer for Koroki," cried one. And swaying Maoris cheered lustily.' Some tottered away to nearby vacant sections and lay in the sun. They had celebrated Koroki's coronation—in theit-own way.

Heavy Hail Shower at Petone. j A heavy hail shower fell at Petone about 6.15 o'clock this morning and continued for about three-quarters of an hour. Hail could still be seen in the streets by people coming to work about B'p'clock. Hail also fell at Lower j Hutt, but not so heavily as at Petone. IVlining Work Ceasing. One avenue of employment, on the | West Coast has recently been, partially closed, a number of skilled and unskilled labourers on boring plants throughout the district having had their services dispensed with, reports the "Grey River Argus." One of the largest mining companies at present operating on the West Coast has now practically completed all the Boring it has in view, and accordingly has put | off several gangs of men. In another case, it is reported that the overseas capital behind the venture has been [withdrawn on account of the tension felt over the Abyssinian situation. j Discovery in Cave. -.: J The discovery iby Maoris of a number of Maori articles and a large key in a secluded cave on the sea coast'at Whangaroa is' believed to be-a link ■with a sea chest said to have .contained } valuables/ and' to have been missing since the massacre of the Boyd in 1809,' states the "New Zealand Herald." Recently the -Maoris entered a' cavern over which the spell of tapu had been cast. It had .been-blocked by earth and a. pohutukawa tree 'grew at the entrance. It is ■uncertain.when the cave was last entered,, but it has been established that no one had been in it, for over .58 years. The roof had colf lapsed. I A large collection pf n&tive fish-hooks, mats,\ and other- articles was found. • Probably the most interesting article discovered, However, was a key of ancient design, and 4£in; long. It is thought to be the key of a s ship's chest, and was found on a ledge. It is said that when the Maoris secured possession of the. Boyd a chest was removed from the ship. South African Native Problem. Interesting comment on the possible effect of the Abyssinian dispute upon South Africa is made by Mr. D. Moodie, of Johannesburg, in a letter to a friend in invercargill, reports an exchange. "Some of our political fathers are very much perturbed about the Abyssinian dispute because of the effect it. may have on this country, 1' he writes. "The natives are beginning, to. take ah interest in world affairs, and there is a big under-current of sympathy towards Abyssinia, and numerous demonstrations and prayer meetings have taken place. Should Italy! defeat Abyssinia, they will be annoyed about the ruthlessness of a yrhite nation proceeding against a practically defenceless black, race. On the other hand, should Ethiopia, triumph they may begin to think the black race superior to the white arid start a little war of their own. On the surface the black man is still the obedient .slave, but trouble is brewing. Although I don't like to think it, one must realise that it is education and the teaching of the missionaries that tend to, make him lose his inferiority complex and demand equal rights."