NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 148, 19 December 1935, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Patent Slip. "All the formal instruments in connection with the cession of the Patent Slip property are now in the hands of the board," said the chairman of . the Harbour Board (Mr. T. R. Barrer) at the board's meeting last night, "and a cheque has been paid to the Union Company. I think this will have an important bearing on the port so far as the future management of the slip is concerned. I hope there will-be co-ordination in the work done on the slip and the heavier work done on the floating dock. I believe the matter has been satisfactorily concluded, to both the board and the company." .Old Customs. The Port of London, said the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Marine, responding to the toast of "Our Country" at the Harbour Board festive season gathering last night, was very well equipped. The wharves and docks had been built according to the formation of the banks of the Thames. The authorities were faced with many disabilities and with a hardly less formidable thing, old customs. He learnt that it was much cheaper to lighter goods up from Tilbury than to send them up by rail, for the reason that the lightermen and bargemen had certain concessions against which neither road nor rail could compete. These concessions it would take almost a revolution to alter. They had been included, in- the habits of the river for centuries. " Trade of the Port. The shipping and cargo statistics of the Port of Wellington for last November, when compared with those of 1934, show that the shipping arrivals have increased from 266,944 net tons to 294,623 tons, or by 27,679 tons. The cargo handled increased from 124,916 tons to 148,368 tons, or by 23,452 tons. The principal increases were in gene-, ral cargo exports and in bulk oil imports. Coal also shows an increase. Wool and hemp shipments. are about the same. Butter exports increased by 1076 tons, but exports of cheese and frozen meat both show a decrease. New Baths for Taupo. New baths for Taupo were sought by a deputation which waited upon the Hon. F. Langstone, Minister in Charge of the Tourist and Health Resorts, at Taupo on Monday (states a local correspondent). The baths are estimated to cost £6000, of which sum it.is hoped to obtain a Government subsidy of £3000. Dr. J. Scaife Armstrong, chairman of the board, outlined the proposals to establish a large swimming pool 75ft by-40ft, and a number of private baths in the centre di the township. The site chosen is at the corner of Tongariro Road and the Rotorua Road and lies between two camping grounds. It has a frontage to the main street. Natural springs will supply the hot water, which will be piped to the baths. The water .in the swimming pool will be tepid, but .may be regulated to any required temperature. The present baths in their out-of-the-way location produce a considerable revenue, and it is confidently anticipated that the takings will, be almost doubled at the new bath., Inreply the Minister stated that he considered the baths were an absolute necessity^ and, the finance being available, he would further the project as-far as possible. In company with the members of the board he inspected the site. Trials of a Sea Lion. ' Although it is the opinion of most persons who have seen it that the sea lion at St. Clair receives attention probably out of all proportion to its importance, there is at least one person who holds the opinion that jt is cruelly treated, states the "Otago Daily Times." At Tuesday's meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals a letter was received from a North Otago resident who had recently visited St. Clair and was thoroughly disgusted with the action of two boys, who, among other things, had "taken a run and jumped on the sea lion." "I really think," she wrote, ''that they must come of cruel stock, and if they are. so cruel now it is difficult to imagine what they will.be like when they grow up." The writer concluded by "trusting you will kindly see the sea lion gets fair play." "After all, is a sea lion an animal?" asked a member of the committee when the matter was being discussed. The opinion was expressed, however, that the sea lion was not suffering from any cruelty, this being confirmed by a report from the society's inspector (Mr. J. J. Hinchcliff). It was decided to take no action in the matter. No Business to Remarry. "You had no business to get married again. It is absurd to think that by. doing that and having more children you can escape your first liability," stated Mr. J. L. Stout S.M. in the Magistrate's Court at Palmerston North, to a man earning £4 7s weekly who sought the cancellation or variation of a maintenance order of £1 weekly for two children of his former marriage. The defendant stated that there were now seven children of his second marriage, the eldest being eight years. The Magistrate said he was constantly getting such cases. It would be an easy way for a man to get rid of a liability if that sort of thing were allowed. . An Absurd Charge. , "It is absurd to bring a charge such as this," said -the Magistrate (Mr. -H W. Bundle, S.M.), in the Dunedin Police Court, when dismissing a case against a man who was charged with being an unlicensed motor driver. A traffic inspector told the Court that the defendant had driven the car for about two blocks for the owner, who was'in the back seat intoxicated. After he was stopped by the inspector, he drove the car, at the latter's request, at a slow pace to the South Dunedin Police Station. After commenting on the absurdity of bringing a charge in such circumstances, the ; Magistrate said they might as well charge the inspector with being an. accessoryj

Oranges, Not Apples. "It is known throughout the world that Covent Garden is the best and oldest market in the world; why, Nell Gwynn sold her oranges in Covent Garden," said a witness amidst laughter in giving evidence before the Executive Commission of Agriculture sitting in Nelson to- inquire into apple marketing methods in the United Kingdom. "It might be only fair,to mention that Nell Gwynn sold oranges," commented the chairman, the Hon. Sir Francis Frazer. A Matter of Proverbs. "Seeing the Bible on the table reminded me of^the proverb 'In a multitude of counsellors there is wisdom,' and so it should be with the number of brokers to handle our fruit." said a witness in giving evidence before.the Executive Commission of Agriculture at Nelson, reports the "Nelson Evening Mail." The witness went on to stress the danger of having one firm to handle all the New Zealand fruit in the United Kingdom. "You're quoting another proverb now—'not to put all your' eggs in one market,'" commented the chairman, the Hon. Sir Francis Frazer. Assembly at Rongotai. The, Miles Falcon three-seater cabin monoplane which is to be used as a special air taxi and service machine by Union Airways was landed at Pipitea Wharf yesterday and is being assembled at Eongotai under the direction of Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor, the company's service manager. In all probability it will be in the air by the weekend. .The Miles Falcon is not a new craft to SquadronLeader McGregor, for it was in a Falcon that he and Mr. J. Walker put up such a great showing in the Melbourne Centenary Race. The Union Airways machine ,is more heavily powered, having a six-cylindered Gipsy, whereas the race machine had a Gipsy Major four. The new machine is practically identical with that which won the King's Cup race in England in September at an average speed of 176 m.p.h. over a 350-mile course. The assembly of the second big machine for the Palmerston North-Dunedin service is proceeding satisfactorily at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch. New Departure in Banking. ~ Something new in banking business, at least in Australia and New Zealand, is the establishment of a wharf agency by the Bank of New Zealand in order to meet the needs of travellers on overseas vessels, states the "New Zealand Herald." The bank is portable and can be erected and taken down in a few minutes. It measures only 10ft by Bft, and the timber is screwed together. Practically the only furniture is a grille and counter. Three officers of the Auckland branch are in attendance. The principal object of the agency is to give travellers New Zealand money as soon as they leave a ship. British and Australian currency and dollars are exchanged, drafts under letters of credit negotiated, and travellers' cheques bought and sold. Ordinary banking business is not transacted. The bank was first in use on Tuesday morning, when the Monterey arrived from Sydney shortly after 7 o'clock. After doing a considerable amount of business, it was closed, unscrewed, and. packed away ready to be put together on the arrival of the Strathaird oh Friday.