NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Three Japanese Ships. ;; The Japanese flag, was well represented in the Port of Auckland on Wednesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). There were three Japanese ships in port at the same time, although the departure of the Saikoh Maru for Lyttelton on Wednesday evening left only two, the Melbourne Maru and the Chifuku Maru, unloading general cargo. The Saikoh Maru discharged a quantity of sulphur. •Hemlock. Growing rankly on the side of the main road at Taita just beyond the boundary of Lower Hutt and also in Tennyson Street, Taita, may be seen i some splendid bushes of hemlock. Apparently those responsible ' for the clearing of noxious weeds from the roads have.been at some pains to preserve the hemlock, which is now flowering profusely. Parents would be well advised to instruct their children to beware of the extremely poisonous nature of this plant. Christmas Eve Blaze. A sudden flare of flame from the counter of the Star Stores shop in Courtenay Place at 8.44 p.m. on Christmas Eve startled the customers with which the body of the shop was packed. The counter caught alight, and Christmas decorations also- burst into flame. These were quickly torn down by the employees, and wet mops were used with good effect. When the Fire Brigade arrived the outbreak was stopped by means of a bucket pump. Little damage was done. , It was caused by a lighted cigarette butt coming in contact with paper | wrappings in a draught. New Arterial Road. The metalling of five miles of clay road that will complete a new allweather route, linking Taranaki with the centre of the North Island will.be begun after the holidays and should be completed soon after Easter, reports "The Post's" New Plymouth correspondent. The road will provide a new alternative route for motorists travelling between Wellington arfd Auckland for, instead of following the main road through New Plymouth to Te Kuiti, they will be able to turn off at Stratford, traverse >the Paparata Saddle, where is to be,' seen .some of the wildest country in the North Island, and go through the Tangarakau Gorge to Taumarunui, which is within more easy access of National Park. ' "■ " ' A Striking Difference. One thing that forcibly struck Mr. T. D. H. Hall, Clerk of the House of Representatives, during his visit to' America, was the difference between the American outlook and the British outlook, in spite of the fact that America largely spoke the British language and was founded on British tradition. "Here we find a great people, a branch of the main- stream," stated Mr. Hall in an interview today, "speaking. the same language and acknowledging the same traditions, yet they ,have developed an entirely different outlook and different interests from ours. It is of interest, because we must be concerned about the ties that link the Empire. It seems as if the ties ,of language and tradition alone are not sufficient; in themselves to maintain the close contact that, is necessary." Molesting Poppies.. We often read of things done to the annoyance of his Majesty's lieges, but a charge of "molesting" poppies is a new one to. me, writes Mr. Wilfred 'Blacked K:C.,-in the December number of the "New Zealand Law Journal." The facts supporting the charge were that Eva Kichards and her husband Cyril were at Hurstville Oval, New South Wales, and Eva picked a number of poppies when she thought no one was. looking, and thereby, as it was alleged by the local authorities, "molested" them. She was fined, £3. It was. sworn that Eva was incited to do this wrongful act by her husband, but he denied that he had played the part of the serpent in Paradise; However, the fine of £3 ends the'incident, and we may well regret'that Eve was not fined £3 for "molesting" the apple and a satisfactory ending thus made to a somewhat unpleasant incident. Work at Arapuni. A visit was paid to the Arapuui power station by Mr. T. MacLennan, district electrical engineer, on Wednesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). On his return to Auckland he said that gocd progress was being made in connection with the installation of the two additional turbines, each of 30,000 horse-power, although several months must elapse before the tfwork in hand can be completed. Part of the building designed .to house the new turbines is completed, while the erection of the ; necessary additional transformer plant is well under way One of the turbines has been cased in with concrete; while the work of concreting in the oiher is in progress The long spell of :fine weather that has been experienced lately has been an advantage, and three shifts a day have been worked. 'A staff of over 200 men is engaged at the station and on the construction' works. The four units in the main power station are operating satisfactorily. Cow Moiher's Four Lambs. A freak of animal nature recorded from. Te! Poi, near Matamata, is the mothering by a Jersey cow of four lambs (reports ,a local correspondent). The owner of this',strange foster-mother is Mr. • Tori ■ Anderson, who, having to .rear thejmotherless lambs, always fed them at milking time just after he had milked his house cow. The young lambs quickly learned when their meals were due, and followed Mr. Andersoa when he picked .up the bucket (ach night and morning. As the lamfcs crowded around the cow each ■tinje she was milked, the latter quickly oecame used to them, and this caused Mr. Anderson to think that much time would be saved- with the feeding (bottle 'if the lambs were taught to suckle the cow. This he found to be easier than he anticipated, as the cow offered no objection. At this stage it was a ludicrous sight to neighbours to see the young lambs jumping up and using each other's backs to. reach the teats, and to notice the manner in which the cow fussed over its itrange "offspring." The lambs are now! over three months old, and have no difficulty in helping themselves. Humour is still to the fore, however! as now that they are older the lamte regard the owner of the cow as pn interloper, and each time they hear him coming with a bucket to obtain the house supply of milk, they mate a rush for their "mother" with the Sob ject of forestalling him and ensuring ithat their own supply is not depleted.;