NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Scientists Visit Rotorua,

Rotorua has attracted a large number of touring scientists who attended the biennial Science Congress at Auckland. Many of the visitors passed through Hamilton and a large proportion travelled by rail from Auckland, and the Frankton Junction tearooms had to cater for 120 tourists, the largest crowd that they have had for many months. Public Works School. The Minister of Education (the Hon. P Fraser) has decided to establish a school at Homer Saddle. During his visit to the Hollyford Valley, the Minister informed the workers on the Homer tunnel that it was the intention of his Department to establish a school for the children of the people there. The announcement was greeted by cheers from a large gathering of parents. It was proposed that the Minister Should consider the erection of a suitable sole-teacher school, and also that a recreation ground and tennis court should be provided. On the Right Lines. "I have seen no ambulance _ system that is better managed, or that is doing greater service, than our own," stated Mr. Marcus Marks at today's meeting of the board of the Wellington District Free Ambulance when recounting some of his observations abroad. "I am therefore more than surprised that the movement has not spread more rapidly in New Zealand. Whatever may have prevailed in days gone by, I am of opinion that ambulance service should be free to all. In London the ambulance carrying is practically free, and is controlled and paid for by one of the greatest local bodies in the world—the London County Council. I feel that we are on the right lines here, and I hope that in the near future one method of dealing with accidents and sickness will becorr e general throughout New Zealand." Harvesting Delayed. The continuation of unsettled weather conditions in the Marlborough district is causing a great deal of concern to farmers with crops ready for harvesting, as, should there be no improvement In the near future, serious loss and damage will be practically unavoidable. Extensive areas of wheat, barley, and peas are still in the fields, Und harvesting operations are at a standstill, with many of the crops lying cut and sodden. Unless there is a strong nor'-westeV to dry. things up quickly there will be bad discoloration and there will also be a grave danger of premature sprouting, especially with peas, which will now probably have to be hand-picked when they go itlto the stores. Throughout the district work has been held up, and threshing, which should, have been in full swing a fortnight ago, is not yet commenced. Schools of Horticulture, The hope was expressed yesterday by Mrs. Knox Gilmer that a school of horticulture would be established in the North Island. The proposal to found such a school in Christchurch, she said, had had wholehearted support, and it was the desire of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture to have a similar school in the North Island, probably at Massey Agricultural College, Palmerston North. The proposal in Christchurch is to establish a full school of horticulture which would provide training sufficient to enable students or trainees to present themselves for the examination in ail sections for the national diploma in horticulture granted by the examining board of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. The syllabus for the school was compiled in collaboration with Mr. C. E. Foweraker, of Canterbury College, and Professor James Shelley, and it allows students to receive most of the necessary lectures during their working hours at the gardens. A grant of £1500 would be required for building a lecture room and for equipment, and the running of the school would call for further annual grants.

Speaker Awheel. The "fun of it" and the exercise to be had are the motives of the cycling tour from Auckland to Napier by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. W. E. Barnard, and his friend of war days, Mr. S. J. Bennett, now a schoolmaster at Palmerston North, states the "New Zealand Herald." They left Auckland yesterday and expect to reach Napier towards the end of next week. "We usually do a cycling tour in January, although not such an extensive one as this," stated .Mr. Barnard. "We do it primarily for the fun of it and for the exercise. No, we do not camp. We have got beyond that stage. And we don't carry packs on our backs. We travel light with our cases strapped to the machines but no packs. We had enough of those in the war days. Of course, we are not as young as we used to be, and while we do not mind a strenuous day we do enjoy a good hot bath and a comfortable bed at the end of it." Mr. Barnard and Mr. Bennett will travel to Paeroa, Tauranga, where they will probably spend a day, Rotorua, Whakatane, Opotiki, through the Waireka Valley to Gisborne, and thence by Timroto and Wairoa to Napier. j 'Lake Grandeur. "Although I knew before I left Australia that New Zealand was a Very fertile country, I have been amazed during the short time I have been here at the richness of your pasture lands," said Senator A. J. McLachlan, Commonwealth Postmaster'-General, and Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, in an interview at Rotorua. Senator McLachlan, accompanied by his Wife, has been spending a few days sightseeing on his way from Auckland, where he attended the opening meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science. "I have been thoroughly delighted with the beauty of the lake scenery, and with the weird fascination of the thermal regions, and the ever-refreshing scenery which the countryside in the Rotorua district offers," continued the Senator. "I have travelled in many parts of the world, but nowhere have 1 more enjoyed the countryside, the extraordinary scenes of mountains and lakes, and the vegetation which makes the surroundings of New Zealand's lakes more beautiful than the lochs of Scotland. The New Zealand countryside has more charming aspects than the environments of Geneva, with all its magnificence."

Ambulancc Servicc,

During the twelve months ended on December 31 last the Wellington District Free Ambulance attended to 13,547 cases, including 1456 accidents and 11,969 transports, according to a report presented at today's meeting of the board by the secretary (Mr. F. EofTe). For the year before the total cases attended to were 10,852. Last year the miles travelled totalled 100,481, as compared with 94,154 miles the previous year. During the month of December last there were 126 accidents and 859 transport cases that required the attention of the ambulance. The total cases handled by the ambulance were 75,655, and its vehicles covered 701,347 miles.

Weir at Hutt Park.

The Hutt Park Committee had before it last evening a legal opinion from the committee's solicitors (Messrs. Meek, Kirk, Harding, and Phillips) stating that in its opinion the committee could lawfully construct a weir in the Waiwhetu stream with the consent of the Governor-General under section 171 of the Harbours Act, 1933. It was stated at the meeting that the weir was proposed to increase the depth of water in the stream that flows through the park so that it would be more suitable for swmming. The water is hardly deep enough in parts at low tide. The committee decided to hold the matter over until the reclamation work at the mouth of the Waiwhetu stream is further advanced. ,It was said that the committee was hardly in ,a position at the present time to construct the weir. Plea for Pohutukawas. A plea for a more extensive use of pohutukawas in and around Wellington, where they grow well, was made at yesterday's opening of the Karori Flower Show by both Captain S. Holm and Mrs. Knox Gilmer. The latter remarked that pohutukawas gave a better return for planting than any other tree or shrub. They stood up well to wind and weather and could easily be transplanted. They also fitted in with the hillsides and scenery of Wellington. At the last meeting of the committee of the Wellington Horticultural Society reference was made to the splendid show made by these trees this year in Wellington. During the last ten years the City Council reserves department had planted over 30,000 of them, and this year many had come into bloom for the first time. Each year the number of trees in bloom will naturally increase, and the Wellington hillsides will be a mass of colour in the summer time. Rescue of Dog. The hundredth ascent of Mount Egmont made by Mr. Roy Sole, guide at North Mount Egmont, was accomplished by him on Monday in order to rescue his dog, a Scotch collie, which had spent the night in the crater in a raging blizzard (states a New Plymouth correspondent). The dog was found nearly frozen but alive, sheltering fron? the storm behind a jrock face. Mr. Sole made an ascent on Sunday with a party of Australian tourists. In the crater they met a party which had ascended from the Dawson Falls side of the mountain and the two parties had lunch together. The dog's liking for sandwiches led to its being left behind when its master began the descent. Although the dog has been on the mountain for two and a half years and has made many climbs, it apparently deemed it wiser to take shelter than to descend in the storm. The wind increased in fury during Sunday night, but the dog fortunately survived until Monday afternoon, when Mr. Sole arrived in search of it. J