NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 74, 24 September 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Summer Time on Sunday. From town dwellers no complaints are expected about the necessity on Sunday next for advancing timepieces by thirty minutes in order to conform with the annual change to Summer Time. From Sunday next for the next seven months, until the last Sunday in April, Summer Time will be in operation, adding thirty minutes of daylight to that end of the day which can be made 'best use of by the majority of people. When the clocks are advanced it will be found initially that it is daylight until about 6.30 p.m., with a corresponding decrease In the light in the early mornings. But those who Indulge in sport, horticulture, and other outdoor pursuits will much prefer the extra half-hour of daylight after the day's work is done than before it has begun. Early Tomatoes. High prices were realised at the Auckland City markets on Tuesday for a few cases of early hothouse tomatoes sent in by an Avondale grower, states the "New Zealand Herald." The fruit ranged in price from 2s 3d to 2s 6d a pound. Supplies of hothouse tomatoes are expected to increase in Auckland during the next few weeks, after whjch glasshousegrown fruit will be available. A shipment of Cook Island tomatoes is due at Auckland by the Limerick on October 4. Precautions Against Fire. "One of the methods employed in the United States to minimise the enormous damage caused annually by forest and grass fires is to print on the flaps of cigarette packets short messages urging smokers to do their part in the campaign, says an exchange. On the container of an American cigarette sold largely in New Zealand appears the following exhortation: "Be sure to extinguish match, cigar, or cigarette before throwing away." The forest or grass fire problem in New Zealand is hardly comparable with' that of the United States, but the adoption of the same idea in this country might bring valuable results. An Electrified Fence. During the last ten days there has been much discussion at Lincoln College as to the possibility of inventing an electrical fence to hold stock (states the Christchurch "Star-Sun"). Recently at Clandeboye a youth invented such a fence which traverses a cow yard. The current is controlled by a switch from the cow shed and worked by a six-volt battery, and is transmitted through a trembler coil. One wire is sufficient to keep stock in check, for as soon as they contact the wire they move away from it. Railway at Palmerston North. An urgent question was addressed to the Minister of Bailways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. J. Hodgens (Palmerston) whether the Minister would advise the House as to when a decision could be expected regarding railway facilities at Palmerston North. The Minister said that Cabinet was sympathetic to the proposal for the deviation of the railway and the rearrangement of the railway facilities, but in view of the number 'of projects authorised, and the difficulty of obtaining necessary supplies, it was not possible to say at present when the.work would be started. Trade of the Port. The shipping and cargo statistics for August show an increase when compared with August last year, stated the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board (Mr. D. J. McGowan) on Wed-, nesday night. Shipping arrivals totalled 329,917 net tons, as compared with 287,698 net tons, an increase of 42,219 tons. The tonnage handled totalled 172,240 tons, as against 136,473 tons, an increase of 35,767 tons. The increases were due mainly to imports from British and foreign ports, 8577 tons; coal imports, 6028 tons, and transhipped overside, 4431 tons; imports of oils in bulk, 14,147 tons; and exports of general cargo to coastal and intercolonial ports, 3968 tons. A decrease is shown in the export of oils in bulk of 6237 tons. Observance of Crossings. "These pedestrian crossings require a spirit of sweet reasonableness on behalf of both pedestrian and motorist," said Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., during the hearing of a traffic case in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. "I am afraid that by and by, when motorists have had a chance to realise the value of the crossings both for the pedestrian and for the motorist himself, it will be necessary to increase the penalty for the non-observance of the crossings. In the meantime, neither motorists nor pedestrians have had sufficient experience of the system to warrant this step." Unarmed Pacifism Futile. "If some of those who oppose military training could see the pitiful wholesale exodus from Shanghai, due solely to the Chinese not being in a position to protect themselves through neglecting to have an efficient army thoroughly equipped, and always ready, their ideas might undergo a radical change," wrote Mr. B. Sutherland, of Wellington, from Shanghai on August 8. "Of what use was the League of Nations, the dream of that American President, to Abyssinia, and of what use is it to China today? Japan will magnify incident after incident and will do anything to frame an excuse for taking a huge slice of China, and every nation knows it. All because China is practically defence- ' less." - Hutt Valley Technical College. "There was a time when the Hutt Valley Memorial Technical College was only a small school, but now it is a fine institution and will grow still more," said Miss M. Magill at the meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council last evening, referring to the remark that no Eastbourne students attended the college. ' Miss Magill said that when the college was not as big as at present the students commenced going to Wellington, but they should attend the Hutt Valley College because of the greater community of interest in the district and because of the possible openings for students in the industries in the Hutt Valley. Councillors remarked that the board of managers of the college should make the approaches in the matter of obtaining students from Eastbourne and arrangements could be made about transport on application. Judge's Closed Mind. The view that it is not always in the interests of counsel that a Judge should thoroughly acquaint himself with the facts of a case before the hearing was expressed by counsel in the Auckland Supreme Court on Wednesday (states the "New Zealand Herald"). Mr. Justice Callan had just observed that greater speed might be made with the case in hand if he had sat up to the midnight hours studying the papers. "I do not knowthat it is always an advantage," said Mr. North. "I have seen it done with disastrous consequences," added Mr. Stanton. "When I attended before the Privy Council a learned lord had spent all the previous Sunday studying the case. After that he had made up his mind. I don't think it would have mattered who argued the case; it would not have made the slightest difference."

"Man Proposes. ... "Man proposes—at least the Health Department does —but other men make proposals, too, and many of our girls get married," remarked the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser), when addressing technical college principals and board members at their annual conference. The Minister added that everything was being done to ensure an adequate supply of nurses for the school dental service. Farming Development. The view that the development of technical education in country districts, especially in relation to farming, could best be brought about by the appointment of more itinerant. instructors who could take charge of and develop Young Farmers' Club work, was expressed by delegates attending the Technical Education Conference yesterday. A committee was appointed to report on technical education in rural districts. Wireless Charges. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (National, Egmont) gave notice to ask the Postmaster-General (the Hon. F Jones) if he would advise the House how it was that wireless messages from steamers trading between England and New Zealand, when sent from the ship to New Zealand, were charged at Is 2Jd per word, as against 8d per word when sent to England. He asked whether the Postmaster-General would have the position looked into with a view to bringing about a reduction of the higher rate to the level of the lower charge. Mr. Wilkinson added that the rates mentioned applied at all stages of the voyage. Walkers on the Road. Advice on the course to be followed by walkers on the road was contained in a letter from the Commissioner of Transport (Mr. G. L. Laurenson), received at the meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council last evening. Mr. Laurenson said that according to the "road code," in places where there was no footpath it was advisable for pedestrians to keep to the right and thus face oncoming traffic when there was a reasonably clear view ahead. The traffic regulations provided that a pedestrian should, when practicable, remain as near as possible to the edge of the roadway if there was no traffic. However, in view of considerations such as poor visibility and narrowness of roads, it was not found practicable to treat the matter with more precision by specifying, say, that pedestrians should keep to the right-hand side of the road; Building in Shanghai. Shanghai claims to have the highest buildings in the world outside America, wrote Mr. B. Sutherland early in August to* the Wellington Employers' Association, of which he is president. Owing to interrupted communications the letter arrived here only on Wed-, nesday. "The 22-storey Joint Savings Banlsf and Park Hotel is deputed to be the second largest building in the world outside America," said Mr. Sutherland. "A huge bank is in course of erection near the Cathay Hotel, where we are staying. It is costing about £3,000,000, and the front part of it is 18 storeys high. The vault runs the full length of the building, 200 yards, and the door of the vault weighs 13 tons. It is all being built by Chinese labour. England supplies the architect and fiteel, windows, etc. The work starts at 5.30 a.m., and the coolies sing as they carry, so you can imagine the din. They work till dark, about 7.30 p.m., seven days a week, for about Is 2Jd per day. Wages for workers are lowi The packers in warehouses get about 12s 6d a month." The Steel Problem. It "is fairly generally considered in New Zealand that the importation of steel from England is a difficult task, but, according to a representative of a Wellington steel importing firm, in conversation with a "Post" reporter, the difficulty is not so great as is imagined. The representative stated that on July 26 his firm had cabled their headquarters in England for 50 tons of heavy steel angles to be used in the construction of the new Christchurch Post Office, pointing out that the material was urgently wanted. The material was rolled on August 5, shipped on the Tainui, which left on August 20, and is due to arrive at Lyttelton on September 30. The opinion that English steel exporting firms were neglecting New Zealand was wrong, the representative stated, although there was a certain amount of rationing of exports. Maoris' Visit to Sydney; If the necessary arrangements ' can be made, Princess Te Puea Herangi hopes to accept the offer made to her by the Sydney sesquicentenary celebrations committee to visit Sydney in January, taking with her a party of 30 Maoris from her pa at Ngaruawahia and one of the Maori war canoes at present under construction (states a Hamilton correspondent). The committee has also promised its assistance should Princess Te Puea, after her followers have fulfilled their obligations in connection with the celebrations, carry out a proposal to tour the Australian States, giving concert programmes as was . done recently In Auckland and North Auckland. This latter trip, due to a variety of misfortunes, was not as successful as was hoped, but it is thought that with the interest aroused by the appearance of a Maori war canoe on Sydney Harbour the Australian tour would be more fortunate. Any funds resulting would be used in furtherance of the Princess's plans to celebrate New Zealand's centenary. Apprenticeship. The weaknesses of the present apprenticeship system, together with remedies to meet them, were discussed by the Technical Education Conference yesterday, when a report drawn up by Mr. R. G. Ridling (Director of the Wellington Technical College), and which was published recently, was discussed. Delegates expressed the view that, technical colleges could do a great deal to train persons for skilled trades, as was done in the case of fitting returned soldiers for re-employment. It was decided to approach the Minister of Labour and all interested parties with a view to the recommendations of the report being adopted. Free, But Not Entertaining. "What's on at the Museum, mister?" inquired one of three youngsters of a "Post" reporter as he was wending his way to that building for a lecture. When told that it was a lecture on education and agriculture, the faces of the trio fell, but they brightened up a bit when the further information was given that admission was free and that there would be some pictures. The trio were left debating while the Pressman continued on his way to the lecture hall. Just as the proceedings were beginning two of the trio crept in softly and took a back seat. But after a few slides of botanical interest had been thrown on the screen, interest waned and out they crept as noiselessly as they had come in, withimt even waiting for the beginning of the main lecture of the evening. No doubt the absent one of the trio was told later that he hadn't missed much and that just because a picture show is free it is not necessarily entertaining. As a matter of fact, had they stayed they would have heard a very entertaining lecturer, but his remarks would have been well above their small hcad3.