NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Sydney Representation.

Keference to New Zealand's participation in the sesquicentenary celebrations at Sydney *was made by Mr. L. J. Schmitt, head of the Department of Industries and Commerce and Tourist and Publicity, who returned by the Awatea yesterday from a visit to Sydney. , Mr. Schmitt said that the New Zealand Government had arranged for a float in the procession, and would also take part in the pageant of Em-1 pire. It was expected that the Dominion would be worthily represented. |

New Glow Worm Cave.

A glow worm cave was discovered at the newly-ppened thermal district at Orakei-Korako, south of Rotorua, when two of the guides were visiting the valley at night, says an exchange. One of the attractions of the valley is the extensive alum cave, which is more than 200 ft high, and it was there that the glow worms were seen. Not only the walls of the cave, but also the rocky floor and the ferns were sprinkled with a multitude of tiny bright lights.

Praise for New Zealand House.

"I have nothing but praise for; New Zealand House," said Dr. Donald McElwain, Wanganui, who is staying at Hawera after two and a half years at London, states a Taranaki exchange. "It is an efficient organisation of which New Zealanders in England do not make sufficient use. Too little advantage is taken of its cards of admission to places of interest, its travel informa-i tion, and its mail and newspaper facili-! ties. Every New Zealander, arriving in England'should go immediately to New Zealand House in the Strand."

Stung Inside his Throat,

A bee flew into the momentarily open mouth of a motor-cyclist driving along the Auckland waterfront road on Sunday afternoon, stung him in the throat, and amazingly escaped, states the "New Zealand Herald." At least, its victim thinks it did. The motor-cyclist was talking to his pillion passenger at the fime. He hurried to the St. John Ambulance station, where an officer removed the sting with forceps. The man's throat was not badly affected, although it had ■ begun to swell by the time the sting was extracted.

New Monoplanes,

Parts for two new Porterfield monoplanes, which have been purchased by the Hawke's Bay and East Coast and the Middle Districts (Manawatu) Aero Clubs, are now arriving at Hastings for assembly at the Bridge Pa aerodrome. It is anticipated that both machines will be available for use within a day or two, and they will be the first of their type to be used in the Dominion, states an exchange. Each of the clubs has. obtained one of these new machines, which cost, about £1000 each, and they are being assembled -by the Hawke's Bay Club under the direction of its ground engineer', Mr. A. H. Bowyer. They are to be used to supplement the present flying activities of the clubs, and as far as the Hawke's Bay Club is concerned its new monoplane will increase its fleet to four club machines.

Paths in Brooklyn.

The state of paths and garden plots was the subject of complaint at the monthly meeting of the Brooklyn Municipal Electors' Association last evening. Mr. O. Wannell said tha paths generally were bad in Brooklyn, but one in particular, between Dorking Road and Bell Road, was transformed into a huge "lagoon" when it rained heavily. This triade walking almost an impossibility and he thought that the job should be carried out in a proper manner, so that'the path would be a permanently good one. Referring to the garden plots, he said that the plots in the suburbs of other cities of New Zealand were pretty and were the pride of residents.' In Wellington, however, they were allowed to develop into "gorse patches.'' Mr. W. Wigslon said there was little waste of labour in other towns and plots couM be made pretty if sufficiently well cared for; this appeared to be lacking in Brooklyn. It was decided to send a letter to the chairman of the reserves committee regarding these matters,

Homes in Public Park. That the house shortage in Te Awamutu is becoming increasingly acute is illustrated by the number of people camping at Selwyn Park, states a local correspondent. A total of" not. less than 88 people, including 19 married couples with their families, have been forced to reside in this camping ground more or less indefinitely, through lack of accommodation in Te Awamutu.

Licensing of Aipinc Guides.

The Government licensing of mountain guides in New Zealand was strongly urged in an interview on Friday by Mr. V. Williams, chief guide at Mount Cook for the last nine years, who has just resigned his position, states the "Press." Mr. Williams, who is one of the best-known guides in New Zealand, and who has conducted parties on no fewer than 14 individual successful ascents of Mount Cook, urged that licensing was necessary to place the highly-skilled profession of guiding on a proper footing and to provide security, for climbers at alpine resorts. "I am convinced that it would be a very good thing to have licensing of guides," said Mr. Williams. "That is not only my opinion; it is the opinion of highly-experienced overseas climbers who have visited New Zealand."

Responsibilities of Air Filots.

At yesterday's inquiry into the air disaster near Rongotai, when Mr. R. L. Elliott, of Palmerston North, was killed, Dr. N. A. Foden, who appeared for the Aviation Department, in summing up, said: "Last year there were five lives lost in civil aviation; but commercial aeroplanes travelled more than 1,000,000 miles without mishap to the 40,000 passengers carried. I make the contrast to show that if the safety rules are ignored it will not be long before some pilot disobeying them might involve commercial aircraft in a disaster. The Department takes the view that the onus is on a pilot to make himself acquainted with the general rules and regulations and local rules. The success of flying in New Zealand or elsewhere must necessarily depend on a strict appreciation by pilots of their responsibilities. Flying -in itself is not dangerous, but pilots who lack a sense of responsibility are."

Military Convoy.

The construction of lorries for use by the Territorial Forces has been carried out by the railway and public works workshops at Wellington • and eight of these lorries for Auckland are to be taken north by road. The convoy of trucks will leave Wellington on Thursday and will travel via Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, Te Kuiti, and1 Hamilton. Parades of Territorials will be held at the majority of these centres so that the equipment carried on the lorries can be demonstrated. The convoy will be under the command of Major G. H. Clifton, M.C., N.Z.S.C. The vehicles forming the convoy are similar to those inspected by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) at Trentham last week, and will be included in the display of mechanised units at Fort Dorset at 10 a.m. tomorrow. ■

An Efficient Gun.

Officials who had gathered on the Queen's Wharf yesterday afternoon to meet the Awatea from Sydney had an excellent, though unenviable, demonstration of the efficiency of the gun of the Awatea which is used to throw a ship's line on to the wharf preparatory1 to berthing. When the Awatea was some distance from the wharf—too far for the line to have been thrown by hand—there was a sharp report, and the call of "look out" was heard from the ship. A metal bar, to the end of which was attached the line, was seen to shoot from the ship to the wharf, and appeared to be malting for the centre of a group of officials. Just before it landed it fortunately swerved, but, as it was, it missed one man by a few feet. Its impression where it landed on the wharf was plainly visible. The Awatea was not inspected by the Port Health Officer and the Customs officials in the Stream, as is customary, but on arrival from Sydney proceeded straight to her berth and was examined at the wharf. Some of her passengers connected with the Tamahine, the sailing of which for Picton was delayed for an hour and a half.