NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

"The Dogs Are Barking »." "They say there is a whispering campaign," said the Ht. Hon. J. G. Coates in an address at Green Lane, Auckland, on Thursday, states the "New Zealand Herald." "The Prime Minister and the other Ministers are for ever fighting it," he continued. "It is not a whispering campaign, ladies and gentlemen; the dogs are barking it." Mr. Seddon's Politics. ■ "That is extraordinary for a man from the West Coast," said Mr. Justice Reed in the Auckland Supreme Court on Thursday, when a witness told counsel that his father, formerly of Westland, did not think much of the politics of Mr. Seddon, states the "New Zealand Herald." "He seems to have been a rebel in the stronghold," commented counsel. "We Have to Spend."' ; "Everywhere I go I am met by county councils and borough councils. 'They are all imploring me to help them, and yet we have been accused of spending too much," said the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) at Temuka on Thursday, reports the "Press." "We have not spent a copper more than we have to, and there is no mistake we have to spend that." "A Slump Mind."

"I thank all the gods that are that I do not possess a 'slump mind,'" the Hon. R. Semple said when he addressed a large meeting at Temuka on Thursday evening, reports the "Press." "Some people say if it rains there will be a flood. Then when the sun shines they look for a drought. What a sorrowful state of mind that is. If a man is like that, it is time he was in cold storage." A Slack Port The last few days have been a slack period on the Wellington waterfront, at least as far as the number of ships in port is concerned. Yesterday morning there were only eleven ships at the wharves. This is a very small number for Wellington. There were six arrivals during the day and nine departures, and today there are only eighteen ships in port. Counting the Maunganui (on the dock) and the Monowai, which are not running at present, there are only five overseas vessels in the harbour, and of these the Port Wyndham and the tanker Shabonee are to leave today. Persons on Probation. "In my experience it is best for him to live down his trouble in the town where he is known," said Mr. Justice Reed in the Auckland Supreme Court on Thursday, when counsel for a young man appearing for sentence suggested that if he were given probation accused could get a job in the country, states the "New Zealand Herald." His Honour said that when persons on probation went away to other districts it frequently happened that news of their trouble followed them and unpleasantness occurred. It was better that this young man should rehabilitate himself in the place where he was known, especially as his employer was prepared to take him back.

Sophisticated Tripe. Once upon a time butter intended for consumption in New Zealand could, and sometimes did, contain over 16 per cent, of moisture—the limit for export. Then the local market did not matter; now 16 per cent, is the limit. But an ingenious Sydney butcher has just been convicted and punished for "water logging" tripe. An inspector of the Board of Health gave evidence that by the use-of chemicals in this case the water content of tripe was increased 90 per cent, and the weight increased accordingly. When cooked it turned to a jellified mass. It was sold from trays because it would fall to pieces if hung on hooks. Diver Probes in Sand. The work of the Bluff Harbour Board's diver in probing for rock beneath the sand on the Davey Bank was reported to a recent meeting of the board. The engineer's report stated that, to test the nature of the bottom so as to ascertain the length of piles required for the proposed new beacons to be erected on the Davey Bank, the tug was anchored in position and the diver sent down. Equipped with a l-inch diameter galvanised pipe fitted with a nozzle and coupled to the tug's firehose, the diver was able to probe to 15 feet from the surface of the sand without finding rock. That depth of penetration was sufficient for the purpose. Bigger Wheat Crop.

An increase of at least 10 per cent, in the total acreage under wheat this year in New Zealand is forecast by returns from 115 farms of plantings already made and projected, states the Christchurch "Press." This gain, although substantial, falls a long way short of the improvement of last year's total that would have been achieved had the weather been better for sowing. ' The 115 farms, particulars of whose wheat plantings are so far available, for the most part come from districts which are not the heaviest for wheat growing. Some of them are in districts of heavy land, the suitability of which for planting has been seriously affected by the abnormal rainfall so far this year. Some districts in South Canterbury, for instance, where it was hoped to put a much bigger acreage in wheat, report a slight decrease, solely because of the heavy rain. Over the whole 115 farms —which do not represent the best wheat districts—the increase shown is 7.42 per cent, on the actual figures for last year. When the returns from the Mid-Canterbugy and North Canterbury districts are available in quantity, it is confidently expected that the total acreage increase on last year will be at the very least 10 per cent.