NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 63, 12 September 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Measles in Hawke's Bay. Although the measles and influenza epidemic appears to be abating in the Wellington, Nelson, and Marlborough districts, it is reported that the epidemic is still being severely felt in the Central Hawke's Bay area. The attendances of country schools *in the district have been considerably affected, as many as 30 per cent, of the children being absent at some schools, while, among adults, the staffs of business concerns are very much depleted. There is at present a larger number of patients in the Waipukurau Hospital than at any time since the 1931 earthquake, while the number of patients in Pukeora Sanatorium is the largest since the Great War period. Seasonal Farm Labour. In accordance with arrangements made during the past two years, public works employees will be granted leave of absence for seasonal work on farms, including shearing and harvesting, states the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R.'Semple) in a letter to the Dominion executive of the Farmers' Union. Maori Fare. Eels and water cress, beef, and kumeras, even toheroas from Ninety Mile Beach, North Auckland, were included on the menu for the thousands of Maoris who assembled at Ratana yesterday for the opening of the big new building. "Do the visitors bring their ov/n food?" was a question put to Mr. J. Niania. chief cook, who has five assistants. "Yes," he said. '-Many of them bring their own food.". Potatoes and kumeras naturally form a great portion of the food supplied and special arrangements were made to recook and pot all unused meat. Sovereigns Over £2. Sydney banks paid £2 Is 4d for sovereigns on September 1. This is the highest price paid for the coin since May 10, 1935. In sympathy -with the rising price of gold, sovereign quotations have been rising gradually for several months, although there are no indications yet that the record quotation of £2 3s made on March 7, 1935, will be reached. A thousand sovereigns were worth only £1000 nine years ago. On the first of this month they could have been sold for nearly £2100 in Australian money. Boat Owners' Satisfaction. When the Auckland Harbour Board introduced the pile moorings at Mechanics' Bay at the commencement of last season, considerable discussion arose among boat owners regarding the innovation, states the "New Zealand Herald." At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Power Boat Association it was reported that, after a season's trial, most of the boat owners viewed the system with favour. All members present expressed satisfaction with the report, and at the conclusion of the meeting a vote of thanks was passed to the Harbour Board for its consideration of the interests of the association. New Ambulance Bells. An effective means of facilitating the passage of ambulances through traffic in times of urgency has been adopted with the fitting of loud and resonant electric bells to the vehicles under the control of the Auckland Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, states the "New Zealand Herald." To serve as a pattern, three of the bells employed in the ambulance fleet operated by the London County Council were imported by the secretary-man-ager of the centre, Mr. S. E. Langstone, and these have been installed on machines in Auckland. When bells of a similar type are cast in New Zealand, the other ambulances will be similarly equipped. Ancient Musket Barrel. Much pitted and corroded with rust, an ancient musket barrel has been submitted to the Dominion Museum authorities for expert opinion. It was found some years ago on the coast in Golden Bay, together with some other relics, and as Tasman is supposed to have anchored near that spot it was surmised that possibly the relics had something to do with that navigator's visit some three hundred years ago. The barrel, however, probably be--150 years or •so ago. Tasman had a brush with the Maoris when he called upon them, and as a result" of what happened he called his anchorage Murderers' Bay, and relics of this would be of great historical interest if they could be authenticated. Ancient Canoe Ornament. A reminder of the days when the wood-carvers of the Atiawa tribe were renowned throughout the land,. the finely-carved and magnificently preserved bow ornament of a Maori canoe, has been found at the Manukorihi Pa, Waitara, by the nephew of Chief Kaho Heremia. The carving, hewn from one piece of totara, is considered by the chief to be over 200 years old. The intricacy of the carving ,is extraordinary, especially when it is remembered that it was done with primitive stone tools. It is considered at the Manukorihi Pa that it once stood at the head of an Atiawa war canoe, and its discovery has raised hopes of finding the accompanying stern ornament. The fine piece of carving will be placed in the meeting-house recently erected to the memory of the late Sir Maui Pomare. The meeting-house already contains examples of modern carving from practically every tribe in New. Zealand,

Court Order Effective. j Orders of the Supreme Court for the return of husbands or wives to their partners within so many days are generally ineffective. In asking in the Auckland Supreme Court on Friday that a divorce petition on the ground j of failure to comply with such an order i be struck out, Mr. Singer reported that the parties had become reconciled andj the order had been complied with, states the "New Zealand Herald." Mr. Justice Callan said that was very satisfactory. Mr. Singer said the law had been justified in one case at least. "I have known the same thing happen once before," remarked his Honour. New Radio Beacons. The Government lighthouse steamer Matai, which returned to Auckland on Friday morning after landing radio beacon equipment at Cuvier Island, was able to perform the work without delay although she was obliged to anchor in an exposed seaway, states the "New Zealand Herald." Leaving !on Wednesday with radio equipment for Moko Hinau Island, she will call !at the Ponui and Piako lights before picking up the Public Works Department staff which was left at Cuvier Island to install the. beacon. After taking the men to Moko Hinau, the Matai will wait at the island until the work is completed and then return to Auckland. Effect of War in Spain. , / ' The war in Spain is having an effect on the fishermen of South Canterbury, states the "Press." With October 1, the opening day for the sport, near at hand, fishermen are having difficulty in procuring fishing casts which are made in Spain by silk worm industries which are now not operating because lof the civil war. Dealers in Temuka, which is one of the greatest fly fishing areas in the world, say that the shorti age will not be as acute this year as it will be next year or the years after. Apparently there is a fair stock of fishi ing casts in sporting shops all over the world which had been put away for the following season; but it is felt I that there will be no such surplus next year. __^_