NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

National Exhibition. The national significance and" character of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition was emphasised in the speeches at the first official ceremony at Rongotai on Saturday, and the president of the New Zealand Exhibition Company (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who compared the present with the past to show the achievements of 100 years, mentioned .the fact that the Government had subsidised the company to the extent of £50,000, and had advanced a loan of £25,000 free of interest. Old School Tie. Several references to opinions on the worth of the "Old School Tie" tradition were made at the annual gathering of the Auckland branch of the Chust's College Old Boys' Association in Auckland, states the "New Zealand Herald." Archbishop Averill, the Rev. G. V. Gerard, Bishop-elect of Waiapu, and Mr. J. W. Shaw said that there was no gainsaying the fact that where such a tradition gave pupils of different schools standards by which to set their conduct, it was of inestimable value. Too much store was set by the easy criticism that the tradition was merely snobbishness. It was only snobbish when it led boys and old boys # of schools to believe that no other schools in the v/orld could provide equal education, and that no other pupils or old boys were so clever. Newspapers of New Zealand Praised. . The newspapers of New Zealand were highly praised by Mr. E. J. Tarr, K.C., president of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs,- who was visiting Christchurch on Friday on his way back from the- British Commonwealth Relations Conference at Sydney, where he was leader of the Canadian delegation, states the "Press." The quality of the writing in newspapers in New Zealand was on an average much superior to the quality of the writing in newspapers of corresponding size in Canada and the United States. In addition he was very favourably impressed by the way the present election campaign was being handled by the newspapers. While the newspapers were almost wholly opposed to the Government in editorial policy, he did think that, notwithstanding the bitterness of the present campaign, the newspapers seemed to give reasonably adequate reports of the meetings of parties to which they were editorially opposed. Mr. Tarr's remarks on the newspapers were entirely unsolicited. First Strawberries of Season. The first strawberries of the season made their appearance at the Auckland city markets on Friday, a consignment of half a crate, or seven chips, coming forward, states the "New Zealand Herald." The fruit, which was grown at Birkdale, was of the Captain Cook variety and, although rather small, was of excellent quality. Keen interest was shown, and the strawberries were sold at 2s 7d a chip. The first strawberries usually come on the market about the first or second week in October. The first grapes to come 'on the market for a considerable period also were available on Friday, a shipment having arrived from California by the Mariposa. Twenty Years Ago. A Prime Minister of New Zealand nearly lost an efficient secretary and Christchurch nearly lost a future chief postmaster one day in Milton nearly twenty years ago. This is one of the many stories told by Mr. F. W. Furby, who retired on superannuation on Friday from his ipsition as chief postmaster in Christchurch. The circumstances of the Milton episode were that Mr. Furby was travelling with Mr. Massey as his private secretary. The party had just moved off from the hotel amidst the cheers of the crowd. | Mr. Massey was in the front seat beside the driver, and Mr. Furby was in the back with Sir Maui Pomare and Sir Charles Statham. A baker's cart bolted across an intersection and the result was a collision.. The cart headed straight for the side of the open car, and Mr. Furby saw the shafts driving at him. Fortunately, they struck the door of the car a few inches below | the top. The horse buried his head in Mr. Furby's side, and he had some j severe bruises to show for his experience. The baker's boy had gone somerI saulting up in the air, but no one was I badly hurt. j