NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Flag Trials at Exhibition.

Trials of the long pennants that will hang from the phalanx of lance-like staffs that lean out over the Centennial Avenue at the Exhibition were made by the management today. The avenue at this spot runs between the Australian and United Kingdom pavilions, and the avenue of flags be^ twe.en these imposing buildings will form an impressive approach to the Exhibition from Kingsford Smith Street. Bunting gives a festive air to the grounds, and it will be used extensively on opening day and thereafter. The many flagpoles on the towers will take a considerable amount of bunting, and for these and other prominent parts of the Exhibition 6400 yards . of this material ' have been ordered. Traffic Officers' Signals. Comment that the extraordinary way traffic officers op point duty used their own methods of signalling was very confusing to both pedestrians and motorists was made last evening by j the chairman of the executive of the Automobile Association (Wellington), Mr. E. A. Batt. It was very rarely* he said, that a person received signals that could be clearly understood. He had been told. by the City Engineer, however, that thirty new men would be put on for the Exhibition, and it was intended that classes should be held in standardised signalling. That \vould do away with a lot of the calisthenics at intersections. ! Piloting of Visitors. A suggestion that a system of utilising qualified drivers to act as chauffeurs in piloting visitors to Wellington during the Exhibition period was made at a meeting of the Automobile Association (Wellington) on Monday. The secretary (Mr. W. A. Sutherland) ■said the system * had been used in Sydney, Melbourne, and London. The drivers' in London met visitors and drove their cars, being paid so much an hour by the owners. It might be a good idea to adopt if all expenses were paid. The chairman, Mr. E. A. Batt, said it was a question whether the expected crowds would attend the Exhibition. It was decided to leave the matter until the next meeting. Navy League Loyalty. Loyalty to the Empire and willingness to help was expressed in a resolution carried at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Wellington branch of the Navy League. The resolution was "That the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) be advise.d that the Wellington branch of the Navy League desires wholeheartedly to support him and the New Zealand Government in their efforts to assist in the defence of the Empire, and will be prepared to help the Minister and his Government in any way they may deem possible." It was reported that a motion expressing similar sentiments had been carried at a. meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the league. Picture for Gallery. The committee of the Queen Mary Portrait Fund, representing the women of New Zealand who subscribed towards the purchase of the portrait of her Majesty Queen Mary for presentation to the National Art Gallery, decided that they would use the balance of the fund left over after paying for the portrait to acquire another picture or pictures for the Gallery. The oil painting "Almond Tree at Vieille," by Sydney L. Thompson, exhibited at his recent one-man show .in Wellington, | has been chosen. It is a fine example of the work of this eminent New Zea- ! land artist, depicting a glorious almond I tree in full bloom set in ••• sunny land- j scape of southern France. It will be a valuable addition to the national i collection. The artist, who received his early training in New Zealand under Van der Velden, has spent several years, working in Provence and Brittany, where , his work is well known and highly valued. "Family and Breakfast Table Affected." "It seems a pity that the Government, in introducing its increased taxation, could not have taxed items which would not have meant a direct increase in the cost of living," said the report presented to the annual meeting of the Canterbury and Westland branch of the Eeal Estate Institute, reports the "Press." "By taxing petrol it is affecting the cost of delivery of such necessities as milk, bread, meat, and groceries, and those costs will have to be passed on, as the margin of profit on necessaries is too small to stand any increased cost of service. If the Government, in its wisdom, had increased the taxes on all forms of amusements (particularly beer, wine, spirits, and totalisator) it could have recovered the amount of money required, and at the same time have done this country' a real service. Its present form of taxation will directly affect the housewife, and through her the family and breakfast table —the very thing we cannot afford to happen."

Cheapest in the World,

"This Mid-Canterbury irrigation scheme will be the cheapest in the world," said the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), when describing to some 500 persons at the _-tangitata diversion camp on Monday the magnitude of the work and the way in which the use of modern machinery was keeping the cost to a minimum, reports the "Press." Mr. Semple said the scheme would irrigate 420,000 acres at a cost of £6 an acre.' Argentina had irrigated 6,000,000 acres at £10 an acre, and for schemes in other parts of the world the cost ranged up to £51 an acre in Australia. "The scheme is 'the cheapest in the world because we are doing the job the way we are," the Minister said. "It could never have been undertaken by hand labour. We are employing 206 men. anr' ould need 2450 if it was being uone by manual labour. This big number would mean a cost of £i.750.00{) against tin. £250,000 being spent to do the job with modern machinery."

Saluting the Flag.

"It is a singularly appropriate time for the observation in schools of the practice of saluting the flag," said the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, at a civic reception to the delegates to the annual conference of the Dominion Federation of School Committees' Associations of New Zealand, reports the "New Zealand Herald." It would keep before the children's minds all for which the flag stood, and so they would realise to the full the sacrifices which were being made on their behalf by the Empire's soldiers, who had rallied to the standard in war. Sports Art Union Moneys. Official advice was received by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last night that the association had been granted a loan of £550 from the sports art union proceeds to finance teams of overseas athletes to New Zealand during the Centennial celebrations, the' loan to be a first charge against the profits accruing &om the tour. The question was raised as to whether the loan in effect was a guarantee against loss. Mr. H. McCormick, the secretary, said that it was automatically a guarantee against loss, the position as he understood it being that the association only paid back out of the profits of the tour. To that extent it was a guarantee up to £550 against loss. It was decided to ask for a specific undertaking to this effect so as to remove any possible doubt and place the matter on a strictly' business basis. Pharmacy Bill, Criticised. 3 "The Pharmacy Bill as at present drawn is very definitely in restraint of trade as it would apply to wholesale and retail traders, and particularly to the retail grocer," said Mr. F. Wilson at the meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last night, when a letter' was read from the Canterbury Chamber asking that Wellington should give support in representations to the Government in opposition to the Bill. Drastic repercussions would follow if the Bill went through as drafted, said Mr. Wilson, for under it pretty well anything could be designated as a drug. . Very great inconvenience would be caused in country districts where it was not possible for chemists to operate and where grocers and traders carried as standard stocks goods that could be classed as drugs. Mr. M. F. Luckie said that the responsible Minister, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, was essentially a reasonable man who would no doubt agree to the Bill going before the Statutes Revision Committee if representations were made. The matter was referred to the Associated Chambers as a subject for urgent action. ,