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Evening Star, Issue 23492, 5 February 1940, Page 6

Probably the number of people who found any use for the week-end pales could be counted on the fingers or one hand, and of that few a trio of small boys at St. Kilda would probably occupy pride of place. These lads found that by hoisting a sail to a small wooden trolly excellent- use could be made of the high wind. There was little of the sailmaker’s craft about the sail which these boys manufactured; it was a rough-and-ready affair of light scrim, but what it lacked in appearance it made up for in utility. The land yacht travelled at a considerable speed once the wind filled the sail, and the boys had a good deal of fun for practically no outlay, the sealed roads providing an ideal surface for rapid travel.

There can bo no pleasure in motoring during England’s blackouts, as is demonstrated by a motor car brought to New Zealand last week by an English visitor. All lamps—head and rear—are treated with a special black paint, leaving in the headlamps only a bare 2in square of white for the light to filter through. No reflectors whatsoever are allowed. In fact, the only effective lighting on the English car after its treatment appear to come from the bumper bars and strips of metal along the running hoards. Those arc treated with luminous paint.

Tho fact that the Gaelic tongue is spoken in parts of the Cape Breton area of Canada was revealed in an address by Mr G. Glennie, of Wellington, to tho 'Palmerston North Rotary Club. As a result of Scottish migration many years ago this unexpected development had arisen, and to-day a newspaper was printed in the Gaelic tongue and occasionally the language was heard in sermons. Smelt transferred from the Rotorua district to Lake Taupo are expected to play an important part in providing food for trout in the lake. Smelt, a small fish, is plentiful in parts of tho Rotorua district, and for some years tho Government has been transferring consignments to Lake Taupo. They appear to have thrived there and have been seen in various parts of the lake, particularly along the western shore. Tho trout feed readily on the small fish. There was nothing modest about the claims put forward by various speakers at tho reception to Lord and Lady Willingdon in Hastings (states the ‘Her-ald-Tribune ’). All the speakers sought to impress upon the visitors the fact that “ there was no other place in the world like Hastings and Hawke’s Bay,” and to most people the position of Bishop Bennett would have presented rather a difficulty in finding a new way of expressing the same thought but in a different way after three speakers had previously expressed their views. However, he was able to call upon Maori tradition to assist him. and << proved ” that Hawke’s Bay was at least the most important part of New Zealand. His evidence was the old Maori story of the fishing of tho North Island, and how the fisherman’s hook was represented in the coastline, from Cape Kidnappers up to the east coast. A proposal that during the war, while shop staffs were depleted, a general lunch hour should be observed, was made by Mr H. C. Baird at a recent meeting of the Hastings Retailers’ Association. He suggested that from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 o’clock bo generally adopted, Mr L. J. Harvey supported the plan, and said that even if it did not suit all retailers it could be adopted by those who wished to do so. As part of the recruiting rally to be held on Wednesday night, a recruiting van will accompany the bands oh their march through the city streets. At the Town Hall itself a sergeant and a recruiting staff will he present to accept registrations. All preparations are now well in hand for this rally, and it is hoped that there will he an excellent response from the young men of this city. The Papal Legate arrived at Otaki this morning. Ho was welcomed by the mayor, Mr Atmore, in the presence of a large gathering. The streets were decorated, and later in the Catholic; grounds tho party had a great recep-; tion. The grounds were decorated for the occasion.—Press Association. What must be regarded as an innovation in handling cargo on the waterfront was .being employed this morning on a ship at present berthed nt a Dunedin wharf. Instead of manual labour being used for the transportation of strips of steel about 30ft by 3ft to their appointed position on the wharf, a tractor was doing the work. When tho strips were landed in the usual fashion from the ship’s derricks on to tho wharf, a steel vyce was clamped on to tho end of the metal strip, and the tractor proceeded to tow it (not without some manteuvring) to its destination. Tho tractor gaily mounted on top of those it had already piled about a foot high, and did what, would normally have a been a lengthy work in speedy and expeditious fashion.

To-morrow the new commemorative issue of Reserve Bank notes will bo on issue from all local banks, and the curiosity of those people who are wondering exactly what form the “ fresh features embodied with a view to affording the maximum protection to the currency ” will take will bo assuaged. Although this issue coincides with the Centennial celebrations, and has pertain historical features depicted, it is not merely to bo a commemorative issue, but is intended to replace gradually the existing Reserve Bank notes, which have always been regarded as of a temporary nature. However, it is not intended that existing notes will be replaced at once—they are expected to be in circulation for some time. Further, as a war-time economy measure, the public has been requested to handle the new notes with as much care as possible to prolong their life in circulation.

A further meeting of fishermen was held at Port Chalmers on Saturday in connection with the abolition of the fish market. The amount of concern that the position is causing may be judged from the fact that every fisherman who has been supplying the market was present or represented. Tt was agreed unanimously that the abolition of the market*as proposed by the Government was not desired by the industry, nor was it considered to be in the interests of the general public. It was decided to send another deputation to Wellington, this time to inform the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, of the decision. Tt was stated that the Minister had repeatedly given assurances that his department did not interfere except where specifically requested to do so, and, in view of this, it is l confidently anticipated by the men that the market will not he closed down.

Spring tides last week-end caused spoil from the harbour to be cast up on the road between Portobello and Broad Bay in quite good quantities and sizes, but yesterday spring tides were not needed —the wind achieved the same result. Not for a long time has such a steady, strong west-south-westerly breeze whipped the lower harbour to high, white-capped seas as were running yesterday, and holidaymakers had their day completely spoiled by it. Seas four to five feet from trough to cap were running close inshore near Portobello, and dashed so strongly against the road wall that they flung spray as far as the remote side of the roadway, casting up small stones with every leap. The harbour was an angry picture, and the white-caps running out in deeper water must have assumed impressive proportions, to judge by the picturesque effect inshore. The wind maintained its full strength until late in the afternoon, but even then there was half a gale blowing. Although several of the stalls at Kettle Park (where the St. Kilda Beach Improvement Society and local swimming organisations are conducting a carnival in aid of their funds) suffered badly from yesterday’s gale, the show will be ready to go on to-night. Numerous voluntary workers who heard of the damage that had resulted appeared on the scene yesterday, and with so many willing hands to give assistance, replacements were effected that will enable the carnival to be carried on in full during the present week. It says a good deal for the helpers at St Kilda that after doing their part there for IP days they should have been prepared to turn to in an emergency and help the society out of a difficulty.

City gardens and orchards suffered to a certain extent yesterday from the strong southerly gale, but not much damage of a serious nature is recorded. Suburbs adjacent to the harbour and Peninsula received the worst damage,, and at Anderson’s Bay, a shed belonging to the contractor for the new bridge was blown bodily into the inlet. Stalls at Kettle Park which have been operating during the St. Kilda Beach Improvement Society’s carnival suffered badly, several of them being completely flattened early yesterday morning. One of them was damaged beyond repair. Fences on the flat, and on hillsides exposed to the full force of the wind were blown down in a number of cases. Another loss to many suburbanites is the fruit which was shaken down from the trees. The-season has been a poor one for pears, plums, and some apples, and a good many trees lost, during the week-end, all the meagre crops they were carrying.

A fire in Princes street early this morning was put out by the City Firo Brigade before very extensive damage was done. At 2.53 a.m. the brigade received a call to No. 1 Princes street, a shop which is occupied by Health Foods Ltd., and is better known as Haynian Bros’. Milk Bar. The floor, counter, and freezing plant was slightly damaged by the outbreak, and the shop and stock suffered from the effects of heat and smoke. The lire was caused by an electrical defect in the freezing machinery. The building is owned by Strand Building’s Ltd. Buried beneath the Grecian ruins in Crete were the ruins of a pre-Grecian civilisation, 3000 n.c., whose very language was unknown, but where women, as could be seen from statues in the British Museum, wore evening dresses similar to those worn now in the centres of European and American fashion, said Dr Halliday Sutherland in his lecture in Wellington on ‘ How Nations Die.’ Women of this ancient civilisation also rouged their lips and painted their finger nails crimson.

An old-time dance is being arranged for Wednesday night on the new ballroom floor of the Early Settlers’ Hall. At the St. John Ambulance Hall this evening a special dance will he held, when a ‘ Night in the Kitchen ’ will be featured. Pat Harbrow’s band will supply the music, and extras will be given by tile Buddy Bros. The usual taxi service will be available after the dance.