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Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 251, 20 September 1933, Page 6

The equinox occurs on September 23, but rather narrowly escapes being on the 24th. At 11.31 p.m. (approximately) by. New Zealand standard time tho centre’ of the sun will pass the equator into the southern skies. Trail Bros, and Smythie’s sawmill at Longwood (Invercargill) was totally destroyed by fire at about 10.30 on Alonday night. The origin of the outbreak is a mystery. The mill, which was built in 1918 at a cost of £/000, was uninsured. Proof of the success of the unemployment garden scheme in Dunedin is that the number of plots taken up and worked this year is ever 400 ; ail increase of about 100 on the 1932 total. Altogether there are twelve districts, to each of which a supervisor is appointed with inspectors from the unemployed working under him. The Rqngotea Horticultural Society’s Bulb Show attained its majority yesterday, when tho 21st annual exhibition was held. However, the activities of the society date even further back, the first exhibition of tho district’s wealth in respect to flowers and produce dating back an additional three or four years. A. visitor at yesterday s function was Mr J. Gloyn, one of the original band of enthusiasts who were instrumental in setting the movement afoot, while filling the role of secretary to the present committee is Air R. O. Gloyn, a grandson. Advice that motor taxation for the year ended Alarch 31, 1933, totalled £2,656,207 was received from the secretary of the North Island Alotor Union, Mr \V. G. AA’alkley, at a meeting of the council of the Otago Automobile Association last week. The letter stated that the total taxation w’as made up as follows: —Custom duties, vehicles and parts, £145.059; tyre tax, £64,177; motor spirits tax at 6d per gallon, £1,243,614; motor spirits tax at 4d (Consolidated Fund), £526,054; surtax on petrol (Consolidated Fund), £96,094; fees under Alotor Vehicles Act, £352,561; heavy traffic fees, £165,000; drivers’ licenses, £55,000; fees under. Transport Act (commercial vehicle licenses), £8648.

The Japanese people are well trained in the -benefits of hygiene, as is evidenced at the public baths, declares a Taumarunui resident Mr L. G. Godfrey, who has returned from a visit to the East. Smoking under 21 years of age is illegal, and no children under 12 years of age are allowed in “kinemas” without their parents. Even when they are accompanied by adults, such children have to leavo the “kinema” by 9 p.m. The “spring cleaning” of homes and shops is compulsory twice a year in other than the Westernised parts of the cities, where large commercial buildings are erected. All rubbish is dumped into the streets and burned, or carried away by the authorities. Mr Godfrey said he witnessed one such spring cleaning.

To-day there a.re exactly twelve hours between the rising of the sen and its setting. The sun rises at 5.45 a.m. and sets at 5.45 p.m. The Byrd Antarctic expedition is to start for New Zealand waters next Monday, when the two vessels, Bear of Oakland and Pacific Fir, are to sail from Boston for Dunedin. An Auckland paper reports a recurrence of vandalism at Cornwall Park. On Friday afternoon a long line of young Lombardy poplars, which had been planted along the drive near the eastern entrance, were deliberately broken. The damage was done late in the afternoon, and has been attributed to boys.

A proposal to co-operate with farmers in the breeding of pheasants by supplying eggs, and guaranteeing the purchase of the birds hatched, has been approved by the executive of the Wha.ngarei Acclimatisation Society. Farmers are to be supplied with several birds, and the supply of eggs arranged. “It has been suggested in certain quarters that tho rate of exchange ma.y come down very soon,” stated Mr J. Linklater at the opening of the bulb show at Itongotea yesterday. “It may when prices are better,” continued the speaker, “but I do not think there is any possibility of it materialising meantime.” H.M.A.S. Canberra’s Seagull amphibian ’plane, which was to have left Wellington at dawn yesterday for Port Underwood on a reconnaissance flight, remained in the boat harbour owing to the boisterous conditions. As the Canberra is due in Wellington on Thursday it is likely that the ’plane will remain there. All the children who have been in the Children’s Health Camp at Ota.ki during the last week or two have now been sent home. The authorities consider it time that the camp had a spring cleaning. This work cannot be very conveniently done when the children are about, so the camp is to be closed for patients for a month. “Rich and poor are entitled to enter the Hospital, but the day of big wards must go,” stated Mr .1. K. Hornblow, chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, when speaking in the Opera House last evening. “Some people are prepared to pay for a private ■ward. Why should they not have it if they can afford the additional expense which would be involved ?”

As the result of an unusual shooting accident, Mr Vincent Griffiths, aged 22, of Epsom. Auckland, was admitted. to hospital suffering from a. bullet wound in the stomach. Mr Griffiths was out rabbit shooting with a pea rifle. He succeeded in hitting a rabbit and reloaded. However, finding that the animal had not been killed, lie struck it with the butt of his rifle, and the weapon exploded, the bullet entering his body. Stating that it probably constituted a record for the Dominion, the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford), when speaking at a function held in the Opera House last evening to do honour to Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., said that Mr Nash had built up an aggregate of over 260 years of public service in various capacities. Subsequently Mr Nash said that during his 25 years of association with the board he had attended some 750 meetings of the board and its committees. Problems of transport, particularly as it affects the railways and coastal shipping companies, will be discussed at a conference in Wellington between the New Zealand Railways Board, the shipping companies, and the Harbours Association. A conference was to have been held in Palmerston North this week between harbour boards on this coast, coastal shipping representatives, members of Parliament, and chambers of commerce, but in view of the Wellington conference the Palmerston gathering has been postponed in the meantime. Illustrating the progress made by Palmerston North since 1909, the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) at the function held last evening in the Opera House, stated that the population was now 22,000, compared with 11,600 then and the dwellings numbered over 5000, compared with 2400. During the same period the capital valuation of the city hnl increased from just under £2,000,000 to over £7,000,000. The origin of the word Taranaki was expounded by Air J. McLeod at a welcome given to the Taranaki touring team by the Pioneer Sports Club in Christchurch. “Captain Cook, when he visited New Zealand, gave the name of Egmont to Taranaki’s “lone sentinel,’ ” he said. “Before his coming the Maoris knew the mountain as ‘Taranaki,’ and their legend of it runs thus: A long time ago Mounts Egmont and Ruapehu were close together in position; they were, in fact, husband and wife. Domestic troubles arose and Mount Egmont left his wife in a temper and sailed down the Wanganui River. The myth says that they will some day be reconciled and once more live together.” Jews in all parts of the world assembled in their synagogues and temples this afternoon to greet the incoming Jewish New Year, 5694. Judaism lias invested the New Year’s festival .with peculiar and unique solemnity, and with it begins the annual ten-day period of repentance in Israel which culminates in the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish year. Hence the Jew ushers in the New Year not with frivolous and noisy festivities, but in solemn and serious mood, in prayer and meditation. New Year Day is also designated in Jewish lore as the Day of Memorial, or the Day of Judgment, for, according to Jewish tradition, on this day God sits in judgment over the world and takes account of the deeds of men, of good and evil.