NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 40, 17 February 1938, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

At the executive meeting of 'tflfc' Automobile Association (Manawatu) last evening 125 new members were elected. The transport Department advised the Automobile Association (Manawatu) last evening that it had adopted the association’s suggestion for the broadcasting of safety-first messages per medium oE the loud-speaker systems at race meetings, where practicable. The installation of radio equipment in the East Coast Airway’s Do IJaviiland Dragon ’planes is expected to be completed in ample time before the winter schedule is commenced. Ground will be made at the three ports of call, Palmerston North, Napier and Gisborne. Wheu told by counsel for a Maori accused in tho {Supreme Court at Napier that the native was not sure of his age, Mr. Justice Blair smiled, .and reniarked: “ It’s surprising how certain some of these fellows are of their ages when there’s a bit of money left them. Of course, that's; different/ 1 The service officer of the Automobile Association ( Manawatu) reported to a meeting of the association’s executive last evening that over 1000 parties had used the Palmerston North Esplanade motor camp between November 1 and February 12. The visitors came from all parts of New Zealand, but the greater numbor were residents of Wellington and district. Most of the parties remained one night only. The salaries paid to motion picture stars are “quite ridiculous,” in the opinion of Mr. Montague Marks, general manager of London Films, who was in Christ church. Mr. Marks compared the value of a film star with the value of a t rade name like . Colman’s Mustard. Once a star has a name favoured by the public, the name itself was worth ai enormous sum for the “goodwill” it carried. “If we don’t pay for it someone else will,” he said. Road traffic over the holiday period was exceptionally heavy, the Automobile Assoc: ation (Manawatu) service officer, Mr. H. R. D. Browne, reported to a meeting of the association executive last evening. He added that in general tho regulations were well observed and careful driving was in evidence. Only one bad case of speeding was observed, but there was still room for improvement amongst a certain class of d river who cuts in and out of traffic without due care. The police are seeking the identity of a man whose body was found floating in Wellington harbour last Saturday. He had the appearance of being between 55 and (JU years of age, and about 6ft. in height. The hair was sandycoloured and he was garbed in a grey serge suit. Deceased’s luggage was found iu the Wellington railway office and from the number of labels on it, it appears he travelled frequently between Palmerston North and Masterton. His occupation is judged to have been either fencing or drain digging. A striking exainple of xlio buoyancy and “ seaworthy ” qualities of the black shag was observed recently by a Rotorua party visiting Orakei Korako. Near the thermal area are the Wakaiieke rapids, which iu size and turbulence very closely approach the famous Aratiatia rapids near Taupo. In full view of the party, a large shag “shot” the rapids for a considerable distance, disappeared in a smother of spray down a fall, and then, in the midst of the wateay turmoil, quietly took wing and staged a perfect take-off from what appeared to be a completely unnavigable surface. “Personally I would not object if there was no more rain now until near the end of orehardist, when commenting upon the hold-up in orchard work occasioned by the unsettled weather. He said that the next two months or so were the peak period oJ: tho exporting season and growers wanbed all the fine weather they could g€:t. With the abundant crop this year, the harvesting will be particularly heavy and wet days will be expensive to fruitgrowers, for there was a possibility of the delays making it impossible to pick the fruit when it should be gathered. A suggestion that service officers of automobile associations could help in the effort to prevent the all too frequent fires w.liic hspoii large areas of countryside, came from the Commissioner of {State Forests to the executive of the Automobile Association (Manawatu) last evening. It was suggested that the service officers could warn campers and tourists, notify forest officers of the existence and location of fires and extinguish small roadside fires where that could be done speedily without interference with normal duties. The executive approved of the idea but decided to write for further information as to the officers’ obligations before giving assent to an appointment.

The screen is anything but a perfect artistic medium, according to Mr. Montague Marks, general manager of London Films aiid associate of Alexander Korda. Though Mr. Marks attaches great importauce to the creative vision of producers such as Korda, he admitted frankly in an interview that u film was limited in its possibilities by the necessity for appealing immediately to a large public. At the same time, he said, tremendous risks were taken by London Films iu the attempt to produce films which would first and foremost satisfy Korda’s sense of fitting: films which would be in the first place what the public needed, rather than merely what the public would be attracted to. “It is like sitting on a box of dynamite,” he remarked, referring to these risks.