LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 7 June 1930, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The traffic inspector (Mr Parkinson) desires to give a" warning to cyclists—chiefly "the five o'clock brigade," against riding their machines without lights. Unless tho by-law is better observed the offenders are likely to find themselves before the court.

The Postal authorities advise that mails which left Auckland on the 6th May, per R.M.S. Aorangi, via Vancouver, arrived in London on sth June.

The Anchor Company's s.s. Koi which was recently bought by Mr A. A. Perano, was this morning taken in tow of his vessel Tuatea and proceeded to Pieton where slie will be used as a coal hulk.

As the flagship of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's fleet the Tainui now at Auckland has tho further distinctioiiyof carrying the company's senior chief engineer, Mr George Arthur, who has been in the service of the line for 45 years. He joined the first Arawa as fifth engineer in 1884, and three and a half years later was apointod chief engineer of the first Tainui. Thus Mr Arthur has been chief engineer-in the company's service for over forty years, and has probably the longest record of service in that capacity in the world. His is a remarkable record, as it covers prictictdly the whole period of direct steamer connection between New Zealand and England, as well as the wLole growth of the frozen meat trade. Ho is to-day the sole survivor of those who manned the engine-rooms of the New Zealand liners of the 'eighties. Another oftcel on the Tainui with a long record of service in trading to the Dominion is tho purser, Mr C. J. Hobden. He has been vovaging to New Zealand for 30 years, though recently he just completed Iwo years in the Australian service of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company.

Criticism of the Government's proposal to economise at the expense of the territorial military training system was made by many ex-soldiers oil the occasion of the reunion of the Eleventh Taranaki Regiment this week. It was refreshing, said Major F. S. Varnham, replying to the toast of the regiment, to hear that the Dnnedin Employers' Association favoured retention of the present system, in face of the criticism lately levelled against it. The regiment needed its friends to rally around it upon such an occasion, In Major Vaniham's view it would be a pity to break up an organisation that could not be patched up again so easily. Admittedly there was need for economy, but other fields could be explored. The modern youth was born to a certain amount of service, and that condition inculcated a sense of civic responsibility. Unless a nation possessed principles that it was prepared to uphold it would go under. The backing of every exservice man in the district was stated by Captain Hartnell, president of the R.S.A., to be available. Although economy was needed, it could be bought at too dear a price. The tendency to reduce military defence expenditure was also deprecated by Major A. E. Conway, officer commanding the district. He was pleased, however, that the loss in numbers had not detracted from the efficiency of the force.

The protection afforded to the seahawk (Hakoakoa) (Megalestris lonnbergi) under the Animals Protection and Game Act. is removed by "Gazette" notice published this week.

A missionary sale will be held in St. John's Methodist Sunday School on Tuesday, 17th June. Entries are solicited for cake competitions as advertised. Member and friends of the W.C.T.U. are reminded of the meeting to be held in BuiTough House on Tuesday as advertised.

Mr E. C. Banks, of Matamata, who lias represented tho interests of agriculture on the Council of Education, which acts in an advisory capacity to the Education Department, since the inception of the council in 1914, has advised tho Minister of Education that ho does not seek reappointment for the coming term. Tho period of appointment is for three years, the present hoing Mr Banks' fifth term. Mr W. A. Banks, of Ran'giora, North Canterbury, a brother of Mr E. C. Banks, who has been a member of the council for a similar period, and Mr T. U. Wells., of Auckland, who has represented tho male teachers for six years and the North Island Education Boards for nine years, have also come to a similar decision. It is understood (says the Auckland "Star") that the decision to retire come to by these three gentlemen, has no special significance, but is wholly the result of their desire to give way in favour of younger men. The suggestion that regional planning involves an unwarranted interference with the prerogatives and privileges of local bodies was assailed by the Director of Town Planning (Mr J. W. Mawson). "Regional planning schemes in the first instance are prepared by a committee set up by the local authorities themselves," he said, "and these committees have advisory powers only. Once a regional area has been 'gazetted and the committee set up, neither the Town Planning Board nor any Government department will interfere in the work of the committee, except perhaps to assist it with advice or to give effect to its recommendations in so far as they concern Government departmental activities. Once a scheme is prepared it rests with its constituted local authority to give effect to it in its own good time in its own way, and in accordance with the resources at its disposal." The difficulty he had experienced through the "restriction imposed on members of the Public Service against commenting publicly on matters of general interest was alluded to by the Director of Town Planning (Mr J. W. Mawson), when addressing delegates from local authorities at this week's inquiry by the regional boundaries committee of the Town Planning Board (reports "The Dominion"). "The unwritten law which decrees that * a Public servant may not comment upon or discuss any public matters engaging, or likely to engage, the attention of Parliament or of the Government of the day may have its good points," said Mr Mawson, "but it may also prove to be a severe handicap to an officer, part of whose duty it is to create an enlightened public opinion on some social or economic problem. That has been my experience on many occasions since coming to New Zealand, and particularly during the course of the inquiries which have "been conducted throughout the Dominion by this committee. It has fallen to my lot as the executive officer of the Town Planning Board," Mr Mawson continued, "to explain the purpose and scope of an Act of Parliament designed to secure the conservation and economic development of the natural resources of the country without specifically mentioning such matters as land settlement, land valuation, rating, certain phases of local body administration arid finance, co-ordination of transport and unemployment, except perhaps to indicate in general terms the very close relation between regional planning and the solution of these problems. It is rather like asking a man to preach a sermon and debarring him from saying anything about religion." The total urban population of the Dominion is 880,000, and the urban area is 300,370 acres, which gives a density of population to the gross acre of 2.6, according to a statement made fry the director of town planning (Mr J. W. Mawson.) at an inquiry by the regional boundaries committee. "The total mileage of streets in urban districts formed and metalled is approximately .4000 miles, or 48 feet frontage per head of urban population," lie added.

Seeing a counterfeit coin lying on the mantelpiece in a public building one day this week, an ohicial of the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court crushed and bent it between his fingers, lie explained that if he saw a counterfeit coin and did not destroy; it he was liable to a fine of £2O and dismissal from the service.

Prospects of the early inauguration of a regular shipping service between New Zealand and Japan are exceptionally bright, according to Mr J. Wat'anabe, representative of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha, a prominent Japanese shipping firm, who arrived at Auckland from Sydney by the Maunganui on Tuesday. Mr Watanabe is of the opinion that trade between the two countries has already grown to a sufficient extent to justify a regular service, and that, with the service in operation the trade would increase still further. "There is an excellent market in Japan for New Zealand goods," Mr Watanabe said. "Western commodities are becoming more popular every year and Japan's imports of wool, tallow, casein, butter, cheese and frozen meats are steadily increasing.. Already we import these goods from New Zealand, but our imports would be much larger with direct communication. Similarly, we would be able to export larger quantities of our silk and other goods to New Zealand. Last year, owing to the fall in wool values, the trade balance between the two countries was in favour of Japan, which exported goods valued at £600,000 to New Zealand and imported goods valued at £400,000. However, in previous years the balance had been in favour of New Zealand. The New Zealand tariff is much more moderale than that of Australia and as a result Japan is becoming more interested in the New Zealand market."

"I want to assure yon that the do fence forces of New Zealand were never more efficient than they are to-day," said Brigadier 11. R. Potter, officer commanding the Northern Command, when referring, at an Empire Veterans' luncheon this week, to the proposed curtailment of. the defence system. "But 1 must also sound a note of warning. We tire training a tremendous number of voung lads, building up young manhood and inculcating a spirit of obedience, a spirit of service and a spirit of sacrifice. Before you throw away the institution that is teaching the boys these grand things for the Empire, find out what is going to lake its place." Sir Thomas Sidey's warning regarding headings to press reports of trials (which appeared in yesterday's issue) referred to a trial now pending, not to a recent trial.

At a meeting of the members of the Nelson Citizens' Band on Friday evening it was decided to hold a queen carnival, fancy fair, and bazaar early in October next.

Fruitgrowers are advised in this issue of the Annual Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation. Ltd.. to be held in Nelson next Tuesday, 10th June. The Nelson Citizens' Band will give a concert at the Public Hospital on Sunday afternoon, commencing at 2.30. A collection will be taken at the gates. At a euchre party to be held in St. Thomas's School on Tuesday evening, prizes won during the season in connection with the Motueka Defence Pi fin Club competitions, will be presented by Mr G. C. Black, M.P.

The usual Saturday night dance will be held in the Velmn Hall to-night. "Monte Carlos". "Lucky Spots", and "Excuse Me" dances "and the latest jazz music by the Regal dance band, are some of the attractions offered.

A rather 'good story is told concerning Mr P. Verschaffelt, Public Service Commissioner, who has just been created a C.M.G. It was in the days when speeding by motorists on the Hutt road soon after it was put down in bitumen was very prevalent. Mr Verschaffelt was driving along at a speed which attracted the attention of the traffic inspector, who stopped the car and demanded "Name, please." "Paul Verscha " Traffic inspector (struggling with his note book): "How do you spell it?" Mr Verschaffelt again spelt out his name, adding "An acute 'e', please." '"Er,. what?" was the reply. After a.further attempt at explanation by the Public Service Commissioner, the traffic inspector ended the incident by remarking: " 'Er, mister, you had better get away home." Mr Verscha If elt went on his way convinced that after all there was something in a name.

So far, as can be observed the parasite liberated a year ago by Mr. James J Young, Curator of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, under the direction of' the Cawthron Institute, has had no effect in eradicating the golden scale, the chief enemy of the English oak (states "The Press"). The parasite was hatched in tho Botanic Gardens, and liberated by Mr Youn'g, but in his observations he can find no sign that it has attacked the scale. He said this week that it was early to conclude that the parasite had failed. In any case there was only a small percentage of English oaks killed out by the scale, and this was only one of the pests which attacked them. He had always held that it would be best to plant the Turkish oak and the other species which were immune from blight. They had some good specimens of these growing in the Gardens, and they were as fine looking trees as tho English oak. "Last year I sent some 150 species of seeds to a gentleman in Sussex," said Professor Arnold Wall, at a meeting of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, referring to the growing of New Zealand plants in England. "Results are generally disappointing in this connection, but 1 sent these Home in a thermos flask, and some of them have germinated, though I have not received a complete check on them all. Seeds have been known, however, to germinate after seven or eight years in the ground."

During the past five months of this year the Lyttelton Harbour Board's receipts were £49,742, compared with £66,208 for the ■ first five months last year, a decrease of £6466. At this week s meeting of the Board the chairman (Mr 11. Holland, M'.P.j said that there was no need to feel dismayed, or to hoist the white flag on account of the figures. Auckland and Wellington showed practically the same results. It was a reflection of the business position throughout the Dominion, and it should be remembered that there were 115,000 bales of wool in the Dominion to be exported. In addition, to that, the Board had brought down its charges. The Government has reconsidered its decision not to finance the eclipse expedition. It found that the total cost need not exceed £SOO instead of £IOOO as at first stated. The Government will provide £2OO and the public must find the rest. An appeal will be made for subscriptions.—Press Association: m

In an interesting review of botanical work in New Zealand for the 1929-30 season, Professor A. Wall, before the Canterbury Philosophical Institute this week, dealt with native plants in the Marlborough Province, where he spent a good deal of time. He mentipned a fairly large number of plants he saw, and dealt with their nomenclature, and to some extent, their habitats. He said that a scheme had been adopted in Auckland to help to educate and interest school children by sending specimens of plants around the schools, with information about them. He wjould like to have the same scheme in Canterbury, but would not be able to attempt it at present. The destruction of na tive plants by deer was emphasised by Professor Wall, who said that recently he had been informed by Mr R. a. Clouston, caretaker of the Gouland Downs Sanctuary, a wild tract of country south of Collingwood, that deer had attacked a rare native shrub on the shores of Boulder Lake, in the Takaka district.

"The more you buy from New Zealand, the more New Zealand will be able to buy from you," was the message of the poster set which appeared on the Empire Marketing Board's special poster frames in nearly 500 towns throughout the United Kingdom, in April. The set consisted of five posters. A sheep station in New Zealand and woollen mills in the United Kingdom were the subjects of the first and fifth; maps of the British Isles and of New Zealand drawn to scale and flanked by figures giving the value of exports of frozen mutton and lamb from New Zealand to the United Kingdom, and of wearing apparel and textile goods from the United Kingdom to New Zealand were scene in the centre. To right anpl left, smaller posters showed a family in Great Britain sitting down to enjoy a meal of New Zealand lamb, butter and honey, and a tailor ■in New Zealand measuring a customer, for r. suit of British cloth The posters served a dual purpose. They illustrated the advantages of buying more New Zealand produce and at the same time emphasised the dependence of Home manufactures upon the Oversea Empire markets.

The new Cabinet has already had under discussion the railway investigation promised by the Prime Minister in last week's survey of Dominion finance (says the Wellington correspondent of the Christchurch "Times"). It is intended to commence this important inquiry immediately the personnel of the Commission can be arranged, as Cabinet has already decided what questions are to be submitted to it. The new Prime Minister, when acting leader of the House last session, had to deal with a no-confidence debate based on the Ward Government's railway construction policy. Answering critics of some of the extensions, Mr Forbes stated without equivocation that he favoured an economic investigation of all railway extension proposals before Parliament was asked to authorise thorn. In his present position of control it can be confidently anticipated that Mr Forbes will carry out this promise, which means an overhaul of the construction programme already authorised by Parliament. This is an entirely separate question from that of current losses on railway working, and it will not be submitted to the Commission which undertakes the ■investigation of operating lines. This Commission will be asked to report on the best policy to adopt in respect of a number of branch lines which are extremely unprofitable,' and to call for the fullest information from railway officials regarding details of operating costs and methods, with the object, if possible, of recommending substantial '; economies. The new Minister of Rail- ' wavs, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, is not likely to await the result of a lengthy inquiry, but will endeavour to bring in economies promptly where his practical j experience suggests that they are possi- ' bie. ' I

In connection with (he proposal to seal a portion of (lie Wakefield road through the township the amendment moved by Councillor Kenyon at the Waimea County Cornell meeting referred to the length from Hooper's stcre to Hoult's corner,