GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 20 October 1937, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Superannuation Payments

Mr 11. Alrnore (Independent. Nelson) in the House of Representatives yesterday, gave notice of his intention to ask tiie Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) whether he will inquire into the question of low superannuation payments being made to retired Civil servants, and whether, where such payments arc shown to be inadequate, in view of the increased cost of living, he will arrange to supplement them?

A Broadcast Speech

In notice of question addressed to the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser), Mr W. J Poison (National, Stratford) in the House of Representatives yesterday, asked (1) Whether the Minister was aware that a member of the staff of one of the training colleges, speaking from 2YA on Monday, lllli inst.. made flic statement that, "while you may hear of bombing in China, you do not hear of the women and children killed by British bombings on the north-west frontiers of India?” (2) Whether he considered it desirable that such statements should be made by a New Zealand Civil servant through the State broadcasting system, and whether, if the facts were as stated, it was intended to allow such a condition of affairs to continue? Nelson Diocesan Trust Board The Nelson Diocesan Trust Board Empowering Bill was received from the House of Representatives and read a first lime in the Legislative Council yesterday Rotary Conference in Christchurch The annual conference of the fiftythird (New Zealand) district of Rotary will be held in Christchurch from 22nd February to 251 h February next year. Apart from a conference business there will be a number of entertainments for delegates, including a ball, a garden party, a picnic, and a musical and dramatic entertainment. A garden party, in aid of St. Barnabas’ Anglican Church, will be held in the beautiful grounds at the Riwaka school, on Saturday afternoon, when a welcome home will be extended to the Rev. P. Kirkham and Mrs Kirkham. In addition to the various stalls and competitions there will be entertaining items, and all denominations are cordially invited.

Decline in Butter Production Due to the scarcity of labour, and in an endeavour to keep ragwort in check, some Taranaki back country farmers are turning from combining dairying, sheep running ami raising of dry stock to the latter two branches of farming, while others, for the same reasons, are drastically reducing their milking cattle and concentrating more on sheep Specific examples quoted I his week showed this tendency has already reached proportions that may. if not checked, lead tc a rapid decline in the amount of dairy produce, particularly butter, produced in tiie province. With the recovery in wool prices it would naturally lie expected that there would bo a tendency for settlers to reduce Cm size of their dairy herds to pre-slump level, and the effect would not have been very serious. But now tiie back country settlers find it so difficult to get labour to carry on dairying that they are not only reducing their output of cream from their farms, but arc going out of dairying altogether. Sunniest City? As (lie result of a change in tiie position of the instrument for recording the sun's rays at the Albert Park Observatory, Auckland bids fair to achieve its ambition to rank as the sunniest city in New Zealand (says tiie "Star”). When the sunshine recorder was removed from its stand on the ground last autumn and placed at a height of 24ft on a mast, it was expected that an increase would be shown in the total hours of sunshine, but the rise is considerably greater than was anticipated. For the past four months the readings have been consistently above the average, the aggregate excess being 811 hours. The month of greatest increase was August, for which the exceptionally high figure of 183 hours of bright sunshine was recorded, as compared with an average for August of 151 hours. If the trend continues on tiie higher level the total of annual sunshine in Auckland appears likely to be from 100 to 150 hours greater than in past years, and the city may perhaps challenge Nelson's claim to the highest average sunshine in the Dominion. Unusual Occupation The fact that a dispute concerning muxterers, packers, drovers and snow rakers will be heard at Auckland on 26th October is Urn purpose of an Arbitration Court announcement. While most people probably are conversant with the occupations followed by the ! first three parties to Hie dispute it is doubtful if many could furnish a definition of the term "snow raker.” The most interesting point about a snow raker appears to be that he does not use a rake (states the "Herald"). Good eyes and a heavy tread are the requirements of tin's unsual occupation, which is practically limited to the high country of the South Island. During tiie winter, sheep on stations near tiie mountains often get caught in snowdrifts, and arc submerged to a considerable depth. It is the job of the snow raker to discover these sheep and- to rescue them. Generally, these men work in pairs or Uirees. Steam rising from small holes in the snow tells them that sheep are breathing below. From a clear patch of lowlying ground the snow rakers tramp a hard pathway to the sheep, and, having extricated them, lead or drive them back along the path. Sometimes the siieep are discovered in deep depressions, the snow that might have covered them having melted, leaving high inaccessible walls on both sides. Again if. is for the snow rakers to tramp down a pathway and shepherd the animals to clear ground. American Tourist’s Praise Generous praise for the manner in which New Zealand is being developed, particularly in road construction, was given by Captain A. T. Simrnie, of California, who is spending a month touring the Dominion by private ear, accompanied by his wife. Speaking to a representative of "The Press” at Westport he said that New Zealand as a young country was able to profit by the experience and development of modern road-making machinery in older countries, and was therefore making progress at a more rapid rate than in other parts of the world. Captain Simrnie said that ho and his wife were having a delightful time in New Zealand, which they considered a wonderful country, with remarkable and beautiful scenery. Beyond that he had nothing to say, because he did not believe it was right for overseas visitors to criticise, and then permit their views to be given prominence in the newspapers. When he was told that constructive criticism was invited from tourists as a means of discovering means by which the tourist trade could be increased and conditions made more attractive to visitors. Captain Simrnie said that that would come of itself. "You are doing very well at present,” lie said, “and there is no doubt that an increasing number of people will visit New Zealand every year from now on.”

The Right Bias

Auckland could probably claim more bowlers to the square inch than any city of tiie world, and tiie popularity of the game here is steadily spreading (says the “Star”).; there are now 47 clubs affiliated to the centre, with a total membership in excess of 3000, a record of progress which does not play second fiddle even to the remarkable rise of golf. Perhaps the fact that the city has the oldest bowling club in the Southern Hemisphere, the Auckland Club, in some measure accounts for this rising tide. Auckland bowlers seem to have more enterprise than their Southern brothers of the mat. for when the last Australian tour was undertaken 90 pw cent, of the thirty-odd players came from this city, while this Christmas at least seven rinks from Auckland will visit the Commonwealth for the Australian championships and the Empire Games, while it is doubtful if even one team will enter from tiie rest of the Dominion; at all events, none lias entered yet. The freemasonry of the green is one of bowling's chief assets, and a player who visits a green anywhere is greeted as a long-lost brother, and the sociability and friendliness thus displayed open the door of enjoyment to visitors everywhere the game is played.

"My boy’s birthday to-morrow,” confided the little old lady to the tobacconist. "so I thought I'd give him a bit of nice tobacco.” "Couldn't do better Ma’am,” beamed the tobacconist. “Does lie smoke a pipe or cigarettes?” “Well, of course, he oughtn’t to smoke at all at his age,” replied the little old lady, “but you know what young people are now! —will have their own way!” "Yes,” agreed the tobacconist, "youth must be served!” 'He smokes a pipe,” went on the little old lady. "Did you ever?’ "Then I'll recommend Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), one of the famous toasted brands, lovely bouquet, and harmless—it’s toasted, and hardly any Nicotine in it! There’s other toasted brands— Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Iliverhead Gold and Desert Gold They're all good, but you try Navy Cut No. 3. About bow much would you like—half a pound?” "That’ll do nicely.” said the little old lady, and popping the tobacco into her shopping bag, she tripped gaily away! She chose wisely a bit of the genuine "toasted” makes, "a fine birthday present* Frock Week at Trathon’s. Full details and prices page 9*

A Dangerous Philosophy “There is :i dangerous philosophy underlying the reimposition of the graduated land tax,” declared the Dominion president of the Farmers Union. Mr W. W. Mulholland, when speaking at East Tamaki (reports the “New Zealand Herald”). He said the union was lighting a battle on this issue, but had to confess it was making little headway. When interviewed recently the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) had said that the com-munity-created value had to he taken into account in regard to land taxation. "That is simply the old story of ‘unearned increment’ and must be contested at every point.” continued Mr Mulholland. This danger lay largely in the erroneous system of land valuation The unimproved value was never actually assessed, but was computed by taking the capital valuation of a property and then assessing the improvements, and the difference was said to be the unimproved value. This system created an inequality and hardship. More Travellers I During last year, states the annual I report of the Department of Internal Affairs, which was presented to Parliament by the Minister (the Hon. W. E. Parry) yesterday, 4457 new passports were issued, compared with MINI during the pretvious year, and 3383 lor the year ended 31st March. 1035. The heavy increase this year was considered to be due to the large number of New Zealanders going to Britain for Die Coronation. Historical Organ The barrel-organ which was brought out to New Zealand in 1830, installed in the Paihia Church and later placed m the Wanganui Museum, lias excited considerable interest among historical and musical societies (says tiic 'Herald”). Tliis week Mr Raynor White, who has renovated the instrument and made it playable once again, gave a party from the Wellington Historical Society a short recital on Hie organ. The instrument is operated by rollers or. each of which some ten hymn luncs are recorded, a foot pedal being used to operate the bellows which force the air through flic pipes. A number of inquiries have been received from various parts of the Dominion asking for details of the organ and its history, much interest having been aroused by the statement that it was the first musical instrument of any importance brought to New Zealand in the cariy days.