LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

BY 2IEHCUTIO

With all the goodwill in (lie world toward 'tiß idea, the Auckland Power Board iiflds a difficulty about ceremonially signalising the switching on of Arapuni pswer next month. Before it could be officially switched on it would have to be switched off for the time being. All those who would notice the absence of it could not very well be invited to the'ceremony, or all could not accept the invitation it it were extended to them. Consequently there might be inconvenience and hard words about an occasion that should be all joy and harmony. Of course, if the current were really to go off just for a brief period—not two minutes, because that span ot time lias other associations which must be respected, but some similar space—the whole community would know something was afoot. If all motors stopped, all tramcars' came to a standstill, all lifts ceased to move, even if between doors, the occasion wouid be brought home to

a wider' community than could be reached any other way. There are two difficulties. ' First, a stoppage of power without so good a reason is not altogether an un- - known phenomenon. Consequently, instead of saying "Hurrah for Arapuni!" when the ceremony arrived, a great many people might say in their haste ''there it goes again" and add words about Arapuni that would not sound a bit like " Hurrah*" Again, suppose at the end cf the stipulated time the current refused to switch on again! That would be an anti-ciirrfa.w All things considered, the board would do very w r ell to accept the expert advice offered, and make the switching off the steam power supply at King's Wharf the real ceremony. " It should, as has been pointed out, be impressive enough to make the occasion felt, and it has the supreme -advantage that it should inconvenience nobody and should leave "no room for anything to go contrarv to schedule.

The nice little sum of £IO.C€O is waiting for the person or persons who can produce improvements of sufficient magnitude in the methods of dressing fias fibre. If anyone cares to enter into a partnership, supplying the inventive genius, technical knowledge, and tht; finance for errperinreius, Mercutio is willing to cooperate, and to bring to the task unbounded enthusiasm. A fifty-fifty sharing of the reward is understood, of course. TTnt.il the reward is earned and claimed, it will perhaps still be true, as old-timers always claim, that the band-dressed flax fibre the Maori used to rr.arkefc has never been equalled in quality. Id ought to have been good, after being scraped down, bit by bit, w-ith a sea-sheil. It has also been suggested that the Maori produced the result by knowing the varieties of fiax and choosing only the best leaf. It may be s.o. A discriminating eye or touch is the one attribute of true handicraft .that machinery seldom duplicates, even if invented under the stimulus of a £IO.CCO reward.

An /association of people interested in forests and timbers has formulated r. policy to safeguard growing trees, both exotic and native, against pests, insect or - fungoid. The order, exotic and native. was used deliberately. It. is coming To b(i necessary these days. This development deserves a welcome, as any move intended to' save trees from destruction does. ' The trouble is it comes too late. It. is claimed the forests of New Zealand enjoy comparative immunity from destructive pests. Maybe they do, in a sense.' Still, considering the appalling amount of unnecessary and avoidable destruction thera has been by tiie most deadly pest of ail—die mari with the axe and the fires tick—the movement comes too late.

From recent discussions by and with the Transport Board it seems that feeder cm nil l us services arc well named. People get fed up with them very quickly.

In / denying that he contemplated resigning, the Prime Minister missed an opportunity, or perhaps it would be better to say he resisted a temptation, fis might have said the rumours of his resignation were very much exaggerated.

Counsel engaged in a cane the other day, when cross-examining a medical witness, with the idea of proving that doctors disagree, had it mildly suggested to him from the Bench that this was hardly necessary. It is, of course, a matter of common knowledge that doctors disagree. Often with one another, sometimes with themselves. There is no better example than that of the doctor who told a patient he must eat plenty of, well, say, steak and onions, if he wanted to huild up his strength. " But, doctor," the patient protested, " three months ago you told'me not on any account to touch creak and onions unless I wanted to poison my entire system." " Tut, tut, my good man," said the doctor, quite equably, " medical science has made immense strides since then."

■ A new. almost a revolutionary precedent/has been established by the Auckland Power Board by agreeing to pay more than it would otherwise have done for a sub-station building in order that its architectural features might be improved., Nobody objected to the impro\em.ent itself, though there were one 01 two dissentient voices because of the increased cost. It is, admittedly, a very serious question whether public bodies should spend the money entrusted to tiiefn; in tins fashion. Some people will say it was the board's duty to erect the building at the lowest possible cost, especially people who do uot have to live within daily sight of it. Others will say that a good-looking building ought to be put up at no extra cost. There are folk like ready to enjoy beauty so long as it costs nothing. Finally some will t.ty it was the absolute dul.y of the board to put up a decent sub-station and not to i'X/k too hard at; the price of architectural harmony. Now, who out of all these is right - You may have as many guesses a.-, there are classifications. Two I'urtlie;- things <>niv ne<jd be said. First, the Power Board is 1.0 be commended for having avoided what, some public bodies have done in their time, built a building lhat, ,was boih extravagant in conb and excessively ugly. Next it may be suggested,- without any censorious intent at. all. that another time the board might stipulate in the first place for a design that would be appropriate to the setting, and an estimate to correspond. Then j there would be no need for argument ! sboat 'an increase in cost to avoid dis- J figuring a residential area. Always- something new in size or ■weight or shape is appearing. The latest :.i a gigantic toad.-tool, produced somewhere inihe far south. (P'al-shapeit. its dimensions are given as three feet long j and one and a half feet thick, and its weight as 26ib. In addition, it is nothing like tiip one that grew last year, which - was ,361b. in weight: quite like the fish that,'got away. Now the tone of these remark;; May seem sceptical, but that is not intended. No doubt the toadstool was as long, as. heavy and as thick as represented. No doubt last year's model was py?r so much bigger. But with it all, ""■bat is the use of the things? Toads are rfotoriousiy scarce in this country," though they might be useful among the insect pests. Even if they were plentiful, where would anyone rind a toad big £Uough to sit on a stool of those dimensions?. So why make a fuss about growing one ?