NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10546, 24 March 1920, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Mr Hugging, health officer of Palmerston North, has paid a visit of inspection to various places in Otakl, on which he adversely reports (states our Otaki correspondent). Dr Faris, of the Health Depariment, Wellington, also inspected various places, and as a result will probably put in a report to the Otaki Town Board.

Eleven thousand whales are boiled down annually at Southern Georgia, a British whaling station, states Captain Frank Huxley in his most interesting story accompanying the slides and films illustrating Sir Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition of 1914, to be screened at the King's Theatre on Friday.

Mr Cyril Dasont (an ex-Mayor of Karori) described at the "wake" of the Borough Council last night, how he had constituted the borougn and held the first elections; some 30 years ago. The first great public work, very much debated aifc the time, was tho building of a public pound at a, cost of £4O. Tho pound, by the way, led to many bickerings, as the councillors' cattle were run in impartially with the cattle of other residents.

"The penguin glide'' sounds like tho name of a now dance to be ranked with "the bunny hug," "the fox trot," "the turkey trot,'* and so forth. As a matter of fact it describes the natural to-boggan-like glide of the Emperor Penguin, which lying' flat on its stomach and using its wings and feet as propellors, can glide over the snow as fast as a man can run and can even carry a man on. its back. "The penguin" glide is one of tho many treats for moving-pioture-lovers included in tho wonderful series of films taken in the Antarctic by Captain Frank Hurley, official photographer to Sir Ernest Shaoklotbn's polar expedition of 1914.

Mr Herbert Page, chairman of tho Wellington Brokers' Association, writes with reference to the cable sent by Mr Massoy to the Director of Raw Materials in England regarding the marketing of the new season's wool clip, and the statement that such cable had been sent at tho, suggestion of the Farmers' Distributing Company. Mr Page states that tho company named had absolutely nothing to do with the cable. It was suggostcd and framed by Mr W. S. Bennott as president of the Now Zealand Wool Brokers' Association, approved of by Mr Massey and sent by him to London in the exnet wording of the suggestion received from trie New Zealand Wool Brokers' Association,

The Pacific Cable Board notifies that owing to strong earth currents, work between Bamfield and Vancouver is at a standstill and will be unable to proceed until conditions improve.

An Aurora Australia was to be observed in Wellington about 4 o'clock yesterdav morning. The vivid itiafts of light" illuminating the heavens presented a brilliant spectacle.

It is stated that a large landowner m the Otaki district, who had 800 acres of bush felled, paid nearly £3OOO for grass seed, most of which has failed to tako root. The total expenditure 'involved was in the region of £SOOO. Correspondent.

A committe meeting of the Workers' Educational Institute is to bo held on Friday evening. The organiser (Mr D. J. Seymour, who is at present engrossed in organising work in the Wairarapa and Wanganui districts, is expected to reach Wellington on Friday in time for the meeting.

There are at present a largo number of native visitors in Otaki from Foxton and elsewhere to take part in a tangi over the.remains of a native named iiurama, who for some time was an inmate of the Otaki hospital, and who died on Thursday at tho residence of the Rev. T6mue"ra Tokoiatua.

There, is still a shortage of labour in the tailoring trade, and communications have been received by tho secretary of the association from both city and country on the matter. Tho average rate for coal hands is 30s, and as high as 35s is being offered for competent workers.

Gisborne (74) was the hottest spot in New Zealand yesterday. Napier was but two degrees cooler, while at the northern district of Russell 70 was recorded. Wellington (64) was but 4 degrees warmer than at Akaroa lighthouse. Port Chalmers (54) showed a drop, while at the Nuggets (42) it was somewhat chilly. Referring to the "old days" of the Karori borough, at the valedictory supper last nignt, tho Deputy-Mayor (-Ur J. W. iienderson) said chat on ono very early occasion the Audit Department added a tag tto their accounts, saying that, owing to the way in whieh«ho accounts had been kep:, it was not possible to say that all the vouchers had been accounted for. (Laughter.) But that was not the council's, fault. It was the fault of their predecessors. Later in their histry, another "itag" stated that tto'e council had spent £583 on land to whioh they had no title. And on another occasion the Audit Department, in its wisdom, stated in a ''tag" that "£lB3 had been stolen from the safe, for which there was no authority in law."

In reminiscent mood last night, Mr Cyril Dasent (an ex-Mayor of Karori) spoke of the days before the tunnel, when tho feud waxed hot between the ''itunnellers".and "antMi-tunnellcrs." One of the opponents of the tunnel, he ■said, declared thait there would be 6uch a draft through it that if a man, horse, and buggy went through it, they would emerge perfect wrecks at the other end. (Laughter.) It was also seriously stated that nobody would use the itunnel..They would all go over the top. One opponent, again, asked, "What decent female would go through, the tunnel at night?" (Laughter.) But now the tunnel was ono of the begt and most commodious parts of the road, and nobody would now go over the top. (Laughter.)

Foxton people are nearly tickled to death (states a Pnlmerston paper). Some months ago the community was turned upside down because the local school committee had purchased a German piano. After a long struggle the offending instrument was hurled ignominiously from the. precincts of tine Bdhool and thrown into the harbour or somewhere. Ninety good golden sovereigns were spent in replarinq; it with an elognnt instrument labelled on the frontispiece "Rovmond, London." A Palmerstrvn North tuner went to Fox*on on Wednesday, and when opened un tlic internals of 'the uiano b<v found it stamped throucrh and through with th» inscription: "Kofbler. Berlin. " The news sprend like wildfire, and all parties are united nersin in tne enjoyment of tho joke of the season. A Press Association message from Timaru states that a car containing five Methvon men, Harrison, the driver, .Richards (2), Smith and another, was returning from a clearing sale ' at Richards's Waiho Downs estate, and in trying to pass at a fast rate a lorry on a narrow road in ithe Waimate Gorge, got too near the side of the road. Tho wheels ;on one side mounted the bank, ran on tho bank for twenty yards, rolled over and righted itself, but was badly smashed. The two-occupants of the front seat, Harrison and another, received minor injuries and were taken to Ashhurton bv another car. Tho men Richards, uncle and nephew, and Smithi in the back sent, were less fortunate. Both the Richards's had their collarbones broken and Smith had a rib broken. They were taken rto the Waimate Hospital and are progressing satisfactorily. .