NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10898, 12 May 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

It. was reported to the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night that a 41b trout caught recently below the Longbitvn railway bridge was found to contain a mouse, four frogs, and a black shrimp.

A “full house” at the Magistrate’s Court ■ yesterday evidently frgathered to h,«ir something of the waterside case against Andrew Taylor, Alexander Chisholm, and George Churchill. The case was not proceeded with. On the application of Chief-Detective Ward the hearing was adjourned to May 19th, and the court soon emptied. Owing to traces of smouldering fire still existing; in the affected area of the Waihi mine, the management had . water hoses in active operation all Monday flight. Mining work was not ! resumed on Tuesday on account of danger to the men from fumes and gas; The' mining inspector visited the mine on Tuesday, and took tests for the existence of gas.

At the funeral yesterday morning of the late Donald Robert Ritchie, a member of the New Zealand.. Expeditionary Force, who died at Trentham on Sunday, Mr Luke, M.F;, represented the Wellington citizens, and this was practically his last official act as Mayor of the city. Among others present, , Colonel Mitchell, M.P., D. 5.0., and Captain Hardhamy V.C., represented the ReturnedSoldiers’ As--, sooiation, Mrs Luke, the Women’s National Reserve. A party boys from the training ship Araokura paraded, and paid a last tribute to the memory of the deceased soldier. A representative of Base Records Office attended on behalf of the Defence Department.

A party from Opotiki recently visited White Island, according to a description, the island has altered considerably. There is now no vestige of lake-water. A statement was also made that there are now an immense number of blowholes, emitting blue and red flames. This last statement (says the “Star’s” correspondent) seems hardly credible, unless some vast change has taken place on the island. The party which visited the island previously saw no flames at all, and as far as is ascertainable locally, flames have never been known to issue from anyiportion of the island. Of course, there is a possibility of some great change having taken place—a change greater than is anticipated here.

The owner of a hut at the Rakaia mouth, who has allowed his rent to fall several years in arrear, was recently written to by the Ellesmere County Council and informed that the rent must, be paid forthwith. The reply received at the County Council meeting on Monday was as follows: “You must know that the Rakaia river has been no good for several years, and I have had only one small trout from the river for four years, which makes it a terribly dear fish. ,If I had thought the river would not improve I would have taken it away. If it had improved I wanted to sell the hu,t. but as it does not improve nobody will buy it. I must come down and see the council_ to make some reduction, for fishing in the Rakaia is too costly for me’ or anybody else, I should think.” As the hut owner ’enclosed only half the amount due the council decided to give him notice to pay up the balance within 14 days, or the council would take possession of the _ hut and remove it from the reserve.

A number of senior cadets arrived in Wellington yesterday for the purpose of undergoing a training course at Trentham camp.

The Postal authorities have received advice from London that mails w*re dispatched for New Zealand per the s.s. Arawa on the sth inst. via the Panama Canal.

The population of Nelson city is 9342, and the suburban area 875, according to the recent census. In 1916 the figures were 8774 and 1188 respectively.—Press Association.

For absenting himself from duty from Trentham camp without leave; Lance-Corporal W. W. Cooper "was admonished by the military authorities and ordered to forfeit two days’ pay. Although we are well into winter the season has been so dry that many Wellington gardeners will welcome the heavy ram that fell yesterday. Gardeners do not, as a rule, like deluges, but they prefer them to drought.

The population of New Plymouth (1921 census) is returned at 11,391 against 8704 in 1916, an increase of 2687; Wanganui county 2635 (3397, but boundaries were altered); Castleeliffe town district 1630 (734, boundaries altered) : Waverley -town district 640 (623). “The main influences of the growing child’s mental life are his parents, the school, the streets, the church, the playing fields, his companions—and I am afraid, to-day, the ‘picture show’,” said Mr R. M. Laing, M.A., in his presidential addjress at the annual meeting of the Secondary Schools Assistants’ Association, held yesterday—“but tlie dull and barren intellectualism of our schools often reduces their influence to a minimum.”

-There is a movement on the part of some members of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to get the union to approach the Government and ask for the setting up of a body of inquiry to go into the whole question of waterside labour, with a view to putting it on a more satisfactory footing. Fanners feel that our export trade may he imperilled if there is a continuance of troubles, and of the increasing of expenses by unnecessary delays, etc.

“A glance at the world' to-day is not Teassuring. Peace is a travesty: nation is arrayed against nation; class against class. The world is bleeding from a soore of wounds. If our civilisation is to emerge safe, though badly stricken, out of the turmoil of chaos, it must be by means of a power that will safeguard it in the future.” —Mr F. Martyn Renner, at Secondary Schools Assistants’ Association Conference.

“The greatest need of our schools to-day is spiritualisation and proper emotional background,” said Mr R. M. Laing, M.A., during the - course of his presidential addrj(ps to the Secondary "Schools Assistants’ Association of New .Zealand, at their annual conference yesterday. “This is not to be obtained by ‘Scripture teaching,’ “as it is commonly called, or any such ineffectual method. It can only‘be by the reconstruction of many of our ideals of education.”

The Tariff Commission, which had been taking evidence' throughout the Dominion with a view to a revision of the tariff at the next session of Parliament, will sit at Auckland on Friday. The Commission ie comprised mostly of departmental officers, with Mr Montgomery (Controller of Customs) a-s chairman. About a dozen applications have already been made to the Auckland Collector of Customs to place evidence of various anomalies in the existing system before the Commission.

“SomeboAy has said that they considered' the framing of regulations for the grading of technical school teachers an impossible task,” said the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education), replying yesterday to a deputation from the Technical School Teachers’ Association. “Nothing is impossible to the Department of Education and to the Minister.” (Laughter.) Mr ■Thompson (president of the association): “How about a rise in salaries?” (Laughter.) Mr Parr: “I mean in the way of framing regulations.” (Laughter.) .

“There are secondary schools in New Zealand that are a disgrace to the State, as far as buildings are concerned,” said Mr F. Martyn Renner, when delivering a paper on ‘Defects of our Educational System’ at the annual meeting of the Secondary Schools Assistants of New Zealand yesterday. “My critics will say that I am here making a special reference to the city of Wellington—l confess 1 am. If there is any place in New Zealand where we have worse buildings, and where teaching conditions are worse, I have, not heard of it ”

“Education is regarded in quite a wrong light by many people. To them itconsists of getting the maximum amount of knowledge for a trade or profession. In other words, they view education from a ‘materialistic}’ point of view, and parents frequently hamper the work of the unfortunate teacher whose conception of education is more •idealistic;,” stated Sir F. Martyn Renner at the annual conference of Secondary Schools Assistants’ Association of New Zealand yesterday. “What we require in these days is a revival of education —another renaissance,” concluded the speaker.

In speaking of his travels in Canada before the Auckland Bowling Cluib, Mr G. W. Allsop mentioned that in Uanada the police who controlled the traffic stood under a standard with large arms on which wore the words, “Go,” and on the other side the word “Stop.” This was operated by a lever and did away with the arm waving to be seen in New Zealand centres. More care was also taken of the police, who had to stand out in all weathers. They were provided with a small platform to keep .their feet from the damp street, and an umbrella whicli'Could be erected at will to keep off the sun or the rain.

There was no need (stated the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, yesterday) for Mr > McWilliams (a member of the technical school teachers’ deputation)' to speak to him about the necessity for greater expenditure upon education. " Some people said, “Parr is mad on education,” and Mr McWilliams should speak to those who were not mad on education. A member oF the deputation: “What about the Minister for Finance?” Mr" Parr: “I don’t think you had better go to the Minister for Finance just now. I would not have his job for all the tea in China.” (Laughter.)

The question of the hoilrs of teachers in technical schools was discussed at considerable length at the Technical Schools Conference yesterday. It was pointed out that a six-hour teaching day was usual in England, and the demand for a 25-hour week, with overtime for any excess hours, could hardly bo sustained. It was. admitted that the conditions of teaching were very different in technical schools from those ruling in secondary schools. The conference was unable to come to any unanimity on the question, and it was finally decided to refer remits dealing with the subject to the directors, to report at the next annual meeting.