NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10961, 25 July 1921, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Six Chinese were passengers to Wellington by the Manuka, which arrived here yesterday.

Already many Christchurch citizens are paying part of next year's rates into the City Council treasury. On Thursday morning the Mayor paid twothirds of his rates in advance.

“I wish you would correct the extraordinary rumour that has gained currency, that the Springboks would not play against the Maoris,” said one of the Spilth. African team to a representative of the “Times” on Saturday night. “Why. we have practically adopted tho little son of Mr Parata, and the reception we got last Sunday from tho Taranaki Maoris was one of the best if not the best experience wo have had in the tour.”

A large party of members of the Wellington Orphans’ Club journeyed to Trentham by motor yesterday afternoon, and entertained the soldier and children patients at the camp hospital with a varied programme of musical items. The Y.M.C.A. hall was filled to the doors, and the assembled patients and nursing staff derived much enjoyment out of the entertainment. The club’s orchestra of 35 instruments gave several selections, and vocal items were provided by Mr Herbert ’F. Wood, Mr Hamilton Hodges, and the club quartette; the quartette visited each of the wards, and sang to the cot patients, who gave them a very attentive hearing. .The president of the club, Mn E. A. Batt, addressed the gathering in humorous vein, and Sir John P. Luke spoke a few words of encouragement of the ipmates of the hospital. It is the intention of the club to pay further similar visits. ' The Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education) has written as follows to Mr W. H. Field, M.P., in regardi to his endeavour to secure additional playground area for Porirua School: “With further reference to your letter regarding the acquisition of ten acres of land adjoining the Porirua School for school and recreation purposes, I have to say that I have made inquiries, and find that the Wellington Education Board has approached the Health Department with a view to securing an extension of the school grounds at. the same time that the latter aoquires the property adjoining the Mental Hospital. The extension to the school grounds asked for will bring the total area of the school site up to 4J acres. There is, however, so far as I am aware, no proposal before the Government with regard to the acquisition of an area for recreation purposes. It appears that this is a matter for local effort, and that any representations should be made by the residents to the Health Department.” Mr Field is also anxious to have a suitable area set apart for a school at Pukerua.

Seed potatoes are at present being retailed in Palmerston North at from 15s to 18s per cwt. The Kuku Dairy Company (Levin) intends consigning its output of cheese for tlic coming season. The last consignment of eggs, 13C dozen, from Pahiatua to Wellington, realised 2s 2d per dozen. The Acting-Prime Minister (Sir Francis Bell), approached by a “Times” representative on Saturday, stated that he has decided not to make public at present the correspondence between the New Zealand Government and the United States Government with regard to the operations of Messrs Armour and Co. in the Dominion, but to issue it during the session as a Parliamentary paper. “The work of which tin's Report' is the result'(states the Racing Commission) has occupied, a longer time than was anticipated, and ha,s entailed considerable expense. It is, however, respectfully submitted that it is work that was urgently required, and ought not to he again necessary for many years to come. The information acquired, Which included a complete dossier ,in respect of every racing, trotting, and hunt olub in the Dominion, is now at the service of tile Ministerial Department dealing with racing affairs, and, for reference purposes, should he of value.” Two happy incidents marked the nrogress of the Springbok match on Saturday. A wounded soldier approached the Press table, and asked that the thanks of his companions be conveyed to the Rugby Union for their generosity in admitting them free to reserved seats at the match. Another and similar request came from a woman with a child in her arms. She stated that she was anxious to convey her thanks to the members of the Wellington Rugby Union committee, who had personally defrayed the expense of providing tho wife and youngest child of each member of the Wellington team with free seats in the grandstand.

The Masterton Trust Lands Trust at its last meeting received a request from the Y.M.C.A. for its usual annsual grant. Mr A. Rippon strongly opposed any such grant being made. He believed that the money was desired for physical culture, which was taught m the schools, and as the trust mado grants to the schools, it was quite unnecessary to make a fUTther donation to the Y.M.C.A. Mr R. Srahagen was of opinion that physical education was quite as necessary as purely academic knowledge. He supported the request, as did also Messrs W. T. Grundy and J. M. Coradine, The chairman (Mr E. G. Eton) moved that the matter be held over until a bal-ance-sheet was provided, and this ultimately was agreed to.

“VhaMng, os we did, every part of the. Dmninion where racing was part of the recreation of the people, it was not surprising (states the report of the Racing Commission, summarised elsewhere) that a considerable diversity in the conditions subsisting should he' met with. Whereas in three of the large centres we were powerfully exhorted—in some cases with much exaggeration, and in at least one other by reasoned argument and with impressive moderation—not to increase racing' facilities lest the workers be unduly distracted and industries prejudiced, m that part of Westland wherein sawmilling and coalmining are the staple industries there was a consensus of opinion among employers of labour that a sufficiency of racing was of the utmost importance to the well-being of the business of the district, and we were besought, with convincing sincerity, to do nothing whereby the opportunities for its enjoyment might be diminished.’’

The subject of many discussions in town on Saturday night, after the Springbok match, was the time occupied in playing the game. It was noticed that each spell occupied forty minutes, instead of the customary for-ty-five minutes. The reason of tins was that the South African captain asked that each spell be forty minutes, and Roberts, the Wellington captain, acceded to the request, coming, as it did, from a visiting team. 1

The executive of the Wellington Automobile dub received at its meeting last. week a letter from a member, stating that the Lower Hutt Council had given notice that they were charging him a fee of £5 for making one trip in the Lower Hntt borough. This case was in addition to one which was the subject, of Complaint last month.— It was decided to write to tho Lower Hlultt Council -protesting against such a charge for one occasion, pointing out that the Wellington City Council diet not levy a license fee for cam coming into Wellington, and expressing the hope that reciprocal -arrangements could be made. Otherwise the blub would ask the Wellington City Council to press for retaliation.

The Forestry Department is anxious ,to see as much planting going on in Nelson as possible. It was stated this week by an official of the department that the main.work at present was to organise the milling industry as regards native forests. Another matter so far as the Nelson district was concerned was to endeavolur to give forests on poor land a chance to regenerate. There was a great quantity of birch, and it would take between 50 and 60 years to regenerate. Nelson had the second largest forest area in the Dominion, 41 per cent, having been gazetted as a State forest, hut it would take some time to ascertain approximately the extent of the timber, as some' portions of the country were hard to get at.

“We were gratified to find (report the members of the Racing Commission) that racing affairs throughout the Dominion are, with .few exceptions, controlled by men of high standard and repute, and according to the best traditions of tho sport. Pa rtievil arly were we impressed by the intensity of the interest shown in, the clubs of country districts, where practically in every ca9e there was convincing evidence of a sincere and' earnest desire to carry on the sport with credit to the club and the district. concerned. Invariably, where a country club was found to be notably well conducted, with its racecourse in exceptionally good order, those directing the affairs of that club, or otherwise' actively supporting it, were recognised as the. very best settlers to the district. Certain country clubs in the Auckland racing district are entitled' to special mention. These clubs have, by joint effort, imported from England two valuable thoroughbred stallions, specially selected by the late Mr O’Rorke, for the purpose of improving the breed of horses in their district. Tliia action is worthy of all praise, and sets an example which might 'be followed in other districts with advantage to the Dominion.”

The Hon. W. Nosworthy (Minister for Agriculture) is taking the necessary steps to reconstitute the Commission appointed to investigate allegations made by Mr H. El. Holland, M.P., -with regard to the quality of meat exported from New Zealand. The investigation has been delayed owing l to the departure for England of Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who was chairman of fha Atkunai Commission.