NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11223, 31 May 1922, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

The New Plymouth Council was aeked to grant a site for the erection of a war memorial. The council decided to take no • action in the matter.

Some idea of the size of the propelling machinery of a big steamer may be gathered from details of the work now being done on the Tredenham at tho Central wharf, Auckland. Each of the nine nuts which hold a propeller blade on to the bolts on the boss of the shaft lias to be cut from a 301 b Mock of bronze. And bronze is hali a crowii a pound.

The number of unemployed in Napier (saye the “Telegraph”) is 1 steadily increasing. Fifty-two new applications for work were made to the Labour Department last week, and the department has now lPi names on its books. On April 24th the number was 45, on April 29th 92, and May Gt-h 87, on May 13 92, and on May 20 92. Of the 116 out of employment, 73 are general labourons, ten are hotel workers (fern ale ), and. five are farm labourers. Most occupations are represented.

A wire stretched across the road near the Mauriceville railway station a day or two ago was the cause of an accident that resulted seriously.. Mr W. J. Collins, of Pahiatua, station agent for Messrs Dalgety ana Co., was proceeding to Masterton in his car when he ran into this obstruction, which, it is alleged, was put there by some telegraph linesmen. The wind-screen was smashed, and the driver was thrown forward, his mouth being badly out and his front teeth broken. The 1 sufferer was taken to Masterton where his injuries were attended to.

Recently Mr B. D. Martin wrote to the Prime Minister stating that some blinded soldiers in the Dominion appeared to be considerably handicapped. He suggested that the Government should establish an aftercare department or appoint a supervisor to watch tho interests of these men. In the alternative the Government might make it a condition that the blind soldiers should be granted equal rights with the civilian blind in the after-care department of the fund for the blihd. Mr Massey replied that he was looking into the subject.

A retired sugar planter from Fiji, who has oome to Auckland to live, gays that he hae been much struck by the prevalence of leaf curl amongst the peach trees. In Levuka it was a recognised cure for the disease to plant nasturtium right at the foot of the trees, and let it grow about a foot up the trunk. Very often the result was a good crop of fruit. He considers it would be worth trying in New Zealand, for nasturtium has some chemical properties connected with it, that it does not impoverish the soil, but, on the other hand, helps to nourish the plant life, at least of peach trees.

The Railway Department was quite unpropared to handle the number of passengers who travelled on the Otago Central line to Dunedin on Saturday (says the “Otago Daily Times”). The train, which was made up of ’.he usual complement of carnages was already so crowded when it arrived at Alexandra that no seating accommodation was available. Several ladies had to go into the smoking carriage, while other ladies had to stand on the platform until the train reached Omnkau —and that in a cold morning with over 12 degrees of frost. At Oir.akau another carriage was put on, but it was a ‘smoker,” and had been standing all night in tho frost, and was like an ice-chamber. Passengere had to travel in this carriage without any wanning pans. Their comments were not complimentary to. the department.

Six degroes of frost were registered at Solway on Monday morning.

Over 1800 names have now been placed on tho Dunedin North supplementary roll.

The train service on the newlyopened! line from Okahukura to Matiere will, for tho present, be limited to two days a week.

The labour returns at Invercargill for the past week show a slight improvement on the previous week. There were 70 men unemployed, as against 75 the previous week.

The Postal authorities have received advice that the mails which left Auckland ’on April 25th per R.M.S. Niagara, via Vancouver, arrived in London on May 28th.

The Wellington Land Board met yesterday, hut the discussion of various matters in committee occupied the whole of the time. The board will sit again to-day.

The Dannevirke district is preparing for the coming of electricity. The poles to carry the current from Mangaliao are being distributed along the route and their erection trill follow in due course.

“If there is anything we stand for, it is loyalty to the Throne, the Empire, and the Dominion,” said Mr P. Thomson at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society.

Masterton coach factories have experienced a considerable brightening up in the car-painting business since the beginning of the year. During 1921 there was practically nothing doing in this line, but the outlook has since steadily improved.

Tho Napier City Council’s loan of £SOOO for its workers’ dwellings scheme has practically all been taken up, and the oouncil lias made application for a further loan of £SOOO to meet the additional applications it is receiving.

Mr F. J. Williams of Dunedin, engineer for the Ashburton drainage scheme, said that the scheme (estimated to cost £35,000) would bo completed in about two months’ time, and that it would be finished! for £IOOO less than tho above amount.

The recent find of marble in the Nokoniai district has now been taken over by a company, who propose installing complete quarry machinery (says tho “Wanton-. Record”). It is their intention to have supplies in all leading centres at an early date.

Thirty unemployed are at present working in Fea,therston county in the Haurangi district. There waa a proposal that some 200 or 300 men should tie engaged on the work of forming a decent track from Hinakura to the coast, hut the scheme did not assume concrete form, as the cost was estimated at £3OOO per mile.

“You were having an animated discussion about the pace of the motorcars at funerals?” asked Mr Treadwell of a witness in a case at the Wanganui court. “I don’t know about animated,” replied the witness. “Well, perhaps it is not the right word to apply to funerals,” said counsel.

At a meeting of the astronomical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society-, .held at the Art Gallery last evening, Mr J. P. Ward, Director of the Wanganui Observatory, made an interesting exhibition and demonstration of a twelve-inch reflecting ITlescope, which he has made for the use of the Dunedin Astronomical Society.

To look for and rely on legislation as a “cure all” for all'the troubles and weaknesses of which people complain, said the Hon, J. A. Hauan speaking at tlie annual dinner of the Southland Progress League, was futile. Wise legislation could help to provide measures and reforms to meet necessary readjustments and changed conditions essential to progress, but there was also need for self improvement, self help, and self Reliance on the part of tho individual. 1

There is a famous “gannet-rookery”, at Oape Kidnappers, and those who are able to visit it have a splendid opportunity of studying the life and habits of one of the most remarkable birds oi New' Zealand. A lecture, plentifully illustrated with photographic slides, will be given on this subject at the Dominion Museum this evening by Horace S. Cottrell, who has made a particular study of the gannets. The lecture, which is part of the Philosophical Society’s programme for the month, will deal with other forma of bird life and with some interesting geological and historical facts of the Kidnappers district.

Not all the Bolsheviks are in Russia, according to the Mayor of Christchurch (Dr. H. T. J. Thacker, M.P.). This contention was borne out by Dr. Thacker telling of an incident which actually occurred in Christchurch recently. A certain woman had been confined to her bed at the birth of her child. A sympathetic neighbour had sent over a few eggs, but the woman’s husband, who was out of /work for about three, mouths, took those eggs for himself. When remonstrated with, the man merely said, “She’s in bed. J need them more than she Hoes. ’ That, contended Dr. Thicker at the civic reception to Miss Thorp, the Russian relief worker, was as had as the worst Belshovik in Russia. Christchurch had “animals” like that in its own midst.

“Education week in Wellington has been a memorable one,” says Mr John H. Howell, director of the Welliugton Technical College, in a report to the Technical College Board. For most who have taken part in the conference, the time has been very strenuous, but tho. general feeling will he that the time spent has been well worth while. The outstanding feature has been the getting together of those concerned in the different bi'anches of education, and we may look forward in the near future to considerable progress in this direction. As far as our own Technical Conference is concerned, there is a feeling abroad that we have not yet arrived at the best system, of organisation possible, and it seems to me that we might well profit by the experience of the Secondary Association. If the Technical Association had three sections, one consisting of board members, one of directors of fully organised technical sohools, and one of full-time assistants in technical schools, each section holding a separate session oi sessions of its own and then subsequently all three sections joining in a general session, business would be car ried out more expeditiously and to tho greater satisfaction of everyone.