NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11303, 31 August 1922, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

It is announced by the Pacific Cable Board that the ordinary week-end cable service to the United Kingdom is reinstated, but that, strictly subject to a heavy delay for the present—possibly up to ten days—-from Weekend in which messages are lodged. Meanwhile, the temporary service to Montreal, whence messages are posted, will also be continued. Cables should be lodged as early in the week as possible.

Excellent progress, it is stated, is being made with the building of a further seven houses for the Waipukurau Borough Council. The whole seven houses are well under way, and will he ready for occupation about two to throe months. When these are completed the progressive Waipukurau council will have built twenty houses in eighteen months, at a cost of less than £IS,OOO, with no expense whatever to tho ratepayers. Private building is going on steadily in Waipukurau.

Clark McConachy leaves England next week at the conclusion of his match with Peall, and will arrive in Now Zealand about the third week in October. H. W. Stevenson, the exworld’s champion, returns from Australia to New Zealand in November, and it is hoped to be able to arrange a meeting of the giants in Wellington, an event which would excite considerable interest, and would be one of the most memorable events in New Zealand billiards history.

As instanoing the appreciation of the young New Zealander of the facilities afforded for education, Mr J. Caughley, Director of Education, stated, in a lecture he gave at New Plymouth, that wo have in New Zealand tho largest proportion of university college students. Ho could not find any country which had so many students in proportion to the population as we bad. Tho proportion was considerably more than double that of New South "Wales and Victoria. A third of the students received their education free of cost, and some of them besides reoeived money grants.

The Iliakara (Horowhenua) creamery has reached the 1300 gallons mark in its daily intake of milk.

Fat lamb buyers are commencing to operate in the Levin district, and a sale just made at 25s per head gives a good indication of values.

Tlie Wanganui Swankers’ Club has a membershio of 007. and during the last twelve months it lias raised £1059 for various charities, etc.

The postal authorities have been advised that the mails which left Auckland on July 2oth via Vancouver, per R..M.S. Makura, arrived in London on the 27 th instant.

Whitebait is said to be less plentiful in the rivers on the West Coast of the North Island this year than last. When the Levin water-races were openpd whitebait was caugiht in them. They had made their way up from the sea.

On Monday afternoon a Levin resident started his motor-car when it back-fired, and the vehicle suddenly became enveloped in flames. It isi consi deled that a leaky benzine pipe was the cause of the outbreak.

Although the midday community rings terminated yesterday, Mr Webb, chairman of the committee, announced that arrangements were being made for the final event on the evening of Saturday, September 16th.

In proposing the toast of “Parliament”* a speaker at a social function at Wanganui said: “It lasts for three years. It begins by professing to ba your servant, and it poses for the ensuing three years as your master.”

A large slip on the Main road, near the top of Mount Messenger, interrupted traffic and telegraphic communication between New Plymouth and Auck- f land at the week-end: The blookage has been cleared out and communication restored.

The war against straying cattle which is carried on by the New Plymouth borough inspector is having embarrassing results —the animals impounded are costing too much to feed and the fees are not high enough to cover the cost.

The mildness of the past winter is shown by the fact that many farmers who provided root crops and hay for the feeding of cattle in the cold weather have not had to call upon the reserves to any appreciable extent. Surplus crops are being offered at cheaper rates but there are no buyers.

The Maori faith-healer Ratana is at Rahoti. (Taranaki), and an idea of the numbers following and seeing him may be gauged from the fact that one New Plymouth baker sent down 600 dozen of small goods—one of the biggest orders the firm> ha® ever executed in a day.

It is the intention of Mr W. H. Field’s supporters in Levin to entertain him at an early date in recognition of his work for that portion of his electorate. Under the alteration in the electoral boundaries, Levin is no longer a portion of Mr Field’s district.

The conference between representa tives of the South Island Dairy Association, the National Dairy Association, and the shipping companies in the question of freight rates for the next season’s shipments took place yesterday, but no finality was reached, a “Times” reporter was informed last evening.

The Dannevirke Borough Counoil at its last meeting passed a resolution deciding to write again to the AuditorGeneral protesting against the present system ot auditing, and asking him to five the question of appointing an aditional auditor immediate consideration. The hooks have not been officially inspected for two years.

“It is only a question of time,” said an Ihakara dairyman to a Levin “Chronicle” representative, “when home separation will largely take the place of the present method of dealing with milk. It is proving a good thing for those companies which have it in vogue, besides giving a better return to the dairyman.”

“There is one of the hardest worked men we have,” said an official at the competitions yesterday, pointing to Mr W. P. MoLachlan. Mr McLaohlan is stage manager, and had to call the roll or the competitors to scs they were all in readiness so that there was no delay in their appearance od the platform—no light task, especially in the juvenile classes.

“It wasn’t a picnic; it was a holiday. A picnic is tiring, but a holiday is a rest!” Thus a dairy farmer witness in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth. The same witness was later very candid concerning the industry of the plaintiff. “He is a very hard worker; works much harder than I do,’’ was his remark ere he left the box.

“The P. and O’, funnel,” declared Mr W. T. Young, in tho Arbitration Court, yesterday, “is emblematical with tho black labour it employs.’’ The statement drew a protest from Mr W. G. Smith,_ representative of the Union Steam Ship Company. “Cannot I define the emblem of the P. and O. funnel without hurting your feelings?” asked Mr Young.

Speaking at New Plymouth, Mr J. Caughley, Director of Education, told the members of the Taranaki Education Board that in his tour of inspection of thio New Plymouth schools he had seen more new buddings than were to he seen in the whole city of "Wellington, where tho house shortage was so acute. The effect was to cause congestion in the local schools, which was so apparent at present.

A consignment of 260 prime bullooks from a Manawatu station was shipped to London last season (says an exchange). The returns to hand show that they realised approximately £1750, of which £250 was net. The balance of £6 per head was eaten up by freezing and shipping charges. One would almost regard this as sufficient to take them home alive and feed them on the way.

The unemployment problem is much more serious in Hawera than most people seem to imagine, if subscriptions to the fund that has been opened can be accepted as an indication of public feeling (says the “Star”). The unemployment committee have on re cord the,names of about fifty men, all of whom are hard pressed and are willing to accept work on Turuturu-Mokni at Us per day, and the committee are unable to cope with the situation.

A meeting was held on Tuesday evening at Lower Hutt for the purpose of forming a radio society. Some sixteen enthusiasts were present, and it was unanimously decided to form a club for the district. Tho following officers were eteoted: —President, Mr A. "Woodward; treasurer, Mr "Wallis; engineer, Mr ,F. King; secretary, Mr It. J. Hamilton. A further meeting is to be held next week, when a report from the engineer and draft rules will be discussed.