NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11651, 16 October 1923, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

“I saw somo beautiful scenery in America,” remarked Mr It. Tanner, *.f Lcngburn, when conversing about his visit there, “but for its size 1 have seen nothing to equal the Palmm-eton North Esplanade. The Californian forests though, with their great, straight pines up to 300 feet high, present a magnificent spectacle.”

The erection of an interdenominational church at Titirangi, as a memorial to the soldiers in that district who fell in tlie war, will shortly be begun. Plans of a concrete blocks building, capable of seating about ninety persons, have been approved. The cost of tho church is estimated at about £BSO. and of this amount £6OO is already in hand.

The memorial tower which has been erected at St. Alban’s Church, Auckland, as a tribute to the men from the parish who fell in the Great War , was dedicated by Bishop Averill on Sunday afternoon. There arc three rooms in the tower and the ground floor will be used as a cba-pel. The architecture of the tower is of the early Norman type, and the structure enhances the appearance of the church to a considerable extent.

The first of the season’s strawberries appeared on the Auckland market on Saturday, and sold there for 3s 8d a chip, and this summer delicacy was offering retail at 4s 3d a chip. In about 10 days’ time it is expected that the fruit will be coming, to hand in crates end chips, and from then onwards regular supplies should be available (says the “Star”). The berries offering on Saturday were naturally not the lucious article that one expects later in the season, but present prospects indicato that there will bo a good supply of this tempting fruit next month.

The patients at Wellington hospital were given an exceptional treat an evening or two ago when Miss Ethel Osborn, who is -giving a, concert at the Town Hall this evening, naid a visit and sang some delightful songs ' for their edification. Miss Osborn was accompanied by Mr and Madame de jVlauny, v.ho also contributed to the programme, and a recitation was given by Mr J. W. Carr. Mrs Carr very kindly arranged the visit, and Dr. H. Baylden Ewing, acting-medical superintendent. expressed the thanks of tlie patients for the very enjoyable evening. The party were themselves entertained before leaving.

A meeting of citizens held in the. Town Hall, Auckland, some weeks ago recorded its confidence in the League of Nations, and passed a resolution urging the New Zealand representatives to support the League in exercising the powers given under the covenant to secure and maintain the peace of the world through justice. This resolution wns forwarded by cable by the Mayor, Mr J. H. Gunsoii. to the Prime Minister, who was at that time at San Francisco. Mr Massey lias now replied acknowledging receipt of tho resolution, and advising the citizc’ns that he is taking action in accordance with the wishes of the meeting.

The Main Trunk express drew up at one of the swampy localities on the way from Wellington, and during the stoppage two- lady passengers made observations of au interesting note in natural history, of which they bad not previously heard. A flock of ducks wore ilispo rting themselves in the water near the train, when one of them was seen to dive and bring up in its beak an egg, which was carried away, apparently to the nost. Presumably it had been accidentally laid in the water, where, of course, it could not be hatched. It is Suite a common thing for domestic ucks to lay iu tlie water, but to reclaim them in this manner is a now experience.

Three cases and two packages of giftgoods for tho residents of Pitcairn Island were dispatched from. Auckland by the New. Zealand Shipping Company’s liner Rotorua, which sailed for London on Saturday. The gifts include clothing, books, garden tools, and cotton print, which aTe much needed by the lonely islanders. Mrs Alfred Nathan arranged for the collection of the gifts and their dicqiateh by the Rotorua. ■Should the weather bo too boisterous for t.he goods to be landed at Pitcairn, they will bo landed at Panama, to be transferred to a vessel that will call at the island coming south. Nearly all tho large vessels make a practice of calling at Pitcairn Island when their route to or from New Zealand takes them near the island.

An effort is being made to acclimatise wild geese on the various reaches of Kaipara harbour, where wild swan have become plentiful and the co?iditionp for natural breeding of such typos of birds arc considered ideal. When , the subject was under consideration by tlie Auckland Acclimatisation Society, Mr C. A. Whitney stated that a practice had grown up in the Kaipara harbour of running down wild duck and goose by meant; ot several power boats acting in concert, and then shooting the birds. It was decided to inquire from the Marine Department ns to the existence or regulations prohibiting fishing boat* from carrying firearms, and also to ask the department to suggest means of protecting wild gce.sc on salt-water estuaries and open 'take?* whore attempts were being made to acclimatise the birds.

The Commonwealth piodueed 2,630.i 69 ounces of silver in 1021 and 768.005 ounces of fine gold.

A total of £BO 5s has been received by Mr Heinemann in response to tho Ukraine appeal.

A fieshcr named Victor Smith, employed at the Westfield abattoirs, met with an unfortunate accident when skinning a sheep owing to the knife slipping and cutting his right arm.

There are 80 persons in Australia rnd Tasmania who own over 60,000 acres each. Of these 71 reside in Now South Wales, four in Western Australia and five in Tasmania.

At a meeting of the Council of tlw Auckland Acclimatisation Society it was decided to fix the opening of the ensuing godwii season for Januaiy Ist next.

The Jewish National Fund, in reoponse to Mine. Pevsner’s appeal lias new reached £640. Mine. Pevsner is at present visiting Christchurch and Dunedin.

The arera.ge wholesale price of milk m New South Wales for the 1921-22 period was Is 8d nor gallon, in Victoria it was Is 4|d, in South Australia 3 s K)hl, in Western Australia lOd and in Tasmania Is Gd.

During 1921 New South Wales mines produced 10,793,387 tons of coal, Victoria 514,859 tons, Western Australia 468,817 tons. Tasmania 66,476 tons, and Queensland 954,763 tone, the aggregate for the Commonwealth being 12,798,302 tons.

A middle-aged man, Yurc Pijacun, a Dalmatian, was found straggling in the water near tho breastwork at .Freeman’s Bay, Auckland, bate one night recently. He was assisted to land by a pedestrian, who noticed his plight, and was conveyed to the Auckland Hospital in a semi-conscious condition.

Opossums numbering 125 were captured on Kuwau and Kangitoto Islands last season. In this connection, the Department of Internal Affairs advised the Auckland Acclimatisation Society that a small proportion of the opossum revenue would be paid to the society on account of the 125 skins taken on these islands. The exact amount of the allocation has not yet been prepared.

General orders from Defence Headquarters state that members of defence rifle clubs will in future be entitled to certain free issues of ammunition, as folloivs:—(a) Those who fire the classification course as laid down in musketry course pamphlet, and who qualify, 100 rounds; (b) Those who qualify as ‘•marksmen/’ a further 100 rounds. Presidents of defence rifle clubs will indent on area officers for ammunition to which members may be entitled as above.

Wanganui competitions came to a close on Saturday, w’hen two matinees and two demonstration concerts were given. The competitions have been unusually successful. Miss Zita Chapman, of Lower Hutt, succeeded in winning the elocutionary* championship, and Wellington dancers were also very successful, among them being Joan Marshall, Phyllis Oliver, and Peggy Welch. Miss Bodlev, of Hamilton, who adjudicated in the dancing events at Wellington competitions, also officiated at Wanganui, and remarked upon the promise shown by several of the young dancers.

“We have numerous enquiries for labour c i all kinds and wo nave done our very best to supplv the want, although it is very difficult indeed to get sufficient hands for dairy farmers,” said the secretary (Mr Tt. S. M. Quigley) at the meeting of the executive of the Southern Hawke’s i>ay branch of thu Farmers' Union. He added that the few men who had been supplied through the Immigration Department were proving most successful and were giving general satisfaction. Members who bad had experience with this class of labour acquiesced. It was suggested that steps should -be taken to retain the men m their .jobs, but Mr H. B. Stuckey remarked that this was a difficult matter to regulate.