NEWS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11653, 18 October 1923, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Archbishop Julius has received a cable from Tokio, from Bishops McKiivi and Heaslett, of the Japanese Church, thanking him for liis message of sympathy and for the assistance of, fered by his Grace on behalf of the Anglican Church of New Zealand for the sufferers in Japan, to he administered by the Japanese Church.

Tlte lightning was very vivid in parts of the Waika p;t early in the week. A Hamilton residept, when motoring front Cambridge, had an unpleasant experience. About 11 o’clock, when about three miles qn thp Hamilton side of Cambridge, very propounced lightning was experienced, and the limb of a gum tree, which had been broken off. fell to tile ground, narrowly missing the oar and its occupants.

“Nowadays yeu have to read the last line, of a court judgment before you can discover which way it goes,” said Mr B. L. Hammond at the Con-, dilation Council yesterday. “There is one magistrate who gives his decision in the first sentence,” said another speaker. “Oh, it shouldn’t be allowed,” aajd Mr Hammond; “it’s like reading tile last part of a love story first,”

“A shopkeeper requires an assistant to wear a black dress and doesn’t supply it; a steward has his uniform and a waiter lias his dress suit,” said Mr B. L. Hammond, at the Conciliation Council yesterday, when the matter of clothing for seamen came up for consideration, “Yes, but the tramwaymen don’t,” said Mr W. T. Young, secretary of the S'eamen’s Union. “And I know something about it; because I was secretary of their union, and got it for them.”

Mr* P, R. Climie said at a meeting of the Canterbury District Railway Committee that he had endeavoured to obtain a return from the Greymoiith Harbour Board showing the position regarding the sea-carriage ot goods since the opening of the Otira tunnel, but the mining trouble and the consequent holding up of shipning made such a return useless. Another member of the committee stated that Ire had been told that Westport presented a dismal scene, with practically all shipping tied up.

“Don’t you like to have your 6hip looking ship shape?” asked Sir W. G. Smith, of the Seamen’s Union Secretary at the Conciliation Council yesterday. “Ship shape—nonsense!” answered Mr W. T. Young, “Well you don’t want one man to look like Charlie Chaplin and another like Dan Leno, do you?” asked Mr Smith “Well, if you will have those sentimental considerations, why not meet them by putting your hand in roar pocket?’’ countered Mr Young. “They work just as well no matter what they wear.”

Briefly referring to wireless and overseas mails at Patea, the Postmas-ter-General said that with regard to wireless, tempting offers had been receivedl to erect high-power wireless stations, but they hud decided that, as they were British, they - would wait and deal with British companies. The day was not far distant when the Government would l>o able to get the latest news by wireless and broadcast it to the people daily. With regard to the mail agents that had been cut out during the war, these would shortly be reappointed, with the result that tho people would obtain their overseas letters at least 24 hours sooner than at present.

A young woman dropped her purse in Queen street, Auckland, and it was promptly pounced upon by two sailors, one of whom popped it. into his pocket, and made off across tho street with his companion. Unaware of her loss, tho lady continued on her way, but a young man whose occupation brings him into contact with those who break the law had seen the whole tiling, and ho chased the men, eventually accost ing them. A vigorous denial was given, but the observant young man was persistent, and at length the compan roil of the man who had tho purse fled shipyards, leaving tho other to face the music. Just then another young man remarked that he would “go and fetch a John.” That did it. The sailor flung down tho purse, and, taking to liis heels, disappeared into the shadowy darkness of the wharves, while the owner of the purse expressed her thanks to the young man.

Waitomq County’s ambulance lias been giving the authorities some bother. At last meeting of the County Council a committee from two local bodies reported of having gone exhaustively into the running of the motor ambulance, and they had also con. ferred with a committee appointed to run ft. The committee had come to the decision that it was impossible to run the ambulance in the district, and recommended that it lie returned to Hamilton. Mr Boddy stated that the chief reason for that -decision ivns that people using the ambulance had, in many cases, not bothered to pay for its use, and even if all outstanding fees were collected there would remain a loss of £3 in running. Tho ambulance since its arrival cloven months ago, had carried 52 passengers to various hospitals, at a cost of £B2, and the general opinion was that the machine was heavy on benzine and tyres, and not altogether suitable for tho requirements of tho district.

Ihe Wellington Education Board agreed yesterday to the proposal of the people of the district that the name of the Marlboroughtovvn School, in the Marlborough province, shall be changed to Spring Creek School.

A correspondent from Sheffield, England, writing to a relative in Wnipukurau, states that German cutlery is on sale in largo quantities in Sheffield, which place is, of course, the stronghold of English cutlery.

The Wellington Education Board has granted tho sum of £lO towards the Wellington School Committees’ appeal on behalf of funds for the entertainment of the Chatham Islands school children.

A strong resolution, deprecating the lack of Sabbath observance, especially by the playing of tennis at Victoria College on Sundays, was passed at the quarterly meeting of the Taranaki street Methodist Church.

Sir Thomas Mackenzie has agreed to open the Children’s Exhibition at Dunedin this month. The exhibition will be held under the auspices of the Otago Council of Sunday School Unions in association with a number of other local organisations.

“What’a the difference between a k.v.a. and h.p.?” inquired a local member at the meeting of the Tararua Power Board, The engineer gave a technical explanation. A voice: “Have you got- it?” The member:

! ‘Ni>, I’m stunned.” The chairman: Let us go on with the game. (Daughter.)

Monday was “pill day” at- the Bnioluth.i District High School (says the “Leader”). For the second time the goitre preventive, iodine, was administered in the form of tiny pills to tho children. There was an added ‘‘charm” in the proceeding, as, probably fo» propaganda purposes, the children were photographed.

“You know that there are men on some of the engineering stabs who are receiving more that, the junior officers and that is. just the trouble,” said Mr W. G. Smith at the Conciliar tion Council yesterday. Another speaker mentioned that some me/; earned many hundreds a year. “Well, I’vc heard of a steward who made £l.ooo’ a year, but not au engineer,” said Mr Smith.

Dilatoriness on the psrt of the Government Audit Department in sending its auditors for their yearly inspection was alleged at the Pohangina County Council meeting, when the clerk reported that, despite writing to the department to ascertain when the audit would he made, no reply had been forthcoming. It was decided to wire the department relative to the matter-

“The more I think about it the moro l am convinced that motor trains are tho only solution for ihe non-paying hues in the Dominion,” said Mr H. Holland at a meeting of the Canterbury District Railway Committee. ITc added that whilst travelling in the North Island recently he had noticed trains with 30 or 40 passengers that seme yoars ago would have been crowded. Mr W. H. Nicholson ; Like pending a small child to school on a draught horse. Mir Holland said he understood that' tho department was taking action, to secure two or three motor trains.

“The city owes the North Shore a good deal,” said the president of the -Waiteznata Chamber of Commerce.

“The city people 6imply crowd to our benches at. holiday time, and all the fun the residents get out of it is to nave to clean up the rubbish they leave behind them. If it were not for the bracing breezes on the North Shore the inhabitants of the crowded city would uofc be so healthy as they arc, and they should remember that fact, ;

though they don’t always do so, when they send us curt replies to our reasonable requests.”

There are some giant trees to be found in the bush country of Tara*uaki, says the “News.” Recently, in tho Uruti district, a couple of settlers to cut up a totara tree that had been torn out by its roots in a gale many years ago. The totara had a diameter of ten feet at its widest part. By using a nine-foot crosscut saw, maul and wedges, axes and powder, the big trunk was reduced to timber that was sold for £2O. In addition to posts, there were many loads of slabs and stabs, which found a ready market for culvert and cutting work -on roads, The timber through out the tree was absolutely sound, and it is expected will still give at least 60 years of utility.

“A few days ago I visited the headmaster of oue of the largest public schools in the city, and found him engaged in making up returns and in doing detail work waich in a business office would bo done by a junior clerk.” Bald Mr H. Amo®, addressing tfie Chamber of Commerce yesterday. “Although our headmasters are still receiving only a clerk’s salary, is not his position in his school exactly similar to that of the manager of a business? Would a business manager waste his time in doing a junior’s work to the neglect of the proper superintendence and control of the many departments and ramifications of hia business? Even if it coats the country a little more to free a headmaster from an office boy’s work, would it not bo worth while?

“That shows Christchurch in a very favourable light,” remarked a member of the Christchurch Tramways Board at a recent meeting, when there was pro* sen ted to the Board a comparison of tfie financial side of various tramway systems in Australia with Christchurch. The comparison was as follows -Capital expenditure of whole system per mile of single track: Melbourne, £15,572; Sydney, £19,658; Adelaide, £24,679; Christchurch, £14,840. Receipts per car mile: Melbourne, 23.35 d; Sydney, 29.14 d: Adelaide, 20.69 d; Christchurch, 18.62 d. Working expenses per car mile: Melbourne, 17.91 d; Sydney. 23.55 d; Ado* laide, 15.59; Christchurch, 12.31 d. Percentage of working expenses to total revenue: Melbourne, 76 per cent.; Sydney, 81 per cent.; Adelaiado, 75 per cent ; Christchurch, 66 per cent.

Otoko Hill, known as probably tho worst obstacle between Gisborne and Auckland, on account of the narrowness of the road, and the number of sharp turns, ie now showing evidences of the reforming hand of the Public Works Department, says the “Poverty Bay Herald.” The relief labour emj ployed there for the past month lui» effected a considerable amount of improvement, though at no time has the number of men employed there exceeded 20. Tho straightening and widening of the road on the Otoko side of tho hill, up to the saddle, has been greatly appreciated by travellers, and much concern has been caused by a rumour that the men, who have lately been ieduced to tour, are to be taken off the job before the balance of the hill has been dealt with. There is ample scope for more work to be done on the Waikohu side of the saddle, down towards the tunnel, where the road is narrow in places, and requires widening and general improvement.