Mails by Niagara

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23702, 9 January 1939, Page 6

Mails by Niagara

The Niagara, which is due at Auckland to-day from Vancouver, has 2660 bags of mail for New Zealand. The local portion should come to hand on Wednesday.

City Police Court There were no cases set down for hearing at the City Police Court on Saturday.

Fire Brigade Call The only call responded to by the City Fire Brigade over the week-end was to a chimney fire in Maryhill terrace, the Central Station answering the alarm at 7.59 on Saturday night. Children Entertained

A large number of the children who passed through the Children’s Rest Home during last year were entertained with their parents at a picnic at Tahuna Park on Saturday afternoon. The weather was fine for the greater part of the day, and the outing proved a pronounced success. Games and races were held, and each child who took part received a gift. Children and parents were entertained at lunch, and as each child left the ground he was given a bag of fruit and sweets. The treat for the Rest Home children was made possible through the geneiosity of the public in supporting so wholeheartedly the committee's Christmas appeal. Interest in Flying

The great interest of New Zealanders in flying was the subject of comment by Captain F. W. Follett, managing director of Adastra Airways, Sydney, who arrived at Auckland by the Otranto on a short visit to the Dominion. In passenger flying in Australia Captain Follett said he had found that of the overseas visitors travelling by air there were two New Zealanders to each traveller from any other country. People from New Zealand were particularly anxious to do their sightseeing from the cabin of an aeroplane. The Turnbull Library

The past year has been a busy one for the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, because of increased interest in New Zealand history stimulated by the approach of the Centennial. Though compared with Public Library attendances, those of the Turnbull may appear comparatively small, they represent a more Inquiring and erudite type of reader—scholars, students, research workers, authors, and journalists, and those conducting historical studies concerned with centennial publications and pageantry. In all, they number perhaps 50 or 60 a week, but nearly every one Is seeking elucidation of some obscure question or is preparing notes upon some more or less profound subject. Here are a few typical subjects of inquiry, taken from the rough diary of an assistant librarian during a recent week: Goldmining. history of the British Navy, settlement of the Bay of Islands, history of Scandinavia, railway development. and early voyages in the Pacific Islands.

Tourists from Australia

A party of 18 members of the Victoria Scottish Union arrived at Bluff by the Maunganui from Melbourne yesterday morning on a tour of New Zealand. Their itinerary provides for a comprehensive tour of both islands. Before coming to Dunedin the tourists will make a conducted tour of the Lakes District. While in Dunedin the members of the party will be the guests of the Council of Scottish Societies and the Australian Society. Philatelic Trophy A special prize of a silver cup has been awarded by the Air Mail Society of New Zealand to Mr Horace L, Chisholm, formerly of Wellington and now of Melbourne, for his annotated collection of air mail stamps which took first prize at the recent philatelic exhibition at Christchurch. Mr Chisholm was well known in Wellington as librarian of the Wellington Philatelic Society.

Moa Bone Found

A moa bone, found by Mr C. J. Baker, of Watson’s Camp, near Te Kuiti, has been sent in to the Dominion Museum for identification. The bone was discovered in a cave near Waitomo. It was recognised by the director of the museum. Dr W. R. B, Oliver, as a leg bone cf dinornis ingens, the huge moa. once abundant in all parts of New Zealand. In spite of its title, this was only about the third biggest type of moa. dinornis giganteus and dinornis maximus exceeding it in stature.

An Impromptu Conductor The futility of trying to blow a trombone while unable to stop laughing became plain when a Salvation Army band in Christchurch found it was being vigorously conducted by a man in a faded suit and the best of spirits. A fat parcel under his arm did not prevent the man from swinging his arms about in the best Stokowskian style, and the circle of players strove hard to maintain a sober air befitting its mission. But the trombonist could not contain his mirth. With a quiet smile he admitted his defeat, lowered his instrument, and watched the impromptu conductor's obvious enjoyment.

Centennial Exhibition Buildings Work on the buildings for the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington has been proceeding without any set-backs, stated Mr C. P. Hainsworth, general manager of the Exhibition, who was in Dunedin during the week-end. Mr Hainsworth said that the contractors were already two months ahead of their schedule, and that the principal block of buildings was well on the way towards completion. A feature of the exhibition would be the amusement park, in which tubular steel would be used to a large extent for construction purposes. To cope with the great influx of visitors who would require accommodation in Wellington during the Exhibition season, a special committee had been formed, and it was confidently expected that sufficient accommodation would be available. The Winter Show Building was to be converted into a huge hostel, and a spacious motor camp would also be available. It was expected that many householders would be willing to provide rooms or board during the time in which the Exhibition was open.

Anti-British Feeling "In the Union of South Africa there is a distinctly anti-British feeling: Natal is pro-British, but in the Transvaal one feels that a British subject is not entitled to the full privileges; he seems to be an outsider,” said Mr Ivan F. C. Hamilton, of Lourenco Marques, Portuguese East Africa, a former engineering student of Canterbury University College, who is visiting Christchurch during a holiday in the Dominion. Mr Hamilton, who is assistant-general manager of the Delagoa Bay Development Corporation, a British company which supplies light, power and water to Lourenco Marques, discussed conditions in the parts of Africa which he has lived in or visited, in an interview in Christchurch. Discussing the anti-British feeling which he said existed in the Union of South Africa, particularly in the Transvaal, he said that a trade agreement gave definite preference to German goods, against English and Empire goods. A good example of this was the rolling stock and locomotives on the railways, which were largely of German manufacture.

Marriage and the Church The increased proportion of registry office marriages in recent years, as disclosed by vital statistics, is held by many Wellington ministers of religion whose opinions were sought, to -be symptomatic of a deplorable worldwide drift from religion, particularly on the part of young people. One minister said it was only to be expected that people who did not attend church and who did not practise religion in their homes would naturally go to the civil authority rather than follow what would to them be the strange course of entering a church. “There is a greater disregard for religious observances throughout the country at the present time, particularly among young people, than ever before,” said the Rev. W. Langstone, of All Saints’ Church. “I And that older people, from 30 onward, are very careful to come to church. Also in some cases divorced people, who cannot be married in our church, have to go to the registrar. It is deplorable that many of the young people do not realise the spiritual significance of the marriage contract and the great change it brings about in their lives. They appear just to want to get married as easily as possible."

Trade in Java

In an endeavour to promote the export of New Zealand produce to Java, Mr E. C. W. Rueb, a member of a Dutch firm in Sourabaya, is at present visiting Christchurch. The main difficulty, he said, was that Australia had developed the eastern market several years ago, sending flour, butter, citrus fruits and jams. He had no doubt that New Zealand butter was superior to the Australian product, but the difficulty would be persuading the people to pay a little more for it. For many years Java had exported kapoc and other tropical produce to the Dominion, and the steamers Maetsuycker and Tasman now maintained a regular service to Auckland.

The Durham’s Cadets The Federal Steam Navigation Company’s motor ship Durham, at present in port at Wellington, has on board 30 cadets who are being trained as officers of the Mercantile Marine for the Federal Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company. The cadets, whose ages average about 1? years, are instructed in all the branches of seamanship, and attend classes m navigation, mathematics, and seamanship conducted by a special instructor on board. They do the complete work of running the ship and all the actual deck work is conducted by them. The normal period of instruction of a cadet is three years and a-half, and if at the end of this time he passes his examinations he is usually engaged by the company as a junior officer. The cadets lead a very athletic life and take every opportunity to indulge in sport. In practically every port where their ship touches they arrange boat races, cricket matches, or Rugby football games with teams ashore. Fencing is popular, and last year the cadets on the Durham had the proud distinction of being undefeated at fencing throughout all the ports the ship had visited.

Midnight Express Late The limited express from Invercargill to Christchurch was an hour late in leaving Dunedin last night. Traffic was exceptionally heavy and this caused delays en route. . - Organ Recital A greatly-appreciated recital organ music was given in the Town Hall last night by Mr George E. Wilkinson, who was assisted by Miss D. Sligo and Mr Ivan Hanna, vocalists. The programme of organ numbers had been carefully selected, and each item was much enjoyed by the audience. Mr Wilkinson opened his recital with Guilmant's March upon Handel’s “ Lift Up Your Heads,” a piece that was very well received. Other numbers were Sinfonia to Cantata No. 156 (Bach), ‘‘At Evening” (Dudley Buck), Scherzo in D (Salome), “Au Convent" (Borodin), Rhapsody No. 2 (Saint-Saens), “Berceuse” (Hollins), and “Festival Toccata” (Fletcher). Miss Sligo sang “ Vilanelle ” (Dell-Acqua) very nicely, and Mr Hanna presented the numbers “Till I Wake” (Woodforde-Finden) and “Caro Mio Ben” (Giovanni). Auckland Shipping Record*

Over three million and a-half tons of shipping entered the port of Auckland last year, exceeding the previous record by nearly 60,000 tons. Records have been broken during each of the past four years, but last year was notable for the fact that, the number of ships entering the port decreased from 6582 to 6229. This is attributed to the falling off in the coastal trade owing to the increased road transport and also to the replacement of smaU coasters by larger vessels. Big Game Fishing The first striped marlin caught this year in the Bay of Islands was landed on Friday by Mr F. W. Voelcker, of Kerikeri, who was fishing in. company with Mr G. L. Schroder, of London. The strike was made off Cape Brett and the fish made a good fight before being landed. It weighed 3051 b. Tho honour of capturing the first swordfish of the season in waters off Mayor Island fell to the lot of a Wanganui visitor, Mr N. F. Searle, on Friday afternoon. Mr Searle was one of a party of five on the launch Tui. The fish was hooked at 1.15 p.m. and gave a splendid display of leaping. It fought strenuously for 40 minutes, and wai gaffed at 1.55 p.m. The fish, which was a striped marlin, was estimated to weigh 2901 b, and was dexterously handled by Mr Searle, who was having his first exnerience of big-game fishing. Flats for Pensioner*

The greatest interest is being taken in the Christchurch City Council’s experiment in the construction of homes for old age pensioners. The first three blocks of these flats are now well advanced in construction (the Press says) and their building has so enhanced the interest in the scheme that so far the council has had applications for them totalling 300. The scheme, at its present stage, involves the construction, of homes for 50 aged poor, so that it appears that already the extension of the scheme might have to be envisaged. The first block of flats is being erected in Johnson street, immediately behind Sydenham Park, and the row of flats has the advantage of an outlook right on to the peaceful view of the park, through a row of oak trees. Three blocks of four flats each are being constructed, and It is expected that the average cwst a flat will work out at about £490. Each flat is entirely selfcontained, with a living room measuring 14ft by 10ft, a bedroom capable of holding two single beds or one double bed, a kitchenette, with hot; water and servery, a separate bathroom for each flat, and a small coal and wood room at the rear. The rent of each flat will be 8s 6d a week! ,

New Type of State A departure from the orthodox type of State house already built or under construction in many parts of New Zealand has been made in designing five of a block of nine Government homes being erected on properties fronting the Great North road, New Lynn. Opinion (the New Zealand Herald says) is likely to be sharply divided on the appearance of the homes, Which are finished in plaster, with lean-to roofs, and are box-like in external shape, particularly when viewed from certain angles. Strong criticism of the houses has been made by many people who have seen them half finished, but the completed home is infinitely more pleasing. The supplies used in the construction include sheets of greyish-black material, and as two or three of the houses have reached this stage, their appearance is definitely unaesthetic, to say the least. When plaster has been applied over this material, however, and has thus effectively hidden it, and when decorative finishing touches have been added, the structures have a greater resemblance to a house than to a gaunt shed. Even when finished, however, the unusual appearance of the houses causes comment, not all of it enthusiastic.