NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 4085, 28 June 1932, Page 34

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Three Chinese, who were arrested in a raid by detectives on premises in Grey avenue, appeared in the Police Court at Auckland on Friday, when each was charged with using the premi-es as a common gaming house. Each of the accused was convicted. Y’ip Sun being fined £5O, Ah Yat £25, and Ah Fong £lO. They were allowed seven days in which to pay. “Don't use the word ‘British.’ In Europe ‘ Britain ’ and ‘ British ’ mean nothing. In certain languages they cannot even be translated.” So writes Mr E. Miles-Knolles, who has had many years experience in organising Continental selling for British firms, in an article in the Advertising World. “ English,” he goes on to say, “means a great deal; it means a century’s reputation for sterling honesty and sterling products.” “To us all Governments are there io be shot at.” said Mr W. Perry, vice-presi-dent of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association at the annual meeting of the Wellington Association, after mentioning that there was no party politics in the movement. During the years overseas, he added, it used to be said that they were carrying on a war of attrition. 1 o-day that war was still being carried on. “ During the past year we have had numerous cases where we have had nego tiations between the mortgagee ami mortgagor with a view to making arrangements by which the occupier of the la-.i.l can be enabled to carry on. and this is the only ease in my knowledge where an offer made by the mortgagor has been refused,” said the representative of a large stock firm at a meeting of creditors in Christchurch. A suggestion that badges should be sold instead of poppies on Poppy Day so that the cost of the paper flowers could go towards the relief of distress received

little support at the annual meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Asso ciation. The president (Colonel H. E. Avery) said that the poppies were made by’ ex-service men. and whatever the outlay it was all given back to returned soldiers. “It is the sentiment of the poppy that attracts the public.” said Mr R. W. Bothamley. Voices: “ Hear, hear. ’ An illustration of the decline of seifreliance noticeable in people of to-day was given by Mr J. S. Barton at a meeting at Napier. The weakness of the present system, he said, was not so much bureaucracy as the “ debauchery of the people by teaching them to lean on the Government, taking away their selfreliance.” He quoted an instance of a man who thought that too much was being asked of him when it was suggested that he should clear away bricks in order that the borough might put up a chimney for him.

“ It looks like a shattering blow, but I am quite sure that members of the Workers’ Educational Association will keep together,” writes Dr Albert Mansbridge, of Cambridge University, president of the World Association for Adult Education, and the founder of the Workers’ Educational Association movement, in a letter to the Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Association, expressing his sympathy with the movement in the loss of its Government grants. As a symbol of his sympathy he forwarded a small donation.

“I wish the women of New Zealand would realise the feeding value of potatoes.” said the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, when replj'ing to a welcome by settlers at Pukekohe. “ When I see the high price at which bread is sold in this country I think we should emphasise the value of potatoes. I wish we had farina mills in New Zealand for turning the starch of potatoes into Hour for making bread.” The many uses of the potato were not realised in New Zealand. If they could extend the knowledge of these uses Pukekohe would have a still greater market for its products. “ Physical violence is of course not necessary to constitute cruelty in law,” said Air Justice Ostler in a reserved judgment delivered in the Supreme Court at Wellington. “Mental torture inflicted on a woman by cruel words, or behaviour short of physical violence can amount to legal cruelty if they affect her health or there is reasonable, apprehension that they will. But to justify an order under the Destitute Persons Acts there must be something more than cruelty on several isolated occasions in order to constitute persistent cruelty.” An instance of the custom, common to many native races, of naming a man after some peculiarity of appearance, speech, or action, was quoted by Mr P. Smyth in the course of an address to members

of the Auckland Institute, when he mentioned the accepted Maori term for a Frenchman, whom they call “ Wiwi.” Mr Smyth said the term had undoubtedly resulted from Maoris bearing Frenchmen repeat the word “ Oui.” and it had not taken long for the name to be included in the Maori language. Last month Mr F. Al. Mohling, of Shaftesbury, Te Aroha. unearthed on his properly a carved Maori palisade post. Mr V. Fisher, of the Ethnological Department, who made a visit of inspection, identified (he calling as a genuine one worked with ancient implements. The design, he states, is peculiar, as the head on the crest is unlike the usual carvings, and a singular departure from the established rules of Maori art. It is probable (says the Star) that the finder will give the carving to the Auckland Museum, x. here it would be treated as a valuable acquisition.

“ Aviation in New Zealand is a comparatively new interest, and we are at present in the midst of a severe depression, so I consider it is remarkable that the ebib lias not suffered a more severe loss,” said Mr Spencer R. Mason, the retiring president, at the fourth annual meeting of the Auckland Aero Club. Mr Mason expressed the opinion that the future of aviation in the Dominion was very bright., as it was agreed by flying men throughout the world that when the depression lifted there would be a great increase in flying in all countries, including New Zealand.

Is the arrival of twins in a family—like mi outbreak of fire —a disaster, a risk to be insured against? Some people must regard it in this way, for th! manager of one Christchurch insurance company said that his firm was prepared to provide a cover against the risk of twins. The rate was low, he said —only £3 per £lOO0 —but so far no policy had been taken out here, and he did not think that there had been any in New Zealand. However, the fact that such

policies had been taken out in England might be regarded as indicating a different view on the subject of twins. The Rev. H. 11. Jeffreys, speaking on the question of sport at the Dannevirke Rotary Club luncheon, said that in proceeding to Napier to referee in the Wairarapa-Hawke’s Bay Rugby representative match die had as travelling companions an old footballer and a racing man. In talking of football Mr Jeffreys said he remarked that he could not see how any question of money could increase his present interest in the game. The racing man remarked: “If you bad a fiver on it you would soon see whether „vou felt greater interest.” Mr Jeffreys admitted that for the moment he was nonplussed. When he had time to think, however, he was able to answer that he did not think the risk of £5 would increase his interest in the game. It might increase his anxiety. The International Union of Railways has decided to adopt picture signs, and in doing so it is returning to a custom thousands of years old. One of the difficulties at big railway stations has always been to direct the foreigner to the booking office, the refreshment room, the way out, and so on. At London station? into which boat trains run, there are notices in English. French, and some times German and Dutch. The Pole oi the Czechoslovakian will not be puzzle ! when the new signs come into use. H? will look round until he sees one bearing an umbrella and a walking stick crossed. The booking office is indicated by an enlarged picture of a railway ticket, the way out by open gates, and the refreshment rooms by a gigantic picture of a knife and fork.

“The Natives ought to receive 2s Gd a bird,” declared an Invercargill man, who has just returned from a few days spent among the mutton-birders, to a Southland Times reporter. “ The hard work and the danger attached to securing the birds are inadequately repaid at the present prices. The islands are rocky and steep, and the birds when killed have to be lowered from the top of the cliffs on a wire rope to the cleaning sheds. They are then sent on a further stage down a rope to workers waiting on the rocks below. Then comes the precarious business of getting the kits of birds into the boat. When almost on the rocks the boat is abruptly arrested by a stern anchor, three or' four kits are hastily flung aboard, and back from the rocks goes the boat. I can assure you I didn’t envy the birders their jobs. Few people, I feel sure, realise when they devour a mutton bird what the Natives have gone through to get it.”

“It is customary to blame the banks and the banking system for our position,” said Air Al. S. Spence, speaking to a Napier audience. “People imagine,” Air Spence continued, “ that if the exchange rate was raised to 120 or 130 we would get the benefit of the 20 or 30 per cent, and the people at Home would pay for it. That is not the ease. An increased exchange rate would simply amount to a shifting of wealth to the farmers, while the importers of the country would have to bear the cost.”

A resident of Orari was surprised last week on receiving his mail to find that one of his letters bore a 20-year-old stamp, which had been duly accepted by the Postal Department. It was one of the universal issue of penny stamps used in the days prior to the King George stamps. The reason for its acceptance was that a stamp is a receipt for a certain amount paid.to the Government, and until that receipt is “ cancelled ” it should be accredited by the Government issuing it.