NEWS ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16042, 1 February 1923, Page 9

NEWS ITEMS.

The Redfern (Sydney) Municipal Band, of 30 performers, has completed arrangements for its New Zealand tour, and will sail by the Ulirnnroa .on Saturday. ‘February 3. Prior to the competitions,. the "hand will give concerts in Wellington. (.'hrtstchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Palmerston. Port Chalmers, and Dunedin.

The success that has attended the working of the Rimu dredge at Hokitika has aroused the residents to a sense of the possibilities of the goldmining industry in their immediate lucidity (says the Immgalma Times), and) a prospecting association has been formed- to explorei Iho district. This association, having been strongly supported 1 by citizens. is now considering wbicli locality is to be prospected, and work will he started immediate! v.

One of the signal events in the recent history of Europe (says the London Observer), lias been the Swiss rejection of the capital levy. The vote of the nation turned it down by an overwhelming majority of no less than seven to one. The figures of the total poll showed quite clearly that thousands who voted for Socialism as a nebular hypothesis voted against it when its programme came to a specific proposition.

“We are absolutely confident,” declared Lieutenant Ziegel, a member of the French Mission, • in an address at Wellington “in the future of the French automobile industry. But it is necessary. if it is to prosper, to find markets ■n all countries which are big buyers, as France alone cannot absorb the output. French manufacturers have grasped the 'fact, and in order to succeed they are ready to make a careful study of each one of these markets and to work hand in hand, for efficiency. We shall feel happy if you will kindly let us know your suggestions, which will be transmitted to the manufacturers, and will be given careful consideration.”

At the Sanitary Inspectors’ Conference at Wanganui, Dr. Mackgill remarked that there seems to be an impression that it is harmful to discharge sink and bath water into a septic tank. His experience had been the reverse. He explained' that ordinary town sewerage was much more highly diluted than that of a household septic tank. Difficulty might be experienced in an installation where a large amount of laundry work was carried on. The discharge from this simply flooded the tank, and trouble ensued. Dr. Monk said he could take the inspector to tanks in his district which were "merely bottomless pits. These tanks should be properly constructed under the direction of a qualified inspector. Provided that too much water and disinfectants did not get into the tanks, they would work satisfactorily.

There is at least one clergyman in Victoria who will soon have to hang out the “house full” sign on Sunday nights, writes a Melbourne correspondent. The congregation flocks to see motion pictures, which now, form part of the service. Although there are sonic who look aghast at the methods used by the enterprising clergyman, lie lias at least the satisfaction of seeing but few empty seats. Whether or not the success attending his effort has influenced the education authorities, is hard to say, but the fact remains that the old question of introducing the pictures as a medium of instruction in tile public schools is again being talked about by the Education Department. In fact, the council issued a comprehensive report a year ago favoring a 'modi fled use of the “movies’ in the schools, but beyond examining a few projecting machines it has made no progress. The school children are living in hope of an early introduction of the scheme, but the council Jias not finished its inquiries yet, and hopes to continue them this year.

There is an idea very widely spread abroad,” said Lieutenant Ziegel, of the French Mission, at the King’s Theatre, Wellington, “that in the conception and construction of their motor cars, French constructors have lost, owing to tbe war, the undisputable mastership they owned till 1914. This is entirely false: war has been for them, on the contrary, the hardest but most effective of trainings. All motor plants have been at work to meet the requirements qf, French and Allied armies in shells, aircraft motors, tanks, and various precision works. New works were even built for these purposes. Most of them had‘resumed or undertaken motor fabrication by the time of the armistice. More modern than any other similar works in tlie world, they should afford the lowest costs, after being adapted to their new production. . . . It must not be forgotten that one of the best tools of our victory, the tank, was entirely designed by Louis Renault. It was derived from the caterpillar tractor, and, fitted with a 22.4 h.p. lorry motor, is still used today on the three-ton lorries. The successive ameliorations which made of it a first-rate war machine, have profited the agricultural tractor.”

The steady reticulation of South Auckland with .. hydro-electric light and power is making a wonderful difference in these country districts, where previously the only light was kerosene or candles, and the only power human and animal labor, assisted in some instances by. an oil engine (says tlie Auckland Star). The Central Power Board, whose headquarters are at Hamilton, is one of four such bodies operating in the district, and its capital outlay during the two years of its existence has boon something like £ilo,ooo. In all about 1900 miles of lines have ben erected by the Board, while 60 miles have yet to be completed. There are already 710 consumers of light and heat, while 185 milking sheds have been connected up for both light and power, iii addition to motors for other purposes. Tlie Board is at present drawing revenue to the extent of ajbout £BOOO annually, and' this ‘is being constantly increased as further consumers come on to the roll. All the smaller towns and villages over tho whole countryside are now illuminated with electricity, while the difference which this clean and convenient form 'of light and power lias made in the home, whore its adaptability to mariy, forms qf labor saving has become enormous.

Speaking at a banquet tendered to him-at Winton, a few days ago, Mr. J. It. Hamilton, cx-M.P. for Awarua, said the elections bad revealed many facts, and be had learnt many things. He had learnt that there was very little room in Parliament for the man who spoke out. He never hesitated to do as his conscience dictated, and Jic Would sooner be defeated ICO times than succeed by pandering for votes. It was a combination of factors arrayed against the Government representatives that had caused their defeat. He regretted that the farmers were not going to bo represented in Parliament as they should be. There were only five farmers’ representatives in the South Island. No man, unless he had practical experience, was able to give sound opinions on matters affecting the agricultural" side of the country, lie liked to see every section of the community represented. The farmers and producers wore responsible for the pioneering work that was being done in this country, and so Hiev should have more representation. That was why lie was sorry to see the majority of the people in the Otago and Southland wipe out their former representatives. If either Mr. Massey or the combined Opposition could not form n Government, then the Reformers would go back to the fray armed better than thev were before.