NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 79, 29 June 1928, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

NOTES FROM ALL PARTS. \ the dominion day by day. People’s Playing Areas. A plea for the fuller use of racecourses as playing areas for the people was made by Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., at a social function at Turua this week. Mr Samuel said that' racing could not continue without the support of country people, who should be allowed to utilise the courses in a general way for recreational needs. Similarly, dwellers in country towns should be enabled and encouraged to lay out Rugby football and athletic areas on the many splendidly-equipped racecourses of the Dominion, a majority Of which were only used two days in the year. ' • Single Man, Not Wanted. A request was made to the Canterbury Education Board on Friday that a male married teacher be appointed to a certain country district. Th e deputation %hicb made the re- • quest, said that a male teached . was wanted in preference to a mis- , tress. A single man was not desired, however, as he might be away all the time at dances or football matches. “Well, you have a rem- ' edy,” said the chairman, in announcing that a single had had leen appointed. “You have several nice . young ladies in your. district, and that should soon settle the question • of marriage.” -

No Air Sense. That airplanes would be as com- '• mou as motor cars in New Zealand • in ten years’ time was a prediction made by Mr D. E. Harkness, who delivered an interesting lecture at Auckland on “The Development of the Airplane” (reports the Star). Contrasting the progress i of civil aviation in Australia and New Zealand, the lecturer said that it was to be regretted that owing to the apahy of the New Zealand Government the Dominion suffered from a lack of “air sense.” Had prizes been offered in New Zealand, as was done in Australia for some time, New Zealand might have made as much ‘ progress as the Commonwealth. Speaking about Auckland, Mr Harkness said he believed that the time would quickly come when a municipal airdrome would be as essential to aviation as a harbour w r as to shipping.

Jokes.” “Stale jokes” was the subject of a humorous reference on Saturday evening by Mr H. J. D. Mahon, headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, in a speech at the Old Boys’ reunion, reports the Auckland Star. Mr Mahon said that boys were the same to-day as in his young days, and laughed subserviently at the jokes of the masters. On a recent occasion he bad set a form to write an essay on “Stale Jokes,” and received as an opening paragraph by a birght youth: “Stale jokes are the witticisms permitted to Judges, Magistrates, schoolmasters, and other persons dressed with a little brief authority.” (Laughter.) The remark was reminiscent of Goldsmith; “Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee at all his jokes, for many a joke had he,” or of Pope: “A gentle dullness ever loves a joke.”

Government and Business. Consequent upon a decision made at a meeting of business men in Auckland recently, when Me J. M. Mac Ewan and Mr Stronach Paterson sought support in protesting against competition by State and municipal authorities to the detriment of private enterprise, efforts are being made to form a local committee, reports the Herald. It is claimed that State and municipal activities have prejudiced private enterprise in the case of banks, insurance companies, sawraillers, motor transport interests, dairy produce exporters, nurserymen, timber growers, freezing companies, fruit exporters, shipping companies, kauri gum shippers, milk vendors, retail booksellers, and othei retailers. It is contended that in cases where the activities could not be discontinued immediately, the State and municipally-conducted concerns should be subject to the same taxation and other conditions as those conducted by private interests. Mr Charles Rhodes, who, with Mr H. T. Merritt,, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, is endeavouring to form a local organisation, states that a list has been drawn up and it is hoped to obtain the active support of a representative body of business men.