NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Summer time in New Zealand will commence officially at 2 a.m. to-morrow, that being the second Sunday in October. Most persons, however, will no doubt find it less irksome to put their clocks forward half an hour to-night. Unless there is an amendment of the legislation, the return to standard time will be made on March 18.

A pupil of the Fitzroy public school, David Matangi, a nine-year-old Maori boy, suffered a leg injury when he fell in attempting to retrieve a ball. The injury was not a serious one.

The shining cuckoo, which migrates to New Zealand in the spring of the year, is considerably later this year than last. He was seen and heard at “Brooklands,” New Plymouth, for the first time yesterday, whereas last year he made his appearance about mid-September.

“Have you made any payments on account of back debts recently,” counsel asked a judgment debtor in the Magistrate’s Court at Waitara yesterday. “Yes,” replied the debtor, “I gave a 5s postal note to the baker for a loaf of bread and he kept the loti” Work in connection with the New Plymouth sewerage scheme was again commenced at the foot of Eliot Street this week, when special boring operations over the site of the liquifaction chamber were begun. The work has been entrusted to the borough waterworks department, equipped with the necessary boring machinery. Reference to the “most happy relationship existing between the Taranaki Agricultural Society and the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, especially in regard to farmers’ field competitions,” was made by Mr. D. LcC. Morgan at the society’s meeting at New Plymouth yesterday. Apart from the competitions, he said, in everything connected with the welfare of the farmer the two bodies had always worked hi perfect harmony.

The loyalty of the Taranaki and Waikato Maoris to their late “king” Te Rata Mahutu Te Wherowhero, was likened last night by a leading Maori to the simile of separate bands , grasping the two handles of a Maori kit. Leading Taranaki Maoris from Patea to Urenui, and including members of the Taranaki Native Trust, have left for the late king's pa at Waahi, Huntly, to attend the tangi held prior to the burial. The total strength from Taranaki would probably exceed 200.

“You in New Zealand are a great reading people. More books per capita are sold in New Zealand than in any other country in the world,” said Mr. P. V. Cave, general manager of Messrs. Eyre and Spottiswoode, an old-establish-ed London printing and publishing house, in an interview in Christchurch. Mr. Cave said that in spite of the increasing attractions of outdoor sports, a great deal more reading was being done than a few years ago, and that the reading public was ever increasing. He thought that the book shops in New Zealand would stand comparison with those in any other part of the world. The public’s reading taste, he thought, was much the same in England as in New Zealand, and the modern trend was towards travel, biography, and novels of the better type. <_

As a result of the public address given at New Plymouth on Wednesday night by Rotorian F. Milner the Mayor’s Relief Fund will benefit by about £l7. A cross-cut saw carried across the handle-bar of a bicycle caused an unexpected diversion in Devion Street yesterday morning. As the cyclist was riding over the intersection with Currie Street his machine suddenly reared up like a spirited horse. One end of the supple steel implement had become caught in the front wheel and ripped out a dozen spokes, or more. The rider retained his seat till his cycle resumed its normal plane, but he dismounted and walked afterwards.

A suggestion that too much attention to cows, and cows only, was being paid by Taranaki farmers was made by Mr. A. Dunlop at yesterday’s meeting of the agricultural society. It might be better, said Mr. Dunlop, to turn attention to other branches such as pigs. He instanced the case of Mr. A. R. Gudopp, Westown, who in addition to winning the North Taranaki ensilage competition was a well known breeder of Jersey cows and of Berkshire pigs. It might be a more paying proposition not to have all one’s eggs in one basket, Mr. Dunlop added. When a highway was reconstructed now it was almost always a condition that it be bituminised, said M. W. H. Wynyard, motorists’ representative on the Main Highways Board, in an address on the work of the board at the annual meeting of Franklin members of the Auckland Automobile Asociation. The bitumen surface, he said, reduced the wear and did away with the dust. Local tar had been used in sealing the Bombay deviation. It had come from Auckland, and had proved quite satisfactory. The deviation would be bituminised later.

Dante the magician has the power to produce ducks, geese, goats and other farmyard oddments seemingly from nowhere, but he was baffled at Christchurch on Friday. His pet dog, Ticker, had been "spirited” away, and all Dante’s powers were of no avail when it came to finding him. Dante therefore called on the aid of the citizens of Christchurch to help him out of his difficulty. Ticker must be found. Ticker is a black and white shaggy-headed terrier. Dante purchased him in Wellington recently, and became so attached to him that he offers a reward for the dog that disappeared into thin air. The Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamer Port Hunter loaded a record shipment of 40,500 dozen eggs' for London while she was at Lyttelton. This total far exceeds the previous record shipment of 35,000 dozen eggs taken by the Mataroa early last month from Canterbury. The export of eggs from the province this year is expected to be in the neighbourhood of 200,000 dozen, and of these 95,000 dozen have already been shipped. Several further shipments will be made before th 4 season closes at the end of November. Last year 49,000 dozen eggs were exported from Canterbury. The reason for the great increase in export has been the low cost of wheat in Canterbury, which has put poultry farmers in a very sound position. The Dominion figures for eggs shipped overseas this year will be about 500,000 dozen. A photograph of the log of H.M.S. Victory on the day the Battle of Trafalgar was fought has been presented to the Nelson City Council by Mrs. Grace Fox, who obtained the copy from the British Museum for the purpose. The log was made by the sailing-master of the Victory, Thomas Atkinson. In a letter asking the Mayor to accept the gift, Mrs. Fox states that an interesting story attaches to the log. Thos. Atkinson kept in his possession the original (one presumes, of course, he put a copy in the log-book), and it got handed down from father to son for some generations. When it was thought there were no more descendants it was auctioned a few years ago at Sotheby’s, and was bought by an Englishman for over £lOOO and presented to the British Museum. It reached the big figure owing to the fact that an American was also endeavouring to purchase jt.

The Education Department has decided that no probationers will be appointed to school staffs next year, which means that girls and boys who leave secondary school this year will not be able to secure positions in the schools next year. The Canterbury Education Board used to appoint about 90 probationers each year. The Education Department has also decided that only graduates who are clearly suitable for teaching work will be admitted to the Auckland Training College, which will be the only one open next year, except that not more than 40 of the present second-year students will be given special third-year courses. South Island students who would ordinarily attend the Christchurch Training College will be paid excess transit rates for attending the Auckland Training College.

Interesting facts on the position of rerelief workers in Public Works camps were given by a relief worker in the Magistrate’s Court at Waitara yesterday. The witness said he paid Is 2d for a loaf of bread, and clothes were very dear. He had worn out four pairs of boots in six months as the work was very hard on wearing apparel. Day labourers on the job concerned (Otaraoa Road) received 10s per day but contract labourers averaged less, hi the case of the witnes, £2 4s 8d per week, of which his wife and child received half. He had to buy and cook his own food and buy clothes. It made no difference in the rate of pay whether a married man had no children or a large family—one contract worker had 15 children. Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., expressed surprise at the price of bread and the fact of contract workers receiving less than day labourers.

Since the night express service to Auckland, via Ohura, commenced on September 2 310 passengers for stations beyond Taumarunui have travelled by the train from New Plymouth. Of these 28 first-class single, 66 second-class single, 14 first-class return and 92 second-class return have gone as far as Auckland. Sleeping carriage returns are considered fairly satisfactory, these totalling 25 from New Plymouth. It was stated, however, that this figure was not a reliable indication of the numbers of Taranaki people who have actually patronised the sleeping carriages as bookings may be made from any of the way stations. For instance the number of bookings at Stratford must be very considerable, and it is stated the ordinary passenger bookings from there have been about as numerous as those at New Plymouth. The patronage has been fairly regular throughout the period, there being no rush periods or exceptionally slack days. The second-class accommodation has always been well used. Friday has been the best day with regard to passengers. A point of interest is that the Dante company, which will finish its New Plymouth season on Tuesday, will go to Auckland by the night train on Wednesday, on which it has booked 18 sleeping berths, instead of having to leave that morning as in former times. The company will arrive at Auckland the same time, Thursday morning, but will have an extra day at New Plymouth.

■ Music-lovers should take note of the orchestral concert at New Plymouth advertised in this issue for October 18. Miss Dowling’s string orchestra will be reinforced by visiting and local senior wood-wind players.

Numerous attractive entries are advertised for Newton King Limited’s spring cattle fair at Awakino on October 14.