NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Commercial news will be found on page 16 of this morning’s issue. The War Pensions Board sat at New Plymouth yesterday. ' It will conclude its sitting to-day and proceed then to Hawera.

By insisting on finishing his meal at Marton junction recently a traveller on the Wellington-New Plymouth express held up the train for three minutes. Motorists coming to New Plymouth last night were stopped by the score in Devon Street between Hobson and Eliot Streets, and had their driving licenses inspected and car brakes and lights tested. A fierce westerly gale, hail, rain and snow were experienced at North Mt. Egmont yesterday. Several old trees were blown down by the gale when it was at its height. Indications last night were for a fall of snow.

A perfect silver sphere some three to four inches in diameter is on view in a Hawera shop window. It is composed of well wrapped silver tissue from cigarette packets and represents £525 worth of cigarettes. A placard against the exhibit states that the collector has now stopped smoking. A most important event, at least in the eyes of the junior boys’ class of the Y.M.C.A. association at New Plymouth, crowned the week’s celebrations last night, when a small dance was held at Community House. It was attended by young members, mainly about 12 years old, who had asked 30 girls about their own age to join in the dancing and merriment.

A small launch nearly sank at its moorings at New Plymouth yesterday. A huge wave all but filled the cockpit and the launch was on the verge of sinking when her owner baled her out. Conditions inside the harbour were comparatively calm, and other launches rode easily at their anchorage. The Opawa at the Newton King wharf provided ample shelter from the wind.

Few applications for light and brake testing were received by New Plymouth garages yesterday. It was generally considered that the rush for applications had ceased and only a few stragglers were being received. The Automobile Association officer in Taranaki, Gredig, was kept steadily at work all yesterday but there was no sign of a lengthy queue as had been the case the previous Friday. Men’s felt hats cleaned and re-blocked tor 2/6. We also renovate suits, costumes, dresses, etc., at J. K. Hawkins, Dyers and Dry Cleaners, comer Devon and Liardet Streets. New Plymouth, ’Phone 685. We collect and deliver.

In five criminal cases on the calendar at the present sessions of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth verdicts of not guilty were returned in three, while the Grand Jury “no-billed” a fourth. There was four indictments against the accused person in the remaining case, in which a verdict of not guilty was returned in each of three and a verdict of guilty on the remaining count of receiving a stolen key valued at 2s 6d. The prisoner, being already undergoing five years’ sentence and being an habitual criminal, the sentence was a nominal one. Heavy seas pounded the coast of North Taranaki Bight yesterday, when the previous day’s north-westerly gale veered to the west. Huge waves dashed over the breakwater at New Plymouth casting spray high into the air. Although turbulent seas raged outside the port the waters inside the mole were reasonably steady under the conditions. The ships Opawa and Opihi were delayed again by the conditions that reigned at sea. They were to sail last night. High seas were experienced on the East End, Fitzroy and Waiwakaiho beaches. “That armament firms are rendering the League of Nations abortive” was the subject of discussion at the fortnightly meeting of the New Plymouth Debating Society last night. Mr. P. Hawkins, seconded by Mr. J. Lynch, led the affirmative. and Mr. Ml Goldsbury, seconded by Mr. Watts, the negative. The debate vyas somewhat less lively, than usual, few of the audience taking an opportunity to speak. Mr. P. S. Carroll, as adjudicator, gave valuable comment on the speakers matter, and style. Mr. T. P. Anderson was chairman.

There is a man in Christchurch who probably understands the feelings of Coleridge’s “Ancient Mariner” in his famous predicament; He drives a petrol truck and the other day he was in an unhappy position. His truck was full of petrol, but the engine’s supply was exhausted. His first misfortune was to turn in error into a blind street. Jie 1 discovered his mistake and turned the truck, but after it had gone a few yards the engine stopped. The driver climbed down from his seat and after a horrified glance into the tank went,in search of a telephone. After a few minutes a car arrived with a can of petrol and the truck drove away.

A course of instruction for territorial non-commissioned officers proposing to sit for examinations for the first appointment to a commission was commenced at New Plymouth yesterday. Eight members of the Q.A.M.R. and four of the Ist Battalion Taranaki Regiment are taking the course, which will last a week. At the conclusion of the instruction the candidates will be subjected to a practical examination. Successful candidates in this portion of the tests will be required to sit a written examination on Thursday. Major A. E. Conway, N.Z.S.C. is in charge of the course and the instructors are Captain F L. Hunt, N.Z.S.C., Lieutenant J. N. Henry, N.Z.S.C., S.-S.M. J. T. R. Bell, N.Z.P.S., S.-S.M. J. L. O. Rowe, N.Z.P.S. and Corp. J. D. Armstrong, N.Z.P.S. Speaking of the - place occupied by football in the life of students m American universities in an address given at Canterbury College, Mr. Robert K. Bums, the visiting debater from Washington University, stated that at his own college the football coach was paid a salary of an equivalent in dollars to £3OOO a year. The. president of the college received £2500 a year, and it was the general rule in America for professors to be paid at a lower rate than football coaches. However, Mr. Bums concluded, the conduct of football as a commercial proposition enabled the college to support other sports, such as tennis and basketball, and even to send wandering debaters to New Zealand.

The danger of the habit that many people have of employing a spoon as a medicine measure instead of using a medicine glass was illustrated recently in Christchurch. A woman suffering from an ailment that called for the administration of a potent drug was warned against the dangets of an overdose. She was advised to use a medicine glass for measuring the quantity of the medicine to be’ taken. Following long habit, however/ she used a teaspoon, and took more of the drug than she should have, taken. As a result she became seriously ill. “It is a matter that should be brought before the notice of the public,” said a chemist “The majority of people do not seem to know the danger of measuring medicine in a spoon.” The chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Mr. Dynes Fulton, in an address to farmers last Saturday at Patumahoe, spoke of his recent trip through Canada and the U.S.A. At present, he said, trade between New Zealand and Canada was all in favour of Canada, and this must be dealt with before long. His company had agents in various parts of Canada, and they had the utmost difficulty in securing the importation of butter or cheese. While he was in that country he found the country .-'ort of butter, and at once he called for 2500 boxes to be sent to Vancouver. This shipment was held up and only released in 250 box lots. Nevertheless, there was a profit for his company in the transaction. Mr. Fulton declared he had no hesitation in saying that at present the balance of trade’ was very- mich in favour of Canada, and every effort should be made to induce the Canadian Government to accept New Zealand produce to the value of Canadian imports “here.

An ingenious egg grader suitable for use by producers or in stores was demonstrated by Mr. P. B. Stevens at a meeting of the V. oolston branch of the New Zealand Poultry Producers’ Federation, Christchurch. The grader, which was invented and has been patented, was said to be able to deal with 30 or 40 eggs a minute. The action is simple, consisting of a runway over a piece of glass, under which is a strong electric light bulb. The egg stops over the light to be “candled” for blemishes, and. then is moved on to sensitive scales which when pressed down by the egg, make contact and light up a small bulb working off a dry battery. This bulb can be set to light up at any specified weight. The figure used in the demonstration was 2oz, anything under that weight failing to affect the bulb. From the scales the eggs are placed in two runways, one for those of the correct weight or over, and the other for those under the weight. Blemished eggs, of course, are not tested further after exposure by “candling.” The annual report of the Department of Immigration, presented to Parliament this week, states that the total number of arrivals from the United Kingdom and Ireland during the year ended March 31, 1934, was 468 (199 males and 269 females). Out of this total four (a wife and three children) were assisted by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments; the fam- 13 ily was nominated la;t year by the husband and the nomination was approved as a special case. During the year only one nomination was approved. The activities of the department, apart from those incident 1 to the handling of inquiries, were confined to operations in respect of recovery of passage-money loans and refunds due by migrants on account of nori-fulfilment of, the fiveyears residence regulation.• “There are signs of a distinct revival in interest in Empire migration both in the United Kingdom and the Dominions, and this interest is likely to be intensified in the near future, due in some respects to the fact that the Empire Settlement Act of 1922 expires in 1937,” the report states. “Many schemes.have been suggested, but, so far as this Dominion is concerned, it would appear none that has come under notice is as litab’. for this Dominion as the nomination system so successfully adopted during past years, and particularly since the passing of the above Act.”