NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1934, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

A novel form of spending the school holidays was adopted by a mother and her daughter recently. They cycled round Mt. Egmont in a leisurely fashion, staying at boardinghouses en route. The weather was fine, with the result that they spent a thoroughly enjoyable week. “Wellingtonians themselves do not seem to do their city justice. When I have marvelled at the beauty here I have heard quite a few say: ‘Well, you ought to see Auckland,’ ” remarked, amid laughter, Mr. R. H. Nesbitt, the newlyappointed Australian Trade Commissioner, at a luncheon given him by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

An incident that caused amusement among Taranaki Rugby Union officials occurred at the annual dinner of the Tukapa Football Club on Saturday night. While 4he majority of those present were honouring the toast of the Taranaki Rugby Union with cries of “The Rugby Union,” a voice rang out, “Here’s to tea and cakes!”

Lorries driven by Henry Edward Martin, carrier, New Plymouth, and Harold Melrose Cole, plumber, New Plymouth, collided in Courtenay Street at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. No-one was injured. Mr. Cole was backing his vehicle out of the right-of-way alongside the Christian Scientist Church and Mr. Martin was driving east along Courtenay Street. Minor damage was done to both vehicles.

A young man named Ray Kennedy, Brook Street, Inglewood, collided with a car driven by Mr. I. Huber, Eltham, yesterday. He was practising for the mountain cycle race and the accident occurred as he was going down Burke’s Hill, Eltham. His machine was badly broken and the young man received injuries to his knee and face which necessitated his removal to the New Plymouth hospital.

The way in which O'Dowda, the Tukapa forward, secured a try against Manukau Rovers in a Rugby match at Pukekura Park on Saturday, created a great deal of amusement. J. Sullivan snapped up the ball and side-stepping would-be tacklers crossed the line and ran behind the posts with O’Dowda in attendance. Instead of touching down Sullivan with an amusing gesture passed the ball to O’Dowda, who promptly scored,

Evidence of the early popularity of cricket this season was seen at an impromptu cricket practice held by members of the New Plymouth Cricket Club on Saturday. Although many of the club members were unaware that a practice had been aranged 30 players took part. This remarkable enthusiasm so early in the season augurs well for the future of the sport.

“One society whose identity I cannot disclose has realised the importance of a meteorological plan and has promised to give 1,000,000 dollars a year for ten years, provided the Governments of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South America think the scheme is worth while and furnish £250,000 for the establishment of twelve observation stations in the Antarctic,’ stated Sir Hubert Wilkins at Dunedin.

Standing nearly eight feet high, a completely restored skeleton of a moa is the latest acquisition to the Wanganui Public Museum. Its bones were collected within three miles of the site of the museum and the skeleton was modelled by Mr. G. Shepherd, the curator, after months of patient work. Placed in a glass case on the second floor of the building, the skeleton presents a striking contrast to the sharks, deer heads and small birds that stand adjacent to it.

“The exchange has been of benefit to the farmers,” said Mr. J. A. Nash (Government, Palmerston), when speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives. There were some cases as far as sheepfarmers were concerned, and a few cases where dairy farmers were concerned, where the banks and stock and station agents had benefited. But, why not? They had kept the farmers afloat, and found credit for them and kept them going through a very pressing time. Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour, Grey Lynn): Taken them for a ride.

During his visit to Wanganui next week in connection with the opening of the exhibition of British pictures at the Sarjeant Gallery His Excellency Lord Bledisloe is to visit the youths’ afforestation camp at Kaitoke. An invitation has been extended to members of local bodies, the schools and the public to be present at the camp. The presentation of a photograph of the camp is to be made to His Excellency together with “bond” badges. A presentation is also to be made to Lady Bledisloe.

Australia’s death-rate has been greatly reduced, yet population and birthrate are declining so rapidly that there will cease to be any increase when Australia’s population has reached 8,500,000. This statement is reported to have been made to the Canberra Mothercraft Society by the senior medical officer of the Commonwealth Health Department, Dr. Cilento. When the population had reached 8,500,000 there would, he said, be no hope of adding to the population except by immigration or invasion. Mothercraft, which was an attempt towards national survival, had become a factor of outstanding importance to the community. “Well do I remember the laying of the foundation-stone of the old church in 1870,” said Mrs. S. A. Brighting, who deposited the records beneath the founda-tion-stone of the new Methodist Church at Kaiapoi the other day. “We were all out in our Sunday best; you know what that meant in those days. But unfortunately the varnish on the seats was not perfect, and when we tried to stand up to sing, we found ourselves stuck to the seat.” This little story was greeted with hearty laughter. Mrs. Brighting paused until the merriment had died down, and then added quietly, “Nor were we alone in that respect. The men—.” Her subsequent remarks on the happening were drowned in the burst of renewed laughter. Discussing Maori legends at Napier, Bishop Bennett referred to the Maori conception of a winged race of people known as Te Whanou-Moana, who could fly from island to island. This was an ancient tradition of the West Coast. The last of these people was named “Tekahurere” (flying flock), but unfortunately, through the instrumentality of a woman, he lost his wings. Reference was also made* to a man called Tamarau, who flew from a mountain called Arorangi (pear Whakatanq) to' the sea coast. The same tradition, with similar names, said the Bishop, occurred in the Rarotongan Islands. The Maoris could trace this myth back to the very early history of the Polynesian race for an island off the south-west coast of Sumatra there was a remnant of this race which had the tradition that the sky was inhabited by people superior to the human family, and who were gifted with wipgs. “I know of nothing more inspiring than to see a great hall like this crowded. with young Christians of all denominations holding aloft the banner of Christian faith,” said His Excellency Lord Bledisloe, in addressing a combined youth gathering at Wellington. Particularly was it so, he continued, during a period not merely of national and political upheaval, but at a period when athieism, agnosticism, apathy and perverted conceptions of life’s happiness were very rife, and when it was unfortunately not the fashion to be religious, as it was in the days of Queen. Victoria. Just as the child was the father of the man, so the youth of a nation was the master of its fate. The future fate of New Zealand depended mainly upon the spiritual convictions of its young people and the courage with which they adhered to those principles and practised them, however unpopular or however unfashionable they might be. Never was the crusade of Christianity more necessary, never was its victorious issue more vital for the growing needs of a chaotic world, and never was it more essential for the platoons of youth to make it clear, absolutely clear, to which army they belonged. With a big octopus in charge of the cockpit, the crew of the Auckland fishing launch Ruby had a strenuous few minutes in the gulf. When they hauled in their seine net the octopus was in the cod end—the bottom of the bag, so to speak, and could not be liberated without setting go the rest of the catch. When it was emptied into the cockpit, together with the other fish, however, it uncoiled, tentacles upwards of Bft. long, and the* crew realised that they had brought aboard something more than they bargained for. Even though it was one against three, the octopus still had the advantage in number of arms by eight to six, arms equipped on the inner side with rows of suckers, from which escape is impossible once they get a grip on bare flesh. There was always the chance that the octopus would climb over the coaming of the cockpit and drop into the sea, and, as it did so, throw a tentacie round one of the crew and take him with it. Slipping and sliding on the wet floor of the cockpit, for the sea was choppy that day, the crew attacked the creature, with their sheath knives and with the hooks used for handling fish, but body pounds had no other effect than to make it change colours through an amazing variety of hues. They then attacked its tentacles, which they lopped off one by one as opportunity offered, until only the dismembered body was left, still alive, but powerless. The body was dumped overboard, but the tentacles still adhered by their suckers to the sides and bottom of the cockpit, and it took the crew all their strength to prise them loose.

The white pique “pull-on” washing hats now showing at Scanlan’s Melbourne Corner are creating a good deal of interest both on account of the neat becoming shapes and easy prices. These smart little hats are going to be very popular so intending buyers should take the hint and make sure of their requirements.*