NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

At a special meeting of the Ohura County Council yesterday 110 applications were received for the position of motor-grader driver. The successful applicant was Mr. Will Short, New Plymouth.

The annual cricket match between Nelson College and the New Plymouth Boys’ High School will be held at the New Plymouth schoolgrpunds on Monday and Tuesday, December 17 and 18. As the Nelson boys would arrive on Saturday night permission was granted by the High Schools Board at its meeting last night to hold the New Plymouth High School prizegiving on December 14.

Three of four candidates were successful in the practical part of the examinations conducted at Hawera in September in connection with the Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Act. Five candidates sat for the written section of the examination but no passes were gained. Those who passed in the practical part were R. D. Cormack, E. H. Green and A. W. Jupp. The secretary (Mr. J. F. Devine) had flatly refused to accept any honorarium for his services, said Mr. F. J. Eggleton, president, at last night’s annual meeting of the Taranaki Swimming Centre. Delegates who had moved that when the centre’s credit balance of 2s 7d was sufficiently increased the usual amount be paid, accepted the refusal with applause.

There were 96 candidates for the two New Plymouth Boys’ High School boarding scholarships. Sixty-seven candidates sat for the similar awards at the girls’ school. As a bell is to be presented to the school by the New Plymouth Old Girls’ Association at the jubilee next Easter, a request was read at the High Schools’ Board meeting last night for the erection of a belfry at the school. The matter was referred to the grounds committee for a report.

“A school is no place to hold an examination,” said Mr. W. H. Moyes last night at the New Plymouth High Schools Board meeting. Candidates at recent'examinations held at the Technical College had complained of the noise caused by pupils walking up and down the corridors, but it was impossible to prevent a clatter and disturbance when classes were being changed.

The glow-worms in the Waitomo Caves were the most impressive sight seen in New Zealand by the party of farmers from Mildura, Victoria, which has lately toured the North Island. They had seen the glaciers, and the wonders of Rotorua, Tongariro and the Buller gorge, but all were agreed that the glow-worms were the finest wonder they had seen.

An enterprising Greymouth man who set up a side-show at the Scotsmen’s gathering recently took sixpence, but, as the game required more than one player, he had to refund the money and pack up, reports the Grey Star. He has since foetid that the small boy who was willing to try his luck in the hope of securing a box of chocolates was not of Scottish descent.

The Rhodes Scholarships committee selection meets at Wellington on Friday. The eight candidates nominated are; A. D. Benham (Canterbury), C. M. P. Brown (Victoria College), D. M. Davin (Otago), E. P. Haslam (Auckland), J. D. Lewis (Auckland), L. F. Moller (Otago), W. F. Monk (Canterbury) and K. J. McNaught (Victoria College).

The cup presented by Mr. F. J. Eggletbn last year for the North Taranaki primary schools’ swimming relay championship was presented at the Taranaki Swimming Centre’s annual meeting last night. Fitzroy school was the first winner and on its behalf Mr. W. A. Brown, educational officer to the centre, accepted the trophy. The presentation would do much, he said, to increase school enthusiasm for swimming.

The necessity for the correct clothing and footwear being worn by cricketers was stressed at the meeting of the northern division management committee. at New Plymouth last night. A rule exists which provides a fine for offenders, but this applies only to senior cricketers. The lack of attention to this matter. applied mainly to junior teams,' especially at practice, it was stated. The players should recognise that uniform “whites” and correct footwear are in the interests of their own safety, it was emphasised “We are glad to see this spirit of cooperation between sports bodies; I wish there were more of it,” said Mr. F. J. Eggleton at last night’s annual meeting of the Taranaki Swimming Centre at New Plymouth on the receipt of a letter from the New Plymouth Amateur Athletic Club. The club pointed out it was holding an athletic sports gathering on Boxing night and added that the centre was being informed in plenty of time to avoid any clashing. It was decided to co-operate by reminding the clubs concerned.

New Zealand country districts were far more progressive than rural .England, said Dr. Ada McLaren, who has returned to Christchurch after an absence of 42 years. Villages all over England, said Dr. McLaren, were still without electric power, and in many r-acp.c Without efficient water supply. Even under the most recent scheme in England for managing the power supply it was doubtful whether all parts of the country would be reached, as the price to consumers varied considerably,.. and was in some places almost prohibitive. "Are you not afraid of the Government raiding your funds, as it did in one other case?” This question was put to Mr. L. R. C. Faefarlane, the South Island member of the Broadcasting Board, by Mr. G. Cox, after an address by JVIr. WTacfarlanc to the Chsistchurch Businessmen’s Club. “That is an awkward question,” replied Mr. Macfarlane, "but I can say that we are going on with our building programme and putting ourselves in a sound financial position. We have laid solid financial foundations. We are also taking other precautions to keep onside with the Government, but I cannot disclose what they are.” Reference to the widespread manner in which crows were worshipped in India was made by Mr. J. W. .Stothard when giving an address at Christchurch on missionary work in Indian villages. Mr. Stothard said that the natives made a practice of worshipping birds, especially crows. Again and again in India people could be seen at the bottom of trees, watching crows and hoping that the birds would come down and take their offerings. It was considered that when people died their spirits had to be fed, and as spirit worship was common in India, it was thought to be a sign of favour if the crows accepted the offerings. On the other hand, the failure of the birds to take the food was regarded as an unfavourable sign, and indicated the necessity of making some offerings to the gods. The practice of Australian newspapers of featuring very largely the most interesting or sensational news item of the day, as against the New Zealand method of maintaining a more balanced presentation of general news, was commented on by the Mayor of Dunedin, the Rev. E. T. Cox, on his return from Melbourne. Mr. Cox said that the city papers devoted the great majority of their space to current matters of local interest, and foreign news was pushed into the background. This did not appear to be the result of the centenary celebrations or of the presence of the Duke of Gloucester, but was rather an established custom, based on the practice of many of the great metropolitan papers of Great Britain, and one which he found particularly interesting. Any news item of especial interest was given the greatest publicity until another sensation was found to take its place. In bis opinion, however, the foreign news service of the Australian journals was not as comprehensive as that enjoyed by the New Zealand newspapers.

A complaint that no figures had been made available to indicate the progress of die work of the Methodist Church among the Maoris was made by the Rev. Moses Ayrton, of Tai Tapu, at the session of the North Canterbury Methodist District Synod last week. He said that there were 3000 Maoris who were claimed as members of the Methodist Church, and, roughly speaking, 12,000 Maori people among whom work was being done. He was surprised that so few had come under the influence of the Church. Mr. Ayrton referred to Bishop Bennett's recent statement that 650 Maoris had been received into full membership of the Anglican Chui ch last year. There was a considerable amount of money being spent, and several missionaries were , employed, so it was only right that figures should be supplied. The Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt replied that figures were published each year, but could not become available until reports were made by the districts in which the work was being done.

Evening classes at the New Plymouth Technical College will close for>'the session on November 30. An exhibition of work, including a woodwork display, will probably be held in the school buildings.