NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Using the Long Acre. Owing to the shortage of feed at the present time,* wandering stock had been more noticeable on the roads during the past month, reported the ranger to the Inglewood County Council yesterday. Collection in Streets. The combined New Plymouth District 1 Nurse Committee and Red Cross Society street day at New Plymouth on August 9 resulted in a total of £93 10s 9d being collected, the expenses totalling £2 16s sd. Agreement to the division of the available total of £9O 14s 4d in the proportion of three-fifths to the committee and two-fifths to the society was reached when a deputation from the society waited on the committee yesterday. Reading Subsidy Wanted. The Inglewood County Council yesterday decided to ask the Government to pass legislation this session for a £1 fdr £1 subsidy on all roads other than highways instead of the present subsidy on rates. Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Finance and Internal Affairs and to the member of Parliament for the district. “Cast-eye Burdens.”

Children’s versions of well known hymn tunes have provided many amusing stories. The latest authentic example is provided by a small New Plymouth boy who startled his mother the other day by announcing that he had learned the words of “Cast-eye Burdens on the Wall” and “The Shepherds Washed their Frocks by Night.” Fitzroy School Improvements.

The work of erecting the new class rooms recently authorised at the Fitzroy school by the Education Department has begun. The fresh air rooms have been moved to their permanent positions west of the site of the new rooms and the gymnasium is in the process of removal to its new site.

Modem Sailors’ Tastes. A marked change in the type of amusement favoured by seamen when ashore at the present time, compared with over 30 years ago, was referred to by the Rev. H- K. Vickery during an address to members of the Shiplovers’ Society at Auckland. The entertainment provided at missions at the beginning of the century, said Mr. Vickery, ranged from boxing matches to tugs-of-war, but the modern seaman ashore preferred bridge and dancing. Searching for Lucre.

What should be done when five single £1 notes, each worth 20s silver shillings in any bank in the land, are dropped in a gutter and lost to view beneath a culvert? A visitor to New Plymouth had that unhappy experience last night when he dropped the money in the gutter outside the Imperial Hotel in Devon Street, only to see the notes disappear in the culvert nearby. DiLgent search was conducted by means of long poles, hoses and other methods and two large policemen even graced the scene of operations. But only two notes rewarded the search.

Taranaki Boy’s Success. Information has been received by Mr. Gordon Smith, secretary of the Taranaki Union of Model Flying Clubs, that Mr. Ron Brown, of the Stratford club, won second prize in the junior solid section of the Anthony Hordern show in Australia, competed for by entrants from all over Australia and New Zealand. The union sent altogether four planes, the best from Waitara and Stratford and the two best from the New Plymouth Model Flying Club. Mr. Brown’s prize was the only one won in New Zealand from over 300 entries.

Overseas visitors frequently comment on the amount of time devoted to sport in the Dominion and it has been said that New Zealanders are “football mad.” While sport can be carried too far it has, or should have, a definite place in the life of every nation. The fact that Taranaki is “football-minded” is wellknown. It is patent that the railway officials anticipate that the Taranaki v. Wellington match on Saturday week will induce many to visit the capital to see the match. An attractive programme appears in the advertising columns in this issue.*

Scouts at Observatory. A large number of scouts visited tire New Plymouth observatory last night and, favoured by ideal conditions, studied the heavens under the guidance of Mr. F. J. Morshead. Impressive Music.

Used to picture-going and the playing of the National Anthem, at the commencement of the programme, the audience at last night’s performance of the “Reveille” revue at the New Plymouth Opera House had a laugh at its own expense. The first bars of the orchestra’s opening effort brought the audience to its feet before it realised that the music was only the rather impressive opening of the overture.

Limestone Land and Rain. The 4 limestone land in the King Country is going to produce more than it has done for years, according to some who have farmer there for a long time. The intensely wet season has so saturated the land that as soon as ever the hot weather arrives there is going to be a growth which will be a shock to the pessimists who complain of the cold wet season they have passed through. Importation of Poultry.

A complete prohibition of the importation of live poultry into New Zealand from any country, except with the consent of the Minister for Agriculture, is made by an order-in-council published in the Gazette. The order revokes an order of 1931, which restricted importations, and will take effect immediately. The phrase “live poultry” includes domestic fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys.

Street Day Allocations. The proposal of the New Plymouth Borough Council to allocate street collection days for recognised societies in alternate seasons of the year did not find favour with members during a discussion at a meeting of the New Plymouth District Nurse Committee and the Red Cross Society yesterday. “It is not a satisfactory method of allocating the days,” said one member. ‘ It will mean that in one year an organisation will be holding a day 18 months after its previous one, and the next year it will be on the streets again six months after its previous day.” The meeting decided to place this view before the council before street days for next year are allocated. Gas-mask Drill. That gas-mask drill and instruction in the treatment of gassed persons were as necessary in New Zealand as in any other country was an opinion expressed by Sir R. Heaton Rhodes at a meeting of the General Committee of the St. John Ambulance Association at Christchurch. In the case of war, said Sir Heaton, the people of New Zealand were liable to be attacked, and that fact should not be overlooked. The progress made in gas warfare was so pronounced that the anticipation of this country’s being near a theatre of war warranted 'definite action in the work of preparation. Forestry League’s Work. “If public forestry is to succeed and to be established in' its proper niche in the public economy of New Zealand it must justify its existence and serve adequately every department of the public need,” states Captain L. Macintosh Ellis, ex-director of the State Forest Service, in a letter to the New Zealand Forestry League congratulating it upon its work. “This public service not only consists of wood crop production but also soil and water conservation, wild life and recreational management.” Residential Qualifications.

At the August meeting of the Waikato Rugby Union management committee Mr. J. Rolfe asked for a ruling regarding a player who had lived all his life at Putaruru, had followed his employment elsewhere for part of the season, but had come back about once a fortnight for a weekend and played for a club in his old district. The chairman and members said that a ruling had been obtained from the New Zealand Rugby Union in connection with another case, and was adopted in the Waikato Rugby Union’s minutes. It states that a player must spend four nights, of each week within the boundaries of the union where he intends to play.

“Liberties Abandoned.” “There are few world issues more pressing than the apparent recklessness with which nation after nation seems to be abandoning those personal liberties of action and speech, and almost of thought? whose vindication we looked upon only a few years ago as one of the most glorious achievements of heroic souls in days gone by,” writes Bishop West-Wat-son in his letter to the diocese of Christchurch in the September Church News. “We cannot seek truth in order or to pattern,” the bishop adds, “and once the currency of truth is debased, what must be the cost of restoring it?” An Unsolicited Compliment

A compliment was paid to Mr. H. E. Blyde, pi-esident of the North Taranaki provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union at the meeting of the Inglewood County Council yesterday. Reporting on the conference which had been held recently at Eltham between representatives of Taranaki county councils and the Farmers’ Union to discuss derating, Cr. A. Corkill, chairman of the council, said that he had to compliment Mr. Blyde on the able manner in which he had presented the case for derating. It was certainly a tribute to Mr. Blyde that whereas 12 months ago the proposal was rejected by all the members, this year everyone had supported it. Cr. Willans agreed with the chairman, adding that there was no doubt the phrase “Users pay for the roads” was a great one. ‘ Sailors’ Grog Money.

The restoration to prosperity level of money in. lieu of grog paid to teetotal Naval ratings is announced in the Gazette. As from July 1, 1935, the allowance will be at the rate of 3d a day, not to exceed 21s in any one quarter, which completes the restoration of the Id a day “cut” imposed at the end of 1931. An Order-in-Council of November, 1931, reduced the original payment of 3d a day to 2d, with a maximum of 15s in any one quarte/. In common with the restoration of privileges made in the community generally, with the improvement in economic conditions, the payment was increased on July 1, 1934, to 2%d a day, or 18s a quarter. The latest Order-in-Coun-cil restores the pre-depression position, and in doing so gives teetotal ratings another 12s a year to spend as fancy dictates. Superstition, or Coincidence?

Those who believe in the efficacy of horse shoes for bringing good luck and the dire effects of walking under ladders will be able to say “I told you so” following the experience of members of the “Reveille” revue company. A sketch that involves the firing of a blank pistol shot and a purposely-planned collision has been item No. 13 in one half of the programme on both of the first two nights. On the first night the pistol “went off” at the wrong time, and last night not only did the pistol refuse to explode at the right time but collision resulted in a complete fracture of the upper set of teeth of one player. The effect was two-fold; the unfortunate player is wondering what will happen to-night, but on the other hand, after spending 10 minutes trying to mend the plate with the aid of chewing gum and a lighted candle, took the stage for the next sketch without his teeth. The effect was a touch of inspiration that brought down the house.