NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Many New Telephone Subscribers. Subscribers on the New Plymouth telephone exchange have reached the record number of 2000, which is almost the capacity of the present' plant. The exchange staff has been increased to meet the heavier demands on the service. Maori Relics at Wanganui. A kumate (Maori food-dish) recently ploughed up at Rahutu, in the Waikato district, and sent to the Wanganui museum for inspection is an interesting exhibit. The dish, of an oval shape with handles at the ends, measures about 20in. by 7in. and bears marks of fire on its exterior. It is in a fair state of preservation and is made of an exceptionally. hard vvood. Its age is estimated to be at least 200 years. Praise For Riigby Unlon. Appreciation of the arrangements made by the Taranaki Rugby Union in catering for school children . at the Springbok match was expressed by the West End school committee last night. Mr. C. Q. Berg said the union had been severely criticised in some quarters over some of the arrangeriients, but it had certainly given the school children an excellent position and admitted them at a very reasonable price. Eighty children from the school attended the match under the supervision of four teachers and had an excellent view of the game, reported the headmaster, Mr. W. L. Wagstaff. ' Motorman Averts Accident. In view of the number of collisions with tramcars at New Plymouth recently it is surprising that motorists can be met who do not exercise care when meeting trams. It was only prompt action on the part of the motorman on the Westown tram which left the towri at 6 o'clock last night that saved a motorist from an accident in Tukapa Street. The , motorist was travelling towards the town at a sharp pace and would have met the tram at a point where a parked car would have made it impossible for the motorist to pass without a collision. Quickly sizing up the position, the motorman applied his brakes promptly, pulling up the tram at once, and the motorist flashed by, possibly unaware of the narrow escape he had had.

Kumara Sold to Greek Firm. The Kumara, an 8100 tons Shaw, Savill ship, which visited New Plymouth twice in recent years, has been sold to a Greek firm. The Kumara was built for the White Star Line in 1919 and was christened the Bardic. Later she was aiquired by the Aberdeen Line, her name being changed to Horatius. The conditions of sale enforce a third change of name, for it is probable that there will be another Kumara, the fourth to be so named. Increasing the Birth-Rate. "The only way to increase the birthrate in New Zealand is to scrap all the motor-cars. The only way to arrest the rapid decay of teeth is to do away with all pappy foods and make the youngsters use their jaws," declared Dr. Martin Tweed, medical adviser to the Plunket Society, at the provincial conference held in Wanganui of tlie Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. Good Dominion Publicity. New Zealand's publicity campaigns in England are the most effective of any of the colonies, according to Mr. H. W. Bevan, an English shipping and transportation expert who arrived by the Awatea. As he travelled in trains a great deal when in England he had many opportunities of weighing public opinion, he said, and he felt that the excellence of New Zealand produce was equalled by the advertising which confronted one on all sides. Whisky Diet For Shecp. New Zealand shepherds have adopted many ingenious medicinal aids for ailing stock but few are claimed to be so efficacious among lambing ewes as the remedy prescribed by the manager of a large farm at Whitford. As the result of consistently cold and wet weather many ewes are found in poor condition after lambing and to restore the.m he has resorted to a drench of several teaspoonsful of whisky in milk. While a normal procedure for the expert, it was a somewhat bewildering experiences for the owner of the property to be asked for a case of whisky for use on the farm. Sliortage of Tn$esmen. "We want to build houses all over New Zealand, but the industry cannot get the slrilled tradesmen necessary," said the acting-Minister of Employment (the Hon. P. C. Webb) at a conference at New Brighton when commenting on the effect the shortage of skilled tradesmen was having on the Government housing scheme. "We have money running into millions waiting for expenditure on public building. The work has been long overdue in many cases, but we have not the skilled labour available for it. The builders have had to go to Australia and even England for some of their men." There were 1100 men working on the State housing schemes, Mr. Webb said, but if skilled men were available the number could be doubled. Lack of apprenticeship trairiing in the depression was the cause of the existing shortage.

Arbor Day at West End. Arbor Day was celebrated at the West End school on Friday, when Mr. Fred Parker again co-operated by giving two Japanese oaks, supervising the planting and addressing the pupils. The planting was done by Messrs. Cravert, Lotz and Broodryk, of the South African Rugby team, who were taken to the school by Mr. S. Jury, chairman o£,the committee. Mr. Craven, who is a schoolmaster, gave a short address and afterwards the three footballers were shown over the school and were conducted through the school nursery by Mr. Parker. The occasion would long be remembered by the pupils, said the headmaster, Mr. W. L. Wagstaff, reporting to the cornmittee last night. He added that one of : the trees had been named "Springbok." Members of the committee expressed appreciation of the action of the chairman in arranging the gathering. f