NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 15, 19 January 1939, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

“Aye! Aye! Sir!’ One of the most glorious black eyes ever to enter the Port of Auckland adorned the face of one of the bellboys on a visiting vessel which arrived in Auckland last week. It was no common “two a penny” eye. It had all those delicious shades of purples, blacks and greys that are the hallmark of the "best’’ black eyes. The youthful possessor of the “beauty.” far from being proud of his adornment, was modest to the point of self-effacement. When asked how the other fellow had got on he muttered something about a little affair that might happen in the near future, as a result of which he would share his distinction with somebody else. But to the seamen on the ship the bellboy's possession was a source of nautical humour. As each one passed he would spring to attention, salute and utter the mystic words, “Aye! Aye! Sir!" And the bellboy bowed modestly and blushed. Auckland Star. Rotorua Loan roll. After almost three years of negotiation, the scheme for the erection of a municipal block in Rotorua, comprising administration offices, a theatre, concert chamber, library and museum, was brought a step nearer on Saturday' when the ratepayers sanctioned the raising of an additional loan of 112.500, in order to make it possible for the building as designed to be carried out in its entirety.

Smaller Fruit Crops. Fruit crops throughout the Manawatu district are omy moderate compared with last year, according to the Government orchard instructor (Mr. L. R. Renouf), in an interview. The season, he said, was a particularly bad one both from the pont of view of working conditions and the development of the fruit, and the strong winds experienced at the week-end had not improved matters. Orchards that were at all exposed suffered considerably, apple and plum trees faring worst. No Submarines. "What, no submarines? You must have submarines. Without them no defence can be regarded as complete.” That wa., the terse observation made on New Zealand's defence resources by Lord Strabolgi in an interview in Napier on naval matters. While endorsing New Zealand's close attention to building up an air force, Lord Strabolgi also expressed the opinion that the Dominion should take a greater account of her naval defence needs. He was frankly surprised that New Zealand had no submarines.

Trade in Beer. A graphic illustration of the extent of the beer trade carried on between Dunedin and northern ports is provided by the hundreds of empty' beer barrels that are stacked on the Dunedin wharves on almost any day of the week. Ranging in size from majestic hogsheads down to the humble “ten," the barrels take up a fair percentage of the available wharf space — on a recent occasion more than 1500 casks were counted—and almost every coastal ship and even some intercolonial vessels have beer as part of their cargoes. It would appear that, even though Dunedin is reputed to have lost the leadership it formerly possessed in some directions, it certainly retains supremacy in the brewing of beer.

Old Maori Adze. Maori craftsmanship of more than a century ago has a striking example in an adze-head recently presented tu the Taranaki Museum at New Plymouth, says the News. It was ploughed from leasehold land on Ohanga Road, near Onaero, by the late Mr. G Graham, after lying buried probably since 1820, the year of the southern migration of the Ngati-Kaitangata hapu of the Atiawa tribe. Made in the Nelson district of exceptionally hard grey stone tinged with green, the adze is 11 inches long and of very line workmanship. Despite its long burial its edge is still razor-sharp and its highly polished surfaces show no signs of wear or chipping.

Blank Cheques. The Controller and Auditor-General has written to the Ohura County Council stating that the Audit Inspector, in his report on the accounts of the council, had directed attention to the fact that during the course of his audit he noticed blank cheque forms that had been signed by members of the council, and asking for an assurance that in future cheques would not be signed by councillors until the particulars had been entered therein and then only when they were supported by certified vouchers with invoices or other evidence of services rendered attached thereto. Maori School Sites. The Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, who has direct control of all native schools, has advised Mr. P. K. Paikea, M.p. lor Nortnern Maori, that should the schools be removed from their present sites, the land will revert to the Maoris who donated it, or to their successors. As most native school sites have originally been donated bv the Maoris, the decision is interesting to Maoris throughout New Zealand.

Heavy Hail at Inangahua. With hail stones weighing in some cases, it is reported, almost an ounce, a good deal of damage was caused to gardens and fruit trees in the Inangahua distiict on Thursday morning last. A total of 93 points of rain fell in six hours from 3 a.m. until the weather broke shortly after 9 a.m. A severe electrical storm and also a high wind accompanied the rain. Several shops were flooded, but not much' damage was done to stock. Wireless sets were damaged in a number of houses. All roads are clear, asd no other damage is reported.

Reproduction in Colours. Regarded as one of the finer and rarer specimens of the ancient Maori weapon, a taiaha in the possession of the Taranaki Museum, is shortly to be the subject of colour photography by a Dunedin photographer connected with the New Zealand Institute. The taiaha is decorated with dog's hair and kaw-kaw feather. It is the intention of the museum committee to hjve some of the water-colours of early New Plymouth photographed. The copies will be used for exchange museum exhibits and probably for the centenary celebrations. Taranaki Daily News.