NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 231, 30 September 1929, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Calf Clubs. East Tamaki, a large farming district adjoining Papatoetoe, has been selected by the Auckland A. and P. Association as one of the first districts for launching a new movement to encourage a greater love of young animals among boys and girls. America has shown the possibilities of the movement, and the association is hopeful of obtaining valuable results in connection with its attempt to develop a chain of "Calf Clubs" in this country. War Pensions Appeals. The quarterly sittings of the War Pensions Appeal Board commenced in Auckland to-day, Sir Walter Stringer sitting at the Supreme Court with Dr. W. N. Abbott and Dr. W. C. McCaw. There are about 60 cases for consideration. About 12 applications from ex-servicemen for appearance before the board have already been received by the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, and many more are expected within the next few days. Improving Taharoto Park. The improvement of the frontage of Taharoto Park continues apace through the agency of the Takapuna Western Area Ratepayers' Association, which put in another spell of solid and useful work on Saturday, It is intended to clear away the whole of the standing hedge and to have a rockery as a frontage. The triangular space at the entrance to St. Joseph's Orphanage is being levelled, and the spoil from the park entrance is used for this purpose. The Waters of Jordan. Water from the river Jordan was used yesterday for the baptism of the infant son of the Rev. D. C. Herron, minister of St. David's Presbyterian Church. Mr. Herron attended the great missionary conference at Jerusalem last year, and he brought back with him a bottle which was filled at the spot where the river runs into the Sea of Galilee. It was both pleasing and appropriate that the first use to be made of it should be the christening of the minister's own child. The officiating minister was the Rev. G. B. Inglis. Maori Hostel at Tuakau. For the convenience of the Maori people of the Lower Waikato, an up-to-date hostel is to be erected at Tuakau, and the foundation stone will be laid this afternoon. The project is another of the progressive works consummated by the natives under the leadership of Princess Te Puea Hcrangi, of Ngaruawahia, whose successful activities in the -interests of Maori people have won commendation in recent years. The Maoris raised £300, and the Tuakau Town Board assisted the venture, which earned a Government subsidy. "Oral Evidence." When a motor car and a butcher's van came into collision at the intersection of Symonds Street and Alfred Street this morning, tho impact was heard as far away as the top of, Wellesley Street. After the crash the motor car turned at a tangent in the direction of a big sycamore tree. Both car and van Avere somewhat damaged. By mutual consent the police were sent for, but when a messenger returned with the information that no constable was at the moment available, the inter- 1 ested parties left for police headquarters to give personal impressions of what had occurred. Co-operative Movement. Co-operation has apparently not quite satis- j fied the needs of the dairying districts in the j southern parts of the Auckland Province. Mr. A. | J. Sinclair, of Te Awamutu, said at a reunion of East Tamaki fanners last evening that numerous small co-operative concerns were engaged in a keen rivalry, and in the urge towards efficiency | the companies were making careful comparisons of their pay-outs. During the past few weeks, said Mr. Sinclair, a proposal of federation among the co-operative companies had been put forward for the purchase of requirements on a more economical basis. A Grim Joke. , An ambulance pulled up alongside the '< Petone railway crossing, and waited quite a while for some reason or other. It attracted attention, < naturally, and its object was discussed by the ; passengers on the buses which ply between the - suburb and the city. "Oh," said one of the pas- ; sengers appealed to, "the Department cannot ; afford to build a ramp across the line, and it 1 has decided that it would be cheaper to station i an ambulance there." A grim joke, but the cross- s ing is a notorious one—rquite as dangerous as i ome of those Auckland ones on the Kaipara i line. I Sticking to Business. f Two young men who work in an office in i the heart of the city had to put in a spell of ' involuntary overtime on Saturday. When they descended the stairs, about half-past twelve, they found that the outer gate had been locked and bolted, the caretaker having evidently thought that the building had been vacated. The street was very quiet,, most of the business traffic having ceased, but eventually they managed to attract the notice of a pedestrian. He gave information to the proprietor of a nearby hotel, and tho obliging landlord rang up one of the f office tenants, who possessed an outer key. Some t time later the young men were released. ' ; Noth- i ing like sticking to business," remarked a face- | e tious friend. i Children's Holiday Camp. 1 The summer camps for children on Oneroa i Beach, Waiheke, which are organised by t]ie Auckland City Mission, will be held on a bigger \ scale this season, for a permanent building "is \ being erected on the mission's property. It will i be 40ft long and 36ft wide, with a broad veran- f dah running along one side. In the centre will -\ be the dining hall, with a dormitory at each end. c Nearly all the timber and furnishings have been given by mission supporters, and the house will t be built by volunteer labour, working in parties r at the week-ends. All the workers will be skilled i tradesmen, including members of the City Mis- s ,sion Men's Guild. i A Looping Moth. Ono of the Moth 'planes from the Mangere a aerodrome attracted a good deal of atten- 1 tion yesterday about mid-day by its evolutions t over the lower harbour. Several times it flew s over the water, approaching from the southward, t and looped the loop a number of times at a a height of about 1500 ft. The 'plane's bright body t and wings caught the sun prettily as it turned 8 over, making quite a streak of light away up s in the sky. At one time all Auckland would s have turned out to witness such a sight, but t 'planes are getting almost commonplace these c days. One can readily visualise the time when 'planes will leave Auckland for various parts of c the Dominion and cause no more stir than the f Northern Company's little coasters making their i way every Monday to the outnorts of the pro- 1 vince. . t Aerial Tour Arranged. j The Auckland Aero Club's tour of the south- J era districts of > the North Island will be commenced next Wednesday, provided the weather is c favourable. It is expected that two club Moths l and, one private machine will leave Auckland, and i the party may be joined later by Hamilton Airways' Moth. The first landing will be at Paeroa, s and the first night will be spent at Te Aroha. 1 Cambridge and Te Awamutu will be visited on e Thursday, and the airmen will return to Auck- a land on Friday. A start will be made again on i Saturday, and the second part of the tour will ' include New Plymouth, Hawera, Wanganui, Wei- i lington, Hastings and Gisborne. Local bodies have t responded enthusiastically to the Aero Club's re- ' t quest for conferences, and inspections of landing j \ grounds, and data will be gathered for an avia- s tion map. 11