NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 178, 30 July 1942, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

" Shakedowns" It has been observed that, despite the acuteness of the housing problem, it has been possible quite recently to obtain a "snakedowir' almost anywhere in the Wellington Province. Earthquakes, of course. Taxi Driver Stood Down The appearance before the Wellington City Council last week of a taxi driver who had been fined the maximum fine of £10 for overcharging a visiting serviceman, to show cause why his license should not be cancelled, gave rise to a general discussion that embraced both overcharging and scarcity of taxis. It was alleged that overcharging had become a racket in the last two or three months. The driver had his license cancelled, but he was granted leave to apply for another after a month. He nad taken £2 10/ for a 16/ fare. Back Seat Driver Charged An army officer, who was sitting in the back seat of a car, was charged in the Traffic Court in Sydney with driving in a manner dangerous to the public. The officer was a passenger in a car driven by a sergeant. He admitted that, as senior officer in the car, he was technically responsible for the manner in which It was driven, but at no time did he think the car was being dangerously driven. The magistrate' salcl he accepted the explanation, tout he thought that a dangerous condition had existed. No conviction was made, but he bound over both officer and driver for 12 months. Tois in Auckland The first tui notes of the year in Auckland are becoming a serious rival to the first cuckoo of the English summer. Several Star readers within the past few days have written to tne editor stating that tuis had appeared in the suburbs and burst into song long before the appointed time of the year. As a matter of fact, writes a correspondent, the voice of the tui is becoming a commonplace around Auckland throughout .the year. At Crown Hill, Milford. one pair has sung practically every day of the year, ana once a week or so the tuis come within ten feet of a house to hopefully inspect a kowhal tree whicn they reSoweHng t tfme. PerSOnal property ln Depredations of Wild Pigs vowing to the shortage of plgEiJPiSr n( * shooters, wild pigs have in ftfe Kin! and are M U ,in?T ndel districts, sheen heavy losses to The Auckland «?5? h , e back country. Heta S^nc^w^a^ 9 fc e hi?S e a?? fh? fl °r f st hiS fl o P c r k° P h e a7 ;vCnr t! £ l K e back J> aclr) ock had been attacked by wilcl pigs, and the majority of them had i>een killed and eaten. Mr. Collins said that inspectors employed by his Department had devised means of poisoning the pigs, and had met with a fair measure of success.

Musical Compliment Writing to his parents In Wairoa, a soldier in the Middle East mentions a visit to a restaurant where Chechoslovakian and Polish soldiers played the Maori Battalion song, although he was the only New Zealander present. So wrapped up in music were some of the Poles that during the evening one of them sat down and began to write music while his place in the orchestra was taken by another Polish soldier. No Favouritism Ruling that If a youth was old enough to drive a car he was old enough to answer In the open Court any charges concerning his driving, Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., recently refused a--i application in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, that three charges against a youth should be dealt with in the Children's Court. Mr. Stout said that such cases were lr > a , different category from those which might be dealt with by placing the offender under some form of supervision. New-style Package A new style of package was used for a small shipment of golden syrup which arrived in Christchurch recently. The top and bottom of the container is still of the familiar tinplate, but the body is made of a type of cardboard. The consignment arrived in good condition. Grocers are solving the problem of supplying small quantities from bulk in various ways. One grocer keeps the customers' containers overnight, and, with the aid of warm water and a small measure, finds no difficulty in handling the syrup. Army Education A scheme of education for those engaged on military work is being prepared by the Wellington Technical College. The director, Mr. R. G. Ridling, reported to the board of governors that instruction by correspondence would help in that work, and within the limits of courses already prepared they were able to send assignments of work to any educational unit established in a camp. They might be used by individual students or form the basis for class instruction. It would be difficult to provide text books for all who wished to study, and assignments of work sent out from a central Institution must be provided. The scheme had been approved by I the military authorities. Wasting Paper In a statement last week the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, said that New Zealand supplies of paper were depleted and the possibility of replenishing stocks anything but rosy. An Auckland business man, in referring to this statement to-day, said that an experience of his had disclosed that the Army Department did not appear to be 5 ® hor *age seriously. He ar«H*a ♦»? had ""PPHed two dates! fn anny, on different less than in/ goods came he forwirHoH e aggregate, and of °uZ a ™ an acc °unt at the end was gross amount. He forim iwn fi i to receive on official article e « notes » one for each by a checme Wa ? accompanied adc Zt, n^ ch advice note him bynost ?n d * ***? delivered to "Such iper u S ®? vel^ estand in viewW M fflAX: ment/ commented the biLK-