NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1929, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Holiday Shopping Hours.

At a recent meeting of the Wellington Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailors' Association, it was resolved that the late night in Christmas anil New Year Week should be observed on Tuesday, 24th December, and Tuesday, 31st December. As the law at present only permits one late night in each week, that will be observed on the Tuesday in each week, and on the Friday shops will close at 5.30 p.m., and the usual half-holiday will be observed in each week.

Maori Women and Chinese,

The Akarana Maori Association has received a reply from the Minister of Labour, tho Hon. W. A. Veiteh, to its request that the recommendations of the commission on the Maori and Asiatic question should be given immediate effect to. The Minister advised that the Department of Labour was framing rules for the employment of Maoris, and particularly women and girls, by Asiatics, and these would be enforced as soon as possible. The association has replied suggesting that officials in the areas affected and not the Department in Wellington should frame the regulations.

Round-up of Those Who Forget.

Yesterday afternoon an examination of motor-drivers' licences was carried out on a grand scale by the-staff of the city traffic office with the idea of giving bad memories a reminder, a severe jolt, in fact. The hold-up at the city end of the Hutt road resulted in the piling up of a long lino of cars, aud much discussion among passengers as to what it was all about—some of them in due time found out, and may or may not hear more of it. Similar examinations were made on tho Evans Bay road, and on Queen's Drive, near Island Bay.

Sydney's Shark Fishers,

Are the men who fish for sharks on Sydney beaches rendering a public service? The Mayor of Waverley and the town clerk say "No," the idea being that the baits attract sharks to beaches. This view is supported by the New South Wales Shark Menace Committee, says a Sydney paper, but the news that fishermen caught and killed eleven sharks at Maroubra recently cheered up thousands of surf bathers. Nevertheless, a beach inspector clashed with Mr. Eric Roberts, a shark fisherman, at Maroubra Beach recently. Late in the afternoon the inspector stopped Mr. Roberts from throwing his line into the surf and ordered him off the beach. The official explanation, given by the acting-town clerk of Randwick, is that Mr. Roberts j threw his line in where people were bathing, and his bait provided an unnecessary risk to bathers. Yet during the week Mr. Roberts, with two companions, caught eleven sharks off that beach, including two monsters 9ft bin and lift Gin respectively. Embedded in the jaw of one of them was an iron hook. Tho part of the hook in the jaw was well preserved, but the end protruding from the shark's mouth was covered with a bony growth. Shark fishermen have never been looked upon with favour by official bodies, one man said, but they, earned the thanks of all surfers. He was once prosecuted for burying a shark's carcase on a beach, but the prosecution was abandoned in face of public opin-

Presbyterians and Pacifists.

Exception to a sessional resolution which prptestcd against admission to the Church as ministers of candidates holding pacifist views was taken by Mr. \V. G. Simpson, at the annual meeting of the Ilawera Presbyterian Church on Thursday (reports a correspondent). Mr, Simpson expressed surprise that there was no reference to the resolution in tho session report. When the resolution had been read, ho asked for particulars of tho voting, which was jiven as sis for and five against. "That means that the meeting was not a representative one, as the session consists of sixteen elders," Mr. Simpson added. "I wish emphatically to protest against such a contentious and important matter as this being made the subject of a resolution without the opinion of the congregation being first obtained." It seem.cd to him aai unwarranted interference with the rights of an individual to- express his own opinions. He was strongly oppose^ to what he termed "this accused militarism." Mr. A. Coleman said the session had proposed tho motion, honestly believing it represented the opinion of Presbyterian Church people. It had gone to the Presbytery, and through that body to the General Assembly. It had not been directed against certain divinity students in Auckland, although it was their actions that had prompted its passage. Tho Rev. R. E. Evans explained the procedure whereby the motion was sent to the General Assembly, and would be referred back, if necessary, to all sessions in the Dominion, when opportunity would bo give congregations to discuss the question. After this explanation the discussion lapsed.

Mayor His Own Chauffeur.

There is reported to be keen competition for the post of chauffeur to the Mayor of Christchurch, and quito a number of applications have been received. It is stated that no appointment will bo made, and that 011 those occasions when the Mayor does not elect to drive himself, one of the traffic inspectors will be detailed for the I duty.

The Late Sir Charles Skerrett.

An oil painting of the lato Sir Charles Skerrett, formerly Chief Justice, has been huug in the Supreme Court, and will bo unveiled by the present Chief Justice (tho Hon. M. Myers) at 10 o'clock on Friday morning next. Tho portrait is tho work of Mr. W. A. Bowring, of Sydney, and those who havo seen .it are satisfied that it is an excellent likeness, and that tho artist has succeeded in giving a very happy characterisation of his Honour. At Mr. Bowring's Suggestion, the painting has been glassed temporarily.

Whooping Cough Prevalent.

Although it is always prevalent at this time of year, there is more than the usual amount of whooping cough about in Christchurch at present, reports the "Christchuroh Times." Doctors say that tho disease is very common, although no serious cases are reported. Some of the smaller schools have had to be closed. A good many j cases have been accompanied by a form of influenza, but not of a serious

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