NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 41, 18 February 1930, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Fewer Bankruptcies,

The total number of. bankruptcies throughout tho Dominion last year was 659 as against 800 for tho. previous year—a dpcroaso of 147. : A Blue Heron.. A bluo heron was seen at Redcliffs on Saturday afternoon, states the Christchurch "Press." Tho heron came floating on a pieeo of seaweed which the rising tide carried up tho Estuary. It went past the Christchurch Sailiug Club's jolty, and, when a gun was need to start ono of the yacht races, it'flew off ■ tho seawocd, und landed on a nearby sandbank. After standing on one leg preening itself for a while, it walked about apparently picking up small shellfish. Bain That Cost Money. What such an ordinary happening as a fall of rain can sometimes mean was montioued to tho Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, during his tour of tho Raglan Couuty, by a sottler at Kaawa. (states an exchange). This settler, who has several miles of tortuous clay road to negotiate to the metalled outlet, said ho intended to sell his wool this seuson i at the first Auckland sale. Arrangements wore mado to cart it out, but rain fell, and tho road was in such a state that waiting was the only course. This meant that, although tho wool arrived in Auckland on the day of the sale, it was too late to be catalogued, and had to wait until tho next sale. Prices were then lower to fin "extent that meant a return of £321 less than would havo been rccoivod at the first sale. ; .

A Quiet Period. After a busy period extending over several woeks, a lull is being experienced in Wellington shipping. A little over a week ago the wharves were woll filled with overseas vessels, while their "feeders," in the form of coastal ships, were constantly coming and going. The number has slowly dwindled, however, and to-day tho ocean-going vessels in port were limited to the Rotorua, which was to sail during tho afternoon for Lyttelton to continuo discharging her British cargo; and tho Tamaroa, which is loading for Homo. Nor does it appear that matters will become appreciably busier during tho, next few days, Tho tanker Hopemount, which was expected to arrive this afternoon, will bo discharging motor fuel at tho Burnham Wharf until Ji'riday, and tho Coptic is expected hero to-morrow to continuo loading, but otherwise thoro will not be a groat deal doing until at least tho end of the week or the beginning of next week. Something Wrong. Discussing the absence of sunlight and ventilation in some of tho offipes and business premises in Wellington, tho Director of Town Planning (Mr. J, W. Mawson) said at the Rotary Club to-day: "We may well ask .how such conditions could be allowed to come into being, in the light of our present knowledge of matters relating to public health. The answer is| first, the lack of propor town planning and building regulations, and "secondly, that our sense of values is fundamentally wrong. Wo seem/to bo labouring under the delusion that high land values can justify anything—even the destruction of human life—-when in point of fact it is tho creation of those very conditions inimical to the health and.'welfare of the community which tend to raise land values and croato vested intorcsts which it is difficult, if not impossible, to break down without the payment of compensation." ' ■/■: "■■ . .■ . Encroachment Fees. "For some tirao past thcro has been considorablO|dissatisfactiou- among "encroachers" in the Hataitai district in regard to tho fees charged by the City Council for the uso of encroachments of properties upon the road reserve. The same dissatisfaction has' been voiced in other suburbs,"but joint consideration has not been, given as was done at a meeting of Hataitai property owners last evening. Surprise was expressed by speakers >that tho council should demand 5s per perch for encroachments about the road-while those below were-, charged for at the rate of 2s Cd per porch, A motion that those using portions of the road reservation should '' pay up received scant support. It was oventunlly decided that, ii deputation should meet tho council and offer to pay a feo of 0s per encroachment of whatever size or in any position. Tf this "is accepted it was agreed to sign an agreement, provided it was mutually satisfactory to both parties, and further, that in view of the valuo to the council of having their waste lands cared for by certain individual ratepayers, no charge bo made for any agreement entered into.' Tastes Too Catholic. The danger of taking thermal waters indiscriminately and without medical advice was emphasised at a recent meeting of the Now Zealand Tourist League, when it was reported that many visitors to Rotorua and other resorts were thoroughly catholic in their patronage of the- waters from tho various springs. Ouly r people in the pink of health could afford to be so, reports an exchange. The speaker mentioned several cases where careless indulgence ill mineral wators had proved disastrous. Tn one instance a■ uiim and his wife, tourists from South Africa, both developed rheumatic complaints after tliroo weeks nt.Kotoruu, and were on •.he point of leaving the town in a very vexed framo of' mind when their attention was directed to tho causo. Aftor some persuasion ho had them seek the advico of the baliicologist at Rbtoriia, who found that the visitors hnd been imbibing water wholly unpuitud to their health. They agreed to take different treatment, mid in two weeks were in perfect health, mid very glad that they had gone to Rotorua.