NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 72, 22 September 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Venial Equinox. To-morrow, in this half of the world, is the vernal equinox, the day upon which, in theory at any rate, the hours of daylight and of darkness number exactly twelve each. Thereafter for the next three months, until tho longest day, when the maximum, is reached, the hours of daylight get longer and longer. For another three months after that, until the autumnal equinox in March, daylight hours still outnumbor those of darkness, but to a decreasing extent. This is of course reversed in tho Northern Hemisphere, where to-morrow will be the autumn equinox. In aucient days tho times of the equinocos were regarded with much awe, and were tho subject of spoeial ceremonies, but in these days they pass without much notice, Presentation to Tahiti's Engineers. A pleasing little ceremony took placo during the smoke concert held by tho Nwv Zealand Institute of Marine Engineers on Saturday evening, when Mr. P. Davey, a vice-pressident of the institute, presontod the emblems of the institute to Messrs. A. Thomson (second engineer), H. Waring, and B. S. Fraser (engineers), and W. Brown (electrician), lately of tho Tahiti. Mr. Lavey, in making tho presentation, referred to the wonderful -work of tho engineers in the timo of crisis on "the Tahiti, and to the extreme modesty shown by all. Mr. Davey said tho pre-. sontation of the emblems was the highest honour that the institute conld bestow. Mr. Thomson, who was received with great' applanso, spoko briefly in reply. Artillerists in the Air. Twenty officers of the Ist Field Artillery Brigade, under the command of Major W. F. Stillwell, paid a visit to the Hobsonville Air Base on Saturday afternoon, reports "The Post's" Auckland corresnondent. It was considered that as anti-aircraft work was of such importance in modern warfare, knowledge of the conditions of flying would be valuable in artillery training. Lectures on aeroplane equipment were given by the officers at the base, and later each artillery officer was taken for a short flight. A Fairey lIIF machine, the Cutty Sark flying boat, and a Moth aeroplane were used. Flooded Hikurangi Mine. The serious .effect which the inactivity of the Hiknrangi Coal &. ..pany's mine is having upon the trade of tho North Auckland district was indicated nt the last meeting of the Whangarei Harbour Board, reports an exchange. The return of shipping ahowed that last month 1972 tons of coal were imported, and only 292 carried away by sea. For 'die first timo since acquisition from the Railways Department, the Onerahi Wharf showed a loss. Some criticism has been levelled at the delay in securing the big pmnp at Mnir's Beef promised by the Government. It appears that tho eight miles of road leading to where the machinery lies in a gully at Muir's mine has been neglected for the past two years. The removal of slips lias occupied a fortnight, and a gang of men is now employed in removing the pump, which is expected in Hikurangi in about ten days. The dewatering of the mine is anticipated to take about eight weeks, and, if all goes well, the mine will resume its normal output by Christmas. . In Gold-digging Days. Dunedin supplied a fair number of the men who rnshed to the Palmer goldfield, in Northern Queensland, early in the 'seventies, and some of them who survive may be reminded, by tho narration of the Cromwell Gorge hoardings demolishing, of the doings on Sandy Creek, says the Dunedin "Star." The one storekeeper there, when stocking, took up a barrel of horseshoe nails, thinking that they would readily sell to diggers who, in loading their pack horses, eliminated to tho last ounce everything of weight that was not eatable. As it chanced, however, there was no demand for the nails. Every man who had a horse carried a few in his pocket. After the nails had been on his hands for a while he struck the brilliant idea that he would force sales by refusing to sell any floiar or sugar or rice unless the buyer ajso purchased an equal weight of nails.. For a time the men grumbled^ but bought, and, not needing the nails, put thism back in the barrel, so that they became to the storekeeper what tho cruse was to the widow. Eventually the swindle got wind, and a big rumpus onsued. About a hundred diggers assembled and took charge of the store. They weighed the nails, paid frill price, chucked them into the creek, and on a hoarding made of easewooa they notified all and sundry: "No more nails." Shortly afterwards, on the same creek, another declaration of the popular will was made. Sandy Creek was a tucker field, not rich, and when tx rush set in to a place a few miles, away the Sandy Creek men went in a. body, taking, however, the preca'uiaon of protecting their claims, in ease they should wish to return, by posting up the notice: "Any Chinamen eau'/jht above this spot will be shot." It was effective. The diggers made anCl administered their own laws up ttif/re in iti'osc 'lays, and meted out roiagli justice very fairly.

Strong Lunged Forbears. Built in a day when there was move air in Wellington than anything else, some of the older buildings showed what would be a shocking disregard of health regulations to-day. In one of the old buildings pulled down for the war memorial on Quinton's corner, space had been utilised to the last degree. This was in tlio case of au attic where only ten inches from the inch and a-half thick ridge plank had been wasted. The vertical "walla" of this room were only 2ft Cm high, and the "ceiling," which was merely the slightly thickened ridgepole, was only 7ft 6iu from tho floor. It was, moreover, lit by a skylight only, and the occupant must have brought in his own ventilation daily, from below. Tor Married Blind People. To be used for the erection of homes for married blind people, two and three-quarter acres of land have boon given to the Jußilee Institute for tho Blind at Auckland. The gift has filled a long-felt want, states the annual report of the institute, as such cases had hitherto been prevented from coming to the institute because of the dif« ficulty of obtaining housing for their wives and families. Valuable ideas for the work and welfare of the blind have been brought back by the Director of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Mr. Clutha N. Mackenzie, who has recently spent some time in inspecting institutions for the blind in England. The result has been most gratifying, states the annual report of the institute, and the director's efforts aro much appreciated by the board. Lotteries to Assist Industry. The view that lotteries or art unions, if they must be held; should bo held to assist industry, was put forward by Mr. W. J. Galloway, a past president, when speaking at the smoke concert of tho New Zealand Institute of Marino Engineers on Saturday evening. Mr. Galloway said that that day they had seen a noble fleet o£ whale chasers leave Wellington for ; the Antarctic There would bo very few Britons aboard the ships, which meant .that the nation owning the whalers was developing its own interests and training its own men in tho industry. The speaker referred to the enormous profits of the whaling companies, and said that it was unfortunate that New Zealand labour and capital «ould not indulge in it. Mr. Galloway said, that many lotteries were held to assist sport; He had nothing against sport, but if the gambling spirit of the community must be satisfied, why could not people be made to subscribe through it towards the promotion of industry, a lottery being held with perhaps half the proceeds to bo devoted to the forming of a company. Gambling would thus help to keep employment within the country.* Tho speaker said that lie hoped his idea would have tho support of the institute and responsible industries.