NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 73, 23 September 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Tree Ferns Frost-bitten.

Evidence of the coldness of the past winter is shown in the Botanical Gardens, where many of the fine "black pungas" (Cythea medullaris) are putting out new shoots from inside dead shoots curled up,. proving that oven theso hardy trees, not far from tho seaside, ■ were frost-bitten. Probably the "blizzard" which struck the city in midwinter was partly responsible. The Director of Parks and Beserves (Mr. J. (r. MacKenzie) says it is most unusual for tree ferns to be thus nipped by the frost-in the Gardens.

No Visiting Team Expected.

"As far as we/ know there is no chance of a touring team coming here this year," said Mr. W. H. Winsor, secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council, at a meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association on Saturday evening. "If we could get an Australian team comprising Bradmaa and ten others we would he able to pay all the expenses of sending our team Home."

"Eastern Hutt Railway.

The Lower Hutt Borough Council last night received a letter from the Uutt County Council inviting it to join in a, deputation the County Council was organising, to wait on the Ministers of Public Works and Railways, to ascertain the intentions of the Government in regard to the projected railway on the eastern side of the Hutt River. The Mayor, Sir A. V. Boberts, was a.ppointod to represent the council. The Mayor said it was time the Government revealed its intention. Proclamations rested against the titles of lands of several owners, and it was time these were removed or the work ,-proceed-ed with.

Students' Own Work.

A fine workshops room, which was recently erected at the' Wellington • Technical College by the day students, was inspected by the Board of Governors last evening, when the work was the subject of much favourable comment. The room measures 24ft by 32ft, and is detached from the engineering workshops, the object being to provide the students with a quiet room, away from the noise of the shops, where lectures can be given. To enable all the students to see demonstrations easily, the desks are arranged in six tiers, rising at the back of the room to a height of several feet. The floor (concrete), roofing, and the painting were done by outside labour, but all the joinery, woodwork, etc., was done by the students, and the work demonstrates tho practical value of the instruction being given at tho college.

Old Waiting Shed to be Moved,

The re-laying ana renewal of tram tracks in Customhouse quay and in Ballanee street is now practically completed, but there is still a good deal of road-surfaciug work to be done. It is proposed to renew the i full width of the surface, from the tracks over to the western footpath, in bitumen, but the other side of the road v will have to wait its turn, for though • the old wood-blocking is showing: signs of heavy wear, there is no finance on hand for the work this year. The old Te Aro railway line waiting shed, near the Queen's wharf gates, is to be snifted on~ ten or twelve feet to the new line of the re-laid trtsi tracks, but tho z.ain sheft in Post office square, the brick building, is not to be removed, statements that it is< to come down notwithstanding. Possibly next year the renewal of tram track will be continued along Jorvois quay towards Cuba street. From. Customhouse quay the track workers1 will move out to the Island Bay. line and will .tako in hand a length of track near Athletic Park -which has been down for almost a quarter of a century.

Heavy Traffic Fees.

The Mayor of Lower Hutt reported to his council last evening that owing to objections having been made by the Hutt County Council to the allocation of heavy traffic fees, a conference of local bodies had been held, and that the county representative had moved that the allocation of the fees be carried out by a Magistrate. The Mayor said ho had moved as an amendment that the existing allocation should remain in force for another two years. The amendment had been carried, but as tho meeting had to s<e unaniD- ous, the Hurt County had sim-e pressed the question, and as a result a magisterial inquiry would be held. The county was pressing its claims on the ground of mileage of roads, while the city and boroughs were claiming that the deciding factor was weight of traffic. Paremata Bridge. The Mayor of Lower Hutt (Sir A. P. Roberts) reported last night to his council having attended a conference of local bodies regarding the proposed bridge over Porirua Harbour. He stated that it had been suggested that the Lower Hutt Council should contribute about £500. Several councillors spoke in favour of a donation by the Lower Hutt Council, not on the ground of any direct benefit which would accrue to tho borough, but as a community effort to help the progress of the district. Councillor M'Bain said he was sorry to disagree with other councillors, but he did not think, in view of tho difficulty the council had in financing the maintenance of roads in the borough, it was justified in spending money so.far away. Such a donation would be hold as a precedent for future demands. On the motion of Councillor Campbell the matter was held over pending further information as to what course other local bodies were adopting. If other districts were not prepared to make it a community effort, Lower Hutt could not bo expected to take any action. During the discussion it was suggested that land on the other side of the harbour would greatly increase, in value and that betterment should be enforced against such lands. Decline in Steamer Bookingsl. Passenger bookings on «teamcrs leaving for England next March are much lighter than they have been in past years. The tourist traffic from New Zealand gonorally commences in March, as travellers to Great Britain, Europe, or the United States gain the advantages of the northern summor. During the last three or four years fhere have been heavy bookings in September for vessels leaving New Zealand in the following March or April, but this year there is still plenty of good accommodation available. "It is hard to predict what volume of outward tourist traffic there will be next,year," said' tho chief passenger clerk of one of the large shipping companies at Auckland (states tho ','Now Zealand Herald"). "Early booking is only a comparatively recent development, and there is still plenty of time for bookings to be made. However, it appears to me that the decrease in the bookings is an outcome of tho feeling of uncertainty concerning the Dominion's_ economic position. People arc waiting^ to see what-returns they are likely to'receive from tho new season's produce. If they are reasonably satisfactory, I 1 have no doubt that bookings will bo quite up to normal." Even between Auckland and Sydney, it is stated, there has been a decrease in early bookings. . A short while ago, most of the .accommodation on the Aorangi and the Niagara on their trips from Auckland to Sydney was booked up weeks ahead, but for the last trip of tho Niagara there were only about 70 bookings a week before the vessel sailed. However, this number had been doubled by tho time of the liner's departure from Auckland. Thefts and Vandalism. The Parks Committee of- the Lower Hutt Borough Council reported last evening that the theft of flowers from borough reserves was again very prevalent, particularly in Riddiford Park, where a bed of daffodils was stripped of all its blooms in one night. It was hoped to bring the offenders to book. The Mayor remarked that these thefts made the work of beautifying tho borough': very disappointing,' and it ill became residents of the borough to commit actions of this kind. At the same meeting the Health Committee reported that vandalism still continued' to be committed at the conveniences at the,bridge, where door locks had been damaged aad piping removed. The Mayor stated that more police protection was needed now-that the borough had grown to its present size. Arrangements are being made to closo the conveniences after 11 p.m. A Great Record. The Mayor of Lower Hutt,. Sir Alex. Roberts, stated last evening that the Town Clerk had examined the records of the Lower Hutt Volunteer Fire Brigade, and had found that it was constituted on 13th October, 1905. Captain Slinn was appointed superintendent, and, with the exception of the year 1906-7, when the late Mr. Parrant was superintendent, Mr. Slinn had held tho office continuously ever since. It was decided to entertain Captain Slinn as a social gathering °n 16th October, when he will have completed 25 years in the service of the brigade.