NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 139, 10 December 1930, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Assistance for Motorists. ■ The question whether patrolmen attached to the various New Zealand motor associations should assist distressed motorists who might not be members, and, if so, whether a cluarge should be made for such services, was discussed at some length by the delegates of the South Island Motor Union at the quarterly meeting at Invereargill recently. After discussion, it was resolved that free assistance should not be provided for non-members, but that they should receive aid at a minimum charge of 5s up to the first half hour and 10s up to one hour. Stand-by Plant for Canterbury. The stand-by plant for generating electricity for Canterbury, to be erected at Lyttelton, will probably be completed by the date anticipated—about the end of next May—according to a letter from, the Minister of Public "Works (the Hon. W. B. Tayerner) received yesterday by Mr. J. Roy Smith, secretary to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (states "The Press"). Efforts to have the plant completed a month earlier than that date are being made. The committee is approaching the Minister to ascertain if it is possible to expedite the completion of tho work, so that the plant may be in operation, at the latest, by the end of next April, as it recognises that the end of May will be only three weeks from the shortest day, when tho peak load of the year may be expected. Too Simpie a Mark. Commenting on the stomachic survey of the pukeko carried out by the Department of Internal Affairs, the honorary secretary of the New Zealand Native Birds Protection Society reports: "The specimens were collected by acclimatisation societies. It will be noticed that the result of this survey is almost entirely in/ favour of the bird, showing that the past accusations made as to its habits were entirely erroneous except perhaps in some minor special instances which can easily bo counteracted if any complaints made appear justified on inspection. The month in which grain was found in a few stomachs should be taken into consideration, as this species often works in the fashion of a gleaner. Wholesale slaughter such as was sanctioned in past years must now be considered as a thing of the past. The bird is too simple a mark in any case to be of any attraction to the genuine sportsman." In his charming study of the pukeko ("Birds of the Water, Wood, and Waste") Mr. H. Guthrie-Smith writes: "After witnessing the intimacies of their lives, shooting of these particular species is no longer conceivable." Educational Output. In. reply to si question whether as many candidates were coming forward for the matriculation examination as in former years, Mr. J. A. Han an, M.L.C., pro-chancellor of the University of New Zealand^ informed an "Otago Daily Times" reporter that the number continued to increase, and he pointed out that this year there were 4862 candidates, compared with 4G60 and 4593 in 1929 and 1928 respectively. The number of candidates for tho M.B. and Ch.B. degrees-showed a slight decrease this year, 30 students having entered, compared with 32 in 1928 and 34 in 1929, but there was an increase in the number of entries for the B.D.S. degree, the figures in this case being seven in 1930, four in 1929, and five in 1925. A deereaso was shown in the LL.B. and Law Professional examinations, 470 candidates coming forward for the former examination this yeai", compared with 47S last year, and 51C in 1928, while in the latter case the number of entries for. 1930 was 146, against IS2 and 185 in 1929 and 192S respectively. Mr. Hanan said that there was no doubt the law profession was overcrowded, and the prospects for successful candidates, under present conditions, were | poor. In a minor degree, the same remarks migut bo applied to medicine. Shot His Pet Stag. Although the restrictions on the shooting of deer were removed, recently, it appears that a too liberal interpretation of the powers conferred oh the public for the destruction of deer has been given by some person or persons in the Wairarapa. At least this is the opinion held by a Gladstone resident, says the "Wairarapa Daily Times." On returning to his homo recently he found that his pet stag had been shot, and the carcass left a few yards away from his house. The Gladstone resident stated that the stag was well recognised by the residents of the district as a pet, and had also been of great interest to visitors. He produced photographs which removed any doubts about the stag being tame. These showed the stag amongst sheep and cattle, and also standing with the owner at the back door of his house. It was so tame, said tho owner, that when called it would run up to him and I'ocd out of his hand. "Whoever shot it; must have been able to jjet a 'silling shot' at it," lie said, observing that it. showed no fear of strangers. .lie had reared it from, v fawn, and at the time it was shot it wns just over two years of age.

A Catamaran at Sunnier. A strange craft made its appearance in tho surf at Sumncr (Christehurch) on a recent Sunday, when members of .the Simmer Surf and Life Saving Club launched a catamaran. Its strange construction evoked interested comment from the onlookers, and its launching was watched by many residents and visitors. It consists of two floats of Australian redwood, kauri ribbed, securely lashed together. It is capable of carrying about a dozen persons, who propel themselves with paddles. The craft rode the waves in fine style, and was taken some little distance out from the shove. Monster Eel for America. Caught at Alton recently by Mr. Frank Lambert, an eel measuring sft lOin in length and lu'in in girth, and weighing 29i pounds is described by Mr. Mansell J. Jones, taxidermist, of Kotorua as a beautiful specimen and the largest fresh-water eel ho has seen, says tho "Hawcra Star." Tho eel was sent to Mr. Jones by Mr. B. A. Graham, secretary of the Ilawera Acclimatisation Society, as the result of the former's inquiry for a large specimen eel to be included in a collection of New Zealand birds and fishes being made by Mr. Jones for a museum in America, and the opinion referred to is expressed in a letter of thanks received by Mr. Graham. Mr. Graham recalls that an even heavier specimen had previously been known in the district, an eel weighing 32J pounds, sft 9Jin in length, and 17-tin in girth having been taken from. The Lakes, Hawera, in November of 1927 by Mr. E. Hart. Found at Last. Success seems to have at last crowned the effort to trace the original of the oft-quoted young married woman who, on being asked at the railway ticket-box the brief question: "Single?" replied with a blush: "No, married!" It appears that this young lady appeared in December, 1873, as a candidate for a seat in Auckland's first train, which opened tho AncEtand-Onehiinga service in that month of that year, 'beginning on Christmas Eve. The '"New Zealand Railways Magazine" tu>s found an octogenarian railwayman (Mr. William Baker, of Hamilton), who records: "I will never forget one funny incident which occurred at the Onehunga office a few days after the first run . Mr. "Wesley Spragg's brother was approached by a lady for a ticket. 'Single?' he queried. 'Oh, no, I'm married,' she replied. Young Spragg thought tho joke too good to go unchronicTed, and it appeared in the newspaper, tho manager seriously advising him later that he was not to make public such amusing situations that might create embarrassment." After a lapse of 57 years the "New Zealand Railways Magazine" finds it possible to relax tho rnle.