NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 89, 12 October 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Native Lands. .. ; :!: \ ■ ':.:^,r''■]. 'The area of laud vested.iii. Maori Lands Boards at; 31st March lasfwas 657,102 acres and the amount of funds held by the boards at that date .was £595J047, which was £33,949. less ..than last,year. These statements^are contained in the annual ieport on Native Land Courts, which; was presented to Parliament yesterday. ' Native, land purchased by ttieCrijwn during the year amounted t0.,5624- acres. Shi-e 1910, 1,539,818 acres of /Native) land have been acquired through the Nativei Land Purchase Board. .The- estimaied area of Native land still owned *by Maoris in the North Island is 3,864,042 acres. Competence to. Judge: J ''It is freely stated in this class of case that the Lower Cour^t must' put itself, in the place'of the jury," said Mr. J.H. Salmon, S.M., in, delivering judgment in a theft case at the. Wanganui Magistrate's Court (reports the "Chronicle").- "That is quite true, but it does not follow that I would arrive at the same conclusion as a jury would. A jury of twelve citizens, no matter who they may be, is not always so competent at weighing evidence as a single person who is more expert. 'It x is a false policy to say that on the evidence a jury would not convict. I must be faithful to my oath of office arid, arrive at my-own conclusions." ' '■ Oratory and Cricket. , The view that there is a similarity between judging an oratory competition and umpiring a cricket match was expressed by Mr. M. F. Luckie, who was the judge in the- "Wellington College oratory contest yesterday ' afternoon. "As any_ umpire Knows," said Mr. Luckie, "it is very easy to give your decisions, but it is always very hard, not'to say unwise, to give reasons." Hinau Hill. Before the rise above Salamanca road gully became sacred to learning and to nobility of thought, it is quits likely that the spot was favoured by the Maori pig, for the Maori name, Pukehinau Signifies "Hill of the Hinau Tree,"_ ana it is Well known that the" Captain Cooker becomes fat when feeding on the abundant berry harvest of the hinau. "Tangiwai," in quoting the old Maori name in the "New' Zealand Bailways Magazine," says that the Maoria applied it to "the hill slopes where Victoria University College, Wellington, stands. The name reminds us of the'pre-pakeha days, when tho hills were bush-clad and when the hinau tree of the beautiful white flowers and purple berries was plentiful here." Gas Board and Borough Council. ' It' was decided last night by the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Board, on the motion of Mr. W. T. Strand, that the board should accede to the request of the Petone- Borough Council for a conference between the two bodies to discuss Mr. G. J. .1. Feil's report on the clerical services rendered by the council to the board. The- conference will take place, if it is convenient (o the eouucil, next Tuesday night.

Many Want Gas. I A progress report on the plebiscite which is being taken at Eastbourne to ascertain how many people would t^kc gas if<it were available was before the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Board last night. The first two hundred replies received by the Eastbourne Borough Council show that ratepayers would.be prepared to take 130 cookers, 37 caliphonts, 16 gas coppers, 63 gas rings,. *5 gas. heaters, and 24 domestic water-storage heaters. "A wonderful-response," was the remark of Mr. W.'T.-St.randi • " '■ " : " •■"■ ' . V New Zealand Films, Criticism' ofr.New Zealand films was indulged in, by.. Mr. W. Goodfellow, a member of the 3S Tew Zealand .delegation to; the Ottawa Conference^ at a garden party, held npar Hamilton. Mr. Goodfellow said he (was disgusted with the type of film shown, both on the steamer and in 7 Ottawa.. Every day at 5 d'elock in Ottawa films of Great Britain and the various Dominions were shown. The New ..Zealand ones were the worst of the loty.fana 'the Canadian the. best. "Someone;?'-; remarked Mr. Goodfellow, "should givVvthe Government a dig to get it to send out good films of New Zealand^tho present ones do more harm than good. Better none at all than that:'1 Grassland Competition. The grassland knowledge competition prompted, by the president of the Junior Red Cross has been concluded, and competitors have their collections as a permanent record of a valuable and interesting , investigation. Another competition has been organised, and Messrs. A. H. Cockayne and H. H. Allan, in the latest number of the "Junior Bed Cross," contribute valu-able-notes on the subject of grasslands. It is pointed out that our meat, milk, and wool represent products from our grasslands, and.on their development and improvement depend the quality and quantity :of the main goods' we export. The competition is for the best collection ,of grassland plants. Conditions in Canada. . Farmers aud: skilled workers hi New Zealand rhave Tuot: much to complain about when their conditions are 'compared with- those in Canada, said Mr. W. -Goodfellowi ispeaking at the garden party held at :Claudelands, near Hamilton, to celebrate his return from Ot? tawa.^ In refe?ring'to the wages paid for skilled labour-in Canada, Mr. Good■fellow pointed out-that men. were paid as low as;;froni*3s"; ; .4d to 4s 2d a day. They were: supplied with avlog cabin to live 'had to pay for their own foodt This gave-.some idea of-the extent wages had. fallen. Co-operation inf panalda' w^s 'at -a very low ebb. In Eastern Canada-the majority of farmers could'nof'speak English, while in Westtern Canada the butter-fat return at the end. of the, r year ; ,was only sid a lb. He waaiverydisappoin.ted that "the farmers ;6f; Canada; vhad not been reprtfsented at the Ottawa Conference. Study of Botany. . ; . Botany.;::is ; ,the Cinderella of tTie sciejices ' taiigEt in oiir schools and colleges,':sta.te>f'Mr. A. H. Cockayne; Assistant.' .Director-General of "Agri-cultu're,>.and.-.Mri:' H.- H. Allan, of the Plants EesearehvStiitibn, in the latest number- of, the. Eed Cross." Even the' girls '■ schools seem to, be forsaking.;it.. :''ip is queer," comment ■ Messrs ■-.Cockayne and Allan, "how botany.hasr so often-- been slighted as .fit , x foi" I 'girlsvand;-parsons.' We.are far from depreciating ' Home Science, ? bvit. we do'ltj^ihk'that the science on which the!..hdinesv6f New Zealand so largely depend should receive adequate recognition in our educational „ programmes. the signs that the primary schools at any rate are becoming seized with the importance of real, live, observational study."