NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 124, 22 November 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Fnnds Not Inexhaustible. A note of warning was sounded at to; day's meeting of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Branch of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John with regard to the fnnds available for relief of ex-service-men; Money, it was suggested; had been squandered in the past on provid^ ing luxuries. These luxuries should now bo' cut: out and the funds conserved. "We shall have the disabled men with us until they die," remarked one delegate. "Our funds are being rapidly depleted, and must be conserved for the really necessitous cases. Chocolates and cakes are all very nice, but they are. not necessities."- r Municipal Legislation. Considerable discussion took place at the monthly executive meeting of. the s Wellington Ratepayers' Association held last night upon the necessity for "overhaul" of the Municipal .Corporation1 Act, and also much- of the municipal legislation which has been promulgated in immediate past years by the Wellington City Council. Members stated that year after year bills had been presented to. ■.Parliament which detrimentally affected* the'rights of ratepayers. It was decided that the matter required mature . consideration, and a sub.-committee was 'appointed, with .power,,to act in obtaining- legal opinion and in making representation to Parliament for the necessavy! amendments to. existing Acts to give effect to protective measures ;for; safeguarding the rights and privileges of ratepayers. The' Archbishop's Hope. "i'laje. always lived in a hope that tha 'day might come when I would sco your, church destroyed by earthquake br : , by fire. The history attached to it is not lovely, and has been a matter of sorrow to many. Indeed, I hope the dry rot will get rid of it for you, and allow yon to erect something finer and. better" said Archbishop Julius, preaching at St.: John's Church; Woolston, on Bun'day ;morning in connection with the seventy-fifth anniversary celebrations (reports" the Christchurch "Press"). "Why on earth you took down the old clay church I don't know," he said, "for .what "finer building: material is there than clay? Of course, seventyfive years is a long spell in a young land, but' in "England it, is quite a common thing for a church to celebrate the 750 th anniversary of its consecration."

Work for Boys. The Wellington Manufacturers' Association is giving its hearty support to the "Back-to-Prosperify Month." Members have been informed that the executive. heartily supports the movement, and appeals to members to make every endeavour to give work to at least one boy during the coming month. Betailers are 'making special displays of New Zealand-made goods. A Tribe Per Square Mile. "Nauru Island covers an area of 12 square miles and there are 12 native tribes living there, each with its own particular dialect 7" remarked Mr. D. N. Campbell during his address to the Wa-nganui Rotary Club (reports "The Chronicle"). He said that a native on one side of the island had great difficulty in-understanding one* on the other side. The tribes led easy lives, .contenting themselves with fishing and growing coconuts. The landowners were paid a royalty for every ton of rock removed from the island, "it is probably the smallest community in the world that has had the whole of the Bible translated expressly for it. They are a fine upstanding race and are one of the few Pacific people who still preserve their own language," added- Mr. Campbell. Maori Flute Found. Of particular interest to antiquarians is a Maori flute found by Mr. S. M. Hovell in connection with'his investigations on a . property at Thornton's Bay, near Thames, reports the '.'Waihi Telegraph." The flute, or, as the Maoris know it, a "koauwau^" is-'a hollow piece of stone, about four inches long, and has three stops. The instrument, which is beautifully carved at one end, is made of what appears to be sandstone. Mr. Hovell states that he has found- eight flutes on the pro.perty he is investigating, but such finds are very rare. Cars Trapped By Slip. Four cars, which had carried members of the Tararua Tramping Club from Wellington on Saturday afternoon to Otaki Forks, were trapped behind a slip of considerable size which came down across the Gorge road on Sunday evening. Six cars left Wellington and were parked in the Gorge while the party of twenty-five. went on from Otaki Forks to the Field Hut. Heavy rain fell on the way up, but Sunday was filled in fully with work in improving the hut and on the main track. The party divided on the tramp down' -to: the Gorge, and two carloads, well ahead of the main party, got away before the slip came down. When the rest of the party arrived they found the roadway completely blocked ahead, and finally, after considerable delay, reached Wellington by motor lorry. Protection for God-wits. > "-,.; The Wanganui Acclimatisation' Society has been requested to give its cooperation to the New Zealand Bird Protection/Society 'in haying godwits placed on the list of protected birds in the Dominion, states the "Herald." The, Wanganui Society . has replied stating that it is favourable to the request, and that it has never permitted godwits to be shot in its "district. Tie society suggested that as the Bird Protection Society had ample funds in hand an endeavour-be made to secure a number of godwits for purposes of branding game so that a more intimate knowledge of their migratory flights and stopping/ places on the journey from Siberia to New Zealand and vice versa could be definitely obtained. Damage to Memorial. For the second time the palm frond held by the 'bronze figure .which forms part of the Maori War Monument on, the reserve at the junction of Symonds and Wakefield streets, Auckland, has been broken (states the "New Zealand Herald"). The smaller portion has beenplaced on the remaining part of the palm-leaf. , Only a few months after the memorial was opened in 1920 the palm branch was -damaged by children. It is not known whether children or vandals were responsible for the; latest .breaking of the frond.' The memorial, was erected at a cost' of: £2500, of, which £~1500 was collected' by the Victoria League, and £1000 given by the1 Government/ in. memory "of the brave men belonging to the Imperial and Colonial F.orees and'-'-'tb,e;:'^riendly/;'Maoriso/.}ylioV'v'.ga.ve. their lives for the country during- the New Zealand Wars of J845-1872.", JThe' bronze figure, which was cast in Paris, cost;£9oo. After "its completion -the memorial was given ~to the Auckland City Council. "The Victoria League' worked very hard to obtain and establish this beautiful, work of; art for the city—is it ..too much to expect the City Council to protect it?" asks a correspondent to the '.'Herald." ' Yachting Mishaps. The opening of the yachting season in Auckland on Saturday "afternoon was marked by a number of mishaps on the harbour (states the "New' Zealand Herald"). . There' whs no loss of life, all the crews of the capsized boats being rescued1. A whole sail breeze from the west was blowing when the races started, but toward the finish the wind increased in strength. In almost every instance the boats carried full sail, and when the breeze freshened many of them got out of hand, especially _ where light crews were carried. In the race for- the 18ft M class Manu and Matarere capsized. Benny, a new 12ft 6in Takapuna one-design boat, also overturned, while Oi, class Z, and Ramona, class T, carried away their masts. The 18-footer Martha S. broke her rudder, and several other boats were compelled to retire owing to mis .aps to their standing gear and sails. Just after finishing her race in class V the Demon capsized at her moorings. The Wathara, a new, 14ft boat owned by Mr, H. Asher, which was making her,: first appearance, got into difficulties 'near Point Chevalier on Saturday afternoon ' and was driven :on to the reef. The crew scrambled, ashore after, much difficulty. The boat was damaged/extensively.: ,On .i the' Manukau,.Harbour the -20-f opter,: Miss; Mac blew out .her mainsail/and the 16-footer WildyWave broke^her niast. Driving Over' Street Grass; TiotsiA unique case, involving the.question whether, the City Council has the power to prevent Vehicles ' and horses being ai-iven-;:,or ;jridden over the cultivated grass plots in the streets of the city, came before Mr.. J. L. Stout, S.M. in the Palmerston'/.■North Magistrate's Court yesterday whon alady was prosecuted for a breach of the by-law which was framed to prevent such an offence. It was stated on behalf of the City".Colin;' cil that ".the real question was-the validity of. the by-law to be "decided. For the defence it was submitted that the rights of the public had been taken away by the lawns, and, that therefore the by-law was invalid. His Worship observed that the defence wished to cast on to the over-burdened. ratepay> ers the cost of keeping the rWds from kerb to kerb for the sake: of a few people/with horses.. Counsel could cnot expect a city like Palmerston North to open up streets 50 feet wide for those few people.:. His Worship said he was looking, at it from' the point of view of what was reasonable for a city the size of. Palmerston North. Evidence was (states "The Post's" special correspondent at Palmerston North) to show that the bitumen was feared by drivers of horses. Decision was reserved. , ,