NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 12, 14 July 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Quality" of City Milk,

Many complaints were being received, said Councillor K. Semple, M.P., at the City Council meeting last night, in regard to the quality of the city milk. Councillor W. H. TScnnett (chairman of tho milk committee) said that under the old system the delivery was made in the morning, and that had led to complaints that tho milk was not received in time for breakfast. Now tho delivery was made the night before, find the complaints were not nearly so numerous. Councillor B. MeKeen, M.P., s.iid that there was great dissatisfaction with the milk supply. Some people would not accept it. He suggested that the milk co'mmittce consider a reversion to tho early morning delivery.

Justice;

Justice was often shown as the clasji* cal figure of a woman with her'eyes bandaged, and holding an even scale in her hand, said Mr. Justice Ostler in the Sunjemc Court yesterday. ,It was said that Justice was blind, but'he djd hopo that she was not stupid. His Honour's remarks prefaced' his judgment in the caso in which he dismissed the appeals by an officer and an engineer of the Marama against their conviction on- a charge of attempting to export silver from the Dominion. No Additions to Service.

The City Council, on the recommen-1 dation of the tramways committee,^ decided last night not to accede to requests made by the Melrose and llaughton Valley Progressive 'Associations for improvements to the bus service to those districts. The requests made were for the extension of the service from John .Street to the Town Hall; the inauguration of a service, via Kussell Terrace; and the introduction of «'i standard concession fare of 3!d between the city and Melrose. The request of the Vogeltown and Mornington Municipal Electors' Association for tho provision of a bus service on Saturday evenings was also declined.

Justices in Country Courts,

The bylaws committee last night referred to the City Council a report niarlo by the City Solicitor, Mr. .T. O'Shea, with regard to statements published that the Minister of Justice proposed to employ, Justices of the Peace to take bylaw cases. Mr. O'Shea said that he had,doubted the accuracy of such statements, and had personally seen the Minister, who* read a shorthand note of what he had stated. "His purpose," Mr. O'Shea reported, "is to employ Justices of the Peace to take small cases in the country, fie is trying to'enlarge the Magistrates' districts, as they have not enough to do in many cases. This means that they will only hold Courts in small centres onco a month. In the meantimo petty offences .have to be dealt1 with. He has no intention of employing Justices of the Peace in bylaw cases." , ,

Pride of a Welshman.

Reference to Lady Bledisloc's Welsh ancestry was made by Mr. A. Bosser, president of the Auckland Justices of tho Peace Association, at-the annual social on Wednesday evening, states tho "Kew Zealand Herald." "I was born at Mumbles, near Swansoa," said Mr. Rosscr, "and I understand her .Excellency was born only three miles away. Of my Welsh birth I' was always proud, but my pride is the greater that her Excellency -is • a Welsh-born lady." Loml Uledislop, replying, said: "When Mr. Posser admitted lip \v;is a WcKhman and began to compair birth i-citificatca with, his fellow-country-woman from the parish of Mumbles, I thought ho ought to have addicted you m' Welsh, and had her Excellency to reply."

A Costly* Delicacy.

Those who had money to spare yesterday could have got rid of it in otlior'ways besides going to Trcnlhum. They could, ior instance, havo bought whitebait, for the first bupplies of Die season of this delicacy were on sale in somo of the Wellington shops. Fancy prices were being asked for the contents of tho four tins which had come from tho Waikato, but prices will probably bo lower next week when further supplies .arrive. .It, will not,be long before" Foxtoh and th,e> West' Coast will be supplying the market too.

Mounting Transport Coats.

1 Tho transport costs in the Dominion havo risen' enormously since 1914, and constitute one of the biggest items in tho national overhead costs today, remarked Mr. J. S. Hunter, Commissioner of Transport, during the course of an address last evening fto the Dominion Conference of the" New Zealand' Farmers' Union. .Official statistics, he said, show that the national land transport costs represented £29.39 out of every £100 of the value of national production in ] 913-14, and £45.23 in 1930-31. I "It is true that part of this increased I cost represents what may be i egarded 'as tho fair cost of'progress, but the plain fact is that tho greater part of the I increased cost is due to unnecessary and wasteful competition between road, rail, and sea services, and between road services themselves." That there was urgent 'need for the elimination of wasteful competition was beyond dispute.

Seeds and Psychology.

The reputation of the wheat seed supplied by Lincoln College is*mentioned in the report of the Tesearch work done by that institution during the last six months. "The constant maintenance of .supplies of pure seed true to name, has probably been an important factor in the maintenance of the average, wheat yield in New Zealand," says the report. "There are many indications that pure good seed has a psychological effect on the grower and on his neighbours. JWhcn ono gets a pure, even, crop he 'feels that it is worth while spending manure and cultivation labour cm its , production, and' one good looking'crop in a' district induces a spirit of rivalry. It is often remarked by fairly independent observers that the further one gets away from the college influence the worse is the general appearance of the wheat crops in the district."

How Children Grow,

' An interesting report on the weight of a number of Scottish school children has just been made- public. Measurements show, says the' report, that there is a much greater increase in height from the end of March.until the end of June than during any other period of tho year, the smallest increase in height being in the months of October, November, and December. Tho weight increase was greatest between July and September. lii ( the early summer quarter, from April to June, about 25 per cent, of the boys actually lose weight although increasing in height. It would be interesting to compare these results with the measurements of New 'Zealand children with a view to seeing if there is any correspondence after trfe reversal of the months to accord with, the seasons.

Early Lambs Appear.

Lambs are already making their appearance in North1 Taranaki, notably in" the Bell Block, Oakura,"and Huiraugi districts. It is, of course, too early yet to discuss percentages, but from reports it, is understood there is a. preponderance of twin lambs (says the "Taranaki Herald")- ,'Generally speaking, those farmers who cateT for • early lambs have a number of .well sheltered paddocks, and with the \ favourable weather conditions' experienced there is a good supply of food. . Ewes are tin excellent condition' and! the lambs -will no doubt jump ahead. Some » early lambs arc also reported from the Mangere and othet districts in the central Auckland area. Owing" to the more favourable climatic conditions, the central Auckland area often has the first lambs, and in thig respect is as forward ns any other dtetiict in Now Zealand. . With- the greater uso of topdressing and. a-supply of good feed, there is an increasing tendency towards earlier lambing' seasons. , In all parts of the Ashburton County, early lambs are making their appearance, and in at least one case, in the Grcenstvcet district, tailing operations have already begun. In this instance the first oL' the lambs were born six weeks ago and on account of the- favourable weather conditions have thrived well.

Marking, of Taxi Cam.

The bylaws committee of the City ' Council has had under consideration, for some time a scheme whereby^ all taxi cars plying in tlie' city might be distinguished as to company or in- , dividual ownership by means of ( colours, similar to a plan introduced at Auckland, but difficulties were found in" tho multiplicity of owners. Tlif committee recommended to the council last night that all taxi-cab owners not associated with any recognised company or' association should be required to have their cabs painted navy blue in colour and on each side of tho cab in an approved position there should also be painted in letters of at' least one"- and a half .inches in height the name or monogram of the owner, and that the cabs used by the recognised companies should be operated under tho approved colour scheme of each company, and if any company had a trade mark ,or design this mark "or design must be shown on each side of the cab. Councillor P. Fraser, M.P., spoke of the deplorable state of the taxi drivers'.business, and asked when tho regulation would be enforced. Cquncillor 11. A. Ituggins said there was a great deal of trouble caused by the uncertainty of colours. Tho regulation would be enforced by degrees. The recommendation was adopted.

Points of Order.

Thcie was not a great deal of business on the order paper for last night's meeting of tho City Council, but what thero was ran along and along while the hours went past. It was a great night for points of order.1 They were iu-ed at the Mayor off and on all night. At 11.20 p.nf. a long debate on day labour versus contract came to an "end and Councillor T. Forsyth raised another point from standing orders, that as the clock hands ha<J passed eleven and ji.o ono had moved for an extension 'of timo for tho' completion of Order paper business, the council should adjourn: he objected to any new business being introduced. Then followed half an hour of discussion as to what constituted "new business." T^e Labour .councillors contended that^ new' business meant business hot on the regular order paper. The Mayor Tuled that new business included subjects listed upon the order paper/but not "embarked upon. Light pleasantries were exchanged; for instance, Councillor Luckic objected to continuing, and remarked that nearly ■ill the time had been taken' up by Labour councillors. Councillor Butler replied that they hod no apology for that: 'when they had anything to say they said it. Councillor Fraser added to that by: "When we have-anything to .say we say it, but when Councillor Luckie has nothing to' «ay ho nays it, nt inordinate length." There was more consultation of standing orders and more argument that the council slrould proceed—with the "business, or home, but finally the Mayor ruled that the meeting should ' adjourn. Councillor Butler: You can't move that; that's new business. Out Tuesday evening the council will meet again to deal with odds and cuds which,_ tho Mayor considers, will be discussed and decided in half an. hour.