NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 122, 25 May 1937, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Queen Mary's Birthday. . Tomorrow, May 26, is the seventieth birthday of Queen Mary. Daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Teck, she was born in 1867. She was affianced first of all to the Duke of Clarence, who died in 1892, but in the following year, on Jujy 18,' 1893, she married George, Duke of: York, who subsequently ascended, the Throne as King George V. The occasion will be honoured by a Royal Salute of 21 guns and by the flying of flags on Government and public buildings; Widely Recognised. "There is no need for me to emphasise the value of the'work done by the City Mission," said the Acting Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser), when speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington City Mission last night. Mr.' Fraser said there was no organisation better known than the Wellington City Mission, and it was acknowledged not only in Wellington, but throughout the Dominion. Filling a Want. "As Bishop of the diocese,.the work of the Mission maans so much to me,", said the Bishop of Wellington, the Kt. Kw. H. St. Barbe Holland, who presided at the annual meeting of the Wellington City Mission last night. "The City Mission/ said -the Bishop, "is filling a need' in the city, and those who ar<* associated with the organisation are to bo commended for the work they are doing." Milk for Schools. All arrangements are now complete in Wanganui' to commence a supply of 200 gallons of milk daily to'Wanganui primary'schools," states "The Post's" correspondent. A further supply of pasteurised milk will be available If needed later. One infant and one, primary school in Wanganui have been dispensing milk to a number of the children during the winter for several years past—some of it free, and some at a very low figure. Marlborough's Fruit. As the result1 of an exceptionally favourable ' season for fruit growing in Marlborough the total number of cases exported to the Home market has set a new record for the district, beating the previous .figure, which was reached in 1932, by approximately 6000 cases. Reviewing the export season,' which closed last week, when the last shipment was forwarded, Mr. D. J. Hogg, the local Orchard Instructor, informed an "Express" representative that conditions generally yrere particularly good for the production of fruit. During the growing period there was a reasonably' good rainfall, which was well distributed throughout the period, The fruit on the whole was quite up to its usual standard,.and:the quantity rejected at most orchards was smaller than usual. During the season just ended 78,188 cases of fruit were exported, and of these 77,008 cases were of apples and 580 cases were of pears. The majority of the fruit was shipped from Picton to' Wellington, and thence Home, but a quantity was shipped direct from Picton^ the Port Fremantle, lifting 1018 cases and the Kumara 10,300. Infectious Disease. . Notifications of infectious disease in the Wellington district totalled thirtyfour for the week ended yesterday, states the Health. Department, and of these eight' were infantile paralysis. There1 were three deaths during the period. All these deaths were from tuberculosis, there being : one case in each of the Wanganui-Horowhenua, Wairarapa-Hawke's Bay, and Central V. rellington districts. In the WanganuiHorowhenua district7 there was a total of five cases of diphtheria, three of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), two of erysipelas and'one of both scarlet fever and tuberculosis. In the central Wellington area, of a total of 17 cases, five were of scarlet fever, five of tuberculosis, four of poliomyelitis, .and one each of erysipelas, puerperal fever, and eclampsia. :. The Nelson-Marl-borough area reported one case of scarlet fever and one case of eclampsia, and the, ;Wairarapa-Hawke's Bay area reported two cases of erysipelas and one of poliomyelitis. Maori Ceremony. A small gathering of Waiomatatini Natives attended the transference of the main beam from the celebrated Porourangi meeting house, one of the most interesting of the ancient buildings on the East Coast, to its ne.w site (states a Gisborne correspondent). This occasion is looked upon a^ something extremely sacred among the Native race. Fifty years have elapsed since^ the beam was placed in position by the Ngatiporou tribesmen, and of these tribesmen the only surviving member is Mr. Pine. Heiha, who touched the rope and gave the word of command for the beam, which is 74ft in length, to be lowered. During the afternoon the beam was transferred to the new site, by 60 able tribesmen, assisted by Mr. D. Green, to the tune of a Native chant, in which all joined. . Sir Apirana Ngata was present: The beam was placed in position in readiness for hoisting. The Rev. P. Kohere spoke of the sacred' occasion of the transference of the beam id said he felt sure the spirits of their departed tribesmen who had assisted in the erection of the meeting -,house were with them. The gathering bowed in prayer, after ..hic'li the meeting dispersed. The transference of this meeting house has been rendered necessar;- by the repeated flooding of the present site by the waters of a nearby stream. Keen interest is being shown by the Ngatiporou tribesmen in the operation of removing the structure. It is understood the principal timbers date back to a time prior to the European settlement of the country.