NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 129, 2 June 1937, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

His Geography Was Vague. The New Zealand Coronation stamps overprinted for use in the Cook Islands were placed on sale yesterday at the Post Office, and found numerous ready purchasers from the fraternity of philatelists. One gentleman asked the man behind the counter for the Cook Strait stamps. Whether it was a slip of the tongue, or whether he was really as vague in his geography as he sounded, there was no telling. He was supplied with the Cook Island stamps at cost price and appeared satisfied. '• Useful Planting Work. , For' many years, unemployed boys have been planting sand dunes on the coast immediately- south of Wanganui with pinus insignis trees, reports "The Post's" correspondent at Wanganui. To further the work,- Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., made representations to the State Forestry Department and the result has been that a gift of 10,000 insignis trees has been made to the afforestation camp at Kaitoke. Nine boys are present in the camp, under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron. Many of the trees planted in the beginning of the scheme are now eight or nine feet high, and are already becoming effective as a break-wind. Future planting will thus have valuable assistance from the protection thus afforded by^ these trees. Empire Life-saving Trophy. Reports on the result of last year's contest for the William Henry Memorial Cup, awarded by the central executive in London of the Royal Lifesaying Society to the branch showing the greatest percentage in awards gained in one year over the average for the previous two years have just come to hand in New Zealand. .Malta topped the list for the second time, since the inauguration of the contest in 1931. Queensland was second, Taranaki third, and Canterbury fourth. The cup was won last year by Wellington, and Taranaki occupied ninth position. • '. .. ■ '~...' .. '-. Kiwi in Ranges. A fine specimen of hen kiwi, standing about 15in high and with a beak about 7in long, was discovered in the Wakarara Ranges, beyond Makaretu, last week by Mr. J..H. Ferguson and a party of three others from Waipukurau while they were pig hunting (states a Waipukurau correspondent). So far as is known in the locality, kiwis have never been found in the Wakararas before. Mr. Ferguson's dog bailed up the kiwi in some fern, and before steps could be taken to call off the dog it had broken one of the bird's legs in two places and had done other injury. Because it was bleeding from the beak Mr. Ferguson killed the bird. The kiwi has been placed in a freezer at Waipukurau, pending advice from the Minister of Internal Affairs as to whether it may be kept by the finder as a souvenir. Ten Thousand Drivers. This year Wellington motorists went about the registration of their cars and the renewal of driving licences in a far more businesslike way than in previous years, and though a considerably greater number of plates and licences have been issued .there was no lastminute rush. The bureau at the Concert Chamber was kept open till 4 p.m. yesterday, by which time the number of driving licences issued for the year (including those previously, issued from the City Traffic Office) had passed the ten thousand mark. This; said Mr. H. E. Nicholls, who was in charge of this section of the work at the bureau, was well ahead of the total ox any previous year at June 1, but there were still many more to come in. Altogether last year about 18,500 licences were issued, and although quite a number #of cars were garaged for the winter months and plates and drivers' licences were not applied for until the spring, those cars did not account for the big margin always left after the last day set by the regulations, that was to say, many motorists were taking a chance of Hot being asked to produce their licences, .but the round up to be made within a few days would make that chanr.e not worthwhile.

To Assist English Tour. "As an old Soccer player in England over forty years ago, I ask your acceptance of the enclosed cheque for £1 Is towards the expenses of the English tour," stated Mr. Edward Openshaw, of Marton, in a letter which was greeted with applause when read at last night's meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Football Association. Mr. Openshaw has been cordially thanked for his practical support. Telling the Truth. "Do you realise that you will have to tell the truth?" asked Mr. Justice Fair, when addressing a juvenile witness, a Maori boy, in the Hamilton Supreme Court. "Do you know what will happen to you if you do not?" "Yes," replied the boy. "If Ido not I will go to gaol." "He seems to have a good grasp of his obligations, at any rate," commented his Honour. An Outsize in Doormats. An outsize, in doormats was recently delivered at the Royal New Zealand Air. Force station at Wigram (states the "Christchurch Star-Sun"). The mat, measuring 28ft by 4ft, was made by the men resident at the Salvation Army Men's Industrial Home in Addington, and was the most ambitious product in the matting branch of the home's industries yet completed. The large mat, made in an approved buff-coloured matting fibre, has woven into it in black the letters "R.N.Z.A.F.," each being ten inches in height.