NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Advertising Seats.

Further criticism of the advertising seats in the city was made by members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening. The seats were roundly condemned for their lack of artistic merit. The suggestion was made that if the City Council continued to approve of the seats a protest meeting of citizens should be held. Action was deferred pending the receipt from the council of a reply to the chamber's previous protest. Those Early Settlers. "What are we going to do > about the slur cast on the early settlers by J. A. Lee?" asked Mr. W. Toomath, heatedly, during the discussion on local memorials at the public meeting held in the Council Chamber yesterday afternoon. "That is out of order," remarked Councillor A. Black, with which the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) agreed. Mr. Toomath (to Councillor Black): "I do not care for you or anybody else " The Mayor: "That is out of Order at this meeting." Mr. Toomath was heard to say something about not standing "for that sort of tripe," referring to Mr. Lee's statements. Hospital Expenses. The Christchurch City Council does not intend for the present, to join with the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) in asking for an increase in the Government's contribution to the expenses of hospital administration throughout the Dominion, says the "Press." Recently Mr. Hislop wrote to the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. R. M. Macfarlane) asking for his support in making representations to the Government for an increased allocation to hospitals, so that the bur|den on ratepayers might be lightened. This request was considered by the finance committee of the council, which reported to the council on Monday night that a reply had been sent stating that as the levy a head in Christchurch was considerably lower than in Wellington, and as the general position about the distribution of hospital expenses would be materially altered by the Government's social j security scheme, the committee did not consider it would be justified in j making representations to the Government at present. This reply was approved by the council.

Fruit Crop Prospects. There is every indication that next season's crop of pip fruits will be just as heavy as last season, said Mr. B. G. Goodwin, orchard instructor to the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch, after an inspection of some of the principal orchards. Another successful season, he said, depended largely on whether damaging frosts were experienced late in October, and early in November soon after blossom time. Reports also indicated that orchardists were expecting a bumper harvest of stone i fruits. No Special Features. j Quoting the National Geographic Magazine, Mr. C; Mclntyre, at the discussion on centennial local memorials yesterday afternoon, said that apart from claiming the largest wooden building in the world, and having a monument with a horse on it, Wellington had no special features that would not be found in any well-kept town of its size. "There was a fine memorial to John Martin, with running water, but where is it now?" he asked plaintively. "Dumped in Oriental Bay and it has no water running from it. They put Queen Victoria at the end of the wharf, where she would be met by people landing here,- but she was dumped in Kent Terrace, and stands there unwashed and uncared for. Centennial Exhibition. The enthusiasm district representatives had shown towards the provincial court scheme, which is to be a feature of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition, was commented upon by Mr. J. C. Allum when he returned to Auckland from Wellington after attending a conference there in connection with the scheme, says the "New Zealand Herald." He said the Auckland province was expected to take a prominent place in the court, and efforts would be made to get the full Auckland contribution of £8000 as soon as possible. Money was readily forthcoming in the south, and the Wellington contribution of £10,000 had already been raised. University Examinations. The examination season is in the immediate offing for students at the Victoria University College. Lectures end this week, and the annual terms examinations take place all next week. Students who have been accredited with terms on the year's work are not required to sit for the examination, but, in addition to those not accredited, there are about 200 students exempted from attendance at lectures who must sit. Most of these reside in centres outside Wellington. Then follow the annual degree and diploma examinations of the University of New Zealand, which extend from November 1 to 21. The university entrance examination will be held from the beginning of December. First Mutton Birds. Perhaps it is a sign of early spring, but, whatever the reason, oystermen report the presence in Foveaux Strait of a great many mutton birds during the last days of the oyster season. According to those who know (says the Bluff correspondent of the Southland "Daily News") this is exceptionally early. There was once a belief, and among oldtimers it has not yet entirely died out, that the mutton bird invariably laid its eggs on November 25. That this was a myth was proyed by Mr. Guthrie-Smith from actual' observation on the , mutton bird islands some years ago. He found "that the eggs are obtainable during the months of November, December, January, and February, probably also earlier and probably later." Evidently this is going to be one of the earlier seasons. ] Abundance of Fish. School fish covering acres of sea j were seen by Mr. G. A. Gibbs, Inspec-j tor of Fisheries at Russell, when he I made his usual fortnightly run with j stores and mails to Cape Brett on Sat-! urday, says a correspondent of the j "New Zealand Herald." "We plough- j ed through an almost continuous stream of snapper, trevalli, maomao, terekihi, piper, and kahawai all the j way from Tapeke to the cape," he said.; ,Between Bird Rock and Cape Brett the Government launch passed through a very closely-packed school of piper and kingfish, and in this school ap- j peared two swordfish, scattering the smaller fish in all directions. "I have not seen so many school fish for years," he said. "Swordfish are there' for the catching." • "Mary Anne" Architecture. An amusing example of the ready wit of the late Rev. F. A. Hare, one-! time chaplain and headmaster of Christ's College, was given by Archbishop Averill in a breezy talk when proposing the toast of "The School" at the annual reunion dinner of the Auckland branch of the Old Boys' Association, states the Auckland "Star." Mr. Hare, his Grace said, was, showing a lady over a building that had recently been erected at the college. While .this building had an imposing front.of dressed stone, the rear portion was constructed of brick, more humble, but less expensive. The lady asked her guide, "What style of architecture do you call this?" Quick as a flash came the witty reply, "Queen Anne in front, I believe, and Mary Anne behind."