NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 153, 2 December 1938, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Deer on Stewart Island. His determination to do all that was possible to exterminate the deer on Stewart Island and to preserve the island in its native state was expressed by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. W. E. Parry) in an interview with a "Southland Times" reporter. "I am absolutely convinced of the necessity for the destruction of deer," Mr. Parry said, "and that the campaign must be pursued with even greater vigour if we are to preserve our splendid native bush. It is a wonderful asset from the point of view of the tourist traffic and it gives a clear idea of what New Zealand was like in its native state." The Minister also said he would like to see parties of children sent to Stewart Island to see the beauties of the resort and to study, the magnificent flora. Such trips could be arranged when holiday, traffic was not at its height. Hamilton's Modesty. "Hamilton is about the only place in the world in which such a regulation is enforced," said Mr. P. A. Smillie, at a meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, referring to a by-law of the Hamilton Domain Board governing bathing attire to be worn by persons swimming in the Hamilton Lake. There was a notice there, he said, prohibiting bathers from swimming in short trunks and they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes. Mr. Smillie said it was making the town ridiculous in the eyes of visitors. He had even seen some visitors photographing the notice board. Grain and Potatoes. The estimated planting of grain and potatoes in New Zealand for the season 1938-39 was published in a Gazette issued last night and shows an anticipated decline over the" areas harvested during last season. For the present season 188,900 acres of wheat has been sown, compared with 191,842 harvested last autumn, 263,000 acres of oats have been sown, compared with 289,763 harvested, and 33,700 acres of barley have been sown, compared with 31,604 harvested. It is estimated that 20,000 acres of potatoes will be planted compared with 23,090 last year, but small areas of potatoes will probably add to the estimate for the present season. New Boys' Home for Masterton. Authority for the expenditure of £8500 for the erection of a new Boys' Home at Masterton was given at a special general meeting of the Anglican Boys' Home Society yesterday afternoon. This is in accord with the new policy adopted by the society two years ago in regard to the care of orphan and necessitous children. The policy entailed a reduction from 56 to 40 boys in the Lower Hutt Home, provision at Masterton for the accommodation of 30 boys, and the building of a new home to accommodate boys from the ages of 2to 7 years. This work was commenced last year when the Lower Hutt Home was entirely renovated and made suitable for accommodating 40 boys. Assistance was given to St. Mary's Home, Karori, for the care of small boys from 2 to 7 years, and provision is now made by St. Barnabas Babies' Home, Khandallah, St. Mary's Home for girls, at Karori (which also accommodates young boys), and the Lower Hutt Boys' Home, for boys from birth until they are old enough to go to work. Similar provision will be made at the new home at Masterton. Outlook For Doctors. "The outlook for medical men is at present uncertain," remarked Sir James Elliott at yesterday's meeting of the Far East Relief Committee. "Young doctors are somewhat disturbed in their minds about what prospects they will have for the practice of their profession, and whether conditions will be congenial." Some of the younger men, he added, would not continue in New Zealand if they found that changed conditions gave them less freedom than they could find in other parts of the Empire. These remarks were made when the question of sending further, doctors to China was being discussed. Dr. Elliott said that he knew of only one available. New Zealand had hardly sufficient doctors to carry out the work of the hospital boards, and it seemed a mistake to send away trained specialists to do work which consisted largely of the distribution of relief. Bees in Charge. Alarm on the part of some people and amusement in the case of others occurred in Broadway, Newmarket, early on Wednesday afternoon, when a dense swarm of bees took possession of the street, states the "New Zealand Herald." For three-quarters of an hour the bees buzzed about angrily as people endeavoured to avoid them. No one appears to have been stung. The bees appeared from the direction of the old railway workshops site about 1.15, when there were many people in Broadway. Most of the bees stationed themselves at the intersection of Broadway and Remuera Road. There was a scatter of pedestrians, and motorists hurriedly closed the windows of their cars before driving through the bees. Drivers of motortrucks, the cabs of which did not have windows, were less fortunate. People tin tramcars hurriedly raised the windows and then set about to ward off bees that were already inside. Nor were shops immune from the invasion. In some instances customers left and stood off at a safe distance. The footpaths at the city end of Broadway were lined with people who were so placed as to be able to watch. the actions of less fortunate citizens with amusement. Most of the bees left in a swarm about two o'clock, heading in the direction of the old workshops site again. At five o'clock there were still a few bees flying about in Broadway. "Will Come to Sudden Stop." Requests for the alteration of boundaries and an open season for pukeko and godwits were made by a deputation from the Southland Acclimatisation Society to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry), "I have already reduced the season for godwits," stated Mr. Parry in reply. "They are marvellous birds and a great study. It seems a great pity to pour shot into them when they return from their migration. There is an international move to make the godwit wholly protected, and I don't want to see New Zealand lag behind. I will not alter the present regulation, for no good purpose could be served by doing so." Speaking of pukeko, Mr. Parry referred to the altered habits of the bird, due to its being deprived of its natural feeding ground. If they harmed a farmer's stacks, then permission could be obtained to destroy them, but the bird must be given a fair spin. The season would not be altered. The policy of the acclimatisation societies was all right in the past, he stated, but now they went on shooting even though birds were" becoming scarcer. That was because they chafed under the idea of losing revenue. "That is wrong," said the Minister. "I believe that nothing short of a real national policy will do any good in conserving our bird life. The societies should charge a requisite fee and build up a fund against a close season. As sure as I stand here today, if the present policy is pursued we will have no ducks some day. We should have one close season in three, so that the ducks can breed, but the societies seem indifferent. One of these days they will comq to Sk sudden stoj?,^