DOMINION DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 22456, 29 September 1936, Page 8

DOMINION DAY.

It might easily be gathered from our cable news that Dominion Day, set apart to martk New Zealand’s dignity as a nation, was more honoured in Australia than in New Zealand. Two holidays of the year which are complementary to each other, Dominion Day and Empire Day, have in this country fallen into the same desuetude, the first more than the other. One or two patriotic organisations still hold their annual gatherings on,the evening of Empire Day to recall the privileges and also the responsibilities which w© share with a wide Commonwealth of British citizens, but except for som© flying of flags and the closing of premises by a few commercial institutions which have least inconvenience in closing them Dominion Day is ignored. Not even Civil servants keep it as a holiday. There was no holiday in Australia, naturally, but in most of the State capitals gatherings of New Zealanders took place to celebrate the day. In Sydney Federal and State Ministers were among the guests. There was even a religious observance in Sydney. A New Zealand Association has just been formed in Perth, to add v to others, and no doubt it remembered the occasion. The New Zealand farmers who are on tour attended the Adelaide function. In London the date chosen for celebrations by New Zealanders which have been honoured by the attendance of our present King has been th® anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, proclaimed as “ New Zealand Day.’’ The difference in observance, her© and overseas, does not mean that New Zealanders only appreciate their country when they are away from it. It means that they are, by nature, an undemonstrative people, content to take their blessings for granted in ordinary circumstances, feeling no temptation to proclaim the feelings which they share as a community. At a distance, where they are a minority, with at least the geographical sense of being exiles, it is natural that they should come together, making th© most of common ties, and there is also in th© London gatherings, and publicity which they receive, the value of advertisement. Dominion Day in New Zealand might be abolished for all th© purpose which it serves. A northern journal has suggested that a use might he found for it, by those who are now endeavouring to organise public opinion in the direction of a serious concern for the defence of this country, by making it the occasion for annual pageants designed to popularise our citizen army. That use might have value for an initial stimulus. It might be commended to pacifists by the fact that something live it is done in Russia. But a defence force can only bo stimulated, it can never ho built lip, by annual fillips. It may be hoped also that the world will not long continue so frantic as it has been recently, making defence a principal care. Some other suggestion seems needed for the best use of Dominion Day, if it is to be used at all.

After a discussion in committee last night, the City Council decided not to oppose the intention of the Railway Department to erect a bus terminal on the vacant section of land immediately south of the Early Settlers’ Association buildings. Subsequently a statement was made by Cr A. H. Allen (chairman of the General Committee), who said that the Railway Department had submitted plans of the proposed terminal. As it was understood that the building would be in harmony with _ the surroundings, particularly the railway station, and that all loading and unloading would be done within _ the building, the council had considered that it could not reasonably offer any objection to the department’s selection of a site. The council was gratified to know that the department proposed to erect a substantial bulling that would be worthy of the site and of the surroundings. Lambing in Otago is progressing very favourably this season, and the indications are that the flocks will equal numerically those of previous years. Last year the percentage of twins was very high, and it is probable that this year’s figure in the province will be just as nigh, showing that_ the ewes are in good breeding condition. There has so far been a marked freedom from 'trouble in the form of disease, which, of course, is an encouraging sign. In the Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., judgment for the plaintiffs, with costs, was given by default in the following cases;—Hugh and G. K. Neill Ltd. v. E. D. Sarginson, £2 ss, goods supplied; M'Cracken and Walls v. James Bain, £1 3s, balance owing on hire of gramophone; John Trengrove v. Robert Conn’s Grand Pharmacy Ltd., £197 18s 3d, amount of guarantee. While the report of the Reserves Committee was under discussion at the meeting of the City Council last night, Cr Munro said a complaint had been made to him that two beautiful fuchsia trees on the track leading to the top of the Dalmore steps had been cut down. It was hoped that others would not he destroyed. The chairman (Cr Batchelor) that there was no intention of cutting down a lot of those trees. Probably the two that were cut were obstructing the track, but he would inquire into the matter. There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning. Depleted during the last year of a large quantity of their surface covering of sand,- the beaches at St, Clair and St, Kilda have within the last month shown a great improvement, much of the sand having been returned by the ever-recurring process of Nature. If. the replacement of sand continues both beaches should bo in good order for the bathing season. Already a few have commenced their early morning bathe, though the temperature of the water is not yet very enticing,- and an improvement in the weather should bring out many more bathers. New Zealand parakeets are still to be found in the South Island, although not in such large numbers as was the case a few years ago. It is reported that a_ few of the birds are still to be seen in the bush country in the Catlins district, but it is that their natural enemies have caused a scarcity. It is also probable that many have migrated to other parts, where feed is more plentiful. In the vicinity of Lake Sumner recently many of these birds were seen by a party of sportsmen, A malicious false alarm _ registered from the corner of Maryhill Terrace and Glen Avenue called the City Fire Brigade out at 8.42 this morning. “ I feel sure that with such a large number of people making off for the bays on a Friday night, Saturday morning trade will diminish, and that within 12 months anyway there will be ageneral desire for a five-day week,” said the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr M. J. Reardon), at the hearing of the clerical workers’ dispute in Conciliation Council at Wellington. Some would remember, said Mr Reardon, that when the Saturday half-holiday was introduced in Wellington there were people who claimed it would ruin them; but after 12 months’ experience they would not revert to the old order. It must be a quarter of a century at least since the Saturday half-holiday was introduced in Wellington. At the present time country districts were falling over each other to affirm the principle of the Saturday half-holiday.

Nearby farmers generally are wishing for a spell of dry weather. Farm operations on the Taieri are being seriously delayed as a result of the wet nature of the ground, ploughing for the spring crops having been held up, _ Consequently there has been a delay in the planting of potatoes and the sowing of wheat, A number of early-sown wheat crops have been severely affected by grubs, and in a few cases have had to be ploughed in. Unless there is soon a decided change for the better in the weather it is probably that this season’s wheat acreage will be much below the normal. Altogether, the spring conditions so far have been most unsatisfactory for the man on the land. Prisoners in British gaols are now allowed to have safety razors so that they can shave when they wish, while the old-tifne “ prison crop has been abolished. The postal authorities advise that the Mariposa, due at Auckland next Friday from San Pedro, has 103 bags of English and American' mail for Dunedin. The mail should reach the local office next Monday morning. The craving to be noticed is as much in evidence among Maori adolescents as among Europeans, said Mr P. Smyth, master of St. Stephen’s College, Auckland, in an address. Youths wear coats sometimes very long and sometimes very short, and trousers with cuffs from 24in to 36in wide. Some even go further and let in a coloured triangle. If they have no money left for socks after paying for the triangle, they wear none. The Maori maidens make fashion-plates of themselves with rouge and paint—a hideous spectacle with the brown skin as a background. The Maeri woman of the past tattooed her lip and chin because a red-lipped woman was abhorred. Personally, said Mr Smyth, amid much laughter, he preferred the lip without rouge or tattoo. A Press Association message from Feilding states that an enthusiastic and largely attended meeting of National Party supporters was held there last evening, when it was unanimously decided to form a branch of the party in the Oroua electorate, all present enrolling as members. The meeting was addressed by Mr F. G. Wilkes, the divisional organiser. The postal authorities advise that the mails which left Dunedin on August 31 via San Francisco reached London on Monday last. Eye strain—for eye comfort, for better vision, consult Stnrraer and Watson Ltd., opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin. —fAdvt.]