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Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 220, 17 August 1937, Page 6

Thirty-three new constables are being added to the Police Force in Auckland. . .

The report of the Royal Commission was merely ’’received” by the Hawke s Bay Hospital Board at its meeting at Napier yesterday. The Manawatu Automobile Association’s service officer (Mr H. R. D. Browne) reported to last evening s meeting that unlighted cycles were still very numerous after dark, wane a number of cycles were without lear reflectors. The matter was regarded as serious.

A set of equipment for teaching music, which is to cost over £3OO in America, is to be presented to the Hastings High School, according to advice received • from the Carnegie Corporation, New York, by the principal of the school, Mr AV. A. G. Penlington, M.A. The equipment will consist of an electric gramophone of a special design and 615“ records.

To give the name of Wakefield to Canterbury’s centennial museum is a suggestion which has arisen among descendants of the Canterbruy pilgrims. Edward Gibbon Wakefield, the famous coloniser, who played a large part in British colonisation in the nineteenth century was solely responsible for the idea of the Canterbury settlement, says the Christchurch Press. The province was founded according to his plan, and the project carried through largely through his own personal energies, yet there is no memorial 'whatsoever to him in Canterbury. Fifty miles south-east of Boiilia township, in the far west of Queensland, are two mystery’ springs. One. known as Elizabeth Spring, consists of a circular hole four or five feet in diameter, in which tepid water is continually bubbling up and overflowing. The water, which is perfectly clear, is peculiar in that the human body cannot sink in it owing solely to the force of the water bubbling up from below. About fifty yards away (says the Polynesian) is another called Lubra Spring. Its water is always icy cold and is jet black. The human body sinks like a stone in it. According to the aborigines of the locality, the water in this spring turned black ages ago when a lubra (native woman) jumped' into it and was never seen again.

An average of £3O lias been reached this year in the rate levy on the pro-perty-owners of Auckland city. The total to be paid by 18,960 ratepayers is slightly over £560,000. Similar to that in operation in Wellington, a school where offenders against the traffic laws will receive instruction, which, it is hoped, will prevent offences in future, will shortly be established in Dunedin.

Twenty-six years ago last night there occurred one of the largest fires ever known in Auckland, resulting in the destruction of the Strand Arcade, Queen Street, and causing about £IOO,OOO worth of damage. The Mayor of Masterton (Mr T. Jordan) stated last night that the Masterton contributions toward the King George V Memorial Fund for the permanent establishment of children’s health camps totalled more than £719. —Press Association.

During the week ended last Saturday 742 men were placed in employment through the State Placement Service, making a total since April lof 15,215. In Palmerston North 29 positions wore filled, bringing the total since the beginning of April to 622. The Manawatu Automobile Association, at its meeting last evening, de cided to send a letter of congratulation to the City Council with reference to the excellent way in which the pedestrian crossings pad been marked, and on the steps being taken to educate pedestrians and motorists as to their purpose.

What is considered to have been the careless use of a rifle on Sunday afternoon resulted in a bullet striking the kitchen window of Mr Alex Takarangi’6 residence at Putiki, Wanganui. The missile caused a neat round hole, but fell outside without entering the room. Fortunately no one was in the line of fire.

The Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday decided to place on record appreciation of the action of the Sunshine Club in donating chairs to the Awapuni Home. The chairman (Mr J. A. Nash) stated that the club took a very live interest in the home and was continually radiating sunshine and happiness at the institution.

Two members of the Manawatu Automobile Association who have just returned from a tour of the North Island expressed the opinion, at last evening’s executive meeting, that there was no better sign-posted district in New Zealand than the Manawatu. “It is a matter for congratulation,” commented one member. A fractured left leg was sustained by Mr George Steele, an ambulance driver, aged 26, of Otaki, when lie was involved in an accident with a car yesterday. He was apparently walking along a road when he received the injury. Mr Steele was admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital, where he is reported to be in a comfortable condition.

A visitor to the representative Rugby match at Palmerston North yesterday was Mr N. McKenzie, the well-known Hawke’s Bay selector and Rugby authority. He said he was keen to “get a line on” the form of Southland, who hold the Ranfurly Shield, adding that it was high time the coveted trophy found its way back to the Bay. Valuable lessons in practical geography are being given the pupils of the Levin Distriot High School. The third lesson of the series scheduled for the current year was given when a visit to the lower reaches of the Oliau River was made by fifty of the sen-. 0 .- pupils of the primary department, the object of the snivevs is to give the pupils an insight into the pliysiogiaphical history of the district.

A mould attacking tents used by the Public Works Department had caused the department considerable loss until officers of the Plant Diseases Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research made investigations, Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., told the Canterbury branch of the New New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. The research officers, he said, found a means of combating the mould, and many pounds must nave been saved. It was not known now how long the tents would last.

Powerful though a Minister of the Crown may be in New Zealand ho can spend no more than £SO on any purchase for his department. Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., referring to this limitation on Ministerial expenditure, in an address to the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, said that for any larger sums a Minister must first have the approval of the Cabinet. This policy was observed by the previous Government and was being continued by the present administration. The excellent services of tho Palmerston North ' Fire Brigade on the occasion of the recent fire at the Awapuni Home were referred .to at yesterday’s meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, and it was decided to vote £5 5s to the brigade’s social fund. A deputation consisting of the chairman (Mr J. A. Nash), Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., and the managingsecretary (Mr A. J. Phillipps) was appointed to wait on the Fire Board with a view to having the services of the brigade made available at the home on a definite basis.

Dutch food is very different from that usual to the New Zealander, according, to remarks made by the speaker at the weekly meeting of the Palmerston North Plotary Club, yesterday—Mr P. Heuts, wlio came to New Zealand from Holland to join a commercial firm last year. “I have not got used to it yet,” remarked Mr Heuts, and then in an aside he said, “It is terrible stuff.” When the laughter had subsided lie explained that in Holland a favourite dish was a “good old beef-steak,” softened by pounding with a hammer, then minced and cook ed in balls. In the top of the ball was scooped a hole and in that hole placed an egg, with onions, pepper and salt. “I have never eaten anything better,” the speaker said.

With a view to the standardisation of accounts and procedure of local authorities in New Zealand, the Municipal Association has appointed the following committee to survey the activities of such authorities and to make recommendations to the association: —Messrs A. E. Mansford (Mayor of Palmerston North), H. L. Harker (Mayor of Wairoa), C. L. Bishop (town clerk of Eastbourne), A. W. Lee6e (town clerk of One Tree Hill), B. P. Peterson (city treasurer, Wellington), J. P. McDavitt (assistant town clerk of Palmerston North).

Speaking at the weekly gathering of the Palmerston North Rotary Club, yesterday, Mr P. Heuts, who comes from Holland, touched on the subject of crossing the border into Germany from liis country and incidentally mentioned the profit to be made from smuggling. He said it was not always profitable, for the German guards carried pistols and it one did not stop when challenged the guards would fire. A man he knew had crossed the border with a car, the spare tyre being filled with coffee and cigarette papei’s stuffed down the aperture in a door into which the window slides. Three or four trips would pay for the car, said the nenk°r lint, amplifying his point about the practice not always lieiiig profitable, he remarked that one day the man bad disappeared. The speaker had not seen him since.