NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 65, 7 November 1931, Page 2

NEAR AND FAR

Conveyance of Children. "It is costing more than £100,000 a year for the conveya.nee of school children to and from school in New Zealand," said Mr A. Burns, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, at its meeting this week. . This statement was in reference to a memorandum from the department requesting the board, not only to review.the. conveyance systems in operation, but also to report on methods of affecting economy in expenditure on conveyance. It was decided that the board take action as requestod by the partmentCricket Mementoes. The ball with which the fiual 46 runs of England's score of 446 against New Zealand in the first Test mateh at Lord's, and one of the stumps used were acquired by C. S. Dempster after the match, and he brought them back to New Zealand with him. At the welcome extended to members of the team by the Wellington Cricket Association this week, Dempster presented the ball and stump to Mr. W. H. Windsor, secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council, wh'o said that he would have them preserved, together with other souvenirs of the past. Mr. Windsor added that he believed other members of the team had also brought mementoes back with them, and he hoped to secure them and have them suitably mounted. Presented by the Earthquake. The Napier Harbour Board has unanimously decided that steps should be taken to bring into a state of productivity that portion of the Ahuriri lagoon which was raised by the earthquake. A scheme which was submitted to the board by the reelamation engineer, Mr. Guy Rochfort, received the approval of the board, which gave the chairman, Mr. A. E. Jull, M.P., authority to approach the Unemployment Board with a view to seeuring assistance from that quarter to earry out the work. Demand for New Zealand Apples. A New Zealander in Scotland on holiday noted that nearly all the fruit shops in Aberdeen were making a great display of New Zealand Delici-' ous apples, which found a ready sale at lOd per pound. New Zealand butter and cheese were also sold in good quantities by the majority of the storesGold on Road. Whilst a lad named Allan Edwards was going to school at Parkes (N.S.W.) he picked up from the roadway a stone., intending to throw it, but feeling it to be heavy he took it to school, and the science master assayed from it loz. 2dwt. 14grs. of gold. The stone is believed to have came from the old Bushman's mine and was used for paving the street .10 years ago. Britlsh Films. "New Zealand has five times as many cinemas in proportion to population as Great Britain," said Mr. R. L. Grant, New Zealand representative of British International Pictures, - in an interview in Auckland, "and American firms, realising their opporr tunities, have so organised their business that their best films reach the Dominion about the same time as they arrive in San Francisco. But Britain has now taken a leaf out of America's hook, both in the. production and sale of films. When millions of pounds' worth of silent pietures were destroyed overnight by the tallcies, the struggling English industry appeared to be in an even worse plight to withstand the strain than America, But it soon became evident that Britain was the most favoured place in the world for sound films, as it had a great company of trained, accomplished actors, of cultured playwrights and a storehouse of brilliant plays and material suitable for the new medium. So the golden age of British pietures began." Improvement. "A definite improvement has taken place in Australian affairs during the past few weeks, and although it cannot yet be said with any degree of certainty that the present favourable position will be sustained, the benefits which are accruing in the meantime will offer considerable relief to all concerned," Messrs. Byron Moore, Day and Journeaux, of iYLelbourne, observe in their latest review of Australian affairs- "The depreciation of sterling following England's departure from the gold standard has resulted in a sharp rise in commodity prices, particularly wool and wheat, which will give substantial relief to primary producers. 5000-mile Walk. A stowaway who concealed himself on board the Ruahine at Panama when the vessel was on the way from Southampton to Auckland had walked from San Diego, California, to Panama, a distanee of more than 5000 miles, before embarking upon his sea voyage. The man is a Spaniard. On the arrival of the vessel at Auckland I he was arrested by the waterfront police. Young Tiger Cubs. The attractiveness of the Wellington Zoo has been largely added to by the advent of several babies during the last few weeks. The tiger cubs which showed themselves to the publie a few days ago;are the centre of interest, each. feeding time. They are sleek, contented cubs, watched over by a careful mother. The other babies, the peccary, the emu, and the axis, are all progressing favourably. "Where's King George." Encouraged by the graciousness of Lady Bledisloe, one of the innocents of the kindergarten at Dunedin, that her Excellency visited last week, plucked her by the gown and asked: "Are- you Queen Mary?" "No," re~ plied Lady Bledisloe, "but I am sent | by her to see children." "And where is King George," the child persever- ' ed in asking. Her Excellency tried to explain, but the little chap did not quite understand till the chauffeur was about to open the door pf the car fco allow Lady Bledisloe to enter, when he yelled out: "That's him — • that's King George — we've his picture at home."