NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Court Registrars in Wigs. An instruction by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, that all Supreme Court registrars and their deputies should wear wigs during the hearing of cases was brouhgt into effect m the Supreme Court at Auckland on Mondav Hitherto these ollicers have been attired in gowns only, excent m the case of several registrars who have been admitted as barristers o Supreme Court and las such havei been entitled to wear the wig anti The new procedure will be in keeping with English custom. Transport of Sheep. The necessity ot drivers " h ° nnrt <ffieep by motor trucks, carrying consignment notes as r^ y latest amendment to .no Stock * - . wTs emphasised in the New Plymouth Police Court by Inspector E. S. Sum mers of the Transport Department. The inspector, in bringing the prosecution. said it aws the first in the ffitrict since the Act was amended, and he did not ask for a penalty. Mental Arithmetic. This was the qnesUon pul Io a witness during the hearing ol ' heard at the : ..terne Court. It the point of impact was 52f1. Horn ; ne mark on the road, and supposing there was a tyre mark 24ft. behind the other mark and was 48ft. in length how much of the tyre mark would b. before and how much after the sta.ed point of impact?" The witness immediately gave the answer. Unusual Prosecution. Something new in the way o£ bylaw prosecutions came betore the magistrate. Mr. H. P. Lawry, m the Palmerston North Court when the police laid an information against a woman pedestrian for crossing a railway line in front of an approaching train, or, in the wording oi the railway by-laws, when a train was within half a'mile. It was pointed out that all traffic was subject to the by-law and not just motorists. In this case the train was about 10 yards away. Mr. Lawry commented that he had seen pedestrians in Palmerston North crossing the lines when the engine was actually on the crossing. As the case had been brought as a warning to others he would convict and d'scharge the defendant. "Suitable Gifts. -I can think of nothing more useless than a golden key. after the ceremony is over,” said Mr. R. A. Lippincott, architect to Auckland University College, in explaining why he did not intend to present one to the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, for the opening of the new biology block at the college. '‘lnstead 1 will hand him an ordinary key. which I hope he will return and with it a small piece of antique Sheffield plate which I have been able to obtain In making gifts I prefer things of use and beauty which I would like to possess myself.” Previously. when Mr. Fraser laid the foundation stone of the building, the architect presented him with some eighteenth century volumes of Milton, in place of the more customary silver trowel. Auckland's Milk Consumption. A total consumption of 124.218 gallons of milk and cream in Auckland last year was recorded in the report presented at the annual meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council recently. This figure represented an increase of 293.618 gallons on the 1937 consumption of 6,833,744 gallons. The amount of milk distributed to schools during the same period was 330,429 gallons, against "14,679 gallons for 1937, an increase of 15.750 gallons. During the year 5529 samples of milk and cream were tested. and these showed the good average fat content of 4.6, with a percentage of 8.9 of solids other than fat.

Fanning Pests. Eskdale (Hawke's Bay) farmers are beginning to realise some of the evils i which have followed in the wake of Hast years’ flood. Bathurst burr, tall fescue, ragwort and blackberry are some of the pests which they have to I fight in the future. The valley is still crying out for rain, not only to allay the dust nuisance, but to aid the autumn sowings. Commemorative Board. A commemorative board, designed by a Wellington architect, Mr. W. M. Page, has been forwarded to Waitangi for erection in Waitangi House, to commemorate the gift by Lord anu , Lady Bledisloc to the nation of the i house and estate associated with the 'signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. I The sculpture and lettering on the [board are the work of Mr. J. Ellis, of I the Wellington Technical College. Glider Makes 1000th Flight. [ The Napier Aero Club’s Waco glider I was taken into the air for its thous- [ andth flight at the Embankment aero- ' drome, Napier, on Sunday, the honour I of piloting the craft on this occasion ' failing to the instructor, Mr. N. Oliver, i who gave a demonstration of precision I flying. The glider has given the club I splendid service since it was acquired : from the Wellington Aero Club. During the 100 limes it has been taken | over the air since put into commission [in this country it has never crashed. i Charter for Accountants. The problem of a charter for ac- ! countants in New Zealand was examined by Mr. M. S. Spence, of Napier, in his presidential address to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, at Palmerston North. He said it was the most important which the society nad to deal with, and it seemed that if accountants in New Zealand desired to besome chartered, if. would be necessary for them to measure up to the standards required by other chartered bodies. In New Zealand practical experience was unnecessary, and the passing of examinations was made easier by the fact that comparatively small sectional passes were permitted. The membership of the New Zealand Society of Accountants was composed to a large extent of persons who would not find it convenient to serve articles, so it seemed that if a charter was required there would be two soi cietics functioning. Some members Jhought that the charter should not be gone on with if it would affect the status of the New Zealand Society, but Mr. Spence thought a wider view should be taken and members should ask themselves if a charter would improve the standard of accountancy in New Zealand. Exchange of Farming Views. The suggestion to send a Farmers' Union representative to England to discuss problems with British farmers was enthusiastically received as a progressive and important step at a meeting of the Southern Hawke’s Bay provincial executive. Explaining the proposal, the president (Mr. J. C. Bolton) said that not only would the representative explain New Zealand’s position to the English farm- • ers,. but would also return with in- | formation on their outlook towards I New Zealand. The import restrictions would also be explained. There ' was no suggestion of politics in the idea, but it was thought that the move would have a good psychological effect on any Government attitude to the Farmers’ Union. He thought the Dominion president, Mr. Mulhollano, was the man for the job. The High 1 Commissioner, after all, was a party 1 politician. A motion supporting the i project was carried, as also was a proposal to advocate an Empire organisation of primary producers.