General News

Arms and Ammunition

Considerable quantities of arms, ammunition, and explosives were brought into New Zealand during April, according to figures given Ip the latest Abstract of Statistics. The figures were well in excess of the spree period for fast year. Arms, ammunition and explosives valued at "£513,630 were imported, W April, compared with p value of £.4o„3fifi for- April, 1939. For the first four months of 1940, the total import 3 under those three headings were valued at £718,290, compared £ 157,8(59 for the same period in 1939. The abstract, m its geper a l coipments, indicates, that these heavy imports played an important part in boosting up the value of the total Dominion imports in April to an unusually high figure ip recent months. ( Spring Planning ip Gardens Thousands of spring bedding plants have been planted out fn the Folanic Gardens. This work, according to the monthly r e P«ri of fhe director (Mr J. A. McPherson 1, wh s competed during last month. The plants inelfidq 4dt>°, yyadflowers, 9,00,0 tulips, 1260 Beilis daisies, 74Q byaeinths, and 2100 polyanthus. New - Streets Named New street names for the State housing subdivision between Ricearton r °dd and Pdepheim road were approved by the Bieearton Borough Council lasf evening. The names, most _of them Maori, were selected as far as possible for their appropriateness They were' Shand crescent (after - the original owner 9? the block). Puns street (Maori word for a spring),. TJki street (Maori for straight), Fiko crescent (Maori for Winding), Mata street (Maori for green), Tonga street (Maori fqrspntb), Huia and Kea streets, and Paeroa Street (after a former Maori resident). Centennial avenue, another of the new streets, forms a hofipw square opening at both ends on Peverel street. Magna. Car*4 “One hears a gredt deal of talk about Magna Carta in references to our- constitution—the Americans have been referring tq it quite a bit —but actually Magna Gafta whs not a charter of freedom but purely a ba r °nlal 0 r class document,” said Mr A, d; Gampbeij, lecturer in history at the Christchufeb Training College, in answering a question after an address fo the Canterbury branch of the Royal F m Pire Society last night. The document, he added, was the result of the barons’ revolt against King John’s interference with their privileges. The people, or serfs, were regarded for the purposes of the charter more as cattle. Magna Carta’s chief historical interest was in later misuse of it. snidfc¥§ and polities All local associations pf* the N®W- Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association have been advised by the Dominion Executive Committee npt tp take any pari, as associations, in the controversy over- the guestinn whether a National Cabinet or Coalition Government Should be formed. This infprmatibh wg§ given in a circular from the Dominion Executive Committee received at the meeting of the Christchurch executive last evening, The circular stated that before the question WAS acutely raised, the ppminion Executive Committee felt that the subject savoured of party politics and left it alpnP- The debate in Parliament laterbrought it into the very forefront of party politieal Strife and the executive had decided then to make the recommendation to all associations. Lest Petrel Ponnens A number of persons have already found themselves m difficulty through less of new petrol coupon sheets, mrielaned nr §t°l§n< in. spite of the numerous warnings earlier that every care should he exercised as rules governing the replacement coupons would he applied Strictly*. This was reported pt the Chief Pqst Qffige yesterday. Motorists should also remember, it was stated, that they were expected to hand over coupons with any ear or vehicle sold* Jockeys’ Gift to Patriotic Fond A cheque for §42 12g §d for the Patriotic Fund has been received by the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. B. Parry) from the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association, Auckland. Acknowledging receipt of the donation, the Minister aaid that, it hot only expressed a fine spirit of patriotism, but conveyed in a really practical form the'association's helpfulness to the country in its war , effort.—Press Association, New Plants From Abroad <f Pr-om material recently received through the courtesy Of various botanic garden 3 abroad, bur collection of seeds of new species of plants has grown considerably,” states the Director qf the Botanic Gardens (Mr J. A. McPherson) in his monthly report. <! Th® latest batches of seeds obtained include the giant waterilily from the Amazon (Victoria regia), with leaves §ix feet across, several insectivorous Plants, ground orchids, and new aperies qf biroh, hickories, walnuts, and various Wfitey plants.*’ , a gold gamp f ‘it seems that, outside of Burnham, little imagination is being used In Providing for the comfort of the trpops,” declared Mr fl. H. Livingstone at the meeting of the Territorial Association of Canterbury last evening when a committee reported on a visit to cpagtal defence stations. Mr W* L, King, said the “build* ings at Battery,point had only one hour's sum shine each day, and yet there was no heating in the messroom or sleeping quarters. A member said medicaPauthorities advised against the latter, hut the association decided to endeavour to have heating installed m the "messroom! England's industrial Towns “One ef the most amaaing things in Fng= land for me was the comparison between "the big open spaces and the tightly packed industrial towns,” said Mr H. C. Holland, of the Woolston Tanneries, who gppkg on his trip abroad at a luncheon yesterday. “Of course the big industrial towns such as” I was in were very closely packed and the houses had no gardens, so that in a town with a huge population, you could travel five miles and be out in the country* A 3 a matter of fact the less time you spend in one Qf those towns the better,” said Mr ljoll§nd: The §pe§her WB§ also surprised to find dogs enjoying equal rights whh the citizens, and he told pf his discomfort when oh a very wet day he had fo si| be§ide a huge wet dog in a crowded bus,