General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23194, 4 December 1940, Page 8

General News

Allowances to Soldiers’ Wives * An inquiry whether the Government had yet come to a decision regarding an increase of 5 per cent, in allowances paid to wives of members of the armed forces was contained in an urgent question asked in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) on behalf of the Hon. W. ■ E. Barnard (Democratic Labour, Napier). It was pointed out that such an increase would be in line with the recent increase in wages of workers under awards. “The whole question of the cost of living and economic stabilisation is under consideration by the Government at the present, time,” said the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) in reply.—Parliamentary Reporter. Supplies of Rape Seed A motion was carried at a meeting of the South Canterbury Primary Production Council yesterday that the Department of Agriculture be requested to ensure that adequate supplies of certified rape seed are made available for New Zealand requirements and that the necessary precautions be taken to maintaincertifled seed crops, free from contamination. “Audiences Should Stand” That audiences should stand during the playing of the national song, “God Defend New Zealand," is the contention of Flight Lieutenant H. Gladstone Hill, conductor of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Central Band. In a special announcement made immediately before a farewell concert given by the band in the Auckland Town Hall, ho said that the Government of New Zealand had officially accepted the song as the Dominion’s “National Anthem.” Therefore, he added, audiences were expected to stand when it was played. Shortage of Painters “If I could get 10 men now I could start them on jobs right away,” said a master painter at the silting of the Auckland Area Manpower Committee last week. He said he had sufficient work to last at least three months, and recent contracts had brought difficulties because he could not secure sufficient men to do the work continuously. Swimming for School Children “It is worthy of note that the department is now providing nearly everything that this association has advocated for so many years in respect to swimming in the public schools.” That note of achievement appears in the annual report of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association under the heading of swimming in schools. The report states that important progress has been made by the Education Department during the year in the physical training of school children. The appointment of Mr P. A. Sithells as Director of Physical Education has been followed by commendable activity. A motion picture film has been provided for the, instruction of school' teachers in class lessons, and a much more positive attitude has been adopted in respect to swimming instruction in the training colleges. The result of this development should be a marked improvement m swimming in the schools during the next few years.