LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 64, 24 December 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“The Ashburton Guardian” acknowledges and reciprocates seasonal greetings from tlio chairman, mombois and staff of the Ashburton County Council, the Ashburton branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the Ashburton troop of the league of frontiersmen, Ashburton telegraph messengers, Dr. J. Russell Wells, the Rev. R. S. Watson, Mr S. M. Cassidy, the chairman and members of the Board of the United Press Association; Newspaper Proprietors’ Association; proprietors “New Zealand Herald,” Southland Times Co.. Timaru Herald Co., New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd. ; “The Oamaru Mail,” “New Zealand D'airymau,” the editor and staff of “The Press,” Gordon and Gotch -Advertising, Ltd., McWhannell and Spanjer, Christchurch, J. Uott, Ltd., Wellington; Union Steam Ship Co., of N.Z., Ltd. ; the Minister of Railways, General Manager and Executive Officers of the Railway Department'; Carmichael and Co., Ltd., Auckland; Morrison and Morrison, Christchurch; Gordon and Gotch •(Australasia), Ltd., Christchurch ; Alex. Cowan and Sons, Ltd., Wellington; directors and staff of Albert E. Reed and Co., London; E. T. Wimble and Co., Ltd., Christchurli; Powell River Co., Ltd., Vancouver, B.C. ; British and 'Dominion Traders, Ltd., Wellington; president and council of Automobile Association, Canterbury ; manager and staff of .Columbia Pictures, N.Z. ; Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd. ; R. C. Macpherson, Suva, Fiji; Harold M. Denton, Rangiora; W. W. Smith, New. Plymouth ; and The Goldberg Advertising Agency, Wellington.

An extension of the rail service further into South Westland is desired by interests on the West Coast. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said at Christchurch yesterday that a request for an extension ol the line beyond Ross, the present terminus, was under his notice.

Although there are not many New Zealanders in the British Colonial Service, those who are in it seem to be doing remarkably well and are giving general satisfaction, said ]Vlr C.. S. Sewell, a New Zealander who is stationed at Singapore as a member of the service, when he arrived at Auckland by the Niagara .from Vancouver. Mr Sewell came to New Zealand nine years ago on a recruiting-visit- for the service, and was responsible lor eight New Zealanders,joining it. He is on a. private visit this time, but be said that there arc still openings in the service for good men.

A resident ol Parikino called at the “Wanganui Chronicle” office recently and presented for examination by a reporter a green pearl. It was a very small specimen, hut of a distinct and pleasing sliado of green. “I have seen pink pearls before and, of course, white, hut I have never yet seen or heard of green,” the owner declared, adding that his son had made the discovery from a uni-valve. Wanganui jewellers were consulted, and reported that they, too, had not seen green pearls. It is not known by the owner, however, whether green pearls are rare in the full sense of the term, or otherwise, and he is anxious to find out.

Patrons at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting on Boxing Day will enter the lawn enclosure by a route different from that used at previous meetings. A new turnstile entrance from Racecourse Road direct to' the inside enclosure has been made, making it unnecessary for those patrons to traverse the outside enclosure. The former turnstile from the outside to the inside enclosure has been closed.

“I have always understood that is one of the planks of a Socialist Government that all must have the opportunity of getting a, complete education,” said Mr J. N. Peart (headmaster of King’s College, Auckland) in his annual report. “How can a hoy get a complete education if he leaves at 15 years or 16 years of age ? There is no doubt that many hundreds of hoys have left school a year or two earlier than originally intended because the basic wage at 21 has made employers refuse to take hoys of 18 or even 17. One result is more unemployment, but what concerns me i<s the thought of all these half-educated youths going out into the world as products of our secondary schools.”

“In English fruit shops we frequently saw New Zealand apples,” said Mr J. S. Butler, of Napier, when commenting on his tour abroad. “New Zealand butter and lamb seemed to be in general demand,” he added. Mr Butler said that he had visited Jersey, in the Channel Islands, and had found the cattle kept absolutely pure by prohibiting importations. Remembering how importeant the product of the Jersey cow was in New Zealand’s dairy industry, the visitors naturally expected good butter in Jersey, and at the hotel where they stayed the butter was certainly good. When tin's was referred to the proprietress, she replied, “Yes, I always buy the very best butter. I have nothing hut New Zealand butter.”

“Some parents think that an early vocational training is the best preparation for commerce and industry. This is a mistake. All employers will agree that a trained intelligence is a better 'equipment for the work of life than a perfunctory and elementary acquaintance with the details of any trade or profession,” said the headmaster (Mr E. Wilson), at the Hamilton High School. “A narrow technical training is not enough. Let us not put too high a value on utility or encourage the thought that success or power are things that matter most in life. Our supreme task is to make good men and women—to strengthen the will, to establish good habits, to implant high ideals of life and conduct, to prepare for good citizenship.”

A nursery where children may he left in charge of a matron while their parents are waiting for trains or shopping in the city promises to be an appreciated feature of, Wellington’s new railway station. This is an innovation for New Zealand, although am adjunct to railway facilities in overseas cities. Russia has developed the idea elaborately, and it is also successful at Flinders Street station, Melbourne. When passengers arrive by train with the object of connecting, perhaps an hour later, with the steamer express, or reach Wellington front the south in order to travel north by rail, they are often at their wits’ end to know liow in the interval to rest or amuse young children who may be accompanying them. Believing that a playroom and nursery would fill a. need, the department decided to incorporate one in the plan of the station.

“Nothing would do so much to transform education in New Zealand into a dynamic process as the provision of a set of revitalised text hooks,” says the journal of the New Zealand Educational Institute. “Children csinnot he expected to have a thirst for knowledge after they leave school if day after day throughout the period of their formal education they have found by experience that the cources of knowledge are no more than a collection of mummified relics. The only way to change this attitude is to ensure that the new text books, at the same time as they contain the basic elements of knowledge, are written and produced in such a manner as will rivet the attention of children. This may be a tall order, hut in such a matter as this no expenditure of time, thought and money should he spared.”

“One of my great ambitions is to see a. very wide development of research associations in New Zealand,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) at Christchurch yesterday. Such associations, lie knew, operated in other countries, and were of the utmost importance to industry. The Minister said that an organisation was now proceeding for the institution of research associations for the leather industry. There was such an association doing excellent work, and similar organisations for wool and food industries and one or two others were proposed. The associations would consist of representatives of the industries and of the State, and each would employ its own research officer, who would supply all scientific knowledge and information available. There was some money on the estimates for the establishment of this system. There were three main parts on which lie was conducting the industrial efficiency campaign, said Mr Sullivan, and these were research and the application of its results to standardisation and co-ordination.

“We can congratulate ourselves in New Zealand that we have more, and as good, if not better, accommodation for pulmonary tuberculosis patients than in any country I visited”’ said Dr. A. Kidd, medical superintendent at the Waipiata Sanatorium, who returned by the Awatea on Monday, after a nine months’ tour of Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium and Switzerland. Dr. Kidd said that Germany had elaborate apparatus for the treatment of surgical tubereuloiss and for diagnostic purposes, hut on the w hole the results did not appear to be any better, if as good, as those obtained in New Zealand. One point which impressed him was that in England everyone was entitled to free treatment for tuberculosis, irrespective of his station or financial position. Dr. Kidd considered that the sun ray treatment for surgical eases was the most effective method of dealing with the disease, and one which it would ho advisable to introduce to New Zealand. In his opinion one such institution in each island would suffice for the Dominion’s needs, and in Mount Cook aijfl Lake Tekapo South Canterbury had two sites which were admirably suited for the purpose.

The value of building permits issued bv the Dunedin City Council this year is £434,830, which is £IO,OOO more than last year. The figures do not include the new Post Office or the additions to the hospital, permits for which are not handled by the City (says a Press Association message).

Even though suffering considerably on account cf few children travelling, Christmas rail traffic through Ashburton has been particularly heavy, and to-day reached the largest dimensions to date, eight heavily-laden expresses passing through the town. A railway official'said this morning that had the usual number of children been travelling by rail the local staff would have been taxed to its utmost limits in dealing with the traffic.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that a meeting of the Executive Council yesterday regulations were approved, applying Saturday morning closing of offices of the Supreme Court and Magistrate’s Court in New Zealand. The regulations for the Magistrate’s Court refer to the court’s civil jurisdiction ; the criminal jurisdiction of the court is under the Justices of the Peace Act, and is a separate matter. It is not possible entirely to close the court in this respect.

A hoy of 14, who, unfortunately, has had to. he a patient at the Ashburton Public Hospital on three short occasions in the last 12 months, is finding some means of consolation in the distinction of having been in hospital under three separate Kings. Last Christmas was spent in hospital while the late George Y. wast reigning, then shortly afterwards the hoy had to return to the care of the nurses, this time during the reign of King Edward VIII. The youthful follower of the Royal fortunes has found it necessary to re-enter hospital for this Christmas, under the regime of George VI. He will be discharged shortly, and with a youthful zest for coincidences intends to follow the of English Royalty more closely so that, in his own words, lie will know when he is clue for another visit to the hospital.

A letter on behalf of the Director of Education was read at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board in reply to the resolutions sent forward by the hoard from the Wellington School Committees’ and Educational Federation, asking the Government to evolve a scheme for equipping all schools, town and country, with radio apparatus and the means for projecting films. The matter, stated the letter, would receive tho careful consideration of the department. To a great degree, however, the matter was one of Government policy, not only hi respect of the supply of apparatus to schools, hut also in regard to the general question of subsidies. Moreover, the newly-appointed Director of Broadcasting would need some time in which to consider the future policy of the National Broadcasting Service.

A programme of carols and Christmas music was given at the Hospital and Tuarangi Home last evening by the choir from the Ashburton Salvation Army, under the conduetorship of Mr C. E. Hopwood. The carols included “The Coventry Carols,” “While Shepherds Watched,” Christians, Awake,” “Adeste Fideles,” “Still Night” and “The Winds of Gbd.” Assisting artists were Adjutant and Mrs Argyle, who sang a song in the Indian language ; Bandsman H. Hayward (pianoforte solo), Bandsman I. Collins (musical saw solo), Bandsman Allen Frew (piano accordeon solo), Mr C. E. Hopwood (vocal solo', “Nazareth”), and Miss J. Rattray (items). Mr J. Halket Millar thanked conductors and choir members on behalf of staff and patients for the very interesting and varied programme at the hospital. The same programme was presented at both institutions.

“There are proposals before us for the investing of huge sums in the fishing industry,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) at Christchurch yesterday. In other countries, he added, fishing had been developed into a great industry, and the overhaul of the system of operation in NCw Zealand was being undertaken. Proposals had been made from Australia for the investment of a large sum, but there were many factors to be considered, srtid. Mr Sullivan. Some of tho points under review were the protection of the fishing fields from over-exploitation, and the conservation of supplies. The development of the canning industry was proposed by overseas interests, the Minister said, and it seemed that licensing might be necessary in a scheme of reorganisation. There was a general opinion that it would he, but liis department had' not yet determined its opinion on the matter.