General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20572, 14 June 1932, Page 8

General News.

"Not quite as good as last year, but very good for these times," said Mr J. W. Norrie, chairman of the Management Committee of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, when it was stated that the takings for tlie Hawke's Bay-Waj-rarapa match on June 3rd were £412 in addition to £3B from the bookings.

Mr It. ,T. Iliehards, headmaster ot Christ's College, and Mr G. J. Lancaster, headmaster of the Christchurch Boys' High School, have agreed to a collection being .taken up for the Mayor's Coal and Blanket Fund at the annual Rugby match between the two schools, which is to bo played on the High School ground on July 20th.

The report presented by the general manager (Mr Frank Thompson) on'proposed economies was considered at yesterday's meeting of the Works and Traffic Committee of the Christchurch Tramway Board, but was not released for publication. It is expected that the report will be available after the meeting of the Board on Monday next. At yesterday's meeting the committee prepared proposals concerning wages and conditions of work for submission to the Tramway Employees' Union.

The opinion that Napier, in a year's time, would present a very pleasing appearance, which would compare very favourably with the show places of the world which he had seen during the course of his extensive travels, was expressed by an English visitor to the district. From his observations, he was convinced, he said, that the people of Napier were adopting sound methods both as far as appearance and construction were concerned.

The small farm scheme for the relief of unemployment was criticised at a meeting of the Marton Unemployment Committee. The following motion was passed: —That this committee would be failing in its duty to tho country if it neglected to draw the attention of the Unemployment Board to the futility of the "10 acre scheme." Several instances in the Bangitikei district can be. quoted where experienced farm labourers of capability, and who are milking up to eight cows on 10 acres, are now coming on the unemployment sehemo through the inadequacy of their earnings.

"I was told quite frankly and plainly that they had all the leaf they could use," said Mr A. S. Burgess, reporting at a recent meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce on an interview he had had with the Wellington manager of a large tobacco company. Mr Burgess had taken with him to Wellington samples of tobacco leaf grown in the vicinity of Wany.nui. A letter from the firm, read at the meeting, said that the company had all the New Zealand-grown leaf that it could use. The Wanganui samples woro not of a type or quality that could be used commercially. An opinion could not be given as to the suitability of climate or soil for growing leaf in tho vicinity of Wanganui. Tho Chamber i set up a committee to interview Dr. Cockayne, Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture.

In connexion with the protests made at the closing of the Dunedin Training College the chairman of tho Otago Education Board (Mr J. Wallace) has received a telegram from the-Minister for Education (tho Hon. E. Masters) stating that, on his return to Wellington from Auckland he will get into touch with the Board. Mr Wallace also asked the Minister for Finance (tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart) if he could arrange a visit to Dunedin at the same time as Mr Masters. Mr Stewart has now replied that ho will do his best to persuade Mr Masters to go to Dunedin, but he regrets that his own prospects ot doing so are very remote. Tho matter is, therefore, held up until tho figures on which Cabinet's decision was based are received from the Minister. Mr Wallace stated that he was glad to see that the City Council intended to cooperate with the special committee in 'the matter of arranging a public meeting. He was of opinion that this should be proceeded with quite apart from other efforts which are being made to induce the Government to review its decision. He added that the decision to cloße the colleges had been reached ostensibly on financial grounds, and the Government must justify its decision on thoiie grouade.

Orepuki is not worrying about the coal strike. A few enterprising citizens have decided to work ths coal mine in the vicinity of the townshipj which was opened up years ago.

Tho Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) received yesterday from the ltev. Frank Rule, on behalf of the Citizens' Benevolent Committee, a cheque for £SO for the Mayor's Coal and Blanket Fund.

A demonstration by a section of the spectators against the referee, Mr T. Clark, interrupted the Cobden-Ru-tianga Association football match at Dunollie on Saturday. After receiving a great deal of abuse Mr Clark was assaulted by one of the spectators. The crowd swarmed on to the field, and ii was some minutes before they could bo persuaded to allow tho game to continue.

An anonymous donor has purchased the picture, "Timber Coming Down the Mountain," by Lucy Kemp-Welch, R.0.L., R A., from Mr E. Murray Fuller's exhibition of British Contemporary Art for presentation to the new Ait Gallery. This picture was catalogued at 75 guineas and was hung in the Royal Academy in 1929, being then reproduced by the "Royal Academy Illustrated."

The deci.-'-.m as to whether the employees of tho freezing industry should remain under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act is to be determined by a ballot which the Canterbury Freezing Works and Related Trades Union is to take among its members at an early date. The union has been registered under this Act since its inception. Tho announcement of this decision was made by tho secretary of tho union. Mr H. C. Revell.

"How many of you know tho man or woman who is teaching your children?" asked Mr L. F. de Berry, M.A., headmaster of tho West Christchurch District High School, at a luncheon hour address yesterday to members ot the Canterbury Advertising Club. "Would you allow a man or woman you did not know to drive your cars," he asked. "No," he said, answering the question himself, "but you would allow them to teach vour children, although a child is surely worth a whole wilderness of motor-cars."

Statements made in Christchurch nowspnpors might create the impression that the Christchurch Estuary and Rivers Conservancy Bill had been shelved indefinitely, said the Mayor, Mr W. H. Nicholson, at last night's meeting of the Sumner Borough Council. Mr Nicholson said that the Bill had been referred to the Crown Law Office for the redrafting of certain clauses. Mr J. McCombs, M.P., hoped that ,the Bill would be ready for tho coming session, and no difficulty was anticipated in the matter.

Fragments of bones unearthed on Friday by workmen engaged on the formation of Hornbrook road, on Mount Pleasant, have been identified by Professor R. Speight, curator of the Canterbury Museum, us moa remains. According to the Professor, portions of the skeletons of moas were often found in the clay on the hills in the Mount Pleasant district, but it was only occasionally that they were in good preservation. Some fairly good specimens wero housed •in tho Museum.

There was a decrease oi eight cases of infectious and other notifiable diseases reported in the Canterbury and West Coast Health Districts tor the week ended noon yesterday, ns compared with the previous week. The total was eight, and no cases were reported from tho West Coast district. Casos reported in Canterbury were: — Scarlet fever, 2; diphtheria, 1; tuberculosis, 3; pneumonic influenza, 1! eclampsia, 1. Deaths in tho Canterbury district wero two —one from infantile paralysis, and one from tuberculosis.

There was much excitement at Waiho Gorgo on Sunday afternoon, when an aeroplane from Hokitika with Messrs J. Ilenton and E. Matheson in charge, after flying over the Franz Josef Glacier, made a perfect landing on tho new ground near tho Glacier Hotel, 5o minutes after taking off at Hokitika. Tho aviators were greeted by Messrs Graham Bros, and local residents, and congratulated on successfully inaugurating a new service. After being entertained at afternoon tea, Messrs Ronton and Matheson returned to Hokitika, which was reached in 50 minutes.

With a man standing on the running board, a small motor-car, apparently out of control, travelled down Wakefield street. Auckland, shortly after 10.30 p.m. on Sunday. It crossed Queen street, and with a crash of splintering glass and woodworK smashed through the plate-glass window of a shop in Fergusson Buildings. The inau was hurled half-way down a flight of stairs lending to the basement of tho shop and was taken to tho hospital unconscious. Ho is suffering from severe head injuries. The car had been rented. The driver was not aboard when it ran away.—Press Association.

Tho decision of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last week to import a further 50 brace of ehukor, Indian gains birds, is interesting ; as if the importation is successful it will provide sufficient birds to determine whether they arc as easily acclimatised thqro as lias been the ease in Canterbury. Tho North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society imported 100 brace of ehukor about threo months ago, and all except some kept for breeding purposes at Greenpark were released in North Canterbury districts. Reports to dato show that the birds are taking to their new surroundings very well and thoso at Greenpark are progressing satisfactorily. The Auckland Society has not been so fortunate. Of a consignment of CBO shipped from Calcutta by the Narbada, which reached Auckland last month, only 23 birdß survived.

The pracfcico of experimenting on live animals was described us abominable at a meeting of the Canterbury Bociety foi the Prevention ot Cruelty to Animals last evening. A letter received from ''J.e Societe Proteetic© des Animaux" (Paris) referred to experiments that wero to be carried out on livo dogs at n dental conference at La Haye (Holland). Each participant in the experiments, stated the letter, would open tho /teeth of at least two dogs, remove tho. nerves, and inject into tho cnucTs the germs of human dental disease. The treated teeth would then be sealed. The teetli of the upper jaw would remain in that state without treatment. The lower set would be given treatment at the end of three months. Finally, after a year and a half, tho dogs would bo killed and the teeth examined. The letter expressed tho opinion that there wns no semblance of excuse for the experiments. It was decided to endorse any "protest made by the French society and 'o convey the Society's strong disapproval to the right quarters, The tram strike is over, but a largo number of tram passengers are still riding in Gold Band taxis, as they have found out during the strike that it is cheaper than trams by making up a party of five to engage a Gold Hand taxi, so you want to do the same. Thank you. —1 The judges at the Royal Show last November made no mistake in awarding the CcH Medal to the Macalister Top Dresser. We will gladly put you in touch with thirtv or fortv satisfied customers who have bought this year. Booth, MacdonalA, and Co., Box 99, Ohriatichtircb#