General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 12 August 1932, Page 10

General News.

To avoid the risk of insurance companies refusing to provide cover in respect of all unemployment relief works, local bodies in and around Cbristchureh arc taking steps to ascertain the age of each man employed by them. Voting for the election of a parents' representative on the Technical College Board of Governors closed yesterday, but the result will not be announced until August 18th. The nominated candidates arc Mr 6. Shipley, the retiring member, and Mr A. E. Forsey. As two returns from remote polling places have not yet come to hand the official count in the Southern Maori by-election could not bo completed yesterday. The Returning Officer (Mr J. R. Sansom) stated last evening that the result of the first count, which placed Mr E. T. Tirikatene (Independent) at the head of the poll, would not be altered by the returns yet to come. A number of passengers who intended to go to Chrißtehurch were left stranded on the Prebbleton railway station platform on Wednesday morning. Apparently the crew of the Little River train misunderstood the stationmaster's signal, and the train did not stop. After an interval a Bpecial train, consisting of an engine and a guard's van, took the passengers to Christchurch. The Tai Tapu Library Committee has had a busy week removing the books to the new library, which is to be opened to-day by his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe. Another handsome gift has been made to the library hy the Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes, M.L.C., in the form of a complete set of volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. At a recent committee meeting the offer of Mr W. J. Morgan to act as librarian and caretaker was accepted with gratitude. Of the fifty *extra men to be put on unemployment relief work by the Christchurch Drainage Board about about twenty will be started on Monday, and the remainder during the following two or three dayß. The work is at the Board's sewage farm, and consists of levelling sandhills and the mak-. ing .of rough paddocks for the purpose of absorbing some of the surplus sewage after it has been through the septie tank. Rails and trucks already are on the ground, the idea being to truck the sand. The level of Lake Coleridge continues to fall largely owing to the winter conditions prevailing on the lake watershed,- the flow of rivers and streams being impeded and lessened by freezing conditiohs. This week's level is 1662.775 ft, which is 9.225 ft below overflow level; last week the lake level was at 1663.3 ft. But for the fact that the stand-by plant at Lyttelton is being run for two shifts daily a greater decrease in the lake level would have been recorded this week. It is considered by the authorities that the position does not warrant anxiety being felt as to any shortage of power.

An appeal was made by the superintendent of the Thames Hospital last week for peoplo willing to give a pint of blood lor transfusion to a patient lying dangerously ill. Within an hour seven offers were received, und altogether a dozen people made application for the test. A barrister who had been persistently interjecting throughout the hearing of a case in the Auckland Supreme Court at length drew on himself a sharp rebuke from Mr Justice Herdman. "If you have occasion to ask a question will you be good enough to ask it in a polite and civil way?" said his Honour. "One is accustomed to deal with gentlemen here." The Unemployment Board's regulation requiring Maoris to go through a form of marriage in accordance with European law in order to receive the married men's relief allowance was strongly criticised at a meeting of the Papakura Town Board. A resolution of protest was carried. "What am I?" asked tho headmaster of a New Plymouth school as he was about to leave the infant classroom he had been visiting. "Khde!" came the prompt response from a small boy. And so he was rude—but he knew- it. He had put on his hat before leaving the room to test the infants' appreciation of good manners.

The snow on Mt. Herbert has not diminished to any appreciable extent during the week and is still in excellent condition for ski-ing. To suit the convenience of ski-crs, the Railway Ltepartmont will run a special train to Lyttelton on Sunday, leaving Christchurch at S a.m. and connecting with the launches for Diamond Harbour.

An accident of a most unusual nature befell Mr H. Hammond at Wiltsdown bust. week. Ho had been using sodium chlorate in conjunction with lime as a top-dressing, and apparently some of tho mixture worked into his boots. When ho put his feet near the fire the siicks immediately hurst into flames, causing severe burns. Mrs Hammond, in helping to put the flames out, had her hands burned.

Members of the Christchurch Tramway Board who address the members of Burgosses' Associations sometimes havo posers put to them when question time arrives. Recently Mr D. Sykos was askod at such a meeting whether it was true thnt tho chairman of the Board receired £4OO a year and £1 for every cheque ho signed. "Do you reallv believe that yourself.'' Mr Sykos asked the questioner. '-"Well," he replied, "I have heard the statement so often, or something like it, that I do believe if."

A claim to a fair knowledge of Now Zealand's Rotary Clubs was made by Miss Jean Stevenson, Dominion secretary of the Y.W.C.A., in addressing the Auckland Rotary Club. "I have addressed Rotary Clubs from Invercargill to Whangarei," Miss Stevenson said, "and I know all about them. 1 know, for instance, that they are tho worst singers in Christchurch; I have attended a swearing-in ceremony at Whangarei; and Auckland, as far as I know, is alone in its Maori birthday toast."

The Westland Timber Workers' Union has forwarded a protest to the Minister for fcjtato Forests against tho expenses for Mr A. J. Entrican's visit to England being paid by the. Government, on the ground that his mission assists the sawmillers to exploit the workers. The union declares that it English orders are secured, there will be no- chance of continuity of supplies unless the workers' wages and other conditions are safeguarded by a now award.— Press Association.

The report decided upon at last month's meeting o£ the Christchurch City Council, on tho motion of Cr. F. T. Evans, on proposals for tho safeguarding of ratepayers in respect of probable unjust charges for excess water, has been prepared by the Works and Water Supply Committee, and is of an exhaustive character. It will be presented at the next meeting of the City Council. The chairman of the committee (Cr. John W. Beanland) told a reporter yesterday that the ratepayers will get the facts in the report.

Thousands of people saw one incident in the Kugby League Test match at Carlaw Park between England and New Zealand, but few know the sequel. Sullivan, the English captain, kicked the ball hard and unnecessarily to send it sailing into the Auckland Domain. Perhaps he feit a bit annoyed at the time,, partly for the reason that he had missed a couple of goal shots and did not like the shape of the ball. With another ball the game was continued. The ball that sailed high into the Domain bush was not seen again by its owners, and it might be that some small Auckland boy appropriated it as a souvenir of the occasion. Sullivan's kick caused the English team a loss of £l, the value of the ball. The amount has been debited by the New Zealand llugby League to the English team's account.

An interesting purchase of old postage stamps, and one which is considto be the biggest in the history of New Zealand philately, has recently been made of the comprehensive collection of Mr Henry Baigent, of Nelson. The collection, which was valued at about £BOOO, has been bought by Mr A. Brodie, of Auckland. The highest priced stamp is one of the first penny stamps of New Zealand, valued nt £l5O. Qfcner rarities are the bisected London printed Is stamp used as a sixpenny stamp in New Zealand, the penny pelure, 13 perforations, the rare serrated sixperfny pelnre, and a fine lot of all New Zealand from 1853 to the present date. The collection is also rich in Pacific Island stamps, including early Cook Island and Samoa stamps on laid paper, early British Guiana ss, Barhadoes £5, orange, Great Britain Is, 5.R.1., etc.

That thero is a likelihood of regular aeronautical contests between Australian and New Zealand pilots being inaugurated at the Auckland aero pageant, early next year, was the opinion expressed by Mr B. Shiel on his return from Sydney to Wellington this week. The proposed competition would he the first of its kind in the British Empire and is favoured by the New Zealand Aero Club, as the governing body for the Dominion Mr Shiel stated. At present the Aero Clubs of Australia are considering the project from a financial standpoint. Should the plans eventuate, six Australian pilots will attend the official pa<reant at Auckland in January next and the official South Tsknd pageant; which will he held later at Christchurch. A return visit would be paid by a team of New Zealand pilots in April, when they would attend' the official pageant in Australia. »

ilound the Bays in a Gold Band Taxi will only cost you los for a party of five, this is half the price of others and a beautiful trip to take your friends during National Week, but bo sure you ? phono for a Gold Band Taxi, which is everybody's favourite. Thank you.

Racegoers beware and note that it will only cost you 2s Cd to Aldington and 6s to Riccarton for a party of five, by 'phoning for a Gold Band Taxi this is half the price of others and cheaper than trams, so save your money and have another bet. Thank you. —J

Concerns merchandising products ot good quality can develop the unparalleled sales opportunities in Canterbury mo3t effectively and most economically through the advertising columns of Thb Pee»s. —tt