General News.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20788, 23 February 1933, Page 8

General News.

'"I am glad that the chairman has announced me," said Mr R. A. Campbell, at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers yesterday. "Under the old custom • would have had to announce myself, as Campbell, Christchurch, and I did not want it to bo thought that I was claiming to be the Bishop of Christchurch.

"What is your opinion of the dole in England?" was a question asked of Lord Latymer, of Bhipton-under-Wych* wood, England, on his arrival in Wellington on a sporting trip on Monday. "Well, you might as well ask mo what I think of tho Ten Commandments," he replied. "It is simply there, and that's all."

"If this community docs not face the position and realise that it must reduce costs it is going to find itself in trouble, not only this year and next year, but in the year after as well, and possibly for two years."—Mr J. D. Hall, speaking at yesterday's meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the executive of the New Zealand Farmers Union.

The total of tlic 1932-33 rules of tlio Ohristchureh City Council collected up till 4 p.in. yesterday was £78,41G, out of tho total levied of £333,354. The amount collected represents 23.52 per cent, of the total levied. On the same date last year the amount collected of tho 1931-32 rates was £76 411, out of n total levied of £333,/29, or 22.90 per cent, of tho total.

In a statement relating to the finances Of the Women's Unemployment Committee, Mr R. T. Bailey (officer in chargo of the Labour Department at Christchurch) said last evening that all money received by the committee was paid in to the City treasurer, and ftheques and receipts for payment were held by him. These funds were subject to Government audit in the same way as all other public funds.

TBb Wellington Civic League has forwarded a suggestion to tho Chamber of Commerce regarding tho fumigation of mails. When the postal, authorities were approached recently concerning the influenza outbreak in England, it was pointed out by officials that thove was no evidence that infection could be transmitted by letters. Adequate fumigation would involve the opening of every mail packet, and such an extensive procedure was considered impracticable.

"I have had a lot of experience in other countries on work in which millions of bricks were used, and when * came to New Zealand in 1921 I was sorry to have to conclude that the brickwork in the Dominion was just about as bad as any I hadever seen"— Mr R. A. Campbell, during a discussion on the use of brick-work in the construction of earthqualce_ resisting buildings at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers yesterday.

Bnronjrlis pnd county 'councils in the Canterbury- Progress League's area linTo been invited to send representatives to a 'conference. called by tlio league to consider the position arising ont of the refusal of the state lending departments to recognise anv liability for the payment of general rates on properties mortgaged to the Crown. The conference is to be held in the Chamber "f Commerce hall on March 1. Nt 10.30 a in. Representatives of the local bodies who intend being oresent have been asked to furnish firsthand '' evidence bearing on the Subject. -

The chairman of the Finance Committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr L. B. Evans), when referring to the financial position of the board at the monthly meeting yesterday, stated that the sum required for outdoor relief for the last nine months, had been £4698 more than the estimate. The debit balance on the board's accounts at January 31 was £3898, so that the board was within its estimates, apart from the amount for relief. On a comparative basis receipts for the nine months were down by £2909, but there was a chance of a portion of that money being received.

The North Canterbury Hospital Board at its meeting yesterday decided not to accept the tender recommended by the Finance Committee for the supply of butter to the hospital. A long discussion on whether the board should '«cure its supply of butter by tender or otherwise was taken in committee, and it was later announced that the tender for butter, that of the Tai Tapu Dairy Co., Ltd., would nob be accepted.

A quantity of goods was stolen from the shop of Miss A. Hinc, chemist, 333 Stanmore road, early yesterday morning. The robber entered the premises by forcing the front door.

It was stated at the meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday that redemption loan debentures, amounting to £34,800, had been sold, and that of the building loan and the additional building loan, only £2IOO remained to be sold.

It was reported to the meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association last night that the Finance, Emergency, and Publicity Committees were definitely of opinion that tho winter show and exhibition should be held this year in August. The executive adopted the report. A fast return trip from tbe Franz Josef glacier was made yesterday by two of the Canterbury Aero Club's machines, which, piloted by Messrs J. C. Morcer and N. H. Barlow, took Mr Eric Langton, tho international broadsider, and his father, Mr F. V. Langton, to the glacier on Tuesday. The trip to Christchurch occupied only an hour and 55 minutes, the aeroplanes arriving at the Wigram Aerodrome at 6.30 last evening. The passengers spoke enthusiastically of the scenic beauties of the West Coast as seen from the air.

Damage bv the recent floods to tlie Belfast Whippet Racing Club's ground was the subject of a letter from the secretary of the club, which was considered at a meeting of the Waimakaliri lliver Trust Board yesterday. The board decided that an amount not exceeding £2 be spent in providing drainage for the ground. "11 it is a little more than £2, I take it there will be no difficultv about it," said Mr \V. P. Spencer. The chairman (Mr J. Wood) asked whether Mr Spencer was a member of the club. "I am its president," said Mr Spencer. "I thought there must be something like that behind your interest in the amount voted."' rejoined the chairman, amid laughter.

Reference was made by tbe president of tho Canterbury Manufacturers' Association (Mr F. L. Hutchinson) at tho meeting of tho association Inst night, to the excellent work done by the Canterbury Horticultural Society in promoting a competition for factory gardens. He rend extracts from the report of the judges on the recent competition, and on his motion it was decided to write to the society expressing the appreciation of the association of what had been done in the matter by the society.

Plans arc at present beiug made for the' celebration of tho diamond jubilee of the Spreydon school. The school was opened as a board school in the September quarter of 1873, under the name of the Upper Hcathcote School. Mr J. Cracroft Wilson was the first headmaster. An aided school existed in the district from 1805. Tho committee making arrangements for the is faced with some difficulty in tracing former pupils of tho school as the records from 1873 to 1916 were destroyed by a fire.

A sportsman engaged in rabbit shooting in the Wairarapa district had a narrow escape from drowning in the Ruamahunga river on Sunday afternoon. He was walking on the river bank when the soil collapsed, and he fell into the river. Part of tho falling bank struck him and injured a leg. The struggling man was helped to safety bv a companion, and two Wellington sportsmen who were nearby helped to carry the injured man three miles to the nearest homestead. An ambulance conveyed him to the Masterton Hospital.

When the name of Hector George Thirkell, described as manager of the Richmond Butter Company, Dixon street, was called in tho Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, in an application for discharge from bankruptcy, the Official Assignee said he understood that Thirkell's clothing had been found on Now Brighton beach, and it was assumed that ho had been drowned. The Chief Justice: "Isthat verified 1 ?' Mr Tansley: " I have no verification. I know nothing more than the report in the newspapers." His Honour said he thought, in the circumstances, he should adjourn the matter sine die, to be brought on at leven days' notice. "If he has been drowned it is no use carrying it any further, of course," remarked the Chief Justice.—Press Association.

"One thing I noticed when I was In the United States was the very important part radio play® in tho homo lit® there," said Professor James »nolley, patron of the Christchurch Orchestral Society, at last evcning'B annual meeting. "I went into numerous homes and I never heard a piano played or a song sung, except once; and that was in the homo of a New Zealander living over' there. Everyone else just turned on the radio. Whether we like it or not there can be no dofibt of * ue tremendous part it is going to P'U in the world of the future. The TVor ' ( i is gradually becoming a worm or listeners rather than a world or readers, and this society would be very wise to keep its eyes open to these points."

Saved by the plucky act of a young woman, Miss Vera Cleverly, of Wellington, one of a party of young children bathing in the Hutt river recently had a lucky escape from drowning. The children were bathing in a hole under a bridge at Akatarawa, when one was caught in the current and swept downstroam. Had it not been for the prompt action of Miss Cleverly in plunging in the river fully clothed, the child would undoubtedly have been drowned. As it was, Miss Cleverly, handicapped by her burden, experienced some difficulty in reaching the shore, which she gained, however, after a long struggle.

Tho Canterbury Swimming Centre lias applied to the New Zealand Association for the Dominion championships to bo held in the St. Albans baths next February. The sum of £6OO is now in hand for the construction of (.ho baths, which, 150 feet long by 36 feet wide, will be as large as any other in tho Dominion. A deputation met the Finance Committee of the Christchurch City Council to ask assistance for the sinking of a well on the site of the proposed baths,, and for tho erection of an eight-foot corrugated iron fence round tho area, which lies near the junction of Edgeware road and Colombo street. The committee also wants to create a board of control for the purpose of borrowing money for building the. baths and suitable accommodation. The area set aside is adequate, and there will be room for parking motor-cars.

A meeting of residents inteJcsted in the establishment of an intermediate school at Shirley will be held in .the Shirley School at 8 p.m. to-morrow'. An address will be given by Mr T. B. Strong, Director of Education.

Taxi fares 4d and 3d A mile —this i s what the extra taxes on petrol, oil, tyres, etc., means to our present taxi fares, but the Gold Band Taxis are going to keep faith with the public by not raising the fares, so support the firm that supports you. Why go elsewhere? Thank you. —1

The drier the season, the shorter the growth. That's why you need the Boothmac Chain Drum Stripper (Holland's Patent). It works wonders on short growth, including White Clover, Turns loss into profit and pays for itself Write for particulars to.Booth, Macdonald and Co., Ltd., Christchurch.