General News.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20835, 20 April 1933, Page 8

General News.

Daffodil Day. Daffodil Day, which is held every year to augment the funds of the Christchurch Free Kindergarten Association will be on September 22 this year. The association in its report expresses its thanks to the City Council for the permit to conduct the appeal, and for its grant of £SO. The collection last year, the report states, was a wonderful success, and £SOO was raised. It is hoped that this year there will be an even greater response.

Advertising New Zealand Produce. Our London correspondent wrote on March 14: At a meeting of the Empire Marketing Board this morning a return was given showing the produce samples that had been sold by the various Dominions and colonies over the whole period of the Marketing Board's shops. It is very gratifying for the High Commissioner, his publicity department, and the New Zealand produce boards, to know that New Zealand sold the most with 166,000 samples, England and Wales (combined) coming next with 142,000. Belief of Distress. "I understand that the funds of the Citizens' Relief Association are quite exhausted;" the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P.) told a representative of "The Press" yesterday afternoon, "and I have authorised the payment this afternoon of £SOO on account from the proceeds of the recent street appeal on behalf of the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund. As soon as I get a statement from the City Treasurer (Mr J. W. Niven) of the full results of the collection I will cause to be paid to the association the full 50 per cent of the total. Mr Niven expects to let me have the statement in a few days.

Poppy Day Appeal. Nearly 300 collectors have had their beats assigned to them for the Poppy Day appeal to-morrow, but still more assistance is needed. Final arrangements were made at a meeting of the appeal committee ■yesterday. The headquarters will be at the rooms of H. G. Livingstone and Company in Hereford street, where poppies will be handed out to collectors from 7 a.m. Refreshments will be served during the day at the Navy League Hall, Gloucester street.

Overdue Rates. "How long is allowed for the payment of overdue rates?" asked a questioner at the Labour municipal election meeting in the Choral Hall last night. "The rate collectors are very sympathetic, replied Mr J. McCombs. "They will accept 10s a month or even 5s a month." A voice: "Or nothing! Amid laughter, Mr McCombs said he would like to quote" a Biblical quotation—"You can't get blood out of a stono."

Little Revolutions. "Most New Zealanders think of South America as a land of revolutions, and assume that persons there are constantly going in fear of their lives, but w"Ben you are on the spot you hardly notice them," said Mr G. P. Brown, who has lived 22 years in Chile, in an interview yesterday. "They are called revolutions, but often they are really no more than a split in the Cabinet, or a labour trouble. Over here they sound much worse than they really are, but it is useful to note that the number of casualties is always very small. Of course, if you are _ looking for trouble, you will find it in Chile as elsewhere, but in general you will not find it. Everywhere there is a friendly attitude to the British people."

Drama League Scholarship. A scholarship to be known as the Elsie Fogarty Scholarship, enabling a New Zealand student to receive dramatic training in England, is to be awarded next week by the Drama League. The organiser of the New Zealand branch of the League (Miss Elizabeth Blake) approached Miss Elsie Fogarty, of the British League, when she was recently in England, and arrangements were made then for the scholarship. A written examination in producing and stagecraft was held, and after 15 papers had been examined four entrants were selected for a viva voce test, which is now being carried out. The award will be made at a meeting of the committee in Wellington next week.

English in South America. The reputation of Englishmen for punctuality and for telling the truth has so impressed the people of Spanish America that they have added new expressions to their language, according to Mr J. P. Brown, who has come to Christchurch after many years' residence in Chile. When a Chilean means anything to be done sharp at a certain hour, he says "Hora Ingles" (English time), while if he wishes to impress upon a bearer the truth of a statement, he says, "Palabra Ingles" (word of an Englishman). In Argentina there is a variation on this second expression, and "Palabra del Ingeniero" (word of an engineer) is in common use, even by porters and taxi-drivers. This form of words comes from the reputation for keeping their word established by the Scots engineers who built the railways of the country.

Work of Free Kindergartens. Last year was the first in which the Christchurch Free Kindergarten Association had to carry on entirely without financial aid from the Government. Although the loss of this support was, and still is, something of a calamity, yet the work 'grows, the annual report states. The annual meeting yesterday decided to advertise for a second candidate to receive kindergarten -training at the Carnegie Corporation. The student who is selected will be sent to America before September, so that she will be there for the first term, which begins in that month. The student already trained by the corporation will shortly be returning to New Zealand, and will probably lecture in several centres on what she learned at the Columbia University. The importance of the work of the kindergartens is emphasised in the words of the founder of the Kindergarten Froebel, which were quoted at the meeting yesterday: "The system is the highest phase of child development. It is the purest and most spiritual activity of childhood giving joy, freedom, contentment, inner and outer rest. It holds the sources of all that is good for the young child and later makes for good citizenship."

Watch the next move of the Gold Band Taxis, as there is something doing; but in the meantime keep on 'phoning for everybody's favourite taxis at 6d a mile, and De Luxe Bridal Cars at 5s per hour. We defy competition, as we lead and others try to follow. Thank you. —3