General News.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20918, 27 July 1933, Page 8

General News.

♦- - The Field of Art. "It has been said that hoardings provide a field for budding commercial artists and, indeed, offer them a career. If that is so. Heaven help us to have no budding artists," said Cr. M. E. Lyons, speaking at a meeting of protest against hoardings at Woolston last night. New Obstetrical Hospital. "No doubt it is about time that Dunedin had a new Post Office, but with all due respect to post offices in general surely the obstetrical hospital proposed in 1929 and not built yet is of greater importance," said Dr. W. Irving when suggesting to the Dominion conference of Women's Institutes yesterday that some of the £500,000 set aside by the Acting-Prime Minister for public works should be spent on building an obstetrical hospital at Otago University. Ilis remark was greeted with loud applause. A Wave of Optimism. "There is in England to-day :i great wave of optimism and the facer, of the people show a striking contrast with the gloom that appears to have spread everywhere in New Zealand. Manufacturers, particularly of motor-cars, are working at full strength, and there is no question that the number of unemployed is being lessened," said Mr F. C. Main, general secretary of the Napier Young Men's Christian Association, to a representative of "The Press" yesterday. Mr Main has just returned from a visit to the Old Country, and is spending ja few week's in Christchurch. Women's Conference. A memory ot the last Dominion i conference of Women's Institutes I held in Wellington was recounted jby Mrs L. E. 'William- .-."—Mont | of the South Canterbury Federation, when welcoming the delegates to the conference of Women's Institutes yesterday. "I was sitting in a tram," she said, "when a man remarked to his neighbour: 'Do you know that there are 300 cackiing country women coming to Wellington'."" The conference laughed and Mrs Williams added: "Well, we could no more do without the cackling women than we could do without the cackling hens, could we'.'" Canterbury Potatoes. The effect on the market for Canterbury potatoes in the North Island of the action by some farmers in sending lorward on consignment potatoes which had been rejected by the graders at LvttcJton was commented on by members of the North Canterbury executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday. It was claimed that these potatoes spoiled the market to such an extent that many North Island merchants had become chary of buying Canterbury potatoes. The quantity of potatoes exported from Lyttclton last year had been only one quarter of what it had been in 1930, while the export from Timaru last year was 40,000 sacks more than it had been in 1931. Lack of Evidence. The statement that it was impossible to say whether the small birds of New Zealand did good or ill , in their destruction of insects, was made by Dr. David Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, in a lecture yesterday afternoon. Diverse opinions were held on the subject, he said in answer to a cmes'ion. but no definite study of the part played by birds had yet been made in New Zealand. Dominions and Britain. "The position is one that should cause us the gravest concern," said Mr W. W. Mulholland, at the meeting of the North Canterbury executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, when discussing the cable news from Britain concerning the agitation for restriction of Dominion imports to Great Britain. He contended that this news bore out the statement of Mr W. J. Poison, at the Dominion conference of the union, that there were definite indications from England that if the Dominions did not import more British goods there would have to be restrictions on the freeentry of Dominion goods into Great Britain. Denials by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and the British Minister for Agriculture (Mr W. E. Elliot) had followed immediately on Mr Poison's statement, but the indications were just as serious now as they had been then.

Fate of Tariff Exhibits. Exhibits put in as evidence before the Tariff Commission become the property of that body. This was forcibly brought home to a representative of a British firm who submitted a case to the commission in Wellington last week. Witness took with him several lines of imported footwear. Mr A. E. Mander, secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, asked whether there was any objection to the shoes being cut for inspection purposes. Witness said he did not mind so long as the New Zealand manufacturers paid the cost of the shoes. Dr. G. Craig, chairman, said that exhibits became the property of the commission. "That is the sacrifice you have to make for Empire trade," remarked Professor Murphy to the witness. Tram Leaves Rails. Some delay was caused to traffic at tine Bank of New Zealand entrance to the square at midday yesterday when the rear bogey wheels of an incoming Riccarton tramcar jumped the points on the turn round to the Riccarton line. The stoppage was cleared by tramwav officials without much delay, and passengers were only slightly inconvenienced. The roadway between the tracks was torn up for several yards by the wheels of the tramcar. Value of Research. "I do not think we New Zealanders realise how lucky we are in possessing the Cawthron Institute." said Mr .1. D. Hall, president of tl\e North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers" Union yesterday afternoon, after a lecture on the work of the institute had been given by Dr. David Miller. "Research work has never been mere important than now, and when one ivads that it is proposed to app/y tlic pruning knife to such research ••-.'in-;; it rakes things seem hopeless. If there is one nlace where the pruning knife should not cut it is there." (Applause.)

The new Taxi' fares are as follows: 1$ miles out equals 3 miles out and back for Is, equals 4d per wile: miles out is now Is Gel: 3 miles out now 2s 6(1: -1 miles out now 3s Cd: 5 mikr out 4:> 6d. etc.. etc. I,owes! fare Is. All runs over 10 miles out 4d per mile only by the Gold Band Taxi?. Why pay more? —3