General News

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21050, 29 December 1933, Page 8

General News

No Paper on New Year's Day. "The Press" will not be published on Monday (New Year's Day). Repairing Telephone Lineg. A substantial programme of repair and alteration work to telephone lines in Canterbury and the West Coast is to be undertaken by the Post and Telegraph Department during the next few months, and line gangs employed by it are likely to have a busy time. An important toll line reconstruction will be started on Banks Peninsula, and this will involve the renewal of lines between Purau and Port Levy, Port Levy and Pigeon Bay, and Pigeon Bay and Duvauchelle. About naif of the line between Hari Hari and Waiho has been reconstructed, and this work will be completed, whilo some general improvement will be carried out at Little River and Cheviot. A considerable amount of work has just been finished in the Leeston district and between Greymouth and Westport. Tlie Teaching of Esperanto. A motion requesting the Government to sanction the teaching of Esperanto in schools was passed at the opening meeting of the New Zealand Esperanto congress in Wellington this week. It was stated that the teaching of this language side by side with other languages had been carried out advantageously for many years in a number of other countries, and the use of a neutral, auxiliary, international language would make it an important factor toward the establishment of permanent peace throughout the world. Esperanto was a firmly established medium for all inter-nation communications, being used in a wide, practical field, and the advancement of ; science made the need lor the immediate removal of the linguistic barrier essential. Its instruction, also, was advocated by the League of Nations and eminent educationists of various lands. New Telephone Subscribers. There was a brisk demand for telephones in Christchurch in November, the number of new subscribers exceeding the number of disconnexions by 26. There were also 12 intending new subscribers on the waiting list. Phenomenal Growth of Maize. The rapid growth of a crop of maize sown by Mr R. Perkins at Whenuapai, 10 miles from Auckland, has caused wide comment. The maize was sown on November 29, four inches deep, on new ground. In seven days it appeared, and when measured on December 23, 17 days afterwards, the stalks measured from 19 to 38 inches, the general length being about 27 inches. Some of the crop had grown at a rate of two and a quarter inches a day. No rain had fallen during that period, but probably the ground was hot and moist the whole time, and the maize was thus forced forward. It was sown unsoaked, and only 2cwt of manure was used to the acre. Mr Perkins is city-brcd, and makes no claim to being an expert farmer, and it was thought by some that the crop would be a failure, owing to the droughty conditions at the time of sowing. Blind Rowers. The appearance of a crew comprised solely of blind men, all four inmates of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind. Auckland, created considerable interest on the Auckland Harbour recently. The members of the crew, who are being introduced to the rudiments of rowing by Mr J. K. Ilunn, are members of the Waitemata Boating Club. They did splendidly for their first row, and intend going for a spin every week-end and on two or three evenings during the week. It was interesting to note that Mr McPhee, an official of the institute, who lost his sight in the Great War, rowed in a crew from St. Dunstan's Institute in the Army rowing events on the Thames in 1919. liis opponents on that occasion included Mr T. Marshall, now one of the coaches at the Waitemata Club.

New Zealand Publicity in England. Writing on November 24, our London correspondent says: The High Commissioner's Publicity Department arranged displays during the last week at the British Commonwealth League Exhibition in London, and at the motor works of Joseph Lucas, Ltd., Birmingham. This week a display is being made at the Empire exhibition in the Church Hall, High Wycombe. There is a keen demand this year by private lecturers for the lantern slides and films supplied by the High Commissioner's Office. Twenty-five sets of slides are at present in constant circulation. The lecturers arc chiefly New Zealanders in Great Britain and tourists who have returned from the Dominion anxious to spread a knowledge of its many attractions. Three films have been sent to Brentwood, the well-known school in Essex. The request came from the headmaster, and it is generally recognised that schools are cxceilent media for the propagation of knowledge concerning the Dominion. The films lent to Brentwood ore Ao-Tea-Roa, Deep-Sea Fishing, and tjjc Meat Industry. No Tennis Shorts. It was for some reason freely anticipated by the women tennis players of Canterbury that the New South. Wales team, which arrived in Christchurch yesterday for the New Zealand championships, would affect the new fashion of shorts on the tennis court. These expectations are to prove disappointing, for not one of the five women who make up the party favours shorts. They all consider that shorts are too often unsightly on any but young girls, and arc satisfied that the usual skirt with bare legs gives all the comfort and freedom of movement necessary. liimtsbury and the City. In his review of the civic activities of the year the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) stated that part of the Huntsbury district of the Ileathcote County Council had been included in the city. This is not correct for, although a number of ratepayers in the district mentioned have petitioned the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young) to be included within the city boundary, the matter has not yet been determined. The Minister has asked if the ratepayers are prepared to have a commission set up to report on their petition, and so far they have not replied.

The most popular taxis to-day are the Gold Band Taxis, whose fares are the lowest, and the Gold Band Taxis are the only ones that do not want to raise the fares, so why go elsewhere, be loyal, and support them, as by doing so you will keep the fares down. Lowest fare Is, and 4d per mile for trips 10 miles out for five passengers and luggage. Thank you. —2