General News

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21088, 13 February 1934, Page 8

General News

New Half-crown Criticism 0 "Why is not 'Fid. Def.,' the ancig ent title of his Majesty the King. [1 mentioned on the new New Zealand e half-crown?" asked Sir John Sandet man Allen, M.P., at a complimentary dinner tendered to him in . Christchurch last night. "It looks at •' first as if you want to cut the painter f of tradition. Perhaps you have not it noticed it, but I know from very s good experience that you are inhabj itants of an exceedingly bright, I happy, and loyal country," he added. " | "Possibly I am being too meticus lous, but it is a good thing to menc tion it." ''_ Least Sunshine for Eight Years Not since 1926 has the amount of a sunshine experienced by Christs church in the first six weeks of the i year been so small as in 1934. So •. far this year only 250 hours 15 e minutes of sunshine have been ret corded by "The Press" instrument t —a figure which is 36 hours less . than last year's. In 1927, 1928, and , 1929 the sunshine recorded ranged " from 325 hours to 329 hours, in 1930 it was 307 hours, and the next three " years' figures were: 1931, 352 hours: 3 1932, 323 hours; and 1933, 286 hours. - Still, even this year's low total is j better than that for 1926. when only 215 hours were recorded. 3 England's Trade Recovery 1 "One of the interesting factors "' about the trade recovery in England is that, although for years past ? wc have been all too prone to ) broadcast our troubles and diflicul- . tics, the recovery that has already been made is based on sound lcgis- ' lation and the solid, sterling quali--1 lies ot the British people," re- : marked Mr Percy Lister, managing director of the engineering firm ot B. A. Lister and Company, Limited, of Dursley, Gloucestershire, who visited Christchurch for the weekend. "We were absolutely 'broke' two years ago," he added, "and now we are leading the world back to prosperity. The whole world is I looking to the Old Country to-day." Chukor in Marl borough ' While in Christchurch alter 1 spending a holiday at Gore, Mr F. ! Mogridge, secretary of the Marlborough Acclimatisation Society, called : on Mr C. W. Ilervcy. who is secretary of the North Canterbury society, and informed him that the I sitting of chukor eggs sent to Blcn- ; I hcim from Canterbury had hatched cul successfully, it was hoped., he .said, that this tine game bird would become firmly established in Marlborough. Men in the Church Some clergymen in Christchurch thin); that in the congregation of every church there are more women than men. Others think that that condition is not general and that the proportion of men to women depends upon the church. This was gathered by a reporter of "The Press" yesterday when various ministers were asked for their opinions on the subject, which was raised bv the Rev. A. K. Warren in a sermon at St. Mary's Church on Sundav. The Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, was one of those who said women predominated and he supported his opinion with the following quotation:— In the world's great field of battle, In the bivouac of life. You will find the Christian soldier Represented by his wife. He added that if that was not true ot all churches, he thought it was certainly true of all Protestant churches. Doubtful Weather The weather continued doubtful and overcast in the city and in most parts of North Canterbury yesterday. There were light drizzles at various times of the day. and a cold wind helped to make conditions unpleasant. The weather in Mid-Canter-bury presented a contrast; the day tnere was fine and warm, and allowed farmers to go ahead with harvesting operations which have been so frequently interrupted. The sky in Methvcn last evening was clear and starry, promising another fine i day, whereas in Christchurch it was | overcast, and the atmosphere was J i foggy- I I ! The Purity of English "The English language is part of j 1 the history of the British nati.m, and I we should hesitate to allow the im- | portation of foreign words, phrase-, j and short cuts." said Sir John Sandc- I man Allen, M.P., at a dinner given I to him by the Canterbury branch of j the Royal Empire Society and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last night. "We should prize our | k-np'uujct. for it i-: one of the signs j of England leading the world," be | said. -'lndeed English is looked to j as a leader in world speech." (Ap- [ piause.) Disease in Strawberries Strawberry growers in Christchurch have taken active steps to secure full, expert investigation of the disease which is proving so disastrous to their crops, and which the : great majority of them have been J unable to combat. The Christ •■ church Tomato and Stone Fruit Growers' Association recently look j the matter up, and secured the co- ' operation of Mr G. Caldcr, the. mycologist at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. Mr Calder made an inspection of many of the plantations in Christchurch and the neighbouring valleys, and will em- j body the results of his investigations j in an address which will be given to j members oi the association on Sat- ! urday evening. This is announced , in the official organ of the association, which also devotes a good deal | of its space, in the latest issue, to i slrawbeiTv culture. I ; \: Supreme Court Guns I , "Speaking as n returned soldier. I and not wishing to give any offence j 1 to anyone concerned. I think that '- the guns in front of the Supreme ; i Court buildings should be placed in I 1 the museum or some other suitable I 1 place," said Mr J. Sturrock at the j i monthly meeting of the Christ-] J ! church Beautifying Association last 1 evening. Mr Sturrock said that he ] did not desire the gun: to be de- i stroyed—merely shifted to a more i suitable situation. They marred the 1 beauty of the place. The chairman i (Mr R. B. Owen) said that although I 1 Mr Sturrock's remarks would be ' t endorsed by members and a number c of citizens, and war trophies had 1 been banished from the market 1 places and streets of many cities of ] the world, perhaps because of the 1 outcry that resulted from previous ; controversies regarding the guns j the association had better bide its f time. Mr V. E. Egglestone said he j regarded them as an example and i warning 1o the younger generation. | The meeting went into committee, ( a,nd. lha discusgioi* ,ªi:opjssd.it . 1