General News

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 8

General News

* "It's An 111 Wind . . The attention which traffic inspectors are at present paying to the brakes and headlights of cars is having its effect on garages, a reporter was told yesterday. One garage at least has had to engage extra mechanics to cope with the rush of business. Some motorists, it appears, are having their brakes adjusted and in some cases relined in anticipation of being stopped by an inspector, while others wait until the brakes have actually been tested and found wanting. It was stated that at present the inspectors are concentrating on old models which are more likely to have defective brakes than modern cars with more efficient braking systems. Economists on Boards The danger of "professional economists" or professors of economics taking a larger share in'the work of boards and commissions than was justified by their knowledge and experience is a subject that will be brought up for discussion by the development of industries committee of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association at a future meeting of the executive. Mr A. M. Hollander, chairman of the committee, conveyed this information to the meeting of the executive last evening. He added that the report of the Tariff Commission, which contained many anomalies, provided evidence of what he described as a dangerous tendency. Few Home-made Kites Kite-flying, according to the authorities, has been a hobby for boys of ail nations since 1G64. Then, of course, a boy who wanted to fly a kite had to make it himself, and this practice lias been followed through the years to the present time. However, many of the kites which have been hovering over Christchurch in the last week have obviously come from a shop, and this fact has suggested that the boys of to-day have not the ingenuity and skill of their fathers. In the past to buy a kite was definitely "not done." There were many reasons for this, chief among them being that home-made kites were superior to the bought article and gave a pride of achievement as well as a pride of i ossession. Old kiteflyers are asking '.hemselves whether boys have lost the desire to create or whether home-made kites arc no longer superior. Addinglon Market The weekly stock sale at Addington yesterday was the best of the year—in some respects the best since immediately preceding the fall in prices three or four years ago. The cause, however, was not any spectacular movement in export markets, although there has been a gradually improving atmosphere for some weeks, but mainly the small entries. In the two main sections of fat sheep and fat cattle there were smaller supplies forward than the retail trade requires for the weekly needs of the city, and 1 the competition this created caused a substantial advance in values. Fat sheep were dearer by 2s Gd a head than a week ago, fat cattle by 20s to 25s a head, pork by a halfpenny per lb, and vealers by a definite margin. Store sheep were also in keen request, the offering being insufficient to supply the wants of buyers. Although it is apparent that supplies of fat stock are not. plentiful in the province at the moment, the small meat entries j doubtless were caused largely by the ; break in the weather over the week- j end. In respect of store sheep the' indications of an abundance of j spring feed stimulated the enquiry of farmers. ; Amateur Built Monoplane A single-seater monoplane which two Auckland enthusiasts commenced to build about three months ago is now almost completed, and I it is likely that the machine will be j tested at Mangere Aerodrome at i the week-end. The builders and I joint owners are Messrs JR. G. Ouston and A. K. Crook, who estimate that, the craft will have cost about £3OO by the time it is ready for the air. If the tests are successful the owners intend to take the machine to Melbourne, wh re it will be flown by a well-known Australian pilot during the centenary celebrations.—"The Press" Service. Stowaway's are Paid Rather than see a stowaway who had hidden himself on the Wanganella befo - o the vessel left Sydney be handed over to the officers of the law on arrival at Wellington yesterday, passengers took round the hat, and collected enough for his fare. When the WanganeJla arrived at Wellington yesterday morning the stowaway, a New Zealander, was thus able to walk oil' the gangway as free as any other man.— Press Association. Lake Forsyth Rising Lake Forsyth is rising steadily and is over the road in several places, making it difficult for motorists to pass. Men are at work letting the lake out, but if they do not succeed in a day or two, the road will probably be blocked for traffic. Riders of Ponies If horse riding in England is as good as it is popular, the boys and girls of Canterbury who ride "ponies at the Metropolitan Show each year were highly praised at a meeting of the Canterbury Cob and Pony Society last evening. It was reported that a member who was in London had visited all the horse shows there and he thought that the junior riders at Christchurch compared more than favourably with those in London. Wireless and Music j "The wireless has a wonderful j influence on music, and I am not one j of those who think that the future j of individual or collective music is! damned because of it," commented Mr C. Roy Spackman, of Dunedin, in an address to the Napier Rotary Club. "I do not think that it will ever destroy in the individual the desire for self-expression. The fact is that with tiie increasing amount of broadcasting there will be a great demand for music, and it has already been stated that very soon the supply of music for broadcasting will be exhausted and the powers-that-be will either have to reduce very considerably the hours of broadcasting music or else launch a campaign for the composition of more music and its competent performance." Those wishing to hire High-Class Taxis with no trade marks or signs should 'phone the Gold Band Taxis and ask for a plain car as we have a large fleet of new De Luxe cars for hire at the same low fares as our taxis with trade signs. Lowest fare Is for 5 passengers and luggage. —5