General News

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 10

General News

Book Exchange Profits More than 2500 books, valued at more than £450, have been handled by the students controlling the book exchange into which the Canterbury College gymnasium has been converted for the last two weeks. The book exchange, which is organised annually by the Student Christian Movement’s local branch, deals in second-hand text-books, receiving a modest commission on each book sold or handled. Of the 2500 books, 1500 were sold, realising £450, from which the commission was deducted. Business generally, however, was not as good as usual this year, with a consequent reduction in the profits. The organiser, Mr A. R. Lowe, attributed the reduced patronage and smaller number of books handled to the increased prosperity of late, more students buying new books than in previous years. Women “On the Air’’ Women are doing a large amount of broadcasting in Australia, according to Mrs Julia Rapke, of Melbourne, who is at present in Christchurch during a tour of the Dominion. At all the radio stations throughout the Commonwealth, prominent women are delivering broadcast addresses on practically every subject from health to book review, she said. In some cases the large newspapers, which control wireless stations, were engaging women to give talks of general interest on such subjects as international relations. “The Real Meaning of Speed’’ “I thought we knew how to move until my arrival down under,” Dr. Daniel A. Poling, world president of the Christian Endeavour Union, remarked in an address in Wellington. Americans were generally supposed- to know the value of speed and how to employ it, but his eyes had been opened in Australia. There he travelled 4600 miles, flying 2500, and giving 42 addresses in nine cities in nine days. “After Australia I am going back to the United States to tell the real meaning of speed to Americans,” h,e said.. Bread Price Difficulty Bakers in Auckland have been prompt to counter a difficulty about the cash payment for bread delivered to the home. The difficulty has arisen since the introduction of the price fixation scheme, which stipulates a cash price of s£d a loaf delivered and a rate of 6d when the purchase is booked. If a housewife who wishes to pay cash has not the requisite change available and states she will pay on the following day, she must, under the regulations, be charged 6d a loaf. Accordingly some bakers have started to issue coupons which can be paid for in advance, and which enable the housewife to obtain bread at the lower cash price. New Zealand Broadcasting Service Development and improvements in the service rendered by the New Zealand Broadcasting Board throughout the Dominion were mentioned by Mr E. C. Hands, manager of the board, at Auckland. He announced that the hours of the board’s four subsidiary stations, IYX, 2YC, 3YL, and 4YO, were being extended by half an hour on week nights from March 23. From that date these stations would broadcast until 10.30 p.m., which meant that in each of the four main centres the board would be providing programmes over a period of approximately 20 hours daily. Mr Hands also said that the board was soon beginning an adult educational session from each main station. “It is the board’s intention to have a questionnaire, dealing with many aspects of broadcasting, issued to each applicant for a receiving license,” said Mr Hands._ “The forms are being printed and will be distributed to all post offices. A previous plebiscite was taken in 1932, when the opinions of nearly 50 percent. of listeners were registered. This time it is hoped that the percentage of replies will be much higher.”

Work for Hospitals

The establishment of auxiliary committees to hospitals was one of the great works being carried on by women in Australia, said Mrs Julia Rapke, of Melbourne, when interviewed last evening. In all parts of the Commonwealth, Mrs Rapke said, these organisations had sprung up like mushrooms and gave all kinds of assistance. Thev found comforts for the patients, and if the hospital were in need of some special equipment, such as an X-ray plant, these women would work enthusiastically to obtain it. Coast Air Service In view of an early extension of the company’s service to the West Coast, Mr E. H. Thomson, managing director of Cook Strait Airways, and Mr G. B. Bolt, technical adviser and chief pilot of the company, are visiting the West Coast, inspecting the aerodromes under construction at Greymouth, Westport, and Hokitika. Mr Thomson said that as soon as the landing grounds were available, an extra aeroplane would be purchased to inaugurate the service between Wellington, Nelson, Westport. Greymouth, and Hokitika. The Greymouth aerodrome, when finished, would be quite suitable at all times for the company’s aeroplanes at present being used on the Cook Strait service. The Westport aerodrome would also be suitable, though one runway was a little narrow. With the service extended to the West Coast for mails and passengers, the flying time between Hokitika and Wellington would be only two hours, with a few minutes’ stop at each pert. Radio-Telephone Service The possibility of radio being used in the telephone service between the North and South Islands was mentioned by the chief postmaster at Wellington, Mr J. Madden, at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. He said two officers of the department were at present investigating abroad. Mr Madden explained there were five channels provided by the existing submarine cables. When a comprehensive survey was made it was considered that several additional circuits should be . provided between Wellington and Christchurch. This necessitated provision being made for the laying of another submarine cable across Cook Strait. Specifications for such a cable were accordingly put in hand, but before the specification was finished important information was received from abroad indicating a remarkable development in radio-telephony.

Many Brightening Signs

‘‘During the last 12 months there have been many brightening signs towards business recovery and the improvement in prices for the principal products of the Dominion has had appreciable effect in reviving business activity, and there is plenty of evidence of an upward trend that is a most welcome condition after the strain of the last few years,” says the annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. “With the more stable conditions ruling most business activities now have a brighter outlook before them, and the recovery is well exemplified in the statistical figures bearing upon trade and business activity, internal and external.”

Seagulls Stop Cyclist The unusual sight of nearly 300 seagulls standing in the road was seen by a Devonport resident who cycled home, along King Edward parade, Auckland, between 2 and 3 o’clock on a recent morning. The birds were of all sizes, and were standing along the road for some distance. They appeared dazed when the cyclist shone. a. torch at them, and finally he was forced to get off his bicycle, as they made no effort to move. Devonport residents are unable to account for the presence of the birds, which were not on the road at midnight. There was no need for the birds to seek shelter, as the weather was not stormy, and it is a mystery why they preferred the hard pavement to the beach or sea. Wheat Sheaves on Sea Shore Sheaves of wheat have been washed up on the Kaikoura beaches during the last week. Many sheaves are on the beach at South Bay, and also on the other side of the Kaikoura peninsula, near the wharves. The sheaves are intact and are tied with the original twine. It is thought that they have been taken up the coast, probably a distance of 100 miles, by the sea currents, and are part of the debris from the recent floods in Canterbury.