General News

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21802, 6 June 1936, Page 16

General News

Breakdown in Transmission Because of a breakdown in the transmitter at Gebbie’s Pass, station 3YA was off the air from 9.45 until 10.40 last night. The Programme was taken over from 10 o’clock until 10.40 by station 3YL. The fault was finally repaired, and station 3YA went back to its own transmission before the programme was completed. Post-primary Education Guidance by the Government in the type of post-primary education to which children were suited was a possibility suggested at a meeting of the Technical College Board of Governors last night. Too many children, were going on to academic training when obviously they would benefit only from technical education, said the chairman, Mr T. W. West. The day was coming, he believed, when special examinations would determine what training would be best for the child. Parents who wished them to go against such guidance would have to pay for their children’s education. School of Horticulture The orooosal of the Christchurch Domains Board to establish a school of horticulture has received the full sympathy of the Department, of Agriculture and the Canterbury University College Council. After letters of support had been received at a meeting of the board yesterday, the chairman (Mr H. Kitson) said that the next step would be to ap P™^ h i ' D. G. Sullivan when he was again m Christ church It was hoped to obtain a grant of £SOO from the Government to put the scheme into operation. New Scheme of Payment the new scheme of payment of relief workers employed by the Waimakann River Trus. whereby the trust pays a proportion of the wages, amounting to 6s a month for each wan* was first put into operation this week. The trust employs between 600 and 700 men, so that the cost will be about £2OO a month. It was stipulated in the arrangements made with the Government that the total cost to the trust for the period of three months during which the scheme will be under trial should not exceed £6OO. , „ Nothing for Something “What do these people get for their rates?” asked Mr* Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court at Auckland this week, when the value ot islands in the Bay of Islands, and the rates levied on them, were under discussion. Nothing, counsel replied, “but the rates are very low based on unimproved value. On this particular island they are about £5 a year. Well, even that is a swindle, if they get nothing for it, his Honour said. Auckland Harbour Bridge A resolution passed at a meeting of workers at Chelsea has been forwarded to the Birkenhead Borough Council, Auckland. It suggested that the Government be requested to build a bridge across the Waitemata harbour as a national undertaking. An alternative Proposal was that the Government should provide half the amount necessary, and the balance should be raised by an annual lottery until the cost of the bridge was liquidated. It was agreed to send the resolution to the Government. Money-lenders There are 125 registered money-lenders in New Zealand, according to a gazetted list of all persons holding money-lenders’ licenses as at May 31 last. The highest numerical proportions are naturally in the four main centres of P°PUlation, with Auckland in the lead with 39. There are 28 in Wellington, including two in Lower Hutt; 10 in Christchurch, and 13 in Dunedin. Invercargill supports only one licensed money-lender. Attractions of Islands “All mankind likes to own an island, and they have a special value of their own,” said Mr Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court at Auckland this week, during the hearing of an action in respect of the sale of an island. An agent giving evidence agreed that certain purchasers might pay well for an island, above the farming value of the property, but he said that until the sale which was the subject of the action, none of the islands in the Bay of Islands had changed hands for many years, owing to the high prices asked. Unusual Holiday A novel holiday for New Zealand is being spent by Mr B. Harrington, of Hawera, who is visiting Wellington. A member of the Western Federated Aero Club, he is making Wellington his headquarters for a round of flying excursions, leaving on a cross-country trip each morning and returning each afternoon, in a Moth. He flew from Hawera to Wellington on Monday. On Tuesday he visited Nelson, on Wednesday he went to Palmerston North, and on Thursday he flew to Masterton. He will probably return to Hawera to-day. Car Recovered from Sand A 1921 mojlel motor-car, which was lost on fVluriwai beach 15 years ago when it was covered by the tide aqd was not seen again, has been uncovered by recent heavy seas. The remains of the chassis are protruding from the sand near low-water mark, about 20 miles from the parking space at the southern end of the beach. Only the bare chassis remains. The owners of the car were Lord and Lady Fortesque, English visitors. They bought the car in Auckland, and were beginning a motor tour of the Dominion when the machine became stuck on the beach and had to be abandoned. Levy on Wool Favoured The principle of a levy on wool for propaganda and research purposes was approved by members of the Southern District Council of the Royal Agricultural Society at a meeting at Invercargill yesterday afternoon. It was stated that farmers in Southland were unanimous that this was a move in the right direction. “The more we advertise, the better,” remarked the president (Mr John Preston, of Waikouaiti). “I as satisfied that science can help us in many ways, and as we have to meet competition the levy should prove a material aid.” It was decided to send forward the following remit; “That the Royal Agricultural Society affirms the principle of a levy on wool for propaganda and research purposes.”—Press Association. Telephone to Eglinton Valley Advice that negotiations were now in hand’ with the Postmaster-General for opening a telephone office in the Eglinton Valley was contained in a letter forwarded to the Southland League at its meeting this week by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple). “To enable the present service line to be used, it has been necessary to arrange with private interests and these arrangements are now almost complete,” the Minister added. “When the line is completed the PostmastqpGeneral will take it over and install the necessary facilities, which it is hoped will be about the middle of June.” The chairman (Mr John Miller) said that it was very gratifying to find that as a result of the league’s efforts, they were going to have the line. On the motion of Mr D. J, Wesney the secretary was instructed to write to the Minister expressing appreciation of the consideration shown. Survey of School Hostels An indication that the Minister for Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, intends shortly to make a complete survey of school hostels in New Zealand, and that, where hostel accommodation seems to be warranted and a commercial proposition, he would approve of schemes for erection, was given by Mr W. G. Harwood, headmaster of the Rotorua High School, in a report to the board of governors. Railway electrification The electrification of the Wellington-Paeka-kariki and Wellington-Johnsonville railway lines will not be completed at the same time as the new railway station at Wellington, stated the general manager of railways (Mr G. H. Mackley). This was due to unavoidable delays owing to the change-over. Six tenders had been received for the six multiple-unit motor coaches and their trailing coaches for the Wellington-Johnsonville section, and were being considered. Half the required poles had arrived; shipping difficulties had delayed the remainder. The overhead work on this section would be commenced next week. The strengthening of the main sub-station at Kaiwarra by two units, and the erection of another substation at Khandallah, works which would be necessary for the electrification of the Welling-ton-J ohnsonville line, w ere! already in- hand.