General News

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21966, 15 December 1936, Page 10

General News

Workmen’s Mistake

A break-down in telephonic communication is frequently caused by high winds or snow, but seldom is a district cut off in such an unusual manner as in Riverton, near Invercargill, where all telephones in the northern part of the town were cut off through the action of workmen digging a ditch to connect the drains of a recently erected dwelling in Palmerston street to the main sewer, which runs underneath the middle of the roadway. Meeting an obstruction in the heavy, underground telephone cable, and mistaking it for a disused water pipe, the men sawed it through. To their consternation, they found that they had cut through 50 telephone wires. A Post and Telegraph Department gang was hastily summoned from Invercargill and is now engaged in restoring communication. Japan’s “Pigeon Post” Years ago, before the advent of the telegraph with its Morse code, homing pigeons were freely used for the transmission of information, including newspaper messages, and now that extra facilities of communication exist, such as telephones and radio, most people assume that pigeons have completely lost their utility-—in the same manner a:- horses have largely given way to motor transport. A Continental visitor who has just returned from the Orient, in giving, in Auckland, some impressions of Japan, said he saw trained pigeons being used to advantage there. After being courteously welcomed by officials he was interviewed and photographed by a groups of newspaper men, who speedily wrote up their articles in the vertical hieroglyphic style of the East and arranged for the immediate development of their snapshots. They tied picture and story to a pigeon, which soon flew from Yokohama to Tokyo (about 30 miles), where the story and photograph were immediately published in newspaper editions. “Taken in conjunction with the broadcasting service,” ho added, “it may be said that Japan knew of my arrival and my business within half an hour of my landing. It is smart work, and the pigeons play an important part in making illustrated news so quickly available.” FitzGerald Statue After a long discussion taken in committee the Christchurch Beautifying Association at its meeting last evening decided that the consideration of the acceptance of the FitzGerald statue be held over to a future meeting. The Life-Saving Patrol A conflict in the spirit in which the new surf patrol uniforms are being used was mentioned at the meeting of the New Zealand Surf LifeSaving Association. The idea of Auckland, which district suggested the adoption of the costumes, was that any life-saver wearing the costume on any beach was automatically on patrol on that beach. The public would recognise the black costume with its badge of three diagonal white bands where it would not recognise the differing dub costumes. In Wellington, the costume was being worn by teams from the‘various clubs when they were definitely on patrol. It was decided to limit the use of the costume to those who had qualified for the surf medallion of the association. Desire to Learn Trades Now that there is legislative provision for special conditions being made by the Minister for Labour for the training of adult apprentices, many enquiries are being received by the Auckland placement service from young men anxious to leave, the ranks of the unskilled and learn trades. One married man of 32 years of age with a wife and four children intimated that he was prepared to be indentured for three years to a .trade at sustenance rates of pay, so keen was he to become a skilled worker. Educational Control Projected reforms in educational administration as affecting secondary schools were referred to by the chairman of the Auckland Grammar School Board of Governors, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, at a recent* gathering. Professor Thomas said he did not favour the suggestion that there should be one body controlling education from kindergarten to university. The project was regarded by some people as a threat of extinction of the Grammar School Board through its absorption in a larger body. “It seems to me,” he added, “that to have hundreds of primary schools, intermediate, technical, and secondary schools under the control of one body is something beyond the appetite and power of the citizens who act on such boards, because they have their own business and interests look after.” Preservation of Native Bush Preservation of areas of native bush on the Napier-Taupo road is recognised by the Minister in charge of Scenery Preservation, the Hon. F. Langstone, as being very important, but in reply to a request from the Napier Chamber of Commerce he says that funds are not ayailable at present. The letter from the Minister asked if something could be done by residents of Hawke’s Bay either by private subscription or through local bodies and other organisations. He promised to keep the chamber informed of any developments. Sound Construction Though he was only on an exploratory visit and therefore had no definite conclusions, Mr J. A. Lee, Under-Secretary for Housing, said in Invercargill that he was surprised at the potentialities of the city. “If building sites should be required there ought to be no difficulty here, but there seems to be no pressing need at the moment. I have been amazed at the amount of sound construction going on and I am sure that, in proportion, it is much greater than that in any other town in New Zealand,” he added. Technical College Art School “Application has been made to the Senate for the recognition of the art department as a school of fine arts under university regulations, so that students who complete the required course to the necessary standard may be awarded the diploma of fine arts, said the director of the Wellington Technical College, Mr R. G. Ridling, at the college breaking-up ceremony. “Without any doubt the art school has for many years past trained capable students, most of whom have taken up industrial appointments, but many of whom have undertaken teaching work. The latter would benefit considerably if recognition be granted. The staff is capable of giving the necessary training, the appointments for the training are adequate, and, indeed, are better than those in many other schools, and a good library is available to supplement the training given here and the additional training given at Victoria College. There is no reason why the school should not be recognised.” Preliminary Certificate That the newly-instituted preliminary certificate to pupils in their third year, which is usually the year before their sitting for univer-sity-entrance and school certificate examination, were as difficult to obtain as matriculation was stated by the principal, Mr W. A. G. Penlington, at the break-up ceremony at the Hastings High School. “I believe they will be valuable as an incentive to study,” he said, “anu also, in the case of pupils who cannot remain at school beyond the third year, as an indication of their intellectual ability which may be useful when they are seking employment.” The obtaining of a preliminary certificate in ffie third year, he thought, would indicate that a pupil had a very good prospect of passing the higher examination in the following year, and failure to obtain it would show clearly in what direction there were weaknesses to be remedied. Bible in Schools Movement “Very good progress is being made with the Bible in schools movement under the Nelson system, and teachers are increasingly taking advantage of facilities given to them for Bible instruction in schools,” said the Rev. Murray A. Gow, in a report to the Auckland Presbytery. The Bible in Schools League had been doing some very constructive work, and in Wanganui schools was opening with prayer on four days in the week and giving half an hour to religious instruction on the fifth. “Altogether,” said Mr Gow, “it seems a very hopeful outlook that religious instruction will increase in the State schools and the Nelson system will be established on a much firmer footing as part and parcel of the education system,”