General News

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22003, 29 January 1937, Page 10

General News

Unusual Insurance Claim

An unusual insurance claim was recently paid in Dunedin. A girl working as a domestic, who was insured by her employer, was feeding fowls as-part of her duties, and was pecked badly by a rooster on an elbow. As she was unable to do her work, her employer made a claim on the insurance company, which paid the girl for incapacity for two weeks.—"The Press" Special Service.

Fine Paid After 22 Years

Payment of a fine imposed in November, 1914, for a breach of the by-laws, has just been received by the Hikurangi Town Board. The charge was one of driving three horses loose through the town district. The magistrate on that occasion fined the defendant £1 and ordered him to pay costs 17s 6d. He did not pay, and on February 20, 1916, a committal warrant was issued, but this was not executed until last week, when a constable found the defendant in Wellington. The man promptly paid the fine and costs, now totalling £2 3s 6d. The Hikurangi court lias been abolished for some time, and the police officer stationed there had a long search before he traced the record book with which to complete the entry, made necessary by the payment of the fine. v New Zealand in the News Complaints that only scant items of New Zealand news, appear in Australian newspapers could not be sustained last week, when, mainly because of the stay-in tactics in freezing works in the Auckland province, happenings in the Dominion were given extraordinary prominence. Indeed, in one Melbourne newspaper three reports from New Zealand "led" the news in one day—the stay-in campaign, the foundering of the scow Rangi, and the science congress. The novelty of the freezing dispute development was quickly exploited by Melbourne and Sydney newspapers. " 'Rule Britannia' Out of Date"

"It would appear that 'Rule Britannia' is out of date—to-day boys are humming picture show ditties, probably with an immoral motif," said Mr W. H. Jackson, in urging the Wellington Education Board, at its monthly meeting, to rescind a motion debarring the entrance into the schools in the board's district of an officer of the Navy League, during school hours. "I am moving this because I am British," Mr Jackson said, "and because the Wellington board is the only one which so debars the Navy League. To-day Trafalgar Day is forgotten, yet the story of our navy is the finest that can be told." The motion was subsequently defeated. Emigration Not Favoured The opinion that so long as the Dominions have their own unemployment. problems, the British Labour party would not support any scheme for large-scale assisted emigration, was expressed by Mr Tom Smith, Labour member of Parliament for Normanton, Yorkshire, just before he left Auckland by the Niagara for Canada. Mr Smith was one of the two British Parliamentary representatives who attended the recent centennial celebrations of South Australia, and for the last few weeks he has been visiting New Zealand, partly to gain information about New Zealand's social legislation, and her attitude to immigration. "Quite frankly," he said, "I do not think that the British Labour party would agree to support any large-scale scheme of assisted,, emigration. Wc would like to see the Dominions take some of our population, but while you have your own unemployment problems I do not think my party will agree to people out to you."

Edward VIII. Coronation Souvenirs

"The British public has got the Edward VIII. souvenir complex, and we have had no difficulty in selling . all our output of Coronation souvenirs. Some of the big London departmental stores have done a roaring trade in Coronation souvenirs stamped with the name or photograph of the former king." This is a part of a letter received by an Auckland importer from an English manufacturer. The importer had cabled asking if he could cancel Edward VIII. souvenirs, which he had ordered. The -letter in reply said there was no difficulty about such cancellation, there being a good market in England for the goods.

Plant-Collecting Competition

An offer has been made by Lord Bledisloe to make a grant for the next five years of a copy of Miss Coleclough's book, "A Book of New Zealand Flora," to the winner of plantcollecting and naming competitions, to be arranged. The Wellington Education Board, at its monthly meeting, decided to accept the offer with thanks. The competition in the Wellington district will be confined to the Paremata School.

Camp for Bandsmen

Bandsmen attending the New Zealand contest at Nelson who have not had accommodation booked at hotels, can expect to spend their spare time camping in the Botanical Reserve. At a meeting of the citizens' committee organising the contest it was said that the response to a request for private accommodation for visiting bandsmen had been so/poor that the establishment of a large camp had become essential. It was stated that private accommodation was still necessary, as one band alone would have 14 women travelling in the party. Twenty-two bands, eight in the A grade, and 14 in the B grade, had entered, fcand soloists would represent 45 bands.

University Superannuation

An old grievance of university teachers, that they are compelled to pay into the superannuation fund in proportion to their salaries, but are limited to a pension of £3OO a year, came before the New Zealand University Senate, at Auckland, when it was considering a recommendation made in 1930 that the £3OO maximum be retained, but that contributions to the fund be on an actuarial basis. Professor H. G. Denham remarked that the present injustice undoubtedly prevented many good men in Britain and elsew.here from joining New Zealand university staffs. It was resolved to inform the Parliamentary education committee that the senate welcomed the proposal as an alleviation of the present unfair burden, but would suggest that alternative schemes be considered.

Co-operation Wanted

"We have heard reports that the Maoris spend their money on drink, with the result that their wives, families and homes are neglected. That practice must stop," said the Hon. F. Langstone, acting-Minister for Native Affairs, when speaking to a large gathering of Maoris at Waima. "I can assure you," he continued, "it is the sole desire of the Government to <take Maoris off relief and public works and place them on the land and make them qualified farmers. We will do everything to achieve this end provided we get the closest co-operation of the native race." Stop, Look—Signal

Efforts are being made in Auckland to stop the practice of intending tram passengers in stepping on to the roadway as a signal to the motorman of their desire to board. This is contrary to the tram regulations issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1936, which instructs pedestrians to wait on the footway, or safety zone, until the tram stops, and is regarded as an embarrassment by motorists who are trying to get past before the tram stops. The Auckland Transport Board has now placed notices in its trams asking passengers to remain on the footpath, or the safety zone, and to give a definite signal with their arm to the motorman. The new regulation carries a £2 penalty for its infraction.

Checking the Bumps

Equipment described as a rougnometer is now employed by the Public Works Department to test the surfaces of roads under the control of the department. The machine is attached to a motor-car and it records the number of bumps received as the vehicle travels along the road. On the new concrete road at Drury, near Auckland, the machine registered 25 units to the mile, most of these being caused by the contraction and expansion joints separating the stretches of concrete. When complaints were made about the condition of the Hamilton-Rotorua road during the holiday season, a test was made with the roughometer, and the reading was 80 units a mile, which was equivalent to the recording that would be given by a* road with one coat of sealing. The conclusion of the engineers who carried out the test on the Hamilton-Rotorua main highway was that the complaints were unjustified.