General News

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22274, 13 December 1937, Page 8

General News

The Coming Election A reference to the result of the last election made by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, at a gathering of Christchurch supporters of the National Party on Saturday, drew ready laughter. After discussing the election for next year, Mr Hamilton said that whatever the result the National Party would bow to the wish of the people. At the last election the people had expressed their wish very forcibly. “In fact, I think they overdid it by a long way,” he said. “I think, too, that they made a mistake.” Later in his address Mr Hamilton spoke of the electoral system, stating that everyone know that the present Government did not represent a majority of the electors — and he appealed to his audience to eliminate vote-splitting so Shat the election would register truthfully the voice of the country. Search for Oil in New Zealand Confidence in the productivity of New Zealand’s oilfields was expressed by the Hon. P. C. Webb (Minister for Mines) in replying to a toast at the Commercial Travellers’ Association’s smoke concert on Saturday evening. He promised that the world’s greatest experts would be employed for the exploitation of New Zealand’s oilfields. Quick legislation had been expected in this matter, because Parliament as a whole realised the vital interest to the welfare of New Zealand the fields contained. Mr Webb cited this legislation as an example of the co-operation of the two parties in time of national urgency, and was here reminded by the Hon. Adam Hamilton that the little trouble met in the passing of his three bills was the result of having an indulgent Leader of the Opposition. “One oilfield means more than all the goldfields to New Zealand,” Mr Webb concluded. “By Bitter Experience” Statements that the public interest in politics was keener now than ever it had been before were made by several speakers at a gathering of Christchurch supporters of the National Party on Saturday. The Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, who was the principal speaker, said that he could not recall a time when the public was taking its politics as seriously as it was now. That was all to the good. He counselled his hearers to study the internal politics of their country; what they did not learn now by their own observation they would learn in the future by bitter experience, he said. Mr T. Milliken, chairman of the party’s city branch, also said, in opening the gathering, that no one could afford now not to take an interest in politics. Minister’s “Niggardly Salary” “How can Mr Webb afford to keep racehorses on the niggardly salary of a Minister of the Crown?” asked Mr G. E. King, a prominent trotting owner, at the Commercial Travellers’ Association’s smoke concert on Saturday night. Jocularly classing this question as “impertinent,” the Hon. P. C. Webb asked Mr King if there was a great difference between owning racehorses and owning trotters. “If Mr King has been as successful as I have he will find that it is a question of the horses keeping me, rather than my keeping them,” said Mr Webb. Fish Liver Oils Scientists at the University of Cape Town have discovered that certain South African fish yield liver oil far richer than cod liver oil in vitamin content. Kabeljouw liver oil, they find, contains 100 times the vitamin A that cod liver oil does. The stockfish—a very common fish on South African coasts—yields oil eight times as rich as cod liver oil. The oils from both fish contain no acid, and conform to the standards laid down by the British and United States pharmacopeias. It is believed that 15,000 gallons of oil could be produced in Cape Town annually—a development which would be of immense help to the public health authorities, who have to cope with a disturbingly high incidence of tuberculosis among the Cape coloured population. Air Raids on Grasshoppers *> Flame throwers, poisoned bran, oil sprays, rollers, trenches, and sheep trampling have all played a prominent part in the campaign to eradicate grasshoppers, reports the Australian “Dairy Review.” One method has not yet been tried; that is, the destruction of grasshoppers from the air. Although it cannot be said whether an aeroplane is more efficient than poisoned bait in Australia, in other countries grasshopper destruction from the air has been very successful. Locusts have been controlled in North and South Africa by dusting pest swahns with a poisonous powder dropped from an aeroplane. Flame throwers attached to an aeroplane have been used in Egypt, and vast swarms have been burnt in a few seconds. Danced on Flower Beds The Morrinsville Borough Council recently decided to offer £5 reward for information leading to the conviction of persons responsible for damage to flower beds in the borough. The parks superintendent reported that one bed of more than 100 plants, which had been planted was totally ruined after a dance two nights later, every plant being torn up or broken. Footprints on the soil indicated that the vandals had then danced on the plot. A linden tree was also smashed. “I have been told that the conduct in the streets that night was absolutely disgusting,” said the Mayor. “The police say they have no power to make arrests for drinking in cars; but I have been informed that about a dozen young men will appear before the Court in January on different charges connected with the same evening.” It was also decided that the matter of letting halls in the borough to outside individuals or associations be referred to the finance committee to define the exact powers of the council under its bylaws. South Pacific Flight A placque commemorating the fact that the Pan American survey clipper made the first survey flight from the United' States to the South Pacific coast has been placed on the clipper by the San Francisco Junior Chamber of Commerce. From New Zealand’s point of view the plaque has an unfortunate error—it records the flight as having been made to “Australasia.” A New Zealander who saw the plaque when the clipper was recently at Hong Kong had it suggested to him that “Australasia” may have been used intentionally for a political object, but he attributed the error to geographical ignorance. He suggests that it would be within (he province of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to make representations to the San Fffincisco chamber so that Auckland would be giv£R its proper mention on the plaque. Overseas Publicity The nged for a greater State appropriation for overseas publicity is urged by the New Zealand TQurist League in its latest bulletin, which is deV°ted to suggestions for improving the Dominion’s tourist trade. The league advocates increasing the present appropriation of between £ 15,6Q0 and £ 20,000 a year to at least £50,000, pointing out that some firms retailing tea and other commodities in the Dominion spend as much atN £ 15,000 a year on advertising. > Farm Experience for Boys The placing of School boys on suitable farms for the purpose\ of acquiring farm knowledge was mentioned at a meeting of the Whangarei sub-provincial e» ecu tive of the Farmers Union. Mr A. Briscoe' Moore, the president, said the Whangarei High School authorities were anxious to place \35 of the senior boys on farms for one week, which would count as portioh of their education- The scheme would operate next year, and yt was hoped that it would give the boys a f^ 11 insight into farm life, as the result of whicfc some might be led to take it up. Traffic Consol A suggestion that “stop-gl°” signs should be erected in Hamilton to ce n trol. motor and pedestrian traffic was made j£y W. W. Dillicar at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council recently. Mr DilliciPF sai d that streets in very small towns in America were equipped with this apparatus. Compicbpt was made that the pedestrian crossing over (pollingwood street was a great hindrance to rhetor traffic. The Mayor, Mr J. R. Fow, agreed (that the control of traffic in Hamilton was a vesry Problem. It was decided to removei the paint marking the Colling wood street crosP ln S a pd to have inquiries made concerning the .cost of installing mechanical equipment. — 1 -