General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22338, 28 February 1938, Page 10

General News

State Building Programme State houses are now becoming available at the rate of 60 a week, according to an announcement made by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) at a Labour Party picnic at Tauherenikau on Saturday afternoon. Mr Savage said that plans were in hand for the construction of 2517 houses in 41 towns.—Press Association. Excursion Train Delayed The second excursion train from Timaru last evening was delayed for more than an hour. The train left Timaru at 4.45 p.m. and did not arrive in Christehurch till 9.35 p.m. The delay occurred at a railway bridge near Temuka, where renovation work is done every Sunday. A crane which was working on the bridge broke down, preventing the train passing until it was repaired. Canterbury Irrigation Survey As soon as surveyors are available the detailed survey of the whole of the Canterbury plains for the purposes of a huge network of irrigation will be resumed at full pace and pushed ahead. This announcement was made to "The Press" on Saturday by the Hon. R. Semple (Minister for Public Works). Very slow progress had been made with the investigations in recent months, he explained, because of the shortage of surveyors and the pressure of other work. "The surveys will be the basis of our calculations as to the cost of the work." Many Picnic Excursions Saturday was a busy day for officials of the Christehurch railway station. Nearly 3000 persons left on eight trains for picnics in various parts of the district. The south express, which was made up of 17 cars, carried 550 passengers, and it was followed by several ( special picnic trains. The biggest of these carried 825 Opawa school children to Lyttelton. In addition, 380 Riccarton School children went to Southbridge, 350 from the Papanui School to Amberley, and 250 of the Redcliffs School went to Stewart's Gully, where the Spreydon Salvation Army also held its picnic. Coulls, Somerville, Wilkie, Ltd., Gadsden and Company, and the Woolston Tanneries were business firms that held their annual picnics of Saturday. Steel Orders from Britain The inability of English manufacturers readily to supply steel and machinery, because of the rearmament demands, has now been lessened and New Zealand orders can be filled more quickly. This information was received by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) from the British Trade Commissioner in Wellington. "A good number of works on which steel was required for reinforcements have b§en held up, and I was pleased to hear that th 6 difficulty of obtaining supplies will be eased," the Minister said during an interview on Saturday. "Erewhon" as a Test Wellington residents who entertained midshipmen from the French training cruiser Jeanne d'Arc, found that their guests had a fair command of English, and that it was largely unnecessary to introduce into the conversation such phrases of schoolboy French as seemed relevant and understandable. One of the midshipmen explained to his host that the translation of extracts from well-known English works formed part of the entrance examination for the naval college, and he mentioned that Samuel Butler's "Erewhon" was included in the list. He expressed regret that the itinerary of the Jeanne d'Arc did not take in South Island ports, since "Erewhon" had stimulated his interest in New Zealand and the South Island in particular. Politician's Uncertain Lot "A politician is an uncertain quantity and maybe I will get my running shoes at the next general election," remarked the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) when opening the new Summit road on Saturday afternoon. "Sometimes politicians do not know whether they are coming or going. It is our right to offer our services, and, thanks to the democratic rule in the British Empire, it is the right of the people to say: "No, thank you. For all your faults we would have you still, but, for your own sake and ours, have a rest.' No matter what the judgment is, I will- take the count like a man." Immigration Question The immigration question was discussed at a recent meeting of the South Auckland Association of Country Chambers of Commerce. The following remit was received from the Te Aroha chamber and forwarded to the Government: "That the South Auckland Associated Chambers impress upon the Government the urgent necessity of investigating the immigration question with a view to increasing the population of New Zealand, and of forming a definite plan of immigration." It was decided to add to the remit "that steps be taken to educate the people of Britain as to what New Zealand can offer." ""Private Enterprise Not Shackled" "You have been told by Nationalist propagandists on the platform and in the anti-La-bour press, which means nearly all the daily newspapers and mushroom journals, that the Government's legislation has shackled private enterprise and robbed them of profits," said the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage), speaking at a picnic held by the Wairarapa branch of the Labour Party on Saturday. "The aggregate private income has increased 36 per cent, in two years. This means a gain of £37,000,000, so that actual facts confound these prophets of disaster. Within 18 months of Labour rule about 1350 new companies were registered, and the number of registered factories last year increasd by 692." Press Association. Medical Inspection of Ships Until the infantile paralysis epidemic in the eastern states of Australia abates all passenger vessels arriving at Auckland from Australia must anchor in the stream for medical inspection. This order was issued by the Health Department last week. Until a few months ago it was the practice for all passenger steamers to remain in the stream for medical inspection, but for the convenience of travellers, particularly tourists on cruise liners, whose stay is very limited, vessels carrying a ship's doctor have for some time past come alongside immediately on arrival. The port health officer would then verify the bill of health compiled by the ship's doctor. Letter to Prime Minister "Poor Mr Savage!" said the Magistrate, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, in the Auckland Police Court recently when a man charged with relief frauds explained that he had written to the Prime Minister about his case. "It is no wonder that he is so ill and knocked out if he gets letters like that," the Magistrate added. "1 think that in my case I had a perfect right to communicate with the Prime Minister," the man replied. "Of course you had," said the Magistrate. Music in Blue Baths Advice has De'en received by the Rotorua Borough Council- from the district manager of the Tourist Department that the Minister in charge of the Tourist and Publicity Departments has approved of £ 100 v being placed on the estimates for the provision by the Municipal Band of music in the Blue Baths during the current season. Money Under the Pillow "I say, did you find about £2OO under the pillow in my room after I left?" This was the opening of a recent telephone conversation between Mokau and Stratford. The person at Mokau had been a guest at a Stratford hotel the night before on his way to Waitomo as a member of a motor touring party. He put £2OO in notes of mixed denominations under his pillow for the night and went off the next morning leaving the £2OO nestling under the pillow. He telephoned from Mokau after discovering his loss and found that the money was safe.