General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22339, 1 March 1938, Page 8

General News

f„ j ■■ —• .•ij'lli Books for Crippled Children Library service is to be provided for crippled children in the Christchurch Public Hospital by the Canterbury Public Library. The Canterbury University College Council, which administers the library, has arranged to supply children’s books to the 20 crippled children in ward 14 at the hospital. The books are to be exchanged at regular intervals. Riccarton Borough Rates About 60 per cent, of the Riccarton Borough Council’s rates for the current year has been paid and there are still two days before the imposition of the penalty. Of the levy of £20,764, dues amounting to £12,024 had been paid up to yesterday afternoon. The position is almost the same as that at the corresponding time last year, when £11,316 had been paid of a total rate of £ 19,444. One Bankruptcy Petition Only one petition in bankruptcy was filed in Christchurch during February and that by a foreman. One petition was filed in the same month last year. Gift to College Library A bequest of £IOO to the funds of the Canterbury University College library has been made under Vie will of the late Mrs Annie Overton. The gift is in memory of Mrs Overton’s husband, Mr Charles Overton, and of her step-son, Mr Guy Stanley Overton, who was killed in action during the war, and was at one time inspector of reserves for the Canterbury University College Council. Opening of Gore Aerodrome The official opening of the Gore aerodrome, which was to have taken place last Saturday, has been postponed indefinitely. The aerodrome is controlled by the Southland Aero Club, and the Canterbury Aero Club was to have been represented by three machines. Trees for Melbourne Streets During the next two years, said Mr W. J. Humm at the monthly meeting of the Beautifying Association last evening, Melbourne streets will receive 5000 more trees. They will be planted-in 300 streets and will keep an army of relief workers busy for nearly two years. So that the best results will be achieved, and to create harmony, elms, planes, and English ash will be the trees most used, placed so as to best offset the surroundings of the streets selected. One thousand pounds has been allotted for tree guards by the City Council. Loitering Motor-Cyclists Motor-cyclists who loiter near the corner of Straven road and Riccarton road on Friday nights have caused annoyance to passers-by, according to a report made by Cr. H. Odell to the Riccarton Borough Council last evening. He said that last Friday night five motor-cyclists were at the corner, taking up a considerable amount of road space, interfering with traffic, and having their exhausts going noisily. Cr. R. G. Malcolmson agreed to take the matter in hand and take suitable action to eliminate the nuisance. College Memorial Window After eight years’ delay the Canterbury University College War Memorial Window may arrive in Christchurch within the next few months. The College Council has been advised by the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London (Mr W. J. Jordan) that it is hoped to ship the window in April. About 10 years ago the College Council commissioned Mr Martin Travers, an English artist, to design a war memorial window to be erected at the north end of the college hall. Since then there have been constant delays, and although various members of the council and others have endeavoured when in England to have the work speeded up, they met with little success. Early last year the council decided to ask the High Commissioner to see what could be done, and a promise was obtained from Mr Travers that the window would be completed in three months. Returned Soldiers’ Membership Membership of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association now stands at 2893, compared with 2343 at the same date last year. The membership is now greater than that of the Dunedin association, 2621, at February 15. Last year the Dunedin association had a greater membership than the Christchurch association, with a total of 2555. Otira Gorge Blocked Again The Otira Gorge road, blocked to traffic as a result of a cloudburst on the night of January 14 and reopened on Friday of last week, was yesterday again rendered impassable. Heavy rain yesterday at Otira caused a flooding of a temporary road-diversion, which had been built in the riverbed because of a slip of shingle at the time of the cloudburst.. As a result cars were held up. However, it is not anticipated that, given fine weather, it will take very long to restore the road. Christchurch Wreath for Sydney A distinctive wreath has been ordered by the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association to be carried by the New Zealand contingent in the Anzac Day procession in Sydney during the sesquicentenary celebrations. It will consist of lYiap of New Zealand formed of poppies on a blue plywood base, which will stand out four inches from the map outline. The letters N and Z will appear in white on the maps of the North and South Islands respectively. Wind Causes Rivers to Rise One effect of the strong north-west wind yesterday has been to cause most of the Canterburv rivers to become dirty and swollen, ihe rivers are not in heavy flood, although there was a fair volume of water yesterday in the Rangitata and the Waitaki rivers. The Rakaia and Waimakariri rivers were dirty, but not a great deal above their normal levels. Not much rain has fallen in the back country, but the sky was threatening in some of the hill country last night. Work for Returned Soldiers Registrations with the employment officer of the Christchurch Returned Soldl f * for the period ended February 26, 1938, totalled 295 including new registrations and New Brighton and Sumner registrations. Work was subsidised for 129 men for 120 days at a cost of £SO 12s Work found, without subsidy covered 20 days. Farmers Not Growlers He had found that farmers did not grumble more than other people, said the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) when speaking at a farmers’ field day at the Wallaceville Laboratory. Emphasising the need of the Government to be in touch with those who had grievances Mr Nash said he thought the Government’had done a lot, comparatively speaking, for railwayman and other workers, but plenty of complaints were still being put forward. On on© occasion th 6 Prim© !Minist©r and n© had been discussing matters with railwayman, who expressed appreciation of all that had been dfane for them and then said, “But——” and took two and a half hours to explain what was still wrong. Another . time, .he was speaking with 40 or 50 farmers who began by saying thev were grateful for all that had been done for y them, ‘*But ” and here followed two hours of complaints. Surveying in Molesworth District The survey gang which is in the Molesworth district is having unusual weather for February Wet weather and fogs have delayed its work" which is mostly carried out at night with powerful flashlights from the high trig stations. Mount Gladstone (7780 ft) and Mount Tapuuenuka (9465 ft), the highest mountains on the Marlborough side of Mount Cook, have trig stations, and equipment will have to be carried to the top of these peaks. This is part of a survey of the whole of the South Island which will take several years to complete.