General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22376, 13 April 1938, Page 10

General News

No Paper on Good Friday “The Press” will not be published on April 15, Good Friday,

Fire Engine’s Strange Crew

A fire engine carried a strange crew through the city streets last night. Next to the driver rode the-Hon. J. K. Archer, M.L.C., and beside Mr Archer was Mr T. M. Charters, chairman of the Christchurch Fire Board, Ranged behind them were the other five members of the board. There was no screaming siren to draw attention to this brief and unusual dash, but there were many pedestrians who stopped and gazed. It was the maiden trip of the new engine bought by the board for its central station in Lichfield street at a cost of £ 1825. It was delivered to the brigade yesterday, and the superintendent of the brigade (Mr A. Morrison) hopes to have the machine ready for service by to-morrow. With a 90 horse-power engine, the machine is by far the most powerful owned by the board, and its modern equipment makes it the most efficient fire-fighting unit of the brigade’s fleet.

Catering tor Young Footballers

“There are a great many young players looking for football,” declared Mr E. V. Phillips at the meeting of the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union last evening when urging that city clubs should advertise that their membership lists were open to those wishing to play the game regularly. Mr Phillips said that boys’ organisations should be encouraged to go “under the wing” of city clubs and enter football teams in the under-age grades. . Passports Issued ui March

A record number of passports was issued to New Zealanders last month. Figures released by the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) show how the increased number of persons making visits abroad have caused the aggregate of passports to increase substantially. For the 12 months March 31 4765 passports were issued, an increase of 308 over the previous year, and a total which has dnly been exceeded once before, in 1930, when 4909 passports were issued. Last month 738 were issued. This was a record, and exceeded , the return for the corresponding month last year (654), which was Coronation year.—Press Association.

Membership Competition

“Although beaten, we are not disgraced, as we have shown an increase of 71 on last year’s figures,” wrote the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association to the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association last evening, offering congratulations to the Christchurch association on its fine membership figures and on winning the challenge between the two associations. The letter said that the membership at Dunedin at the end of March was 2729. “By dint of special training we hope that next year will show a reversal of form and that the soldiers of the. south will - come out on top,” it continued. “There is no doubt that this friendly rivalry does a tremendous amount of good and keeps the interest going.” The Christchurch membership at March 31 exceeded 3000. Musical Culture in America A violinist who, graduated as a youth with bis lifelong friend, Fritz Kreisler, at the Viennese Conservatorium of Music Mr Felix Winternitz of Boston, was a passenger for Wellington by the Maetsuycker, which arrived at Auckland yesterday. In recent years Mr Winternitz has been a musician with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manila Symphony Orchestra. “Individual cities on the Continent enjoy a wonderful musical life, but America as a nation is the one, in my opinion, that has the greatest musical culture of the present day,” said Mr Winternitz. “Great artists visit some countries a few times in their careers, yet America is never without frequent recitals from them. There are also finer facilities in America for greater audiences to hear the work of outstanding musicians and singers, who are at times taken so much to heart as to be regarded almost as public heroes.”—“The Press” Special Service. Foundation Stone for Law Courts Although tenders have not yet been called for the new Law' Courts to be erected in Christchurch, the foundation stone of the building will be laid by the Governor-General (Lord Galway) next Wednesday. The concrete base for the stone was put in. position yesterday. The stone will be laid at the edge of the circular drive between the present Magistrate’s Court and the Supreme Court, and in this position it will be the centre of the front of the new building, which will face the Avon river. Memorial Windows to the Rev. F. T. Read Memorial windows to the Rev. F. T. Read, who was a chaplain to the New Zealand Forces during the Great War and a president of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association, will be unveiled at the Edgeware Road Methodist Church on the afternoon of April 24. Advice to this effect was received by the executive of the association last evening from the Rev. H. S. Kings, minister of ’ the church. It was decided that members of the association be invited to attend and that the vice-president (Mr A. E, Haynes) speak for the association at the service. Culls to Fires During the year’ended March 31, 1938, the, 'Christchurch Fire Brigade answered 447 Calls. This was reported to the Christchurch Fire Board last night by the (Mr A. Morrison). Of these calls, 151 were false alarms, 67 being maliciously false. Last month the brigade received 38 calls, 12 being, false alarms and four of them being classified as maliciously false. Arrest of Drunken Drivers Whether Transport Department traffic inspectors should have power to arrest drivers suspected 'of being intoxicated was discussed by the executive of the South Island Motor. Union at a meeting last evening, when it was reported that the power of arrest was not favoured by the North Island Motor Union. Mr J, S. Hawkes said that he considered the inspectors. should have the power of arrest. They might be on duty in the country, where there were no constables. People went to dances and got drunk, and the inspectors should be able to make arrests. The chairman (Mr W. R. Carey) said that he agreed, if the principle were not abused. After brief discussion members recalled that the union had already agreed to support the. principle of arrest by inspectors, and the matter was taken no further. Gift of War Painting An oil painting entitled , “Becordel, 1916,” which was painted by Mr Archibald F. Nicoll, the well-known Christchurch artist, from sketches made on the spot, alongside the New Zealand horse lines in the Somme sector in September, 1916, has been presented by Mr Nicoll to the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association. The executive, at its meeting last night, decided to thank Mr Nicoll for his gift. The painting is now hanging in the association’s club rooms. Tourists’ Driving Licences Amendment to the legislation would be necessary if a request made by the South Island Motor Union to the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. Laurenson) that tourists holding licences in other countries be not required to obtain licences in New Zealand be acceded to. A letter from the commissioner received at a meeting of the executive of the union last evening stated that provision for making this concession was included in the Transport Bill which it was hoped to place before Parliament last session. Motorists from other countries could, however, obtain licences on presentation of their own licences. “Our idea was that they should use their own,” said Mr B. Falck. “I do not like the idea of their having to pay the charge for licences,” said Mr J. S. Hawkes. It was decided to take no further action as the matter was provided for in the bill. South Island Road Map The new road map of the South Island issued by the South Island Motor Union will differ in some respects from the old one, according to a report made at a meeting of the executive of the union last evening. Roads generally used, either paved or metal, will be marked in black, and other usable roads in brown. No grass roads or “paper” roads will be marked. It was decided to order 25,000 copies over a period of two years.