General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22418, 3 June 1938, Page 12

General News

Praise for Mr Semple “I should like to take this opportunity of congratulating the Hon. R. Semple on his motor regulations, and his endeavour to make the roads of New Zealand safer for the people,” said the president (Mr I. L. M. Coop) fit the provincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday. “If it were possible to calculate how many lives have been saved, and how many people have been saved from injury, I am sure everybody would agree that any increased expenditure has been 1 well worth while.” Additional Branches of Farming ' The development of tobacco growing, the possible establishment of a sugar-beet industry, and the cultivation of certain cereal and seed crops as additions to present branches of agncultural work in the Dominion, are suggested in the report on immigration which has been issued by the Five Million Club. The report also states that it should be possible to develop the poultry and game-bird industry to the point of packing for export. Another suggestion for the future of farming is that steps should be taken as soon as possible to establish a Fairbridge Farm School in New Zealand. Publication of Statistics Delays in the issue of the Monthly Abstract of Statistics are causing concern to the Can-, terbury Chamber of Commerce, which has been corresponding with the Hon. W. Nash (Minister in charge of the Census and Statistics Departments) in an attempt to find out the reason for the delays. The council was not satisfied with a letter it received last evening from the Minister, which did not give specific reasons. It was decided to write again, stating that the value of the abstract to the chamber depended largely on its being received as soon as possible after the end of the month to which the statistics applied. Importance of Poultry Industry The importance of the poultry industry in New Zealand was shown in figures given by Mr H. J. Butler, of Christchurch, when opening the annual show of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon, Canary, and Cat Club last evening. In 1874, he said, there was a total of 1,058,198 head of poultry in New Zealand, representing 3.5 a head of the population. The total- in 1886 was 1,679,021, or 2.9 a head; in 1906 it was 3,187,669, dr 3.6 a head, and in 1936 it was 4,019,076, or 2.6 a head. The annual estimated production of eggs in the Dominion was 375,000,000, but the annual export of eggs in all forms amounted to only about 5,000,000. It was estimated that the annual consumption of eggs in all forms in New Zealand was 370,000,000.. The average annual consumption of wheat by the poultry industry from 1933 to 1936 was 1,666,000 bushels. Roaming Dogs “There are as many dogs as human beings in Amberley, and they seem to be given as much care and attention as human beings, except that they are not tied up at night,” said Mr M. I. Malthus, of Amberley, at the North Canterbury Farmers’ Union conference yesterday. He was moving a remit that dogs should not be permitted to roam at large at night, because of damage they did to stock. The conference adopted the remit in an amended form, deciding to ask the Government for an amendment to the Dogs Registration Act, compelling all owners to tie up their dogs at night. Measles Epidemic in Wellington “The measles epidemic which is affecting attendances at primary schools in Wellington is running its expected course, most of the cases being mild,” said Dr. F. S. McLean, Medical Officer of Health in Wellington, yesterday. Dr. McLean added that there had been no deaths as far as was known, and the department was not viewing the position with any alarnf. The closing of schools during the term holidays had left the officers of the department somewhat in the dark as to the spread of the epidemic, Dr. McLean said, but from the reports of headmasters after the schools resumed it had been established that the outbreak, which had originally affected only the schools/in the Seatoun and Thorndon areas, had moved more into the middle of the city. There were 20 or 30 cases in Wellington south and Newtown among school children, but he could not say how'many younger children were affected, as, although headmasters notified cases, measles was not a notifiable infectious disease. —“The Press” Special Service. Cheaper Radio Licences Advocated A reduction in the cost of radio licences because of the large increases in revenue and unnecessary surpluses put aside annually to the reserve account was suggested in a remit adopted at the annual meeting of the South Canterbury executive of* the New _ Zealand Farmers’ Union. In moving the remit, Mr B. E. Evans said that the number of licence-hold-ers, including traders, at the end of February was 281,450, an increase in 12 months of 44,847. He said that in contrast with the Telegraph Department, which had to devote a good deal of its subscriptions in upkeep, it cost the Broadcasting Service just as much to provide a programme for 200,000 or 300,000 listeners as for 10 or 12. A balarfce of £94,519 had been transferred in one lot to the accumulated reserve account, which had then been increased to more than £350,000. Preparation of City Estimates The preparation of the City Council’s estimates for the current financial year has been begun, the finance committee having instructed the other standing committees to submit their proposals for expenditure. The council’s next meeting will be on Monday week, but this will be too early for the submission of the finance committee’s rating. proposals, and the council will not consider the estimates before July, at the earliest. Last year the estimates, which provided for a general rate of 2Jd in the £ on unimproved value, were adopted in July. Machines for Air Pageant Thirteen machines from the Flying Training School, Wigram, which will take part in the pageant to be staged by the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Rongotai, Wellington, to-morrow, left Christchurch for the north yesterday morning, taking off at intervals between 7.30 and 9 o’clock. There were eight Vickers Vildebeests, three Avro 626’5, and two Gloster Grebes, all under the command. of Squadron Leader G. S. Hodson, officer commanding the school. Thirty-two officers and men from the school have made the trip to Wellington, and they will bring the machines back on Sunday and Monday. Fowlhouses and By-laws During recent inspections it was found that several fowlhouses erected in backyards did not comply with the borough by-laws,_ particularly regarding air space, stated the inspector (Mr G. A. Booth) in his report to a meeting of the Petone Borough Council. Before a fowlhouse could be built on a section 2000 square feet of space free from any erection was required, and the fowlhouses were not to be erected within 20 feet of any dwelling, three feet from a boundary fence, and six feet from a street. Persons keeping fowls under conditions that did not comply with the requirements could expect a notice requesting the bylaw to be observed. In reply to a complaint by Cr. J. Gumming about the state of one fowlhouse, the inspector said that there was nothing in the by-laws restricting the number of fowls that could be kept on one section. Care of Stock More care in the shunting of goods trains containing stock is sought by the North Canterbury district of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The annual conference yesterday decided to protest to the railway authorities against “careless shunting.” It was also decided to ask that the Railway Department should provide smaller compartments in trucks for stock. A Real Anniversary Last Sunday was a real anniversary .for the Rev. D. C. Bates, of Wellington, who conducted the memorial service held by Wellington South African War veterans to commemorate Vereeniging Day. Mr Bates, who was a chap-lain-colonel to the forces, was at Vereeniging when peace was made, and conducted the service celebrating peace on the next Sunday,