General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22429, 16 June 1938, Page 10

General News

Parking at Ferry Wharf A deputation from the Automobile Association, Canterbury, yesterday waited on .the harbour improvement committee of the Lyttelton Harbour Board to discuss the enlargement of the present parking facilities for motorists on the wharf at Lyttelton—a subject which has been discussed by the association for years. A report of the conference, which was also attended by local body representatives and officials of the Railway Department, was given last night’s meeting of the association by Mr F. W, Freeman. No definite decision had been made, he said, the action to be taken resting with the board, but he was confident that some good result must come of the conference. Eighty-three on Monday One of Canterbury’s old settlers, Mr Luke Coleman, of Halswell, who will celebrate his eighty-third birthday on Monday, asserts that it is his good sense of humour which has kept him as hale and hearty as he is to-day. Mr Coleman, who was born in Lincolnshire, came to New Zealand nearly 60 years ago, when his first work was on a farm, and since then he has been back to England twice. Mr Coleman, whose faculties are unimpaired by age, is remarkably healthy and strong. Onekaka Steel Industry “We are testing every step of the way,” said the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), when asked in Wellington if there had been any developments in the proposed State iron and steel industry at Onekaka. “It is not possible at this stage to say anything further than that no major steps of any kind are being taken until the work of testing for supplies of ore and coal, both as to quantity and quality, has been completed. I have got to know that there are sufficient supplies of proved ore and coal for many long years to come before other phases of the question can be given serious consideration.” —Press Association. The Rannerdale Home The -Rannerdale Home for returned soldiers has cared for a total of 189 men since it was established in 1921, according to the annual report of 'the Canterbury Patriotic Fund, presented at the annual meeting of the executive of the fund yesterday. Thirty-five of those admitted have died and 134 have been discharged. In the last 12 months, the report states, the highest monthly average of patients has been 22.32, and the lowest, in the Christmas vacation, 12.03. Record Number of Hours Flown A record number of hours ,flown was recorded by the Canterbury Aero Club during the 11 months ended on March 31, the total being 2778, compared with only 2274 in the previous 12 months. The hours were made up as follows: Instruction (dual and solo), 634; hire, 1362; commercial, 287; civil reserve and Air Force training, 495. “No 40-Hour Week Then” “There was no 40-hour week in those 1 days,” said Mr Luke Coleman, who will be 83 on Monday, commenting on the working conditions of New Zealand in his early days. “We worked 16 hours a day for six days a week and we were paid a shilling a week. I had a penny to myself.” Mr Coleman, whose job it was to watch the pigs foraging in the stubble and to keep them within their bounds, said that there was another young man who had the lowly job of stoning the crows, for which he received the same remuneration. This man, he revealed, was now, a very prominent Canterbury man and a former member of Parliament. _ Later Mr Coleman went “out to service” —a kind of apprenticeship to a landowner. For £5 a year, he worked from 5 o’clock in the morning till 8 o’clock at night. Motor-boat for Nauru Island Built for carrying passengers and mails between steamers in the roadstead at Nauru Island and the shore, a fast 28-foot motor-boat will be launched from the yards of Messrs Collings and Bell (Auckland), in the next few days. The boat, which is to the order of the British Phosphate Commission, is of unusual design and construction. It has to negotiate the surf-bound gap in the reef, and when not in use is to be hoisted in davits near the loading cantilever. To minimise the risk of swamping, the boat is divided by transverse watertight bulkheads into four compartments. The forward one is for mails, the next for the helmsman, the third for the engine, and the after one for the accommodation of about 12 passengers. In view of the arduous service, the boat is of exceptionally strong construction. Her speed will be about 16 knots. The boat will be taken to Nauru Island shortly in one of the commission’s phosphate ships. A State Highway Wanted Support for a Nelson request that the Shenandoah road, in the Murchison district, should be made a State highway was given by the council of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, at its meeting last night. It was stated that the Shenandoah road, which is an alternative route to going over the Maruia Saddle after reaching Springs Junction on the Lewis Pass route, was becoming more popular, because of the absence of steep grades, than the trip over the Maruia Saddle. “Portuguese Men-o’-War” Recently numbers of “Portuguese men-o’-war” have been cast up on the Ninety-Mile Beach, North Auckland, their purple balloonlike shape being extremely noticeable. As these bags are filled with a poisonous liquid that may cause even death to any person bursting one of them, the local children have been warned not to touch them, but to cover them with sand. Indian Hockey Players’ Tastes “There will be no food problem with the team.” Such is the advice that has been received in Wanganui regarding the visiting Indian hockey team which is to arrive to-morrow afternoon. “The members, with one exception, do not eat ham or -bacon, and the three Hindus in the team do not eat beef. The only Sikh with the team is a vegetarian.” Struck by Golf Ball An unusual accident happened on the Castlecliff golf links at Wanganui, when a player -was struck on the top of the head by a ball driven from 200 yards behind. The ball just grazed the top of the head, parting a thick crop of hair neatly, and coming to rest about 30 yards further on. The player who was struck went down like a log, but fortunately was only stunned, and was on his feet again almost immediately and able to continue play. Political Changes in Dominion “It seems that we in New Zealand like to have the same Ministry in Parliament for a generation,” said Mr W. R. Lascelles in an address on politics to members of the Canterbury Advertising Club last night. “The political history of New Zealand shows that it has created and tolerated Ministries that have lasted for about 21 years.” From 1872 to 1891, with two exceptions, there had been a Conservative Government, and then came a Liberal Ministry, which remained in power until 1912, when Massey was returned with a Conservative Ministry. From 1912 to 1935 to all intents there had been a Conservative Ministry. “Now the question is whether we are going to have a Labour Ministry for a generation, or whether its activities have outstripped the wishes of the people,” Mr Lascelles remarked. A Rough-weather Passage

The Nobel Explosives Company’s auxiliary ketch Miro arrived at Auckland nearly two days late after a stormy passage from Dunedin. When on the East Coast the Miro was forced to turn back to shelter. In spite of her small size, the ketch has proved herself a remarkably good sea boat, and no damage was reported. After leaving Dunedin last Wednesday the Miro made an excellent run to East Cape; but on Sunday, between Cape Runaway and Whale Island, in the Bay of Plenty, she met a full gale from the south-west. The ketch was put back to Hick’s Bay, between Cape Runaway and East Cape, and arrived there early on Monday morning. The weather kept the Miro in shelter' for 33 hours. When the voyage was resumed the weather was moderate until a second gale from the south-east was met between Mayor Island and Mercury Bay. As the Hauraki Gulf was neared, the gale was from the east, conditions then being the most severe of any during the y^^o.-^xes3Association Vr^-