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Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22590, 21 December 1938, Page 10

The annihilation of time and distance by air travel has been exemplified to a Christchurch resident, Dr. H. T. J. Thacker, by a letter recently received from Dublin. The writer expressed regret that the letter would not arrive in time for Christmas, but it actually arrived six days before Christmas. It was posted in Dublin at 6.15 p.m. on November 30 and reached Dr. Thacker in Christchurch by air mail on December 19. Incidentally, the writer mentioned recently having had a visit from Mr James Stodart, who, at the age 9>i 87, is still "vjowteTiully well" and still in harness as a working journalist—the oldest working journalist in Great Britain. Mr Stodart was formerly editor of the "Irish Times," and is a vice-president of the Journalists' Association. "North Island wheatgrowers seem to think that Canterbury growers are the most pampered in New Zealand," said the president of the CustWest Eyreton branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union (Mr M. Spencer Bower), in commenting yesterday on the announced price for wheat and on the system of price fixing. "That is one of the troubles faced by the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) —he is between two fires. He has had the North Island fighting the South Island. I think he has done the best he could; but there is no doubt that he will either have to raise the price for wheat or reduce the costs borne by the farmers in the near future."

Entire satisfaction with the work of a man who has been for some time staff of the Municipal Electricity Department, on an adult training scheme, was expressed by the manager of the department (Mr E. Hitchcock) in a letter received by the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association last night. • The association, which had a special interest in the adult trainee, had previously written to the department expressing pleasure that he had been given such an opportunity to learn a skilled trade. "We have had some criticism and sometimes a suggestion of opposition in our endeavours to assist in this difficult matter of adults seeking a trade training. I was therefore the more glad to have your letter," said Mr Hitchcock's letter. One man in particular had fully justified the endeavour made, said the letter. Where a man,was prepared to go through a period of real hardship in order to avail himself of such an opportunity it was a pleasure to help him.