General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23000, 20 April 1940, Page 10

General News

Hospital Use of Margarine The Waikato Hospital Board decided at a meeting on Thursday not to use any more margarine for cooking purposes. It . was reported to the board that last year 12541 b of margarine was used in the year, representing £39 Bs, and if butter were used the cost would be £B6 14s 3d. Members stated that, in view of the concern expressed by farmers at the increased use of margarine, the board should use butter. A motion to reduce the consumption of margarine as much as possible brought forth an amendment that no margarine be purchased, and this was carried.—Press Association. Beautification of City “Christchurch, does not require any further beautification in the way of trees and yet the fine admirable spirit that prompts the people to plant more beautiful trees and flowering shrubs goes on,” said the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday. As a consistent advocate of the value of trees in beautifying the cities, towns and roadsides of the Dominion and the preservation of native bush, Mr Parry said he never failed, when time allowed, to make a visit to the Botanic Gardens and to some of^ the many city avenues of trees. "Summer or winter,” he added, “the trees look stately and have a charm which attracts admiration.” Extra Land Required Extra land is required by the North Canterbury Hospital Board for extensions to the laundry and engineering shops attached to the Christchurch Hospital. The suggestion that an area of land owned by the State, and close to the hospital, should be made available for the extensions was made to the Minister for Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) yesterday. He promised that he would convey the representations to the Minister for Health (the Hon. P. Fraser). “There is no doubt that room for extension is needed,” said Mr Armstrong, commenting on his visit to the hospital and his inspection of the site proposed to be used for the new laundry and engineering blocks. “A serious strain on the facilities of the hospital has followed the introduction of the social security scheme, and extensions have been made very rapidly. Both the laundry and engineering departments are cramped.” Schools in Canterbury The needs of 331 schools with 34,092 children on their rolls were attended to by the Canterbury Education Board during 1939. according to the annual report of the board. The total included 15 district high schools attended by 742 pupils and two intermediate schools with a total of 819 pupils. , There were employed at the end of the year 154 head teachers, 150 sole teachers, 583 assistants, 91 probationary assistants, three additional assistants, and 70 relieving teachers. Hedgehog Pest The- increasing hedgehog pest was emphasised by the Minister for Internal Affairs, in a’ statement he made yesterday to a deputation. He said that a Christchurch member of Parliament had told him that his son had a' clutch of chickens being worried by some pest. Investigation showed, one night, a hedgehog actually in possession of one of the chickens. The hedgehog was taken inside, but held on stoutly to the chicken, which had to be taken from it by force. Another family had placed outside the door a large eel caught by the chilr dren from a nearby creek. A noise was heard later in the evening and it was .discovered that • four hedgehogs had started to make a. meal off the eel. Mr Parry reminded the deputation that the hedgehog had only one enemy, the terrier dog. He said the Minister for Public Works,, the Hon. R. Semple, had a terrier that had proved a wonderful enemy of hedgehogs, bagging” eight from a swamp in one- afternoon. A Cunning Bird “We will have to take steps to deal’with a cunninger animal dr rather, bird, than the rabbit,” said Mr R. C. Todhunter at the high country runholders’ conference .at Lake Tekapo, “and that is the Canadian goose. We must take steps to deal with -this menace. It is ruining a lot. of the best of the high-country grazing. It is hard to deal with. I would'say thatit is even cunninger than a member of Parliament.” Boat for Sea Scouts A gift of a rowing boat from the wrecked steamer Waikouaiti was made by the chairman of the Bluff Harbour Board (Mr W. J. A. McGregor) to the Bluff Sea Scouts, The, boat, which was sold at auction recently with other equipment from the Waikouaiti, was purchased by the harbourmaster (Captain N. B. W. Haszard) on behalf of Mr McGregor for. presentation to the Sea Scouts. It is 21ft long and is built of kauri. Short Season for Game Allegations said to have been made at a meeting of some of the South Island Acclimatisation Societies, that the secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, Mr G. L. Pomfret-Dodd, had committed South Island sportsmen to the short season of a fortnight for game were denied by the‘Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday. Receiving a delegation from the North Canterbury Society. Mr Parry said that he had read the proceedings of some South Island societies and gained the impression that allegations had been made against Mr Pomfret-Dodd. “Mr. Pomfret-Dodd does not agree with me in everything; I do not agree with him. , But that does not matter,” Mr Parry said. “We should observe the usual sporting decencies and sportsmen should not read into a man’s activities, something he did not intend. I want to disabuse the minds of shooters that Mr Pomfret-Dodd committed them to a fortnight’s season. He did no such thing.” For the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, Dr. D. McK. Dickson, a member of a deputation waiting on the Minister, said: “We agree with what you have said, Mr Parry. We believe that Mr Pomfret-Dodd acted in no other way than what was intended.” Air Force Recruits In reply to a letter to the editor of “The Press” from a correspondent signing himself “Pilot,” the Air Secretary (Mr T. A. Barrow) advises that the number of recruits which can be accepted each month for training is limited to the capacity of the establishments at present in operation. Moreover, when trainees are required to : undergo an educational course, acceptance is subject to satisfactory • completion of that course. The position will be considerably alleviated when the Empire \ir Training Scheme comes into full operation. The Air Secretary further states that an investigation is at present being made so as to ascertain the probable training dates of all successful applicants, and it is honed to dispatch advices on this point during May. Earth Tremor in the North A sharp earth tremor at 6.42 p.m. yesterday caused some alarm in Palmerston North. Inquiries, however, showed that no major damage had been reported.-—Press, Association. Urgency Required The urgency of the needs of the high-country runholders for, roine investigation by the Government into their difficulties was pointedly but "humorously emphasised at the conclusion of the runholders’ conference at Lake Tekapo yesterday by Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P. “If you don’t do something, and do it at once,” said Mr Burnett to.'the Minister for Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone), “all these high-country hard cases will follow you to your doortsep in Wellington, and get the boot to work.” ’ Opportunities on the Land There were always opportunities to-day for married men of - ambition to take up, employment in country districts, which-would lead to their'becoming Independent of employers, said the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. W E. Parry, yesterday. .The evacuation of young persons to the provincial towns of England was alreadv producing in them a liking for countrylife. The spirit and new life engendered in rhanv of those young persons would make them unwilling to return to the streets of London and thus the war evacuation would have- advantages as well as disadviahtages.