General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23055, 25 June 1940, Page 8

General News

Year’s Heavy Rainfall The rainfall up to June 15, measured at the Selwyn Plantation Board’s headquarters at Darfield, was 14.71 inches, compared with 6.43 inches in the same period last year, it was reported at the meeting of the board yesterday. The superintendent (Mr E. A. Cooney) said that though frosts up to 16 degrees had been recorded at the nursery, the trees had suffered no damage and all trees were hardening-off well. A Job Wanted “I could wheel a barrow with Mr Semple for 10 minutes, but perhaps not for eight hours,” said Mr G. M. Hall at a meeting called yesterday by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to meet the Minister. “I feel horribly inactive at present, and there are scores of other men in Christchurch who feel the same. I do hope for the sake of the men in my class that the Government will take us into consideration.” Steamer Express Service Daylight trips in the steamer express service between Lyttelton and Wellington will continue all this week. The Rangatira arrived last night from Wellington and cargo was worked until midnight. She is to sail this morning for Wellington. The Niagara’s Cargo Cargo is now reported to have broken free from the Niagara, which was sunk off the coast by what is believed to be an enemy mine. Quantities have been observed floating in the sea, and there are reports that some has been washed ashore. It is believed that the authorities have already taken possession of small quantities.—Press Association. Control of Rugby Games The Canterbury Rugby Union has written to the Canterbury Rugby Football Referees’ Association asking that the referees’ association should appoint an advisory committee to assist the union’s competitions committee in selecting referees to control representative and higher grade matches. The referees’ association considered the request at its meeting last evening. The chairman (Mr J. C. F. McLachlan) reported that the object of the proposed advisory committee was to oversee all referees in Canterbury with the idea of helping the competitions committee in its appointment of referees. Certain members of the Rugby Union considered that, at the present time, certain referees in Christchurch had not sufficient control .to be in charge of senior and representative matches. There was also the question of temperament, which had a lot to do with the satisfactory functioning of a referee. It was hoped by the appointment of an advisory committee to assist the referees themselves by making them aware of their faults in control and the like. After a short discussion it was decided to appoint the executive of the association as the advisory committee. New Brighton and Dunkirk New Brighton had little to worry about in the event of an attack from the air, said Cr. W. E. S. Furby at a meeting of the New Brighton Borough Council last evening. The council was discussing the proposal to issue to householders in Christchurch a booklet outlining precautionary measures which could be adopted “in the event of a major disaster.” Cr. Furby said it was difficult to say whether ,any military menace was envisaged in the proposal, which referred specifically to earthquakes. “But New Brighton is surrounded by sandhills, similar tp Dunkirk, and bombs dropping in the sand are not very effective.” Cheese for the Forces An announcement that Mr F. W. Burley, of Hamilton, who recently made a donation of £SOO a year for the duration of the war and six months thereafter, had given £IOOO for the purchase of a gift of cheese for distribution to the men of the Navy and the Army was made by the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) yesterday. Mr Nash said that recently the Minister for Industries and Commerce had invited exhibitors at the centennial exhibition to give their stands. to the Government for demolition and use of the materials in remodelling the building, which will be used by thfe Air Force. Wellington Co-operative Taxis, although not exhibitors, have handed to the Government, 25 fully paid shares in the exhibition company “as an expression of goodwill from a small organisation.”—Press Association, Purchase of Maori House Approval of the proposal to erect in Christchurch the carved Maori meeting house from the centennial exhibition was given by the New Brighton Borough Council last evening. It was reported to the council that the cost to the borough would be £39 a year over a period of 10 years, to meet its share of the £IO,OOO to be spent on the purchase, transport, and erection of the house, to be followed by a lower annual charge for maintenance. t Influenza at Papakura So rapid has been the recent improvement in the .influenza outbreak among soldiers of Papakura camp that more than 100 of the beds ■at the Teachers’ Training College are being removed immediately. Only 81 patients were left at the college yesterday. The total number Of cases has dropped to 268, and as a result it is proposed to begin by closing the emergency hospital at the training college and to transfer any patients who are left to the Ellerslie racecourse, wards. Ellefslie yesterday accommodated 154 of the men.—Press Association. Back-country Experiences "Among the finest work is that done in the country schools,” said the chief inspector for the Wanganui education district (Mr B. N. T. Blake) in ap address to the Wanganui Rotary Club, There was a school in the King Country, he said, where the children started at 7i30 a.m. and midday was about 10.30 a.m., the times being arranged to fit in with the timber workers’ hours. A visit to a school in North Auckland necessitated a journey by boat, which was rowed by a Maori about 70 years of age. His reply to Mr Blake’s suggestion that he should take a turn at rowing was: “No, sir, it is ah honour that I should row one of the King’s inspectors.”. Rural Militia Force “Having due regard to the scale of attack possible against New Zealand, I have to inform you that the plans and training programme now in hand are adequate to meet any possible hostile action.” This reply has been received from the Minister for Defence , (the Hon. E. Jones) by the Auckland Provincial Farmers’ Union to its recent suggestion that the formation of a rural militia force should be considered. The Minister added that the plans included garrisons necessary for the immediate opposition of any possible enemy lancing, as well as strong and well-equipped mobile formations in the best strategic locations. If at any time it was considered necessary to increase the size of any of the forces provided for, that would be done, but any such expansion for obvious reasons would have to be carried out within the framework of the armed forces proper. “The executive of the union considers that our situation is far too serious for it to accept the Minister’s reply as final, and strongly urges that the whole question be considered again immediately and action taken,” states A letter sent to the Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) by the provincial;secretary of the union (Mr A. E. Robinson). Congested Telephone System Because of the flood of rumours which circulated throughout Auckland city and suburbs the morning after the sinking of the Niagara, the telephone system became overloaded to the point where it became necessary for the Post ahd Telegraph Department to broadcast a message requesting the public to Use the telephone only for Urgent and business calls. At some periods the telephone circuits were congested with calls. Women’s Help in War An instance of J the willingness of young, women to assist in the war effort was given in Hamilton, when four typists gave up an afternoon to assist in the Hamilton Army office. Finding his Staff overwhelmed with preparations for the mobilisation of the Ist Battalion, Waikato Regiment, the adjutant sent out a call for typists and within 10 minutes four young women volunteered. They were able to complete the work by 5 o’clock in the evening.