General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23087, 1 August 1940, Page 6

General News

Military Camp Toll Calls “The expeditious handling of telephone toll traffic to and ffoffl military camp offices has been one of the many problems arising out of the war that has had to be faced by the Post and Telegfaph Department,” said the Post-master-General (the Hon. P. C. Webb), in an interview last evening, “Because most of the men are occupied during the day the demand for toll calls from the main military_ camps is largely concentrated during the evening. It is the practice to give precedence to calls from camp offices over other orditiS-fy toll trolfic. Calls from camp offices during the day are charged the minimum. The charge for toll calls from Trentham to Wellington, Papakura to Auckland, and Burnham to Christchurch have been reduced from 5d to 3d.”—Press Association. . A Maori Fishing Net _ A paragraph in “The Press” on July 10 announced the presentation, of an ancient Maori fishing net to the Dominion Museum, Wellington, and quoted Mr R. S. Duff, of the Canterbury MUseum, who expressed regret that all trace had been lost of a very large net found at Laverick’s Bay, Banks Peninsula, about 30 years ago. Now, Mr J. R. H. Archer, of Christchurch, has presented to the museum a piece of the Laverick’s Bay net that he has had for 30 years. Mr Archer explained that the net was almost wholly rotted away when it was found in the cave by the late Mr J. T, Knight, of Laverick’s Bay. Air Mails from Christchurch Altogether 2941b soz of letters were sent away from Christchurch by air in July. Figures supplied by the Post and Telegraph Department cannot be compared with those of other months, or with last year’s figures because of the new system of measuring by weight and not by number; nor can they be compared with Julie figures because of the interruption to the steamer service which forced all mail into the air for a while. An analysis of the figures was available, however, showing that mails went from Christchurch as follows: To Nelson, 151b 12oz; to Wellington, 491b 8oz; to Palmerston North, 141b lOoz; to New Plymouth, 81b 8oz; to Auckland, 1491b 4oz (including 881b for overseas); to Dunedin, 471b 4oz; to Invercargill, 91b 7oz. A Claim for Damages A comment on the motives which may determine the exact figure of a claim for general damages was made by Mr Justice, Northcroft, addressing a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday. “The amount claimed is £6OO, he said. “It might have been £6OOO, or £60,000. That means nothing. It just means the very outside figure that they thought an their most optimistic moments a benevolent jury might give them.” More Births and Marriages This Year Births and marriages have both been much more numerous this year. _. Statistics were supplied by the registrar of births, deaths, and marriages (Mr J. J. McGahey) yesterday, The following pairs of figures are for July, 1940 and July, 1939, respectively:—Births, 254 (181); deaths, 189 (148); marriage notices, 186 (91); marriages by registrar, 35 (22). The following figures are for the first seven months in 1940 and in 1939 respectively;— Births, 1623 (1415); deaths, 962 (971); marriage notices, 1191 (892); marriages by registrar, 200 (173). Safety In Mines “It is pleasing to record the greater measure of co-opergtion which now exists between owners and workmen in the adoption and use of the latest types of safety equipment,” states the annual report to Parliament of the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb). “Protective helmets, commonly known as ‘hard hats,’ are now fairly widely used in our coal mines, and the value of this type of safety equipment will be appreciated when it is realised that, apart from a number of minor accidents', at least seven fatal accidents have been avoided since September, 1036, by the use of protective helmets in New Zealand coal mines.” The report records that three persons were killed and nine injured in metalliferous mines,. which employed 2924 men, there were five fatal and three serious accidents in stone quarries, employing 2083 men, and 17 persons were killed and 20 seriously injured in coalmines, where 4762 persons were employed. The year was marred by the regrettable, disaster at the Glen Afton Colliery, in which 11 men lost their lives. The necessity for strict compliance with statutory rules and regulations and unceasing vigilance on the part of officials and workmen were emphasised. Manufacturers Visit Burnham Members of the executive of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association paid a visit of irt•spection to the Burnham Military Camp yesterday afternoon. Few of them had been out to the camp since the programme of building construction was begun, and all were much impressed with the facilities provided for the comfort and recreation of the men. The inspection was particularly interesting to the manufacturers since many of them were engaged in industries which have been called on to supply equipment for the camp and the The party was met on arrival by Lieutenant-Colonel S, D. Mason, Officer Commanding, and was then conducted on a twohour inspection of the buildings, equipment, and supplies. Another Medical School Suggested The establishment of a medical school in Auckland was advocated by Mr A. G. Osborne (Government, Onehunga), in a question addressed to the Minister for Health (the Hon. H T. Armstrong), of which he gave notice m the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Osborne will ask the.Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the lact that the Otago University Council has decided to restrict severely the number of medical students at Otago University, ostensibly on the ground that accommodation is not available at the Otago Medical School, and whether in view of the pressing need for more doctors, the Minister will consider establishing a medical school in Auckland, where ample clinical material is available for the efficient training of the Dominion’s medical practitioners.— Parliamentary Reporter. Cameras in Trust Since the report last Thursday that more than 50 cameras belonging to enemy aliens had been impounded at the central P°lj ce station, Auckland, the aliens registration office has received numerous inquiries by telephone and personal calls about where and when the cameras could be seen, who were the owners, and'what price would be asked. All were informed the cameras were not for sale, nor would the owners’ names be disclosed. The position is that all photographic equipment seized under the' Alien Control Emergency Regulations is held in trust until the end of the war. 1 Phrase and the Phraser A recent slip of the tongue by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) led during the debate in the House of Representatives last evening to of the brightest quips heard there for a long time. The member responsible for the sally was'Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo), and the House accorded him full marks for his wit by shouting ’with laughter.’ For the second time during the debate, Mr Broadfoot had recalled that during the recent sitting of the House Mr Fraser had referred inadvertently lo Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) as “the member for Lge.” He was interrupted at that stage by the Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard), who said he must ask Mr Broadfoot not lo refer in that way to the member for Grey Lynn.- “I am sorry, Mr Speaker,” Mr Broadfoot said. “1 am afraid I have become tangled up with that phrase.” - Mr Fraser; The phrase seems to have caught your imagination. • “It wasn’t the phrase,” Mr Broadfoot replied quickly, “it was the phraser.” Mr Fraser joined as heartily as any in the laughter that followed.—From Our Parliamentary Reporter. Tuis af Mount Pleasant Two tuis have come to the native garden of Mr I. M; Baxter, at Mount Pleasant. Fourteen years ago Mr Baxter began planting native shrubs and trees on the bare hillside. Now he has more than 5000 flourishing native, trees in which hundreds of birds, including the native fantails arid warblers, nest yearly. This is the first year tuis have appeared and Mr Baxter hopes that the ample food and shelter will encourage .them to stay permanently* , ~. ..,