General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23202, 13 December 1940, Page 8

General News

Secular Education System “We may abound in material and intellectual wealth, but in moral and spiritual things we lag behind,” said Mr A. E. Flower, chairman of the Canterbury University College Council, at the Christchurch Boys’ High - School prizegiving last evening. “I cannot see that we shall develop a really good spiritual basis of life in this country if we go on with what I call a secular system of education. I know this is controversial, but that is the way I feel' about it. It docs not seem to me that this is right and proper in a British community.” Breeding New Wheats The production of new wheat varieties, a process which normally takes from 10 to 12 years, can be shortened by two years by a method at present being used by the Wheat Research Institute. The method is to use a glasshouse for the growing of the earlier generations of the'crosses which produce new wheats, and thus to pack into two years work that would take four if the seasons had to be waited on in the field. After explaining the method to the members of the Wheat Research Institute yesterday, the institute’s geneticist. Dr. O. H. Frankel, said: “If a useful variety were to emerge from any of these crosses, its earlier distribution would amply repay the expenditure involved in glasshouse cultivation. Taking of Toheroas Maoris in the Auckland provincial district will in future be able to take 80 toheroas in one day from beaches in that district, instead of 50 as heretofore; but not more than 50 toheroas may be taken in any one day in any other part of the Dominion, according to an amendment to the Sea Fisheries Regulations gazetted last night. The use of spades shovels, or similar instruments having a blade ot a width not exceeding four inches will be allowed in the Auckland district, but not in the Wellington district.—Press Association. “Bishops of Tougher Fibre” “Since we met here for the prize-giving last year, our warden has succeeded to the Primacy of our Church in New Zealand. He is the fourth warden of the college in 90 years, and it is perhaps not remarkable that having ruled on the average for so long, each of them should have become Primate,” said the headmaster of Christ’s College (Mr R. J. Richards) m his annual report at the college prize-giving ceremony yesterday morning. Incidentally, m those 90 years there have been 13 headmasters From that one might draw the conclusion that the headmaster has a more exacting life than the warden. But when I see the multifarious problems and worries that confront the Archbishop I am driven to the alternative conclusion that the bishops must have been of tpugher fibre.” Patriotism Among Typists Letters of congratulation have already begun to arrive for the patriotic Government typist who announced her intention of going without stockings in summer time to help reduce the demand for silk ones. Yesterday the staff of another Government department followed her example, and it is reported that more are contemplating doing so. The idea seems likely t.o be taken up by hundreds of young women. They regard it as an opportunity to practise economy and patriotism at the one time. Territorials’ Security Levy An amendment affecting territorials has been made to the Social Security Contribution Regulations, 1939. The new regulations enable the Minister for Finance to declare that tne provisions which exempt members of the special forces from liability to pay the quarterly registration fee of 5s shall not apply to specified classes of persons included in those forces. It is understood that the regulations will have no relation to the permanent forces, or members of the overseas forces; but will relate only to territorial units called up for temporary training. Members of these territorial forces will remain liable to pay the quarterly fee m the same manner as ordinary civilians—Press Association. Women’s Institutes’ Gift to War Funds A sum of £ISOO has been received by the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) as a straight-out gift towards war expenses from the Dominion Federation of Women’s Institutes. “This welcome addition, to the funds needed for war purposes has been made possible by the decision of the federation to forgo its annual conference and to pay the money thus saved into the War Expenses Account, said the Minister in thanking the donors for their generous action. “I think this is a particularly fine gesture and one worthy of special commendation.”——Press Association. The Modern Generation “You will not wonder that we are proud, just as in New Zealand we are proud, of our men serving overseas,” said the headmaster of Christ’s College (Mr R. J. Richards), in referring in detail to the prominent part played in the war by old boys of the school, during his address at the prize-giving ceremony yesterday morning. “Those of you who have listened to my yearly reports will know that I have never belittled the modern generation. ' They play and work at least as hard as we did, and in many ways are far more competent than we were: and their doings in this war so far justify the faith we have had in them.” War and the Aims of Youth . M We don’t want war- I am sure that you young men don’t want war,” said Dr. G. Jobberns, lecturer in geography at Canterbury University College, at the prize-giving ceremony of St. Andrew’s College yesterday. *‘t suppose that all you really want when you leave school is a job and security to work in it and work out your destiny in life,” he said. “You want a home of your own to take your blushing bride to when you find her, a mantelpiece of your own to put your feet on —when she will let you. That’s all most people want, the simple joys of ordinary, decent, independent living. The people of Europe don’t want war, and I am convinced that when Hitler and Mussolini are put in their proper place by history and occupy a few lines in the school history book, the life of the common people will go on much as it has ever done.” Christmas Cablegrams The following message has been received by the manager in Auckland of Cable and Wireless, Ltd., from his head office, London: —“We wish to draw attention to the exceptional conditions affecting Christmas and New Year traffic this season. A large volume of traffic is anticipated. It would be in the interests of users and public correspondence generally if telegrams were handed in as early as possible before Christmas and the New Year. Greetings and social messages for places overseas, including messages to and from members of His Majesty’s forces, may be handed in now and will be delivered as far as possible at a suitable time before the day to which they refer, Messages for delivery by Christmas Day should be handed in by December 20 at the latest.”— “The Press” Special Service. Fate of a Donation Difficulties met by the South Island Motor Union in an endeavour to send a donation of £250 to the London Distress Fund for the assistance of members of the Automobile Association in England were recounted at a meeting of the executive of the union last evening. A letter from the union’s bankers quoted a ruling by the Reserve Bank that “as provision had been made officially to raise a fund fof the relief of distress caused by air raids, applicants might make their donations to this fund locally.” Members expressed the view that the object of their donation was not so rpuch to make a contribution to the general New Zealand fund, but to give special assistance to an affiliated organisation in the same way as a branch would transfer money for ’the assistance of another branch. It was left to the president (Mr W. B. Carey) to carry the matter further in the hope of obtaining approval for the dispatch of the money in the form desired,