General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23845, 14 January 1943, Page 2

General News

School Sanitation “I cannot discuss the matter at this stage—not before it has been before my board,” said Mr C. F. Champion, secretary of the Christchurch Drainage Board, yesterday, when asked by a representative of "The Press” to name the schools he referred to when he said that work, which was quite contrary to the terms of the by-laws, had been done at some schools. Mr L. E. Rowley, secretary of the Canterbury Education Board, had said that no specific information of irregularities had been quoted by Mr Champion. Drive For £IO,OOO

Although the silver coin drive by postmen and postwomen for £IO,OOO to provide food parcels for prisoners of war and to help sick and wounded soldiers will bo made on January 30, holders of private boxes and others have already* made subscriptions. Mr L. F. Smith, chief clerk at the Post Office, and organiser of the drive, said yesterday that £2OO had already been received, many of the persons having sent in the price of a - parcel each. The City Council, he said, had given authority for a street appeal to be made on January 30, and collections in this would be made by about 200 members of the Post Office staff and of the Red Cross Society. Camp Garbage A recommendation to the Dominion executive that all garbage from military camps be boiled before being fed to pigs was passed at the meeting of the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday. Mr R. G. Bishop (chairman) said (hat a recent outbreak of swine fever in Australia had been traced to camp garbage including tinned sausage from America. Such an outbreak could be caused in New Zealand, he said. Harvesting Near Blenheim Wheat harvesting is proceeding well in the Blenheim district, according to a report yesterday from the acting-chief executive officer ,of (ho Wheat Research Institute (Dr. O. H. Frankcl), He said that before the present rain started the institute had received 12 samples of North Canterbury wheat for mois-ture-testing, and these samples had been quite satisfactory. Straying Pigeon A carrier pigeon, which had apparently strayed far from its course, was found by Mr W. W. Allen, Mill Dairy, Cust, on New Year’s Eve. It was thought (hat the pigeon might be one of those used by the Army, but a signals officer at Christchurch, after checking Ihc number, said it was not an Army bird, but probably one owned by a fancier at Hamilton. The pigeon has a silver band on fhe right log with the following inscription: 53 P 41. Accidents to Children More children die from accidents in the home than from accidents in the street in New Zealand. That is rather an alarming statement to make, but it is borne out by figures, slates a Health Department bulletin. In 1940,. for instance, 67 children under five years of age .died accidental deaths. More than half of these—3s of thorndied from accidents in and round the home. Swallowed objects that suffocated or punctured vital spots head the list and the others comprise deaths from burns, poisons, gases, suffocation, falls and mishandling of machinery,' Army Harvest Labour Scheme Appreciation of the way the Army had tackled the harvest labour problem by establishing camps in the farming areas was expressed by several members of the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday. Mr L. R. C. Macfarlano said that in his district men were “falling over themselves to help in any way possible,” and the farmers greatly appreciated having young fit men on the farms "to get things into swing.” Appeals Against Service The total number of men from the Dunedin military area included in the nineteenth ballot was 2323. The secretary of the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board at Dunedin, Mr W. J. M. Grant, said on Monday night t.iat approximately 1000 appeals had already been [received. With the number of appeals still coming to hand from the country districts and with the reopening of solicitors’ offices this week, ho expected, ho said, that the total would reach 1500, Beauty of West Coast “Many parts of the Coast reminded me of scenery I have seen in Europe —in fact, I would say that all the beauty of Europe seems to be concentrated in that strip of coastline on the West Coast of the South Island, yet always with a touch typical of Now Zealand,” wrote a recent visitor to Grcymouth, who had lived for many years in Central Europe. “There is the magnificence of the Swiss Alps, with the glaciers brilliant in the sunshine, the coastline north of Grcymoulh reminiscent of the nigged shore of- Dalmatia, and the dreamy meadows of Holland, the lovely lakes of the famous Sal/krimmergut. in Austria. Yet there is also the virgin bush typical of Now Zealand, with its impenetrable undergrowth, stately lotara, rimu. and fern trees, and the magnificent weird rock formations of Punakaiki. New Zealand and Russia Mr C. L. Carr, M.P., member for Timaru, would like (o be New Zealand s representative to Russia. At a wellattended meeting last' evening of the Society for Closer Relations with Russia he was associated on the platform with the Hon, W. E. Barnard, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr E. K, Braybrooke. Referring to a statement by Mr Barnard that he hoped steps would be taken to secure diplomatic relations a,nd that he had asked the Prime Minister in the House that this country should exchange diplomatic representatives with the Soviet Union, Mr Carr said: “I would like the job of going there as New Zealand’s representative, but l am afraid that the Prime Minister might like someone with a better balanced mind, someone who would weigh the pros and cons. I'm rather in favour of the cons,” he added, amid laughter and applause. Mr Carr quoted from a long list of modern literature on the Soviet Union. “When peace terms are discussed I hope the Soviet will be given a foremost say. Let us hope that Russia, our noble ally to-day, will bo our chosen friend hereafter,” Mr Carr said. A resolution that the Government be urged to open diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and arrange a diplomatic exchange ot Ministers was carried unanimously by the meeting.