General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23985, 28 June 1943, Page 4

General News

New Rakaia Gorge Bridge The deputation which waited on the chairman of the Main Highways Board (Mr W. L. Newnham) in Wellington on Thursday to discuss an increase in the width of the proposed new bridge over the Rakaia Gorge was favourably received. Mr Newnham indicated that he would make certain recommendations to the Main Highways Board, which, if given effect to, would be very satisfactory to the local bodies. The deputation consisted of Mr C. A. Campion (chairman of the Ashburton County Council), Mr T. E. Pearson (Selwyn County Council), Mrs A. N. Grigg, M.P., and Mr J. Acland, M.P. Excursion to Timaru Two excursion trains, carrying 198 and 324 passengers respectively, were run from Christchurch to Timaru yesterday morning. A train from Timaru to Christchurch carried 225 persons. Soldiers at Tonga Captain N. J. Paltridge, who was appointed recently to represent the National Patriotic Fund Board in Tonga, has written to the secretary, Mr G. A. Hayden, Wellington, giving particulars of the work he has in hand. One of his responsibilities was the running of a'recreation centre and rest camp on the island for the benefit of the troops. Captain Partridge writes as follows:—‘‘The recreation centre is going to be a great thing to keep men in the best of health. The place at present is not nearly ready, but<iU men are being sent in each Monday and Thursday for a three-days rest. I want to get this number up to 8U to 100 as soon as possible. I started some of the chaps off on golf and tennis today and they were thrilled. The table linen and ware are good; the men sleep between sheets, and you can imagine the effect this has on them. The mam hall, which is very large, will be

timed into a fine recreation room next week. I am more than pleased that I saw all the equipment for this centre on the boat before I left. Race Taxis Stormed Some of the conditions leading to the Auckland Taxicab Control Committee’s recent direction banning public taxicabs from carrying passengers to or from racing or trotting meetings were reported to' the Auckland City Council by the chairman of its public safety committee, Mr H. J. Butcher. “I visited the Waverley taxi-stand, which is the assembly place for the loading of race cabs, on June 5,” stated the report, ‘‘and I witnessed one of the most unruly and disgraceful scenes that could happen on a public thoroughfare. The crowd stormed the cabs out in the roadway as they approached, wrenching open the doors before the cabs had stopped, and the men and women were fighting and pushing each other to obtain a seat. Two traffic officers did their best to control the crowds, but it was impossible for them to do so. I was surprised that no one was seriously injured.” Old Newspaper Ceases Publication

The first meeting of creditors in connexion with the winding up of the Tuapeka Times Newspaper Company was held recently, the official assignee (Mr A. E. Bobbie) presiding, says the “Otago Daily Times.” As there was no quorum, the meeting was adjourned till July 15. The “Tuapeka Times” was one of the oldest papers published in Otago, and Mr D. Finlayson, who was present at the meeting, stated that he had been practising as a solicitor in Lawrence for the last 63 years, and that he was the sole surviving director of the company. Pupils “Walk Out” Sixty-two pupils who marched to the headmaster’s room and demanded their books, saying they had decided to remain away from school until a building to suit their requirements was erected at Bennydale State mine township, staged a remarkable demonstration at the Mangapehi School, in Taranaki recently. The headmaster acceded to their request, and the 62 pupils filed out of the school on their triumphal two-mile march with their books and bags to the township. Negotiations have been in progress for some time for the erection of a consolidated school at Bennydale, which would necessitate the closingdown of the long-etablished school at Mangapehi. Dobson Mine Idle

The Dobson State coalmine was idle on Saturday, when work would normally have been carried on. The men held a meeting to discuss union business at the bath-house, and the discussion lasted nearly an hour after the usual time for starting work. At the conclusion of the meeting, the men returned home. The James State mine, which was idle on Friday because of a dispute over rope-road bonus payments, resumed on Saturday. At a conference between the interested parties, it was agreed to refer the dispute to arbitration. Lease by Americans The United States Government’s Joint Purchasing Board in New Zealand has entered into an agreement with two freezing companies in the Auckland district for the lease of refrigerated storage. The arrangement is stated to be based on the Americans’ needs for holding various perishable supplies in cool storage and the lease is for no definite period, but can be terminated at the Americans’ option. The negotiations of the Joint Purchasing Board have been confined strictly to leasing storage space. Gift of Propeller Mrs N. M. Kain, mother of the late Flying Officer E, Kain, D.F.C., has presented to the Marton Borough Council a damaged wooden propeller sent from England in 1938. The propeller is from an early aeroplane in which Flying Officer Kain made a forced landing. The end of the propeller will be bound, and it will later be placed in the library under a portrait of Flying Officer Kain, painted and presented by Mrs Mary Prechnor, of England. Prohibition of Sale The Price Tribunal, which has the power to prohibit the sale of goods for which no price has been fixed, has advised the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association that it intends to exercise this authority as from the end of July. The decision was made after a meeting had been called by the tribunal of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, the New Zealand Federation of Traders and Allied Retailers, and the New Zealand Wholesale and Soft Goods Federation. Unless, therefore, merchants, suppliers, and retailers of the classes of goods affected. make early application for a fixed price they may find that they will be unable to sell those classes of goods without commit-' ting an offence. The tribunal had the power to take this step at the end of March, but up till now has not done so. Professor’s Views on Education

The views on education of Dr. G. Jobberns, Professor of Geography at Canterbury University College, are quoted in a recent issue of “Canta,” official organ of the Students’ Association, Canterbury College. Dr. Jobberns said that the chief difference between his time and the present was that the emphasis was now entirely on a somewhat nebulously defined free, dom. for the teachers and pupils. The most notable outcome of this was that the minimum standards necessary in primary teaching, especially in the elements of knowledge like the three R’s, were not being achieved. His concrete suggestions were—a compulsory certificate for every teacher; a higher standard of Training College entrance: more pay; a longer course; refresher courses in the vacations; a demand for other than scholastic experience in teachers, perhaps on the lines of the American Civilian Conservation Corps; and a recognition that New Zealand was a pastoral and not an urban country, and allowance made for this in training teachers. Motorists’ Camping Grounds

A decision to take steps to obtain the lease of an additional area of about 20 acres adjoining the present motorists’ camping ground at Hanmer Springs was made at a meeting of the council of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) last week. Mr F. W. Freeman said that the area was Government leasehold. It would provide unrivalled facilities for camping and should serve the needs of the association’s members for many years.