General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24052, 14 September 1943, Page 4

General News

Lambing Losses in Amur! County Amuri farmers estimate that the losses in lambing this year are greater than for many years., The losses have been not only over the recent cold wet weather, but during the last few weeks. The main reasons given for the severe losses were the very dry conditions during the autumn and an extremely cold spring with lack of sunshine. Other contributing factors were shortage of feed and continual rain and snowstorms. Losses have been reported by all farmers communicated with, some losing more heavily than others. Practically all lambs, born during last Wednesday night, which was bitterly cold and wet, died. Lambing is general throughout the flat country, but will not commence on the hills for another week or two. Designation of Council of Sport The question of the strictly amateur basis of the council was brought up by Mr A. R. Blank at a recent meeting of the Canterbury Council of Amateur Sport. Mr Blank, who is a delegate to the Dominion conference _of sports councils to be held soon, said he would like an expression of opinions on the subject, as the council had not yet formally drawn up its constitution. “I understand’ other councils admit professionals to their ranks," he said. Mr J. E. Jones said that as one of the primary objects of the organisation was to foster sport in the schools, he saw no reason why “professionals” should be debarred from this activity. He reminded Mr Blank that when the council was formed, delegates were not unanimous in their decision to include the word “amateur” in the name of the body. Another member appealed to the chairman (Mr E. V. Phillips), to “stand by the constitution of the council.” Erosion at Coal Creek The Minister of Transport (the Hon. J. O’Brien) has received advice that a grant of £B2OO will be made available for the protection works at Coal Creek. West Coast, providing the Grey County Council pays into the Public Works Department the . sum of £SOO as its contribution towards the work. It is reported that the Grey County’s contribution was paid in yesterday, so that the work may be started immediately. No Disturbance A rumour that there was to be a disturbance at the meeting was mentioned by the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), when he rose to introduce the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) at a meeting in the Civic Theatre last evening. “Anyone who tries to disturb the meeting will’ find himself disturbed very quickly,” said the Mayor. However, there were no disturbances and very few interjections while the Prime Minister was speaking. Unused Roads in Canterbury A common plan of action for dealing with unused roads in Canterbury is suggested by the Canterbury Progress League in a circular which has been sent to 21 county councils. The circular asks for information as to the total area of unused roads, the number under the control of county councils and whether any action towards using the roads is being taken. The secretary (Mr P. R. Climie) says in the circular that many of these unused roads are overgrown with gorse and other noxious weeds, and they are in many ways a source of worry and a serious embarrassment to adjoining property owners. They are mostly one and two chain roads, and represent in the aggregate many thousands of acres of waste' land, much of which might be put to some productive use.

Cricket Practices A suggestion that senior cricketers should be given the opportunity this reason to practise with good players from other clubs was made by Mr C. G. F. C. Hamilton, at a meeting of the Christ’s College Old Boys’ Cricket Club, held last evening. Mr Hamilton said that during war seasons, .senior players were handicapped by practising with lower grade players. He proposed that a “pool” of senior players from all the Christchurch clubs should be formed, which would arrange practices among itself.

Two Applicants for Licence Two applications for the transfer of what was apparently the same goods service licence were adjourned for further inquiries at a sitting of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority in Christchurch yesterday. Evidence given by the applicants showed that the original operator had had two vehicle authorities, one of which had been suspended when the holder went into camp. Each applicant for the transfer claimed to have negotiated for the vehicle authority remaining in operation. The Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langford) said that in any case the applications were out of order, as application would have to be made in each case for the deletion of the old authorities, and the issuing of new. Arthur’s Pass Route Open

The Public Works Department reported yesterday that the Arthur’s Pass route to Canterbury from the West Coast was open for motor traffic. The Lewis Pass route is also open. There have been no fresh reports of snow in either locality. Tomato Eelworm

“Studies of the eelworm population in the Nelson tomato houses and gardens have been commenced,’’ states the annual report of the Cawthron Institute. “The apparatus designed at the Rothamsted Experimental Station for the segregation of soil insects was not found satisfactory for eelworm counts, but better results have been obtained from a modification of the Baermann technique. Preliminary work has shown that the eelworm population increases rapidly after October. Tomatoes following lupins showed a higher eelworm population in the soil than tomatoes following grass. Root examination of tomato plants in the institute glasshouses showed a high percentage of root-knot nodules on the unstenlised as compared with the steam sterilised plots. The eelworm counts in the soil of the glasshouse did not show any close correlation with the amount of root nodule infestation.”

Help For Stranded New Zealanders New Zealanders stranded in England are entitled to apply to the Government for assistance toward their passage back to the Dominion and incidental expenses. Giving this information the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) said there was a Parliamentary vote of £BOO to meet cases of the kind. The system under which the money was advanced, said Mr Parry, provided that a relative or independent person should enter into a guarantee of repayment. Help in obtaining allotment of berths was given by the High Commissioner’s office in London. There had been one orAwo cases where, through unforeseen circumstances, the debt for repatriation had been irrecoverable, and the approval of Parliament to its writing off had been necessary.—(P.A.) Survey of Grey River Speaking at Greymouth yesterday about the ban on whitebait fishing in various parts of the Grey river, the Hon. J. O’Brien said he had asked Mr A. E. Hefford, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, to make a complete survey of the Grey river to ascertain from the sanitary point of view what parts could actually be fished regularly. A Cunning Thief

The theft of three new cricket bats from the material of the Old Collegians’ and Riccarton Cricket Clubs last season was mentioned at the annual meeting of the Old Collegians’ Club last evening. The bats had been taken from the pavilion of the Riccarton Club through a window, which was broken. It appeared that the thief had hooked the bats through the window, which was too small to admit anyone, with a piece of wire. Little Things That Counted

In the monotony of prisoner-of-war camps it was the little things that counted, remarked the Rt. Rev. G. V. Gerard, Bishop of Waiapu, in an address at Waipukurau. He related that at one camp in which he had been interned in Italy, an Australian bugler sounded the “Reveille” and followed this with a few bars of such patriotic tunes as “Rule Britannia,” “There’ll Always be an England,” and other martial airs familiar to the Empire. The internees often wondered what the Italians would say or do if they knew what the bugler was playing, and next morning were keenly interested to listen to the variations which the “Aussie” gave to his daily performance.