General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24053, 15 September 1943, Page 4

General News

Sport In Primary Schools The part played by teachers in the primary schools is shown by the big number of nominations received for competitions to be played at Hagley Park on Friday. At last evening’s meeting of the management commit-, tee of the Canterbury Rugby Union, Mr E. M. Todd, representing the Primary Schools’ Association, said that 153 teams had been entered for the Rugby seven-a-side competition, 21 teams for the six-a-side Association game, and 93 for the basketball. Rugby players numbered 1062, basketball players 837, and Association footballers 126, a total of 2025 young athletes. A.T.C. Recruiting Reports received from country districts in Canterbury and Westland indicate that as a result of the recruiting campaign for the Air Training Corps, applications for enrolment are coming into A.T.C. headquarters at Christchurch in a steady stream. Already arrangements have been made to deal with recruits by the formation of new units in several towns. During August and the present month, the total number of cadets in town squadrons and detached flights has been almost doubled. The A.T.C. touring flight, consisting of four Tiger Moths under the command of Squadron Leader Brake, is likely to visit the Christchurch Wing of the A.T.C. from October 11 to October 22, and all new recruits who have enrolled in the correspondence section or any unit of the A.T.C. by September 20 will be given the opportunity of a flight of about 15 minutes in a service aircraft. Petrol, for Men on Furlough The Oil, Fuel Controller at Greymouth has received from the Dominion Controller amended information about the granting of 10-gallon petrol licences for men home on furlough from the Middle East. An earlier announcement stated that these men would be issued with one' such licence, but it is now made clear that they will be given authority to obtain 10 gallons for every month of their furlough. Men on furl lough from’ other fronts and those on final leave, however, will receive only 10 gallons in all. Lemon Supplies The Acting-Director of the Internal Marketing Division (Mr R. P. Fraser), in a statement yesterday, said that supplies •of lemons at present were at their heaviest. "The system of paying growers on a graduated scale, designed to spread picking of the crop over as long a season as climatic . conditions will allow, has been in operation since February this year, and is proving very useful in encouraging growers to pick lemons throughout the year, thus maintaining some supplies during the offseason, when New Zealand is generally dependent on imports,” he said. ‘Fifty per cent, of the Australian lemon crop has been taken by the Commonwealth Government for juicing purposes, and it is. therefore unlikely that any large supplies will be available from Australia during- the off-season. Retail prices in New Zealand recently have been reduced to a flat rate throughout ~tlre Dominion, ranging from 9d to 2s 6d a dozen, according to size.”—(P.A.) Safety First The question of road traffic instruction in schools is under consideration, states the annual report of Automobile Association Canterbury (Inc.), and ways and means are being discussed as to carrying out a comprehensive scheme. The Transport Department has officially recognised three bodies as suitable to provide assistance to teachers in imparting instruction, these being the Transport Department, municipal traffic authorities, and the Automobile Association affiliated to the North Island and South Island -Motor Unions. Town Planning Committee An interim control committee to deal with building and subdivision plans which are now coming forward for the approval'of the Christchurch Metropolitan Town Planning Committee has been set up by the management committee. The members of the commitltee are' the- Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. E- .H. Andrews), and Messrs ,T. W; Preston, J. E. Tait, W. P. Glue, G. A. J. Hart, E. Somers, R Sarjeant, C E. Hoy, and W. S Mac Gibbon The local bo.dies concerned in the metropolitan planning scheme have agreed to refer to the management committee plans for the subdivision of property and for any buildings other than single family residences. Social Centre for Swimmers A suggestion to obtain a social centre for swimmers in Christchurch was put forward by Mr W. McDonald, of the Spreydon Club, at the Canterbury Centre, of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Centre last evening. ’• His club -had long felt the need of such a meeting place, he said, and he had recently been making inquiries to acquire a ropm or building in Christchurch. Miss D. Brown, the secretary of the centre, gave her full support to the proposal and said that the need had long been felt for a place to entertain visiting swimmers. All the other centres which had swimming. baths had a meeting room, she said.’ Otira Gorge Blocked The Otira Gorge road is again blocked to traffic, this time because of slips at Candy’s Bend and Slippery Point, following heavy rain on Monday night. It was stated yesterday by the Public Works Department that the debris includes a number of large stones which will require blasting, but it was hoped to have the road cleared by last evening. National Savings With last week’s attainment of their national war savings quotas, nine places in the Dominion achieved the outstanding record of 100 consecutive quota successes, the weekly quota having been reached week by week since the inception of the scheme in October, 1941. The places which have earned this honourable mention are New Plymouth, Ashburton, Hawera, Kaikoura, Hunterville, Hawarden, Cheviot, Urenui. and Weber. Several other towns, too, are within easy striking distance of the century mark, and from now on each week additional places should achieve the distinction of 100 successes. To mark the occasion, commemorative scrolls are being awarded by the New Zealand National War Savings Committee. Last week 185 towns, including 17 of the 18 chief post office centres, attained their quotas. In 16 of the 18 postal districts the full district quota was obtained.—(P.S.S.) Canterbury Motorists The Automobile Association, Canterbury (Inc.) has a total membership of 10,763, including 1311 on active service. There are 1530 women members. During the last year, according to the annual report, 100 cars have been supplied to convey returned soldiers to their homes. It is also proposed to purchase a suitable car solely for the use of returned servicemen in hospitals and homes, and also to maintain a driver for it. Winning the Peace “The guests we honour have laid the foundations of victory, but they will come back faced with the difficult problem of winning the peace,” said the Mayor of Geraldine (Mr D. C. McKechnie) at a gathering held at Geraldine to honour 60 returned servicemen of the Geraldine district and their next-of-kin. “This nation called on you younger men to defend freedom on the battlefields. Yours is the future. Don’t leave it to the older men, but think things through for yourself. I believe that most of the troubles of this world arise when we depart from the great spiritual principles which run through all the universe. I believe that the nation that has the faith and courage to build on Christian principles will discover spiritual resources that will lead it to happiness and prosperity. We cannot go back to the old world. The future is calling us to the great adventure of building a world nearer the heart’s desire. Within the framework of the Atlantic Charter, and keeping close to Christian ideals, let us work together to make this wonderful country .of ours—in reality as well as name— ‘God’s Own Country’.”