General News

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24444, 19 December 1944, Page 4

General News

Damage to Tomato Plants Severe ( damage was done to tomato plants and fruit, trees in the Bowenvale, St. Martins, and Woolston districts by the hailstorm on Saturday. The orchard instructor of the Department of Agriculture (Mr A. R. Grainger), who inspected the damage yesterday at the request of growers, said that • tomato plants had been bruised and battered by the hail, and although they had not been stripped of their leaves, their growth would be set back two or. three weeks. Towards Heathcote and Horotane Valley the damage was light. Mr Grainger added that some tomato growers did not realise immediately the extent of the damage to their plants, which did not begin to show up until yesterday afternoon. Bakers’ Honrs A well-attended meeting of Wellington bakers, and others who are members of the Baking Trade Employees’ Union, decided on Saturday night that “owing to the failure of master bakers to pay wages based on a 40-hour week, as required by a recent judgment ol the Appeal Court relative to the extension of hours provided for in the Factories Amendment Act, 1936, it is resolved that all members of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Baking Trades Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers will, commencing on Monday, December 25, refuse to work more than eight hours daily or more than 40 hours in any one week.” -(P.A,) Official City Newspaper A resolution was carried at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council last /evening appointing “The Press’’ as the newspaper in which official notices issued by the council during 1945 are to be published. Cr. G. Manning suggested that the name of the “Standard” might be substituted. Amid laughter, Cr. M. E. Lyons said the paper had to be one circulating in the district. Cr. C. D. W. L. Sheppard: “And a daily paper.” Cr. Manning: “I think I can guarantee that.” Grant for Classrooms ' Advice was received from the Education Department at a meeting of the Canterbury University College Council yesterday that a grant of £3397 had been approved for additional temporary classrooms at the Christchurch Girls’ High School. Alterations in City Boundaries Advice. was received from the Department of Internal Affairs at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening that it had been decided to give effect to the proposed alteration of the boundaries of the city by the Inclusion of the Cuff’s road area in the city of Christchurch. Reporting this, the by-laws and finance committee of the council stated that it had been suggested to the department that the alteration should take effect from April 1, 1945. It was also stated advice had been received that a petition had been presented for the inclusion in the city of the area of St. Leonard’s street, and objections had been called for in the Gazette on December 7. New Park for Linwood The offer of Messrs T. J. Edmonds, Ltd., of four acres and a half of land in Ferry road, for the formation of a park, was accepted* at a meeting of the ’ Christchurch City Council last evening. In a letter to the council the'Hrm made it a condition of the gift that the council should make available part of the land for any buildings which the Plunket Society and the Christchurch Free Kindergarten Association might desire to erect. The firm Proposed to keep the front portion of the land adjoining its factory as a reserve for future extension, but it was stated that it was unlikely that the company would require it for many years. In the meantime the firm was prepared to have it laid out in conformity with the proposed park 1 itself. Possession of the land could be given on May 31, 1945, it was stated in the letter. The council expressed its appreciation of the gift. Visits to Museum During November, 4338 children visited the Canterbury Museum for instruction, stated the report of the museum and library committee presented at a meeting of the Canterbury University College Council yesterday. The report added that during the last year, about 31,500 children had visited the Museum for instruction. It was also stated that Sthe committee had decided to obtain 25 copies of a report by the director of the Dominion Museum on the present position of museums in New Zealand. The four chairmen of the committees had been authorised to take any necessary action. Cadet Training Course A'course for secondary school cadet officers and non-commissioned officers in the Southern Military District will be held at the Burnham District School of Instruction in the latter part of January. The course will last for 14’ days, and the officers and cadets will receive basic infantry training, and signals, training, using the latest signals equipment] Weapon training will include instruction in the use of the Vickers and Bren machine-guns and trench mortars. The course is designed to enable officers and non-commission-ed officers to instruct secondary school cadets in the South Island. Proposed Hospital Bridge The report of the college committee, presented at a meeting of the Canterbury University College Council yesterday, stated that a letter had been received from the Graduates’ Association supporting any opposition to the proposed bridge over the Avon in Rolleston avenue as an entrance to the new Christchurch Public Hospital. Greymouth Bar Depth Grave difficulties were experienced with the silting up of the Greymouth. Harbour to as low as five feet at low water about this time last year. Recent freshes and a major flood last week have stabilised the depth to a highly satisfactory level of 15 feet at low water, and while all types of vessels will be able to work the port, loadings might have to be restricted because of extensive shoaling at the coal berths, where vessels were tied up during last week’s flood. However, there will not be a great deal of shipping activity after this week-end until early in January, by which time the more serious shoals of gravel will have been removed by. the dredge Mawhera, which it is expected will be set in operation to-day. Publicity Booklet The progress made towards the publication of a booklet featuring Christchurch and South Island attractions ; for tourist and publicity purposes, was described in a report from the Canterbury Junior Chamber of Commerce to the chairman of the Christchurch Development and Expansion Committee (Cr. J. L. Hay), which came before the City Council last evening. To date 98 business firms have subscribed or promised £IOO7 towards the cost of the booklet. It is proposed to publish a first issue of 10,000 copies of the booklet for free distribution overseas. The Junior Chamber of Commerce; which was entrusted with the preparation of the booklet three months ago, intends to canvass the business community completely in the New Year so that more than 10,000 copies can be printed. Grass on Roadsides “As usual at this time of the year complaints are being received about the grass on the roadsides,” stated the report of the water supply and works committee submitted at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening. “This is particularly bad this year. The- season is very late; ... in many places the grass has been cut twice • already, but still gives the ’appearance of not having been touched. The worst area at present is in St. Albans. In this district the work was held up for a couple of weeks through men having to be diverted to urgent drain repairs in Hills road, and to one or two other minor troubles of the same nature. Good progress has been made with the grass cutting throughout the city, but if the present weather continues it is doubtful if the city will present a tidier apearance in this respect over the Christmas holidays.” The committee also reported that fair progress had been made during the last fortnight with the tar-sealing of I streets. Efforts were now being made j to have Shaw avenue and the Esplanade at New Brighton sealed before the holidays.