General News

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24537, 10 April 1945, Page 4

General News

Psychiatric Cases. "It is beyond question that there will have to be. great developments in psychiatry, both as regards hospital treatment, and improved ■ teaching,” said Dr. F. H. Smirk, Professor of Medicine at Otago University, commenting on suggestions by Mrs Charlottle A. Henderson,. Wellington, for the establishment of adjustment homes for cases of neuro-psychiatric disability. The increased attention devoted to this subject was reflected at the Otago Medical School, but one of the greatest difficulties was finance, which applied to psychiatry as well as other branches of medical education.—(P.A.) Yesterday’s Frost A frost of 2 degrees in Christchurch yesterday morning seemed sharp, in contrast to .the recent spell of warm weather. Last year the first frost, of 3.2 degrees, occurred on March 27. In Mid-Canterbury, 2.8 degrees of frost were recorded yesterday morning. No damage to garden crops was reported.

New Cycle Stand The Christchurch City Council has granted permission for the erection of a cycle stand, with accommodation for 20 bicycles, in front Of the Christchurch Returned Services’. Association clubrooms in Gloucester street. In a letter received by the executive committee last evening, the Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) said that the traffic com•mittee of the council was prepared to pay half the cost of the erection of the stand, the total cost of which would be £ls. The executive committee decided to approach the City Council regarding the allocation of parking space for R.S.A. members in Gloucester street. Sale of Aeroplane Engines The Commonwealth Disposal? Commission is selling Rolls Royce Kestrel aeroplane engines for £l2‘los. The engines. which are from dismantled aeroplanes. cost hundreds of pounds when new. Few people are taking advantage* of the offer as the engines consume 55 gallons of petrol an hour. Buyers are usually motor-boat and speed-boat enthusiasts, who are looking forward to the time when petrol will be plentiful and cheaper. Applications for the motors have come from New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, and Victoria. Farm Labour "It Is difficult to get experienced farm labour at present, but it is not impossible," said Mr R. B. Smyth, of the National Service Department at a sitting of the Southland Armed Forces Appeal Board in Invercargill. Mr Smyth added that It appeared that the appellant in the case under review had accepted adjournments in the past and had not made any great attempt to secure labour to replace the reservist. He considered that it might be possible to get a man to replace the reservist within a reasonable time The appellant in another case admitted that he had made no effort to get labour because he thovfght there was no chance of doing so. He said there was hardly a contractor in his, district who was prepared to take on such work as ploughing.

A Doctor’s Handwriting "It looks more like a laundry ticket,” remarked Mr P. J. Kelly when what was submitted as a doctor s cer : tiflcate came before the Industrial Manpower Committee yesterday afternoon. After the. committee had examined the document, it was handed down to Mr John Roberts, who appeared for the appellant, but without looking at it he said that, if it were a ; doctor s certificate, he could not decipher it. The committee did not suggest further to Mr Roberts that he should read the certificate. Mr Roberts handed it to the appellant, who explained that she did not know the undecipherable medical word, but it meant hay-fever. Her translation was accepted.

Swift Catch of Mice

A good bag of mice in ‘ quick time was reported from a house in King street, Sydenham, last evening, the catchers going so far as to suggest that they were entitled to claim a record. Two traps were set. with cheese at 4.30 o’clock,- and within five minutes four mice were caught. By 7.15 o’clock 10 mice had been trapped. Air Service Temporarily Suspended The passenger service between Dunedin and Invercargill operated by Union Airways will be temporarily suspended for the winter months. It wiU.be. discontinued after next Saturday’s flight. A. return service daily between the two cities has been operating since last November. The aeroplane leaves Dunedin at 3.15 p.m., and is due at Invercargill at 4.5 p.m. It leaves Invercargill on the return trip at 4.15 p.m., and is scheduled to arrive at Dunedin at 5.5 p.m. It is not considered practicable on the present time-table for the aeroplane to make the return trip to Dunedin before darkness in the winter , months, so the service is being suspended. No definite Information is available as to the date of resumption. —(P.A.) Stalin’s Gift to Churchill

Men and women from all parts of the world show their appreciation of Mr Churchill by sending him gifts. Among the latest are 2500 cigars and several dozen bottles of champagne and brandy. The cigars were sent from Cuba by leading manufacturers, and the liquor came from Russia; personal gifts from Mr Stalin, who sent Mr Eden some also. Mr Churchill has no special rights in the eyes of H.M. Customs, so he has to pay full duty for these gifts. The Prime Minister also contributes to revenue through the purchase tax on gifts he presents. He paid in fuy the purchase tax on a silver plaque he sent to the Teheran Embassy, commemorating the 1943 “Big Three” meeting. Termites in Auckland

Australian termites were found in five properties and three street poles in Auckland as the result of 407 inspections made during the quarter ended February 28, states a report submitted to the Auckland • City Council. All the properties and two of the poles were in the Point Chevalier district, the,; other pole being in Remuera. During toe same period 112 infestations of native termites were discovered, mainly in the Grey Lynn district. A total of 8705 inspections has been made since the practice was started in February, 1941, Australian termites having been discovered in 231 cases and . native termites in 2451. UNRRA Appointment No action was taken by the executive committee of the.Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last evening when a letter concerning its protest about the appointment of Dr. W. B. Sutch to a position with UNRRA was received from a soldier now in camp. The president (Mr D. W. Russell), who moved that the letter should be received, said that the writer was not a member of the association, and if the executive took notice of all who wrote to.it, there would be no end to the matter. War Gratuities A remit suggesting the institution of a bond system for the payment of war gratuities is to be sent to the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association by the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association. The executive committee last evening adopted the proposal by Mr C. Miln that the bond, which might be £SO for six months’ overseas service, should be available for rehabilitation requirements at any time, or available in cash after' five years. ' Factory Girls’ Clothes The degree of personal comfort that could be attained by girls working in factories where there was a certain amount of unavoidable draught depended. it seemed on whether they dressed simply for appearance or for sensible observartce of their health, said a witness at a sitting of the Industrial Manpower Appeal Committee at Dunedin. Many girls, he said, did not wear the proper clbthing for winter in factories: some went without stockings, and others wore very thin dresses. "It is a woman’s prerogative to ( dress according to fashion.” remarked Mr A. Mcßae, a member of the committee. The chairman (Mr M. W. Grantham) smilingly added that it was not within the jurisdiction of the committee to decide what factory workers should choose as suitable clothing to ward off colds.