General News

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24632, 31 July 1945, Page 4

General News

Petrol Coupons The OH Fuel Controller announced yesterday that petrol coupons for .each month may be cut in half by those not wanting to draw the full allowance at one time. Each half of the coupon will be* redeemable at face value, but both halves muSt show the number of the coupon and the signature of the Oil Fuel Controller. Otherwise they will not be accepted by resellers.—(P.A.) School Holidays Schools in the Canterbury Education Board’s district will begin their spring holidays, lasting two weeks, on August 17. No reduction of the holiday to offset the closing of the schools as a result of the snowstorm'will be made, the secretary of the board (Mr L. E. Rowley) said yesterday. The board had not considered any revision of the term holidays, as the periods during which schools were closed varied. A further reason was that the school grading period was fixed for the first four weeks of the third term. Labour Art Union Profit The president of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council (Mr F. P. Walsh) yesterday handed the Mayor of Wellington (Mr W. Appleton) a cheque for £53,500, the result of the Dominion-wide art union conducted by the Trades and Labour Council for patriotic funds.—(P.A.) Railway Station Parking The removal of the prohibition of' the parking of vehicles on the north side of Moorhouse avenue, opposite the railway station wrs approved by the City Council last evening. The traffic committee reported that the prohibition was brought in when a certain taxi company was using the site to defeat the by-laws relating to taxis. Although permission had been given, the site hsd not been used by the Army for troop carriers. Length of Borstal Terms Tlie view that two years, the minimum Borstal sentence the Supreme Court was empowered to impose, was too long a term was expressed by the Chief Justice (the Rt. Hon, Sir Michael Myers) when a Maori youth came before him in Wellington for sentence on charges of breaking and entering and theft. ‘ “Personally," said his Honour, “I think it would be better if the minimum Borstal sentence here were reduced to one year, as it Is in the Magistrate’s Court. His Honour said many other judges were of the same opinion. In order that prisoner should not have too long a, term he would be sentenced to 15 months’ reformative detention. * Parking Outside K.S.A. Parking space, to be marked “Reserved for R.S.A. Only," was granted to the Christchurch branch of the Returned Services’ Association outside its premises in Gloucester street by the City Council last evening. The traffic, committee reported that the cycle stand to be erected outside the-

premises, the council agreeing to pay half the cost, would not row be built, Subsidies for Uneconomic Orchards Stating that the Government would not agree to the abolition of the subsidy to producers from uneconomic orchards, the president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Ltd., Mr T. C. Brash, contended at the Auckland provincial conference of the federation that the principle involved was not equitable. "If the Government wants the help of uneconomic orchards so as to get more and cheaper fruit, it should not retain £25,000 of the fruitgrowers’ money in order to do it. he added. “It should provide the funds itself ’’ Another speaker said that compensation for damage by hailstorms should be a national matter and should not be paid from growers' funds. Three Pictures for City Advice has been recei ed from the High Commissioner in London (Mr W. J Jordan) by the finance committee of the City Council that he has arranged for the shipment of three pictures by the late H. H. La Thsngue, bequeathed to the council for exhibition in the Robert McDougall Art Gallery. The pictures, which were retained in England during the war, are "The Village Fountain,” "Provencal Fishing Boats," and "Plover on the Marshes.” Last evening the council expressed appreciation of the gift. Collection of Bank Notes About 150 currency notes, representing almost all European and Asiatic countries, have been collected by a New Plymouth returned serviceman, Mr W J. Putt. His idea in procuring them was to use them to decorate two firescreens. Multi-coloured and in varying sizes ranging from mat of a visiting card to about nine inches by six inches, the notes include two Ger-man-oroduced Greek inflation notes of 5,000,000 drachmas each, worth in prewar British currency a little more than £8333 apiece (there are approximately 600‘dracnmas to £1 sterling), that are now valueless. These, Mr Putt explained, were German notes printed in 1944 and used in Greece when the Germans were still occupying that country. Other notes in the collection represent a denomination as low as a farthing. Two of the notes are at present being used in Allied-occupied countries. They are Allied Military Government currency used m Italy and British Military Authority currency used in Tripolitania. Site For Aerodrome A request by the fklmerston North City Council that the Christchurch City Council should support the selection of Palmerston North as one of the sites for an overseas aerodrome did not receive much support at last evening’s meeting of the City Council. Cr. J E Tait suggested, when the letter was read only to its middle stage, that it be received, and Cr. W. P. Glue commented that Christchurch had an aerodrome of its own. Would it not be wiser not to interfere in North Island affairs?” asked the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. M. E. Lyons), on Cr. J. N. Claike remarking that Palmerston North was a logical place for an aerodrome We can sympathise with Palmerston North in its request, and express the opinion that we in Christchurch feel that Harewood should be selected. xlis suggestion was adopted. Rubbish Fires A warning that the Christchurch City Council by-law governing the lighting o? rubbish fires had not yet been amended, as intended, providing some relaxation in restrictions, was given by Cr. M. E. Lyons in reply fo'a question by Cr. C. D, W. L. Sheppard last evening. The existing by-law required that a permit to light a rub biSh fire be obtained from the Fire Brig r de and that the fire should not be fess than 30 feet fences ..The amended by-law, now bene prepared, reduced this distance to s g |S P in respect of buildings and permitted fires. v/ithm six feetofa fence It was intended to retain tne present prohibition of rubbish fires on Sundays.