General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24868, 7 May 1946, Page 4

General News

Chair of Obstetrics Some time ago the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W, E. Parry) approved of the proceeds of one of the regular £5OOO art unions being given to the fund for the establishment of a chair of obstetrics and gynaecology. The recent “For the Mothers’’ art union has been allotted to this purpose, and the Minister said yesterday that approximately £ll,OOO for the fund would result—(PA.)

Calling Unproductive Hens An urgent appeal to all poultrykeepers to cull unproductive hens to save wheat and to use them as substitutes for rationed meats, was made by the Christchurch Famine Emergency Committee yesterday. The Wheat and Flour Controller (Mr R. McPherson), a member of the committee, when asked if this proposal would be of material help, said he considered it sound. There were hundreds of hens which did not earn their keep and which consumed as much as a bushel a head of wheat each year, he said. During the war, wheat consumption by fowls doubled to 4,000,000 bushels a year, principally because maize and barley were hard to procure. Cigarettes Stolen A large consignment of cigarettes was pillaged while in transit from the steamer express Rangatira to the railway goods sheds in Christchurch last week, and about 10,000 cigarettes were stolen. The cigarettes, which were consigned to a Christchurch distributor by a Wellington manufacturer, were checked off the Rangatira on Thursday, and the theft was discovered when cases were being discharged into a shed. Inquiries are being made by detectives.

Courts aijd Divorces “The courts have a duty to see that divorces are not granted too lightly, and that this country does not get into the same state as some other countries where the -ease and rapidity with which divorces can be obtained produces a shambles.” said Mr Justice Fair in the Supreme Coiirt yesterday. His Honour was considering the case of a young man who petitioned for divorce on the ground that his wife had failed to comply with an order for restitution of conjugal rights, and the petitioner stated that his wife had definitely refused to return to him. A child of the marriage was aged five months. “I do not propose to grant a divorce now.” continued his Honour “A womanis mind is not so rigid that it may not change in time, and in the interests of the child some patience should be shown and some time allowed to elapse ” The case was adjourned sine die. Shortage of Manure

“It is no use asking farmers to grow more wheat if they cannot get sufficient manure to sow their normal »quota of wheat,” said Mr C. Bradford at a meeting of the Temuka branch of the Farmers’ Federation. He said that they had ground at Waitohi ready for 2’ days* sowing, but they could only get one day’s sowing of superphosphate. The ground was of such a nature that it was necessary to sow before there was rain. It was agreed to take the matter up urgently through the secretary of the South Canterbury executive (Mr A. B. Struthers). * Island Bananas

A shipment of about 3000 cases of Island bananas has arrived in Christchurch from the North Island. The bananas, which opened up in satisfactory condition, are now on sale at the fixed price of 7d a pound. Canadian Cigarettes

Canadian cigarettes will be on sale in Christchurch this week, and although the present shortage will to a certain extent be alleviated, it would not be possible to sell them indiscriminately, said a retailer last evening Chain stores would receive bigger quotas than the small retailer for the first issue only, he said, this allocation being made as the merchants at first viewed with alarm the fact that the cigarettes had not been properly packed, being in unsealed boxes on tiie ship, and that there was a possibility that they might have been surplus Army stores. However, the cigarettes arrived in good condition and now all retailers would receive their supplies on the quota basis. Before any of the cigarettes were sold in New Zealand, the price was fixed at Is for 20. but this was amended some days ago by the Tobacco Trades Council to 2s. Public Works Decentralisation

The establishment of architectural branches of the Public Works Department in the main centres was welcomed by Mr C. S. Luney, contractor for the new Christchurch goods shed, when he spoke at morning tea after the opening ceremony yesterday. He said he believed the shed was the first building under the new organisation of the department. The harmony and efficiency with which the contract had gone through had been due in no small measure to having an architect in Christchurch In the past, builders had had to contend with delays in getting replies and authorities from Wellington, but under the new systerh, when it was perfected, it should be possible for the questions which arose in the construction of a big building to be settled at once. Bread from New Flour

Bread made from the new 80 per cent, extraction flour will not reach the consumer in Christchurch for another 10 days or more. Stating this yesterday, the chief chemist x>f the Wheat Research Institute (Mr E. W. Hullett) said that millers were still experimenting, and some were having difficulty in reaching the required extraction. Accordingly a precise indication of differences between the present and the new bread could not be given at this stage from sample bakings so far. Exploitation of Railway Feared The hope that the Railways Department would not attempt to exploit intensively the commercial possibilities of the projected branch railway line connecting the north and south main lines was expressed by Cr. G. D. Griffiths, chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s housing and town planning committee, when explaining the metropolitan planning scheme to the council last evening. He said the route of the branch line had not yet been declared, but the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee was concerned that the department should not open a line with sidings along its whole length. This would lead to the development of the land for urban purposes, and so upset the balance of the economy and services which were being planned. Heroism at Sea His Majesty has approved the posthumous award of mention in dispatches to Temporary Sub-Lieutenant Philip Wallace Smith, R.N.Z.N.V.R., for great bravery when wounded in action in H.M.S. Anking, when the ship was lost in the Far East on March 3, 1942. Sub-Lieutenant Smith, having made his way, to a boat, dived overboard to make room for others when it became overcrowded, and was not seen again. His next-of-kin is his mother, Mrs E. M. Smith, Mount Albert, Auckland.—(P.A.) Tramway Social Club To assist the Tramway Employees’ Social Club in its plans for future development, the works and traffic committee of the Christchurch Tramway Board has decided to increase its subsidy from £9l to £3OO a year, such amount to cover donations for special events, cricket, football, etc. Communal Settlement Proposed An offer to make available buildings at Bell Block aerodrome for use as a communal settlement to help solve the housing problem in New Plymouth, has been made by the Air Department. Mr R. McPhail, the building controller, has notified Mr E. P. Aderman. M.P. for New Plymouth, of the offer, which follows an urgent request to the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) on Friday. Details of the scheme have not yet been worked out, but the borough council has been asked to arrange administration. Tenure is likely to be restricted to a year. A special meeting of the borough council will consider the offer. —(P.A.)

Epidemic of Measles at Hororata . An epidemic of measles is reported among the school children at Hororata. two-thirds of them being away from school