General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 6

General News

Budget Debate The Budget debate will be opened in the House of Representatives this evening by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), and it is expected that he will be followed from the Government benches by the Minister of Industries and Commerce i (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan). In the absence of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), business for this afternoon was not certain yesterday, but it is assumed that Ministers’ written replies to members’ questions will be considered. Because of the resumption of the normal inter-island steamer express service, it is probable that the House will settle down to normal sitting hours, meeting on Tuesday next week and following weeks until the last minute rush, when Monday and even Saturday sittings may be expected. —(F.0.P.R.) Bequests for Park Gates A letter received from Messrs Papprill, Son. and Corcoran at a meeting of the Christchurch Domains Board advised that a Mrs Farrell had left a sum of £BOO to the Christchurch City Council to provide memorial gates at one of the entrances to North Hagley Park. It was urged that duplication should be avoided with another similar i bequest made to the Domains Board I about 10 years ago by Mrs A. F. J. Mickle. However, in Mrs Farrells.bequest no particular point was stipulated for the erection of the Kates—although it has been suggested that the Riccarton road entrance would be a suitable spot. Mrs Mickle’s bequest was made as a memorial to her husband, Dr. Mickle, and plans have been drawn up for the work to be done at the Armagh street entrance to the park; but no further progress has been possible owing to the shortage of labour and materials. “Black” Wool Left Behind Two British, ships which were to have loaded consignments of wool at Auckland for transhipment through London to Spain have left port without the cargoes. The Port Line motorship Port Dunedin sailed for London on Friday and she was followed yesterday by the British steamer Samlyth. The 1500 bales of wool declared “black” by the Auckland Trades Council last month remain in store at Tamaki, and the consignments allotted to the two ships have been replaced by other cargo.—(P.A.)

Salary Increases Disallowed With one exception, the Director of Stabilisation has disallowed all the salary increases from the beginning of the financial year passed by the Christchurch Drainage Board. I cannot understand at all the reason for it, commented the chairman (Mr H. G. Livingstone) at the board meeting last evening. Mr E. H. S. Hamilton (chairman of the finance committee) said no reason had been given by the Director of Stabilisation, and the matter would be pursued further through the Canterbury Employers’ Association.

Nurses From Britain The first section of British nurses who are coming to New Zealand for service in mental hospitals, is expected to arrive in from six to eight weeks. The possibility of transporting some of them by air was considered, but it was considered that sea transport would be more convenient, as it would facilitate the selection of nurses. The Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) said yesterday that although only nurses for mental hospitals were being brought to New Zealand in the meantime, it should be possible to get young British women to come to New Zealand for other nursing work. — (F.0.P.R.) Saving of Electric Power

Tests made by members of the staff showed that a saving of 40 per cent, of electric power and time could be effected by using specially constructed saucepans that fitted snugly on the hot plates of electric ranges, said the engineer-secretary of the North Canterbury Electric Power Board (Mr A. Buckingham) at a meeting of tha board yesterday. Before the war the board had licences to import these saucepans, and it was the practice to supply one at least with every range. The saucepans were not constructed in New Zealand, and the board had found it impossible to obtain licences to import an adequate amount, he said. Every endeavour should be made to conserve power, particularly in the North Island, but import licences for the saucepans were refused. He added that a remit on the subject would probably come before the power boards’ conference shortly. The board agreed to support the remit. Bees and Lead Arsenate Sprays

The Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. B. Roberts) said last evening that in view of the conference to be held in Hastings next week to arrange protection for beekeepers from severe losses of bees experienced last season, it was regrettable that some beekeepers had taken such precipitate action, as had been reported, by the wholesale removal of bees from the fruitgrowing area of Hawke’s Bay. The Minister expressed confidence that satisfactory arrangements could be made for the application of arsenate of lead sprays to fruit-trees during the blossom-fall period. Orchardists were alive to the position, and prepared to meet beekeepers’ wishes in a reasonable manner, and he hoped the meeting next Monday would result in a practical solution being reached by representatives of both industries.— (P.A.)

Tournament Abandoned Because of the difficulty of obtaining sufficient offers of billets for visiting players, the junior management committee of the Canterbury Football Association decided at a meeting last evening to abandon the primary schools’ tournament, which was to have been held on August 30 at Christchurch. In place of this fixture it was •agreed to invite a schools’ team from Auckland to play a series of matches at Christchurch. This team, which will consist of boys under the age of 14 years on January 1 of this year, will arrive on August 27 and will play the winner of matches between similar teams from Otago, Buller, and Canterbury, The Auckland team will also play a Christchurch secondary schools’ side under the same age qualifications. National Savings Last week 281 places including all the principal centres, obtained their quotas of national savings. In all districts the full district quota for the week was obtained. In six of the 20 postal districts the investments now exceed the full year’s quota, the Wanganui district being the latest to achieve this success. The others are Blenheim. Dunedin. Gisborne, Nelson, and Oamaru. Of the 335 quota areas m the Dominoon, 101 have recorded the local attainment of the full year’s quota,— (P.S.S.) Czechoslovaks Propose N.Z. Tour

“A letter was received from the ‘Bohemians’, Prague, members of the National Czechoslovak League, proposing a tour of New Zealand in 1947,” stated a report on a recent meeting of the council of the New Zealand Football Association, received at a meeting of the Canterbury Association last evening. “They stated,” the report added, “that they had a very strong team, with several internationals, and had recently toured France, where they won eight games of nine played, one being drawn. It was decided by the council that, with the possibility of a South African visit, and considering the difficulties of travel from the Continent, the time for such a tour was not opportune.” The report also mentioned that the Australian Football Association stated that if New Zealand felt disposed in the coming years to extend an invitation to an Australian team, the Australian Football Association would be willing to help in making the visit possible. The meeting agreed to I write to the New Zealand council proi posing that visits by Australian and South African teartis should be proi moted next year.

Maternity Hospital Bookings The effect on maternity hospital bookings in Christchurch of the number of English' wives who have been entering the country recently in an advanced state of pregnancy was discussed at the conference in the city this week of doctors, hospital authorities, and others with the Director of Maternal Welfare, Dr. Doris Gordon. After hearing the representations, Dr. Gordon undertook to request the High Commissioner’s Office in . London to notify district Medical Health Officers of the departure of these women from Britain. x