General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25030, 12 November 1946, Page 6

General News

Life in Kansu “Kansu is a long way from Canterbury, but here we have tall alps and flocks of sheep, high winds, and dust,” writes Mr Rewi Alley of his Indusco Bailie School in a letter to the Te Moana-Four Peaks sub-centre of the Red Cross Society. The letter added: “We have many kinds of wolves- you do not have, and no rabbits to eat, when all else fails. We have poverty so grinding as to be scarcely conceivable to you in New Zealand, but our common people are kindly, frugal, and hard working.” Mr Alley added a list of requirements which could be sent from New Zealand for his schools, and it was decided to collect farm seeds, catalogues, and illustrated papers and send them immediately. Combs and Cutters for Shearing A correspondent who recently wrote to “The Press” about the difficulty of obtaining combs and cutters for shearing has been answered by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who says: “The position in regard to combs and cutters for shearing machines Ms that ample import licences have been granted to importers, but the manufacturers overseas have not been able to fulfil all orders. Supplies are, however, coming forward by each steamer, and are distributed by the master agents to all areas on the basis of the customary demand.” New Road Construction Formula A report in the magazine, “Imperial Review,” of a statement by Sir Edward Appleton, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in England, has aroused much interest among local bodies in Christchurch. Sir Edward Appleton was reported as saying that a formula has been prepared by his department that will enable a 33 1-3 per cent, reduction to be made in the cost of construction of new roads and in the maintenance of existing roads. Mr T. H. Langford, public relations officer of the Christchurch City Council, has written to Sir Edward Appleton asking if a copy of the formula can be made available to the council.

Aeroplane Damaged Striking the ground with a wing tip as the pilot was attempting to recover from a misjudged landing, a New Plymouth Aero Club Tiger Moth turned a cartwheel on the New Plymouth aerodrome and finished on its nose. The pilot, Mr E. Burberry, was uninjured. The front half of the fuselage, the lower port mainplane and the engine cowling and mounting were considerably damaged.—(P.A.)

The First Plunge Some time ago the Minister of Rehabilitation (the Hon. C. F. Skinner) had proposed to make the first plunge in the swimming pool on the opening day, said Lieutenant-Colonel James Murphy, chairman of the Christchurch branch of the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, at the opening of the vocational training centre yesterday afternoon. Had the weather been a little warmer he would have liked nothing better than to see the Minister in a duel with so capable a swimmer as the Governor-General (Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg), he added, amid laughter, in which Sir Bernard Freyberg, who opened the centre, joined heartily. Schools’ “Adoption”, of Ships The teaching of geography in many English schools is made more interesting these days by a scheme whereby pupils “adopt” merchant ships. Through the British Ship Adoption Society, a ship is allotted to a certain school, and the pupils follow its progress from port to port. Members of the ship’s company write and tell the children about the voyage, the vessel’s ports of call, and of the loading and unloading of cargo. Sometimes the ships’ officers are able to visit the school that has “adopted” their ship, and sometimes arrangements can be made for the children to inspect the ship itself.

Health Stamp Campaign The postmen’s drive now being conducted in the city to aid in the sale of health stamps was making excellent progress, said the Chief Portmaster, Mr D. R. Thomson, yesterdaj It was evident that citizens appreciated the opportunity thus given them to buy health stamps at their convenience. The drive would end this week, and the postmen asked for a continuation of support for the closing few days. Liverpool Mine Because of indications of heating in the top panel of the Morgan west seam of the Liverpool State mine at Rewanui, a-small section normally worked by two or three pairs of miners on the back shift has been sealed off. Signs of heating were noted in the section on Friday, and stoppings to seal off the affected area were erected during the week-end to make the mine safe for work yesterday. Seal on Beach A fully-grown seal came up on the beach at the mouth of the Hokitika river yesterday. After being disturbed by whitebait fishermen, the seal made out to sea, but was seen later in the day on the beach at Hokitika. Returned Servicemen Bowlers The question of the status of former servicemen who had played bowls overseas was raised by a delegate to the Christchurch Bowling Centre last evening. He said that some soldiers had played at the Maadi and Ghezira clubs in Egypt, and were now applying for enrolment as colts. Mr A. Dickson, chairman of the match committee. said that the match committee had already considered the case of one returned serviceman in that position, and had ruled that he should be considered as a second-year colt. The committee was prepared to allow returned servicemen some latitude in this respect, he said.

Nurses from Britain A further 21 British nurses, a high percentage of them from Scotland, arrived at Wellington in the Moreton Bay yesterday to take up work in the mental hospitals of the Dominion. They formed the second draft of 22L engaged through the High Commissioner’s office in London, under a two-year contract. Their ages range from 20 to 24 years. They were met on board by officers of the National Employment Service, and by the Director-General of Mental Hospitals (Dr. T. G. Gray). Eleven went to the Porirua Hospital last night. The remainder went to a hostel in Hobson street, pending their departure for Christchurch by steamer this evening. They are going to the Sunnyside Hospital.—(P.A.)