General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25089, 22 January 1947, Page 6

General News

| New Zealanders’ Complacency \ “A New Zealander returning from abroad is struck by how very complacent we all are here,” said Mr Michael Macdonald, an officer of the Colonial Service in Nigeria, who is at. present in Christchurch on furlough. 1 “Everyone thinks it is a grand little i country—we have reason for this —but I do feel we are just a little too pleased with ourselves.” It was not until a New Zealander travelled that! he realised his own country was quite; insignificant, Mr Macdonald said. New; Zealanders rather regarded their coun-1 try as the hub of the Empire instead; of just the tail. However, New Zea-1 landers had done very well wherever they had been, and it was not often that a New Zealander let his country down. Nearly always New Zealanders were a credit to their country. They were very highly regarded overseas, and in the main the regard was justified; but that was no reason for “getting stuck up about ourselves.” “Looking for Trouble’*

"The number of boys cycling who ride without either hand on the handle-bars is very considerable; but when it comes to crossing intersections riding in this manner then the cyclist is looking for trouble,” said Mr W. R. Lascelles when appearing for the Christchurch City Council in charges of breaches of traffic regulations heard before Mr Raymond. Ferner, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. In the long list of charges heard it was unusual to find only two offenders charged with riding unlighted cycles at night; but eight were dealt with for riding cycles without having either hand on the handlebars. In recent months the City Council traffic inspectors have been ever watchful to detect breaches of a regulation which decrees that the rider of a cycle must have at least one hand on the handle-bars.

National Savings National savings “quota” offices throughout New Zealand have made an excellent start in the New Year. Last week, out of 335 quota areas, 293 obtained their allotted quotas. The main centres were successful, and in all postal districts the full district objective was obtained. With the attainment by the Thames postal district of its full quota for the year, aIF the district quotas for the year have been subscribed, and in all districts investments are continuing at a high level. In the South Island seven of the nine, postal districts have obtained their individual quotas for the year ending March 31. 1947. The successful districts are Blenheim. Dunedin. Greymouth. Invercargill, Nelson. Oamaru, and Timaru. Hostels for Students The sympathy and support of the municipalities should be enlisted in providing additional substantial hostels for students in university centres, said the Chancellor of the University of New Zealand (Mr Justice Smith) to the Senate yesterday morning. Why, he asked, should citizens who derived so much revenue from having colleges in their cities not give help in this direction? Inquest into Fire An inquest into the fire on August 19 last year, in which the larger part of Duckworth, Turner. Limited’s, footwear factory in Carlyle street was destroyed, will be opened in Christchurch next Wednesday. At the inquest, which will be held at the request of the Christchurch Fire Board, the Vigilant Automatic Fire Alarm Company, Ltd., and the Post and Telegraph Department will be represented. University Examination Fees The Senate of the University of New Zealand yesterday received a request from the New Zealand University Students’ Association that ordinary examination fees be reduced from 17s to 12s 6d a paper. A reduction to 15s was approved, to take effect this year. In future this sum will include the graduation fee. formerly ah additional charge.

Native Marriages Inability to support one of his wives gave a native in Nigeria good ground for divorce, said Mr Michael Macdonald, an officer of the Colonial Service in Nigeria, who is at present in Christchurch on furlough. A Moslem in the northern part of Nigeria was allowed four wives, provided he could support them. The other large group in the north, the Pagans, were allowed as many wives as they could buy. They acted purely as supervisors, staying at home while their wives did all the work. • Wives formed a definite form of wealth. All the older and richer men cornered the market in wives> making it difficult for a young man withobt wealth to get one. Childhood betrothal was common. The Moslem wives, however, had the advantage of being able to go to Court if they were ill-treated, whereas the Pagan wives were more subservient. The chief work of the Courts was the handling of domestic troubles, and the everrecurring divorces resulted in a con*tinual reshuffle of wives.

Magpies and Minahs Increase A marked increase in the number of magpies and minahs in Hawke’s Bay is causing concern to farmers and orchardists. Farmers in the Central Hawke’s Bay area report that much damage is being done by magpies, which are protected. Cases have been reported of magpies actually attacking sheep, and particularly lambs.

. Nigerian Food The war by cutting off the supplies of tinned foods from Nigeria, had by the same token developed the resources of the country to a considerable extent, said Mr Michael Macdonald, an administrative officer with the Colonial Service in Nigeria, in an interview yesterday. Mr Macdonald, who is a Christchurch man, is on furlough. Before the war, Europeans had lived largely on imported tinned food, Mr Macdonald said. During the war they had, however, been able to feed themselves quite well. Onions, cqrrots, and tomatoes grew well, and a fair amount pf beef and mutton had been available. The Europeans had also produced their own butter and bacon. The natives, whose staple diet consisted of a kind of stiff porridge made from millet, or guinea corn, eaten with a sauce, vegetable oils, peppers and seasoning, had become interested in the growing of European vegetables, and the vegetables could now be obtained practically anywhere in the bush. Prediction of Floods Reference to the forecasts made by Mr Inigo Jones of floods in Northern Queensland in January last year is made in the fourth annual report of the Long Range Weather Forecasting Trust. As a result of the prediction of Mr Jones, who is research director at the Crohamhurst Observatory, Queensland, preparations for the relief of distress on the outbreak of the floods were made in adequate time. ! “The work which is being done at ■ Crohamhurst.” states the secretary of the trust. Mr J. W. Allen, in a letter to the Federated Farmers of New Zealand. “is showing satisfactory development upon scientific lines, and any success which is achieved will, it is hoped provide results which will be of great ultimate value to your Dominion. as well as to Australia.” University Senate The Senate of the University of New Zealand will meet in Wellington before August, and the next annual meeting will begin in Dunedin on January 15. 1948. _

Radio Sets Damaged By Power Surge.—The power surge and failure last Thursday damaged more than 3000 radio sets in Sydney and suburbs, according to a survey made by the Radio Retailers’ Association. The retailers are joining other bodies in a demand that the County Council should compensate the owners of damaged sets. The sudden burst of power supply after the black-out caused condensers in the sets, which were switched on, to burn out.—Sydney, January 21.