General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25161, 17 April 1947, Page 6

General News

Severe Frost Recorded The heaviest frost recorded in Christchurch this month—B.9 degrees —was registered at the Magnetic Observatory yesterday morning. At Wigram, a frost of 8.1 degrees was recorded. Gardens suffered losses, and many tomato and flowering plants were badly damaged. The previous hardest frost this month was 5.2 degrees, on April 10. The frost yesterday was heavier than any recorded in March, the heaviest then being 6.8 degrees, on March 23. Cat Swims for Life Marooned on the last portion of dry land near the Karapiro dam to disappear below the rising waters, a ! black cat made a cool survey of its ; shrinking island. It took a neat header j into the lake, broke surface and swam t strongly to reach the west bank. The i cat’s battle for life was in contrast !to the mute acceptance of fate by i a rabbit and a mouse sitting peace- ! fully on the same log. They plunged :to death together over the roaring spi 11 way.—(P. A.) Apples for Schools The supply of apples to children in primary «schools in Christchurch has commenced: but it is still uncertain how long the service will be available this year. t Library Association Conference

For four days next month the New Zealand Libraries’ Association will be in conference in Christchurch. On Mav 26 the council of the association will meet, and seminars will begin on such topics as systems of cataloguing, governing bodies of libraries, librarians. and services to schools. As the meeting will occur in the term holidaysTt is hoped teacher members may be able to attend. The official opening will take place in the evening. After the presidential address, formal business, and remits next day, representative speakers will discuss New Zealand books and their availability, and there will be addresses on overseas libraries in the evening. The third day will be devoted to service to young adults, hospital libraries, and the comments of Mr L. R. McColvin on his e recent visit, • and schemes of regional and metropolitan planning. The conference will conclude with the association’s annual meeting. Immigration Booklet “It is very nice, but it does not help in any way. as far as I can see. to assist immigration.” commented Mr B. J. Masters, president of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, at the council meeting last evening, when copies of a booklet, on immigration prepared by the National Employment Service were received. The booklets are to be distributed through official channels to persons interested in emigrating to New Zealand. British Pacific Air Service The inaugural flight of the Auck-land-Vancouver service of British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, Ltdwill leave Auckland at 9 a.m. on April 25. says the secretary of the company, Mr J. H. Kemnitz, in a letter received in Auckland. He intends to come to Auckland from Sydney on Saturday to complete arrangements for the inaugural ceremony. Mr Kemnitz says that Mr A. W. Coles, chairman of the company, and Sir Keith Smith, a director, will come to Auckland for the inaugural function, and it is intended to hold a board meeting while bers of the ooard are assembled in Auckland. It will be the first time the board has met in New Zealand.— (P.A.) Big Fish Rammed by Ship While crossing the Pacific on the voyage from London to Auckland, the liner Port Hobart rammed a big fish, which was at first thought to be a whale. Captain T. Kippins saw that the ship had caught the fish at an angle and cut about half-way through its body. The head was partly submerged on the port side, and its tail was threshing above water on the starboard. After the vessel had been stopped and the engines reversed the fish dropped from the bow and sank. Captain Kippins said the passengers were convinced it was a whale, but he thought it might have been a tunny. Heavy Air Freight Package The heaviest package yet carried on the- Railway Department’s air freight service between the North Island and the South Island was recently shipped from Wellington to Invercargill by rail and air. It was an electric motor weighing COOlb, and the flooring of the Dakota, which carries the freight between Paraparaumu and Woodbourne, had to be specially strengthened for the flight. Prize chrysanthemums from Palmerston North for exhibition at flower shows in Timaru and Dunedin, and women’s shoes and handbags from South Island manufacturers have been among recent air freight cargoes across Cook Strait. One shipment of handbags from a factory in Waimate totalled 25231 b. Building for Lincoln In recent years the, accommodation problem at Lincoln College has become increasingly pressing, and all sorts of makeshifts have had to be used to meet the needs for teaching and housing the growing number of students. A building, among the college buildings, occupied by the Wheat Research Institute, has some rooms to spare, and the college authorities recently approached the institute with the request that some rooms be rented to the college. The institute agreed to allow the college to continue to use a workroom and a darkroom which it at present uses, but would not rent them. “I consider this is a public scandal.” said Professor E. R. Hudson, director of the college, when reporting to the board of governors of the college on Tuesday on the negotiations. “The building has been there for eight years, and at no time has it been fully in use by the institute. It was put up at Government expense and the Wheat Research Institute has the use of it.” The board agreed to send a deputation consisting of the chairman, Mr H. S. S. Kyle, and Messrs C. T. Aschman and M. E. Lyons, to put the case before the next meeting of the Wheat Research Committee. Apprenticeship Contracts The section of the Apprentices Amendment Act, 1946, forbidding employers to enter into any apprenticeship contract to which the principal act applies, without the previous consent in writing of the local apprenticeship committee or the District Commissioner of Apprentices, is to be strictly enforced by the Labour Department. Advice to this effect has been received by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association from the Act-ing-District Commissioner of Apprentices (Mr S. E. McGregor). Sandbags and Beans

Lime, tar, old engine oil, snap beans, and sandbags are among the wide range of surplus war material now being sold by the War Assets Realisation Board. Tenders have been called for the purchase as seed of about 39001 b of snap beans now stored at Lower Hutt. They are part of United States Army supplies handed over to the board under lend-lease adjustments. There are 42,500 sandbags imported from India for sale at Burnham military camp. The lime, tar, and old engine oil are at Ashburton. Habits of Lord Montgomery The temperate habits of Field-Mar-shal Lord Montgomery, who will visit the Dominion in July, were outlined by the Dominion secretary of the Returned Services’ Association, in a letter to the South Canterbury Association to give it some guidance as to its part in the reception to Lord Montgomery when he visits Timaru on July 21. Lord Montgomery neither smoked nor drank alcoholic liquor. He retired to bed regularly at 10 p.m., and was an early riser, said the letter. Music Classes for Adults

Music classes, in addition to the usual class in musical appreciation, are being arranged this year by the Adult Education Centre in Auckland. There are two classes in musicianship, which will include elementary music reading and aural training and a study of the structure of music, harmony for the listener, the instruments of the orchestra. and the reading of chamber music and orchestral scores. The classes will also include musical composition and choral work.