General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25208, 12 June 1947, Page 6

General News

Surgeons’ Problem “It is very important that it be recognised by everyone how often surgeons and anaesthetists are faced with the problem of deciding whether operative interference offers the slightest chance of cure against the grave risk of an immediate death on the table,’’ stated the director of anaesthesia (Dr. G. F. V. Anson) in a report to the Auckland Hospital Board. Nothing should be done in the way of undue publicity that might frighten surgeons and anaesthetists from giving every chance to the most grieviously ill patient, stated Dr. Anson. Mosquito Aircraft at Wigram The R.N.Z.A.F. Mosquito aircraft which crossed the Tasman from Bankstown, Sydney, to Ohakea, in four hours on Tuesday, arrived at Wigram early yesterday afternoon. Later it was flown back to Ohakea. The aircraft, which was flown across the Tasman by Squadron Leader J. M. Checketts, D. 5.0., D.F.C., was one of four dual-controlled Mosquitoes recently bought in Australia by the New Zealand Government for the training of R.N.Z.A.F. crews. Four similar aircraft were delivered earlier. Shooting of Sea Birds ' After Professor E. Perciyal had described having seen a man shooting at sea birds from a launch returning to Lyttelton from Banks Peninsula, the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society decided last evening to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) to take action. Professor Percival said that he had seen a member of a fishing party with a .22 calibre rifle. He had been ‘‘potting” at shags and had killed one. He had then shot and damaged a Cape pigeon, which, Professor Percival thought, was protected. He moved that a letter be written to Mr Parry, asking him to assist in prohibiting the carriage of arms on launches by fishing parties. Dr. D. McK. Dickson said it was very likely that the shooters did not know which were protected birds. It might be as well to indicate that the society would assist in making it known that protected birds were being shot. Barbers or Hairdressers? “We are strongly against the use of the word ‘barber,’ and are trying as much as possible to replace it with the word ‘hairdresser,’ ” said Mr C. A. Lang, president of the Canterbury Retailers’ and Hairdressers’ Association, yesterday. Mr Lang said that members of the association felt that the word “barber” tended to lower the public’s opinion of the trade, and everything possible was being done to raise its prestige. Hospital Visiting Hours “It had at first been thought that the power cuts would mean curtailment of the visiting hours at Burwood Hospital; but an arrangement has now been made with the M.E.D. so that in the meantime they can be continued normally,” said Mr Alex. Prentice, secretary of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, yesterday. He added that the normal evening visiting hours were from 7 p.m. to 7.45 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Portrait of V.C. Winner A portrait of Squadron Leader L. H. Trent. V.C., was presented to Nelson College yesterday as a gift from the Old Boys’ Association. Former pupils in all parts of the world contributed to the portrait, which was painted by Mr Archibald Nicoll. of Christchurch, Squadron Leader Trent attended the ceremony. Mr E. R. Neale. M.P., president of the association, said the portrait would form a link between the school and all old boys who had served in the forces. The principal (Mr H. V. Searle), accepting the gift on behalf of the college, expressed the hope that no others would ever have the onportunitv of winning the V.C.. but all would have the opportunity of aoplyin? the lesson learned from Len Trent—that of thoroughness.—(P.A.) Next Year’s Royal Show The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association decided yesterday to give way to Otago and Southland in their desire to have the Royal Show in 1948, and to reauest that the Royal Show be held in Christchurch in 1950. the year in which the province would celebrate its centennial. School Committees’ Jubilee The golden jubilee of the Canterbury School Committees’ Association will be celebrated in Christchurch next March in conjunction with the Dominion conference of the New Zealand School Committees’ Federation. It was decided last evening to publish a booklet recording the history of the association. Coupon Saving With a contribution of just over one coupon for each household in the district, Palmerston North achieved first place in the sixtieth week of the New Zealand Famine Emergency Committee’s campaign to save food for Britain. Gisborne was second and Oamaru third. Contributions last week brought the Dominion total to date to 380,604 butter and 10,416,729 meat coupons.—(P.A.) New Tobacco Factory for N.Z.

Advice had been received that a new tobacco factory would be opened in a North Island town by one of the largest firms of tobacco manufacturers in the Dominion, said Mr C. A. Lang, president of the Canterbury and Westland Hairdressers’ and Tobacconists’ Association, at the annual meeting of the association held in Christchurch this week. While the company which was establishing the new factory would not estimate to what extent this would increase its over-all production, said Mr Lang, it was confident that it would be sufficient to be noticeably reflected in the monthly allocations of domestic brands of cigarettes and tobacco in the near future. Prepared for Emergency Ample precautions against the possibility of its annual meeting continuing beyond 10.30 p.m. were taken by the Canterbury School Committees’ Association last evening. Arrangements were made to begin at the scheduled time of 7.30 p.m., a bright petrol lamp being set up on the chairman’s table; while those preparing for the election of officers were sorting their voting papers in a corner by the light of two candles. Because the building was in darkness, many delegates did not enter until the lights went on at 7.45, and it was then agreed that five minutes’ grace be given to allow late-comers, delayed by the black-out, to arrive. Most delegates indicated a desire to be home well before the later power shut-down, and the business was dispatched by 9 p.m. Selection of Hospital Staffs A New Zealand nurse has left for England, where she will assist in the selection of the female staff being recruited there for positions on nursing and domestic staffs in the Dominion’s hospitals. She is Miss R. T. Cameron, senior nurse inspector of the Health Department, Auckland. Miss Cameron has been appointed to the staff of the immigration office, London. Wairata Laid Up The inter-colonial vessel Wairata, delayed at Wellington since last Saturday by crew trouble, has now been placed out of commission by the Union Steam Ship Company. The ship was moved yesterday from Pipitea quay, where she was loading last week, to the dock wharf. Due to load a cargo of animals lor Tahiti in Auckland, the ship has been taken from the company’s movements list, and laid up. No further conlerence was held yesterday between the company and union representatives. One of the causes of the dispute is the demand for an extra hand to be carried as crew’s messman, whose sole duty it would be to act as steward for the crew.—(P.A.) Big Cargoes of Food Thirty-seven thousand tons of New Zealand produce, a great deal of which is foodstuffs, will leave Wellington for Britain between to-day and Saturday. The Port Hobart, which will leave this morning, will carry about 12,000 tons, a full load, the major portion of which is butter and cheese. The Arawa, which has been loading in Wellington since May 25, will leave for London to-morrow with a full load of 15,000 tons. This includes 9000 cases of cheese, 150,000 freight carcases of meat and 5550 bales of general cargo. On Saturday the new Port Line ship, Port Pirie, will leave for London with a full load of refrigerated cargo.— (PJU)