General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 6

General News

Packing of Eggs in Fat Advice had Deen given in the radio session “Consumer Time” that persons wishing to send eggs to British families should pack them in fat, said Mr G. C. Warren, at a meeting of the North Canterbury executive of Federated Farmers yesterday. In every instance he knew of, this procedure had proved a failure, both eggs and fat arriving in Britain in bad condition, added Mr Warren. He deplored the loss of valuable foodstuffs both to the people of Britain and to New Zealand. Other members of the executive supported Mr Warren’s statements, and contended that the risk of contamination was too great for eggs tp be packed jn this manner.

Waggon Delivery of Milk An innovation for New Zealand in the transport pf mffk jn bulk is to begin early next year, when part of Wellington’s milk supply will be brought from the country by tank waggons. The general manager of the Wellington City Corporation milk department (Mr E. L. Benseman). said yesterday that the system had been operating successfully for some years in parts of Australia. It was found that tanker transport eliminated much of the wastage of single-can delivery. It was quicker, and less costly. In time, all Wellington’s milk would he brought to the city in that way. It was not proposed, however, to employ tankers in delivering milk after it had been pasteurised. Each tank waggon would have a capacity of 1800 gallons, rather larger than that of the average-sized motor spirit transport.— (P.A.)

Hospital Dietitians Vacancies on the dietary staff of the North Canterbury Hospital Board were advertised in New Zealand and overseas. There was a satisfactory number of applications, apd the board has now appointed dietitians from the New Zealand applicants. To safeguard the staffing position, the board has decided to accept two English dietitians as jujiior assistants who can be trained for future vacancies which will arise next year.

Little Sleep for Maori M.P.’s Much travelling and little sleep wss the immediate prospect last night for the four Maori members of the House of Representatives (Messrs E. T. Tifikatene, T. Omana, T. P. Paikea, and M. Ratana). When the House rose at 10.30 p.m., all four of them left immediately by car to attend a tangi at Wanganui to mark the death of a prominent official in the Ratana movement. The smallness of the Government’s majority in the House meant that their travelling and their attendance et the tangi must be finished between the rising of the House and its resumption at 2.30 p.m. to-day.— (F.0.P.R.)

Liquor at Dances “The police are making an effort to combat this of offence,’" states the annual report of the Commissioner of Police, in recording an increase of nearly 44 per cent, in the prosecutions lor consumption of liquor at dances. The number of offences reported where people were in possession, of liquor near dance halls was 1752 last year, compared with 1218 in 1945. Other increases in breaches of the Licensing Act were recorded in the selling of liquor after hours and in the number of people found on licensed premises after hours, which rose by 25 per cent. Prosecutions for drunkenness rose last year by 21§ to 2069, and 300 convictions were entered against hotelkeepers compared with 257 in 1945. Sly grog selling and other offences in no licence oistricts showed a reduction Right-Hand Rule Investigations are being made by the Transport Department with a view to simplifying the wording of the traffic regulation incorporating the *right-hand rule” and the question o$ including diagrams in the regulation would be sympathetically considered. This answer was given by the Minister of Transport (Mr J. O’Brien) in the Hppse of Representatives yesterday to Dr. A. M. Fmlay (Government, North Shore). The Minister said the Road CpdP, which was available to all road users, contained a simple explanation of the rule- —(P.A ) Samoans and Work Employment for wqges was not a natural form of Samoan life, says the annual report on the administration of the territory of Western Samoa, which pas been tabled m the House of Representatives. Figures taken put at the 1945 census showed that only 3 per cent, of t\e Samoan population were in employment. Thpy were not held to contracts, but worked as and when they wished. There were 290 Chinese labourers remaining in Samea, of whom 38 were restricted free settlers, and of the remaining number, 226 were in active employmen . These were employed largely on private cocoa plantations and on New Zealand Reparation Estates’ rubber plantations. The only other labourers subject to definite terms of employment were 63 Melanesians introduced by a German trading company before 1914, and 22 Niue Islanders. Lime Distribution

The North Canterbury executive of Federated Farmers, at a meeting yesterday, decided to set up a committee to discuss lime distribution problems. Messrs L. E. Farr, C. A. Inch and J. G. Bayley were appointed to the committee. It was decided to ask the Railway Department, lime companies, transport operators, and the Department of Agriculture each to appoint one representative on the committee. Shortage of Biscuits A departmental investigation is being made in Christchurch to find out why biscuits are in such snort supply. This information was given by the Minister of Supply (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) in the House of Representatives yesterday in reply to a question from Mr J. T. Watt? (Opposition, St. Albans). Mr Watts had said that Christchurch had had a great shortage for the last few months. — (F-OP.R.) Yard at Hospital Suggestions for keeping clear the yard at the Christchurch Public Hospital were made by Dr. W. G. Rich to the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday. There was a lot of traffic in the yard, with ambulances turning round, he said, and although there hac| been no serious accident, there was considerable danger when there were crowds of visitors waiting in the yard. The executive of the Venerable Order of St. John had suggested that visitors should be let into the hospital by another entrance, that all cars should be kept out of the yard, or that a separate entrance should be made for ambulances. Dr. Rich considered that the last suggestion was not practical.

Food Saving Campaign Gifts of meat and butter coupons in support Of the New Zealand Famine Emergency Committee’s campaign to make more food available tor Great Britain were brought to more than 11,000,000 by last week’s contributions. Last week, which was thp sixty-sixth week of the campaign, 2588 butter and 114,647 meat coupons were contributedGisborne again headed the 20 postal districts, Nelson being second, and Hawke’s Bay third.—(P.A.) Tyres on Farm Machinery A suggestion that all rubber-tyred farm machinery should be tested at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, and that farmers should be advised on the weight-carrying capacity of the tyres, as recommended by the manufacturers, was discussed at a meeting of the North Canterbury executive of Federated Farmers yesterday. On the motion of Mr L. T. Wright, it was decided to refer the matter to the Dominion headquarters of the organisation. Mr J. A. G. Fulton said that the tyres oh modern farm machinery were far too light. Tests were suggested to see what tyres the machinery should rightly have. Mr Wright said that a machinery testing committee had been formed, but it was not yet in action. Finance was a difficulty, but once a testing station had been established, it would be feasible to test tyres on machinery.

Tigers For Auckland Zoo Two young, unrelated tigers will be added to the collection at the Auckland Zoo. ’pie curator has been authorised to make the purchase from the Wellington Zoo at a cost of £7O, by the city council’s parks committee. In addition, a young tigress will be sent to Auckland from the Wellington Zoo] soon in exchange for a pigtail monkey i and a hamadryad baboon.