General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25300, 27 September 1947, Page 8

General News

—<♦►— Women Police It was hoped to bring the number of women police in New Zealand up to an establishment of 35, said the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) in the House of Representatives yesterday. There were 25 members at present, he said.—(P.A.) From Ashburton on Stilts Mr L. G. Lukey, who is walking from Ashburton to Christchurch on stilts, arrived at Islington at 5.30 p.m. yesterday, after completing about 16 miles during the day. He will leave Islington early this morning and is expected to arrive in Christchurch about 2.15 pjn. State Houses Allocated Applications for State houses at the end of August totalled 53,987, of which 14,976 were from former servicemen in a preferential category, and 39,011 were from civilians, said the Minister in charge of State Housing (Mr F. Hackett) yesterday. He added that from the inception of the housing scheme 23,664 new tenancies had been available to civilian and former servicemen applicants. In August, the total number of houses let or re-let throughout New Zealand was 172, the districts affected being Auckland and North Auckland 39, Waikato ?nd. Bay of Plenty 20, Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay four, Taranaki eight, Wellington, Manawatu and Wairarapa 54, Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast nine, Canterbury 12. Otago 14, and Southland 12. Of those tenancies, 91 were granted to preferential former servicemen’s classes. During.the month 1116 applications for State ? tenancies were Judged, comprising 495 applications by eligible former servicemen and 621 by civilians.—(P.A.) Christ’s College War Memorial Less than £7OOO is now required for the Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association’s War Memorial fund, states a newsletter issued -to members of the association. Of the total of £30,000 needed, £23,190 has been received or promised. The executive of the association aims to raise £25,000 by the end of the year. Included in the newsletter is a report by the architect, Mr Cecil Wood, and his plans for the proposed memorial, which will take the form of an extension to the existing dining hall, including a tower over the gateway. Offices, a common room, and music rooms will be built next to the dining hall. The tower will contain the board room, the. old boys’ record room and the orchestral practice room. v

Indecipherable Signatures Because it was claimed much time was lost in deciphering illegible signatures, the South Canterbury Regional Planning Council decided at its meeting this week to write to the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser), asking that all Government departments should adopt the “American practice” of typing the names of officers signing letters under the actual signature, and that the system should be adopted by the Education Department in training pupils at commercial schools; and to ask the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to approach the associated chambers asking them to persuade all business firms to follow the practice. CORSO Clothes Drive A sequel to the Wellington CORSO clothes drive, held near the end of last year, ha* come in a letter from Mr Paul Wu, executive secretary of the Kwantung International Relief Committee. Mr Wu wrote that 75 cases of clothing and shoes had been received from CORSO for free distribution to poor in the province of Kwantung. The goods, which included toys, were distributed to 3294 orphan boys and girls, 315 blind men and women, and 2627 poor' and destitute persons. Thus more than 6000 persons had benefited. —(P.A.)

N.Z.-Scandinavia Shipping Service Scandinavian steam ship service proprietors are making an endeavour to institute two-monthly cargo services to New Zealand, according to advice received by a Christchurch importing firm from their principals in Gothenburg, Sweden. Cargoes from Scandinavia for New Zealand will be accumulated at Scandinavian ports to be loaded for Auckland and Wellington, and, it is hoped, Lyttelton and Dunedin, thus eliminating the risk of damage to goods through transshipment. The Scandinavian steam ship lines contemplating the undertaking are the Trans-Atlantic Steam Ship Company, Ltd. (Sweden), Messrs Wilhelm Wilhelmson (Norway), and the East Asiatic Company, Ltd. (Denmark) . Previously these companies have only accepted cargoes for New Zealand ports on the trans-shipment basis when the quantities of freight offering have not warranted direct calls. Shipments have been delayed for indefinite periods.

Racing Equipment in Australia Facilities at racecourses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were inspected by Mr F. T. H. Bell, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and Mr W. R. Main, manager of the Riccarton racecourse, who have returned to New Zealand by flying-boat. Mr Bell said he had made a special examination of the starting barriers used in Australia, and had gathered some new ideas which might be possible to inaugurate in New Zealand. He would make a report to his committee on his return to Christchurch. -(PA.)

Police Boys’ Clubs The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) said yesterday that he was going to discuss the question of having police boys’ clubs all over the country, particularly in the cities. He had heard of the good job done with the club at Westport and also the popularity and success of similar clubs in New South Wales. In some country districts where there was no real central rallying point for boys, a recreation club might be a godsend if the local police officer was a good athlete, gymnast, wrestler, or boxer, or otherwise equipped to instruct in spare-time recreational activities.—(P.A.)

Intruder In Radio Station Radio stations on the Pacific network were surprised to hear a general call in slow, shaky Morse from the transmitter at Mangaia in the Cook Islands asking for the whereabouts of a steamer due in three days’ time. Its author was a young Cook Islander, who broke into the wireless station while under the influence of liquor, connected the transmitter, and sent out a hesitant but mainly accurate message. When a reply came at professional speed, he qpula only answer with some cris'-> language which was at least unique for the receiving staff at Rarotonga. About the same time, he was detected at the key by a Government official. The Cook Islands Act makes no provision for this class of offence, but he was subsequently charged with trespass on Government property. “White Gloves” for Council The Christchurch City Council’s poundkeeper’s report received by the Heathcote County Council last evening showed that no-stock had been impounded within the Heathcote County during August. Commenting on the report Cr. W. B. Laing suggested that the council be presented with a pair of white gloves.