General News

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25547, 15 July 1948, Page 4

General News

Record Price for Sheep The highest price in the history of the Burnside Yards, £4 13s each, was paid at yesterday’s .sale for a pen of 16 fat wethers. There was a small yarding—(P.A.) High Wind at Lyttelton A high north-east wind which blew for about an hour yesterday afternoon raised a heavy sea in Lyttelton harbour, and caused a temporary stoppage of work on the waterfront because of the danger from swinging slings of cargo. There was a big sea running outside the Heads, and from Evans Pass seas could be seen breaking far out beyond Sumner. Committee Chairman Disqualified The chairman of the Aranui School Committee has been disqualified because he is employed by the Canterbury Education Board. The Canterbury School Committees’ Association will ask the Minister of Education to remove this “anomalous clauje” from the act. It was stated at a meeting last evening that the. committee chairman had had children at the school for 14 years, three remaining, and that his employment had no bearing on his membership of the committee. Education Board members were allowed to sit on school committees. School Radio Sets Standard model radio receivers and equipment designed specially for schools have been produced at the request of the Education Department. Seven different articles have been ordered: three types of radio receivers, extension speakers, microphones, and two types of record player. The receiving sets are either run from a battery or from electric current and have provision for loudspeakers, the largest model taking four loudspeakers and a microphone, and all have provision for the fitting of a radio-gramo-phone. Money for school sets is not provided by the department but is raised by schools. A subsidy of £1 for £1 is available for primary schools.— (P.S.S.) Burning Under Power Lines The attention of Federated Farmers will be drawn by the South Canterbury Electric Power Board to the damage to lines and poles likely to be caused by farmers burning gorse hedge cuttings under the lines. At a meeting of the board this week, Mr T. L. Hayman said that very few farmers had an idea of the damage Likely to result frofti this practice. There was a likelihood of the flame creating a short circuit between the wires, he understood, and there was also a possibility of damage to the wires through heat. The manager (Mr J. M. Bishop) .sdid that the burning of poles was also possible. Njsw Education Bill With many important decisions to be reached, it was unlikely that a new Education Bill would be introduced in the present session of Parliament, the Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs) informed the Canterbury School Committees’ Association last evening. Berths for Sydney In spite of stories, given wide currency, that thousands of people were stranded on this side of the Tasman awaiting berths to Australia, there appeared to be no great rush for accommodation now available in the Hud-dart-Parker motor-ship Westralia, said the Wellington manager of the company, Mr N. D. McLean. There were 300 berths in the ship, and so far bookings had been very moderate, said Mr McLean. “The Westralia and the Duntroon, which are expected to leave Auckland about the second week of August, should take care of any people really wanting to travel to Australia, or of any Australians wishing to return to their own country,” he added. “It appears from our bookings, that most intending travellers are waiting for a regular service across the Tasman, before they leave New Zealand.” Houses for Teachers Cabinet Ministers, the Government, the Education Department, and Education Boards will be urged by the Canterbury School Committees’ Association to provide houses for teachers, particularly in rural areas. Delegates stated last evening that banks and other institutions made provision for many of their officers, and where lack of accommodation for teachers might influence the education of children, similar arrangements should be made. Arbor Day

That Arbor Day had been allowed to lapse in some towns in New Zealand was deplored by the Mayor of Timaru (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) yesterday when he announced arrangements for the observance of Arbor Day in Timaru on August 9. The proclamation of a half-holiday for school children on Arbor Day for the primary purpose of tree planting is advocated by the Mayor, who proposes to discuss the matter -with the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) when he is next in Wellington. School children are to be invited to take part in the main tree-plantiing ceremony in Timaru on Arbor Day. Members of the Australian basketball team who will be in Timaru at the time will also be invited to plant some trees. The main item will be the planting of a grove of 100 walnuts in Centennial park.

Industrial Information “Because of reorganisation within the departments, it has been deemed necessary to issue only one copy of the ‘lndustrial Bulletin’ for the period January-March,” say Messrs J. R. C. ■Robertson and M. O’Connor, joint editors. in a preface to the latest issue of the bulletin, issued by the Department of Industries and Commerce, and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. “By so doing, continuity of publication will be maintained. During this period of reorganisation. satisfactory arrangements have also been completed whereby as from April the delays associated with printing will, fwe hope, be eliminated. As from the next issue, we believe, regular monthly publication will be .possible,” the preface adds. Poliomyelitis Cases

Two fresh positive cases of poliomyelitis in the Wellington Health District were reported yesterday. One was a child under school age from Johnsonville, and the other was a school child from the Petone district.—(P.A.) Good Snow Fall at Mount Cook

The heaviest fall of snow so far this winter has fallen at the Hermitage,Mount Cook, according to a report received yesterday by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, Christchurch. Conditions are reported to be ideal for ski-ing at the Ball Hut. A report from Tekapo last evening said that heavy rain had fallen during the day, but there had been no snow.