General News

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 4

General News

“No Sugar, No . Comment”

“We have no sugar and no comment to make. We are too disgusted.” This report was issued last evening by the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Master Grocers’ Association after a special meeting held to discuss the present shortage of sugar in Christchurch shops. Length of Speeches

A ruling of the Legislative Council about the length of members’ speeches was commended for use at social gatherings by the Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs), when speaking at the opening of the- Christchurch Home Servicemen’s Association club 1 rooms last evening. In the council’s standing orders there was no mention of a limit on speeches, but on a point of order a member could rise and suggest “that the honourable member be no longer heard.” Australian Wheat Causes Congestion A decision to protest about shipments of Australian wheat being landed at Lytteltpn and Timaru at the same time as Canterbury wheat was coming in was made by the North Canterbury provincial executive of Federated Farmers yesterday. “All the mills are becoming congested at once, and transport is very difficult,” said the president (Mr J. W. Earl). Some farmers would have to wait two or three weeks before their wheat could be brought into the mills. “The whole thing is comoletely ridiculous,” said Mr L. C. Gardiner. x “Surely the Australian wheat can be shipped at a different time.” • Jury Reduced to Eleven

During the hearing of a case in the Supreme Court at Christchurch yesterday. a member of the jury became ill and the Court was adjourned. The hearing was resumed with eleven jurors and will be continued to-day, when Mr Justice Northcroft will sum up. The case is that in which Otto Stricker, trading as the Palestine Import Comoany. is claiming damages from W. J. Cowles and Son, Ltd., for alleged breach of contract. Repainting the Black Prince

Every available‘seaman and stoker in the naval barracks at Devonport was mobilised yesterday for the unprecedented task of repainting the whole of the Dido class cruiser Black Prince in two seven-hour working days. More than 130 men collected brushes and paint -pots at 8 o’clock yesterday morning, spread a ton of silver-grey paint over the hull and topsides, and completed their first day’s work at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon with more than 60 pel* cent, of the job The Black Prince lies in reserve at Devonport.— (P.A.)

Thefts of Tools A thief, who seems to specialise in carpenter’s tools, has been operating in Christchurch in the last week. Sheds at Riverview terrace. Flemington avenue, and at a Housing Department area off Shirley road, have been broken into in turn and a quantity of tools stolen from each. N.Z. Gramophone Records

Gramophone records will be manufactured in New Zealand soon. Presses to be imported by the His Master’s Voice Company, should be in operation by the end of March. Mr A. J. Wyness, a director of the company, who arrived in Auckland by Skymaster aircraft from Sydney yesterday, said that the records made in New’ Zealand would be of the popular type of music. This w’ould enable the company to use its limited import licence to bring in more classical record ings.—(P. A.) Conference by Telephone Many Christchurch members of the New Zealand Professional Engineers’ Association took an active part last night in a three-hour telephone conference with other members of the association in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin. They were partners in a meeting carried out by the combination of microphones and loud-speak-ers over the telephone circuit. Speeches made outside Christchurch came through loud-speakers, and were perfectly clear. There was ample opportunity for speakers everywhere to join, in the discussions. Dental Care for Children

New Zealand had pioneered the policy of dental care for children, and had shown the world what could be done in the field by properly trained and skilled nurses, said Mr J. E. Engel, Administrative Deputy Direct-or-General of Health, yesterday, when he presented medallions and certificates to 45 school dental nurses who are ready to take up appointments at clinics throughout the Dominion. Mr Engel said that how to secure sufficient staff to carry out its present dental policy w r as one of the main problems of the Health Department. He urged the graduates to recruit other girls to enter the profession wherever possible, adding that there would be larger school populations to deal with during the next few years.—(P.A.) Penicillin Preparations

The Chemists’ Guild has asked if it can take over preparation of all private penicillin prescriptions from the North Canterbury Hospital Board, which decided yesterday that, as this would be a convenience to the public and prevent the board’s entering retail competition, the Director-General of Health be asked to approve. Advice was received that Social Security pharmaceutical benefits now covered all standard penicillin preparations. Recruiting for Air Force

“Only a small percentage of the men required by the Territorial Air Force for ground trades has so far come forward,” said Group Captain T. W. White. Director of Reserves, in a speech at Auckland. He was appealing to members of the Air Force Association to volunteer for the Territorial Air Force, the active reserve or the general reserve. Group Captain White explained that all “duration of war” personnel who did not join one of these would have their names struck off the Air Force reserve list. Comparing the strength of the New Zealand Territorial Air Force with those of Australia and Canada, he said New Zealand was making a fine effort in relation to its population.—(P.A.) Centennial Industries Fair

The Canterbury Centennial Industries Fair of 1950, usually known as the New Zealand Industries Fair, will be held for four weeks, from Friday. August 4. until September 2, according to the report of a special committee of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, received at a meeting of the association last evening. Frigate’s First Assignment

The Loch class frigate Hawea will undertake her first assignment on the New Zealand naval station when she leaves Devonport to-day for Western Samoa. She will carry the newly appointed High Commissioner for Western Samoa (Mr G. R. Powles). to Apia. The Hawea. which is commanded by Lfeutenant-Commander Blomfield, D.S.C.. R.N.. will leave Apia for Wellington soon after the landing ceremony on March 7. She will rendezvous with the cruiser Bellona and her three sister frigates for combined exercises off the coast near Wellington.—(P.A.)