General News

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26121, 25 May 1950, Page 4

General News

Retiring Age for Women “What? A woman is in her prime of life at 55,” said Mrs J. N. Clarke at a meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday, when it was stated that the retiring ages fixed by the board’s by-laws were 65 for men and 55 for women. “It is high time the by-laws were altered,” she added. “It is perfectly ridiculous that a matron at the age of 55 should have to retire.” The chairman (Mr V. C. Lawn) pointed out that the by-laws made provision for a person to be retained after reaching the retiring age. Some had been retained in the past. “Well, that is good,” Mrs Clarke said. £12,000 for Section The Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday paid £12,000 at an auction sale for a freehold section in Wakefield street, Wellington. The section has a frontage of 62it, with depths of 80ft and 72ft, and right of access at the rear. The site is opposite the Town Hall. It has been used as a parking lot. It is believed that the Chamber of Commerce will eventually build on the section. The land sales valuation of the section was £9250. (P.A.) Radio in Ambulances The linking of the Christchurch Hospital with St. John ambulances by radio-telephone was discussed by the hospital committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board recently, but it was decided that no action was necessary. There is a private direct telephone line between the hospital and the ambulance headquarters, and it was thought that any link with the ambulances would not be worth while. Dearer Biscuits The price of biscuits has been increased by from Id to l£d per lb as from Tuesday this week. Manufacturers explained that the increase was to cover rises in the costs of flour, sugar and fats and increased wages. Nurses’ Uniforms “Approval in principle” was given by the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday to a request from the Student Nurses’ Association that nurses at the Christchurch Hospital should be provided with three uniforms instead of two. It was left with the secretary and the lady superintendent to review the position. Mr A. Prentice, the secretary, said it was difficult to find a manufacturer willing to quote a price for uniforms. In Christchurch there was only one manufacturer interested. The board had had to go as far away as Blenneim to get a manufacturer to make uniforms for nurses at the Burwood Hospital. Cost of Industrial Accidents Accidents in industry were really worth bothering about, said the District Industrial Medical Officer (Dr. D. P. Kennedy) in the filth of a series of lectures arranged by the industrial hygiene division of the Department of Health in conjunction with the St. John Ambulance Association, last evening. Dr. Kennedy said that the time and trouble appeared to be uneconomic; but when accidents in industry were presented as a national bill it was obvious that they were a costlv matter. During 1946 there were 11,311 industrial accidents (excluding those in the mines and on the waterfront), involving a loss of 950.908 working days, compared with 30.393'days lost from industrial disputes, and necessitating payment of £258,621 in Anaesthetist Wanted When the North Canterbury Hospital Board recently advertised the position of anaesthetic registrar at the Christchurch Hospital in Australia and New Zealand it got no replies. The board considered that the salary grading allowed by the Department of Health was too low to attract applicants and last month the Minister of Health (Mr J. T. Watts) approved the board's representations that a rate of £9OO to £lO5O a year should be allowed for the position/ The board is now readvertising in the two countries.

Heritage’s Funds The New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board decided yesterday to inform the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. A. Bodkin) that it had no objection to Heritage being empowered to raise funds for its own purposes through membership subscriptions or donations. The Minister had sought the board's opinion because the Patriotic and Canteen Funds Act permits only the Patriotic Fund Board or its authorised agents to raise funds in New Zealand for patriotic purposes. Ey 14 votes to 12 the board decided that it had no objection to Heritage raising funds for its own patriotic purposes except by way of general appeals to the public.— (P.A.) Insurance of Blood Donors When blood donors give their blood at the ’Christchurch Hospital they are covered by an insurance policy taken out by the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The policy covers any accident or mishap which might arise from the transfusion, although there has never been an accident in Christchurch or, it is believed, in New Zealand. Yesterday the board decided that it would increase its insurance cover in respect to any one donor to a limit of £2500. The increased premium involved will be £l5 a year. Junior Anglers A recommendation to the incoming council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society that Victoria Lake be stocked with salvaged fish to provide ready, accessible facilities for the training of junior anglers, was carried at the annual meeting of the society last evening. Lime Transport Subsidy As a result of representations made by Federated Farmers, an amendment has been made to the scheme for assistance in the transport of lime. From the beginning of this month, farmers with a lime transport assistance quali-i fication who are not served by rail, will receive an extra 2d per ton mile on mileage in excess of 20. The previous allowance was 4d. Fanner Spends Night in Bush A West Coast farmer spent a night in the bush camped under a log this week. He was Mr H. W. Derrick, of Welshman’s, near Greymouth, who went to look for two of his cows early on Tuesday evening. When he did not return a search was made. It was thought he had fallen into one of the disused mining shafts in the locality, but he returned at 9 a.m. yesterday. Mr Derrick, who had gone a long way from his farm, was in rough country after sunset and had to stay where he was. Several police officers were in the search parties on Tuesday night and again from dawn yesterday.