General News

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26399, 18 April 1951, Page 6

General News

Big Bonus The lowest paid worker of mining companies at Broken Hill will receive £26 a week in May. The lead bonm will reach the record proportions of £3 6s a shift or £l6 10s for each week worked. The bonus is based on the price of lead in March, which was £147 12s 7d a ton.—Sydney, April 17. Unusual Dahlia Mr A. Upjohn, of Lower Hutt, has grown a dahlia bloom half orange in colour and half mauve. The flower is four inches in diameter, and the dividing line between the two colours runs exactly through the centre. All the other flowers on the bush are orange.— <PA.) “Muscle Power, Not Gm” “Is it not a fact that your hotel haS gained in popularity in the last 12 months because you sell beer from the hogshead and the other hotel sells it from plastic tubes?” This question was put to a barman working in a township of two hotels who appeared as a witness in a case before the No. 9 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr J. A. Bretherton) yesterday. “No; we draw it up by muscle power, in the other bar they draw it by by gas,” said the witness. Manse to Ship’s Galley From Presbyterian manse tq ship’s galley will be the experience this week of the Rev. H. O. Bowman. Until yesterday Mr Bowman was minister at Port Chalmers. To-morrow he will begin duties in the galley of the steamer Ivor Jenny. By this unorthodox—for a Presbyterian minister —means of travel he plans to reach Scotland and there obtain experience in church work. —(P.A.) Rubbish in Drains Residents on the Main North road, Papanui, would canvass occupiers ot properties through which Kruse’s drain flowed, to minimise the quantity of refuse at present getting into the drain, said the Christchurch Drainage Board’s engineer (Mr E. F. Scott) at a meeting of the board last evening. Mr Scott said a blocked grating in the drain which had caused the flooding of properties would be replaced. The example of the residents, he said, might well be copied by residents on other drains, as the throwing of rubbish into open drains and streams caused much local flooding in times of even moderate rainfall, and in addition frequently caused bad scour in the drains and the collapse of timbe?ed sides. The Iron Curtain “The Iron Curtain” was not a recognised United Nations phrase, said Dr. W. B. Sutch replying to a question whether there was co-operation in the United Nations between countries behind the Iron Curtain and other countries, at a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the United Nations’ Association last evening. Dr. Sutch had addressed the meeting on the social and economic needs of the United Nations. The amount of cooperation depended partly on the interest the different countries took in the question under discussion. The aim was always to try to get unanimity and this had been achieved on some quite important questions. Dr. Sutch said. Dearer Electrical Goods Prices of electrical goods made in Auckland will be increased by up to 15 per cent, next week. The increase, which is caused by higher raw material and labour costs to manufacturers, will apply to all electrical goods made in Auckland. This is said to be the first such increase In three years, and the public will be mainly concerned by the increased costs of household appliances like jugs, toasters, and kettles. Radios will also be dearer bv from 10s to £2. Manufacturers will make their adjustments next week and the increases will be passed on by retailers.—(P.A.) Television for Churches

Television now has a place in the annual Budget of the general world conference of Seventh Day Adventists who this year will spend 300,000 dollars in providing weekly religious “telecasts” from 11 of the largest cities of the United States. The programmes will be produced by some of the church’s leading radio groups who have been experimenting in television during the last, year or two. Announcing the new project in the latest “Review and Herald,” an Adventist weekly published in Washington, copies of which have just been received in Christchurch, the world president of the church (Pastor W. M. Branson) predicts that in the Unitea States “soon television will be as commonly used as radio.” Pastor Branson believes that in television “God has provided one more method of reaching the multitudes quickly with the full gospel message.”

Plane Seats to Face Rear The Federal Minister for Air (Mr T. White) announced to-day that new planes for Australian airlines will have the passenger seats facing the rear “Overseas tests have shown that seats facing the back of the plane reduce the risk of injury to passengers in crashes and accidents,” he said. “I have asked Civil Aviation Department experts to prepare plans and designs for the reversing of aircraft seating. The Royal Australian Air Force has already installed rear-facing seats in some transport aircraft and will convert more planes when possible. Royal Air Force Hastings transports have rear-facing seats, and their introduction is known to have saved many lives.”—Melbourne, April 17.

Mowing School Lawns Because all other schools have arrangements for mowing their grounds, the Christchurch Post-primary Schools’ Board decided last evening to take no action on the Avonside Girls’ High School Board proposal that a mowing service should be organised. Members mentioned the difficulties of mixed control of equipment. Graduation Ceremony The annual graduation ceremony for Canterbury University College will be held in St. James’' Theatre on the afternoon of May 1. Sir James Shelley, K.8.E., will deliver the graduation address, and Sir Joseph Ward, acting as the deputy of the Chancellor, will confer the degrees.

New Zealand Penal System New Zealand was one of the backward countries in its penal and penittentiary system; he had found that out through being on the United Nations Social Commission, said Dr. W. B. Sutch, during an address on “The United Nations—Their Economic and Social Needs,” at a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the United Nations’ Association last evening. Among the problems discussed by the Commission had been that of penal reform, said Dr. Sutch. Countries wishing to improve their penal systems asked such questions as: “How do you handle criminals? Do you train the warders? Do you use psychiatric treatment? What is the parole system?” New Zealand had little to offer on these questions, Dr. Sutch said. Dock Not Now Available

The Admiralty has withdrawn an offer to sell, a floating dock to the Auckland Harbour Board, according to a telegram from the Marine Department, received by the board yesterday. The search for a dock capable of taking coastal and small naval vessels, which began nearly a year ago, will be continued. “This is disappointing news,” said the chairman of the board (Mr Harvey Turner). “A dock in England, considered by engineers to be eminently suitable, was offered by the Admiralty last year. Some months ago, negotiations slowed down, and the board was advised that the Admiralty was reconsidering whether it could release the dock.”—(P.A.)

Land for Massey College After protracted negotiations the Government has completed the purchase of an area of 47 acres from the Russell Estate for the Massey Agricultural College Board of Governors says the “New Zealand Herald.” 1716’ land adjoins the college property and the price paid was £14,000,