General News

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27643, 27 April 1955, Page 12

General News

Upside-Down Readers Teachers in a North African slum found that many children there read books upside down. Why? It was the way they learned to read—sitting around a table with only one book in the middle of them. This explanation is given in the journal of the British Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers, quoted by the “Daily Express.”—London, April 26. Reciprocity For many years the Christchurch Rotary Club has sponsored the activities of the Crichton Cobbers’ Club, and the boys of the club, whose ages range from about eight to 16, decided recently that they would like to assist the Rotary Club in its £50,000 appeal for the aged. Tomorrow night the boys have arranged a programme of boxing, wrestling and judo, to be held in their club rooms in Peterborough street, and they intend to give the proceeds to the Rotary Club appeal. Unauthorised Appeal No appeal is being made at present for the combined orphanages in Christchurch, according to Mr J. L. Hay, chairman of the Combined Orphanages Appeal Committee. Mr Hay said last evening that it had been reported to him that,somebody was collecting in the Linwood district on behalf oi the combined orphanages. This person was acting without authority. Devolution in University As a preliminary to autonomy being granted the colleges of the University of New Zealand, the Vice-Chancellor (Dr. G. A. Currie) last year submitted proposals to the Senate for a federation of universities. The Canterbury University College Council yesterday approved the scheme and suggested that the Senate appoint a special committee to implement the proposals. Government Drivers’ Obligations Government drivers are expected to obey municipal) traffic and parking by-lays in exactly the same way as ordinary motorists. Mr A. E. Hudson, Assistant Traffic Superintendent for the Transport Department said this In Wellington yesterday, when he was asked whether local body by-laws covered Crown vehicles. A legal opinion from a Government source was that, though municipal by-laws do not bind the Crown, a local body would be able to prosecute Government drivers for breaches. A driver, said the spokesman, would not be free from liability for his personal actions as a motorist, even though he was employed by the Government.— (P.A.) Close Relationship “We fetl that of all the British people, New Zealanders are more like Canadians than anyone else,” said the Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Commerce, Mr C. D. Howe, speaking in Christchurch yesterday afternoon. Mr Howe, who arrived in New Zealand on Monday evening with the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce, Mr W. F. Bull, said that they had found the hospitality extended to them/since their arrival overwhelming. It exceeded anything he had enjoyed in any other country he had been in during the last 20 years.

Legal Righto of Minors in Divorce In law an agreement entered into by a minor (a person under the age of 21) is not always binding, and it was for this reason that Mr Justice McGregor deferred consideration of a divorce case which came before him last week. He asked counsel (Mr Roy Twyneham) then to produce authorities to show that the agreement to separate from her husband entered into by a woman under 21 was valid. When the case again/ came before his Honour yesterday, Mr Twyneham quoted, inter alia, a judgment of Mr Justice North given in Dunedin in 1951. “When (as in this case),” said Mr Justice North, “the petitioner is the infant, there is no reason why she should not invoke the agreement for separation which she has never repudiated as a ground for divorce.” Holding that the case now before him was “on . all fours” with the Dunedin case, and adding that he entirely agreed with the principles set out in that judgment, Mr Justice McGregor granted a decree nisi.

Forward Stung on Tonsil An injury ’suffered by a Rugby player on Saturday might well prove unique. It occurred in a match between Manukau and North Shore at Auckland. A forward, J. Wakefield, one of Manukau’s best players, was forced to leave the field when a wasp he swallowed stung him on a tonsil. The painful injury was treated on Saturday afternoon, the sting removed and the player has recovered. Immigrants for South bland Of a total of 559 immigri ants arriv-i tag in Wellington on May 2 in the Southern Cross from the United Kingdom, 177 will settle in the South Island. Christchurch will receive 57 Greymouth 3, Dunedin 96, Milton 4. and Invercargill 17. Forty-six children are included in this South Island draft. Conventional Weapons Conventional weapons would still be used in warfare in spite of the introduction of the atom and hydrogen bombs and the cobalt bomb, said the director of Under-Surface Warfare (Lieutenant-Commander R. F. C. Elsvfortta D.S.C.) in an address to the Canterbury branch of the Navy League last evening. “We will get to the stage of having sufficient sanity on this planet not to use these ifticlear weapons because they would destroy us all?* he said. “We will have to continue with conventional armaments until we can decide that there Will be no more war.”

Odd Invitation . The Mayor of Wellington (Mr R. L. Mpcahster) received one of his oddest invitations at the annual meeting of Vogeltown and Mornington Municipal Electors’ Association. The president >a <S A ’ L ’ Bi snell) said: P “We would like you to come along one morning. Well give you a pram and a baby and then we would like you to try and push that pram along some ,of pur roads without getting your stockings torn and your pants ripped.” Marton Droteaht Over .■i Ar « y from Marton after . alter i f l fJ t u W ? te L‘ earry 2 n S vehicle deposited its load at the filter point of the borough s water supply system. aut bonties said yesterday morning the water crisis was considered to b®. over. The week-end rain has brought great relief, and there is promise of further showers from today.—(P.A.)

Small Gold Dredge for Auction A gold dredge which has ceased work on a farm near Gore will be Offered for removal at auction this month. Reputed to be the smallest !? e 4 W .? ea % d ’ not in world, <1 S?, en . the la — t 0 be operating ta Southland. Twenty-one years slu mP. jt was designed A^C™W^e° m r£ cost of £2OOO, Since that time Mr Coo K-has been part-owner and master. Tbeafredge was designed to work up rimllow gullies which would be out--535 me capacity of the bigger models. Constructed of jarrah and kauri, its pontoons measured 40 feet by 18 feet £y four feet/- and its power 'was a Diesel engine. The 22 two-loot 10 feet C ° Uld dredge t 0 a de P th of