General News

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29268, 28 July 1960, Page 14

General News

Encouragement Providing encouragement for the six secondary school pupils who took part in the Royal Overseas League’s public speaking contest in the Jellicoe Hall last night, one of the judges, Mr E. S. Bowie, said he knew many were aware that there were vacant New Zealand diplomatic posts at present. Telling the pupils who had been speaking on “The Commonwealth” not to lose heart he said: “These young persons spoke well and with skill. I say carry on, because who knows, perhaps when you get to 40, they may still be vacant” Miscalculations It was all hands to sewing needles last night for the New Zealand women’s basketball team which assembled in Auckland to prepare for a flve-weeks tour of Australia. When the team’s gym dresses for the tour arrived it was found that someone . had blundered with the vital statistics and the waists and hemlines appeared in queer places. The players were undismayed. With practised hands and a practical approach they commandeered the hotel sewing-machine and set about on a maso alteration scheme.—(PA.) The Perfect Example A junior youth council had once been set up in Auckland, but for some reason it had failed, said Mr G. H. Reddell, speaking at a meeting of youth organisations, called in Christchurch last evening to consider the formation of a similar 'council in the city. “If it didn’t work in Auckland, there’s no show *f it working down here,” suggested Mr Reddell. (Laughter.) Winter Illness An unusual type of illness is prevalent in Christchurch at the moment, according to the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. A. Douglas). Symptoms described by Dr Douglas include a feeling of soreness “all over,” coupled with acute pains in the joints and muscle pains, headache at the base of the skull, and a feeling of soreness behind the eyes. A temperature of 101 and over usually accompanies the illness. It seems to last only a couple of days, but the patient feels pretty miserable,” Dr. Douglas said My guess is that it is some sort of virus infection.” Youth And Citizenship There was in Christchurch today a lack of any feeling of citizenship among young people as a whole, said Miss Margaret Britten, a former Field Service scholar in the United States, speaking at a meeting of youth organisations in Christchurch last evening. Many young people were members of groups, but there was no organisation which covered all the young people of the city. Miss Britten suggested the formation of a Youth Centre m Christchurch, to which anyone could belong, and which, un<i»r the organisation of a youth council, could run functions for young people. It could be a co-ordinating body for all young people’s organisations and clubs. Shovelers In U.K. With - the arrival of the New Zealand shoveler, a duck with a Trust m England has completed c°i 1 ?. ctlon of this species. The a i ld D‘vision of the Internal Affairs Department in Wellington sent the shovelers in crates designed by the trust and copied in New Zealand. Special food went with the birds. The trust reports success m breeding the New Zealand caup, or black teal duck A number of clutches have been reared The New Zealand grey duck has also been successfully bred, but the trust has had no success to date with the New Zealand brown duck.—(P.A.) Different Drawings The exclusive use of a room, shown as “artist’s roonf” in the plan of the surgical block at Bunwood Hospital, by a full-time dentist to be appointed for work in outlying hospitals and institutions was proposed by the institutions committee to yesterday’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. Fish Scarce Fish was scarce in Christchurch fish shops yesterday and supplies are expected to be short today. The recent bad weather has prevented the boats from going out. The most plentiful varieties were sole, blue cod, groper and tarakihi. Whole sole was 2s 9d per lb, while blue cod and crayfish were both 4s per lb. Tarakihi was 3s 6d per lb. Essential Equipment A request for 19 watches for use by the nursing staff at Princess Margaret Hospital in the taking of temperatures has been declined by the institutions committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. Nurses were asked to provide a watch as an essential part of their equipment.