NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 45, 17 November 1936, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Air Mail From London The Wanganella. which left Sydney for Wellington on November 14, carries London air mail dispatched on November 2. Davis Cup Tennis. The management committee of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association, at its meeting last night, passed a resolution opposing New Zealand entering a team for the Davis Cup this year. Traffic in Carnival Week. Chief-Inspector J. Bruorton, of the traffic department, Christchurch, reported that, in spite of the unusual conditions accompanying race and show week, there were no serious traffic accidents. Apart from a few country drivers who seemed bewildered by the thick traffic, there was nothing to complain of. Drivers were on their best behaviour all the week. Five-Day Week. Public servants employed in departments observing a five-day week, and under the control of the Public Service Commissioners, commenced work at 8 a.m. yesterday instead of 8.30 a.m. as in the past. By working until 4.35 p.m. they will make up the time hitherto worked on a Saturday morning. The five-day week is estimated to affect about 75 per cent, of the public servants. Misplaced Confidence.

A youth who until yesterday apparently had great faith in the honesty of his fellows, the newsboy who sells “The Dominion” at the Oriental Bay tram terminus, has made it his custom for some time to leave his papers on the bench in the waiting room, to sell themselves while he went to breakfast People bound for the city helped themselves to a copy of the paper, and left the price, or nothing, according to their personal ethics. Yesterday someone particularly unscrupulous happened along, and decamped with more than a dozen copies of the paper, and half-a-crown in cash. The hoy has decided to supervise his sales personally in future.

Fire Delights Youngster. Rarely is it that a lire fails to attract a curious, excited crowd of onlookers. When five engines screamed their way through the streets to an outbreak in Vivian Street last night, the crowd inevitably appeared on the scene almost before the brigade was at work. AU the small boys of the neighbourhood were there. Typical of the delight a fire gives them was the comment of one little chap last night. “I was in bed when I ’card the engines, but by gee it didn't take me long to 'op out. Mum 'ad locked the door to stop me going so I ’opped out the window.”

Good-bye to Professor Shelley. Members of the Society for Imperial Culture, Christchurch, met on Saturday evening to say farewell to Professor J. Shelley, president of the society since its inception, who is leaving Christchurch to take up the position of Director of Broadcasting. Tributes were paid to the original thought and adventurous spirit of Professor Shelley and also to his whole-hearted enthusiasm in many causes for the cultural welfare of the community. The meeting was held in the new memorial hall of the Christchurch Technical College, Dr. J. Hight, patron of the society, being in the chair. Infectious Diseases.

For the week ended yesterday, 32 eases of infectious disease and five deaths (three from tuberculosis, one from influenza, and one from enteric fever, paratyphoid), were reported to the Wellington office of the Health Department. In the Wanganui-Horo-whenua area two cases of diphtheria and two of tuberculosis were reported; in Wairarapa-Hawke’s Bay, seven cases of scarlet fever, one of diphtheria, one of influenza and one of enteric fever, paratyphoid; in central Wellington, five cases of scarlet fever, three of diphtheria, seven of tuberculosis and two of erysipelas; and in Nelson-Marlborough, one of scarlet fever. Although the above figures may appear to be high, it was reported that several of the cases of tuberculosis were old ones that had been re-listed. Boys’ Vandalism.

During the past few days, vandalism by boys has caused.considerable trouble for the reserves department of the Wei lington City Council. Two boys, one aged six and the other seven, wore caught on the Lyall Bay beach after they had broken into the women’s rest room on the parade and had started a fire inside. They pulled down the curtains. collected the toilet paper, and, making a heap on a table, set fire to the pile. Damage estimated at about £2/10/- was done. Boys are also reported to have broken into the Hataitai Ladies’ Croquet Club clubhouse during the week-end and to have disarranged the contents. Two or three hundred trees have recently been planted at the children’s play area in Brooklyn, and over the week-end about two dozen of these were pulled out and left lying on the ground. This is also thought to be the work of boys.