NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 74, 21 December 1937, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

N.Z. Press Praised “I am pleased to get back to New Zealand, particularly Io our papers.” said Mr. M. Fraser, who returned to Wellington by the liner Strathaird yesterday after a six months’ tour abroad. “There are few papers to compare with them overseas,” lie added. “They give a much better service in general information and are more dignified in style.”

Special Broadcasts. Cabled information received by “Tiie Dominion” yesterday stated that K.F.1., a Los Angeles radio station, is to feature a special Christmas broadcast at 7 p.m. New Zealand time to-morrow. Another special broadcast is to be transmitted from the shortwave station VO6D on December 2(5 at 11 p.m. New Zealand time. This is a Labrador station operating on a frequency of 14,280 kilocycles on the amateur 20-21 metre band. A Royal Birthday.

The Duke of Kent, third son of the late King George V, celebrated his thirty-fifth birthday yesterday. After spending some time as a sub-lieutenant in the navy, lie entered the Foreign Office, becoming the first member of his family to be attached to a civil service. He was married to Princess Marina of Greece, in November, 1934. There are two children, Prince Edward, born on October 9, 1935. and Princess Mary, born on December 25, 1936.

"Lucky Joe.” Once again Mr. J. Cutler, known to Christchurch as "Lucky Joe,” has sold a winning ticket in an art union. He has sold in the past three tickets winning first prizes of £2OOO. one second, and one third in Christchurch. Now he lias sold another second prize winning ticket, this time to an inmate of the Salvation Army Men’s Home, a't Addington, Mr. William Mosdell. Mr. Mosdell is more than 60 years of age, and lias been on sustenance for some time. “Lucky Joe” sells tickets at a stand in Colombo Street, Christchurch.

Cadet Training Supported. “Cadet military training has suffered this year through lack of commissioned officers and assistance from the Defence Department,” said the headmaster, Mr. K. J. Bellow, in presenting his annual report at the break-up ceremony at the Takapuna Grammar School. “The elements of military drill —marching and mass formation — should be retained in schools because of the wholesome effect on boys in discipline, carriage and esprit de corps. Until such a system as physical culture is available in every school, cadet training must be insisted on.” Up-to-date In Accountancy. “Just as a sideline, I would mention that when I was in Dublin about three or four years ago, I had pointed out to me a few systems in accounting which they had in force there. I was pleased to be in a position to say that in little New Zealand the same things had been in force for some time. Actually it. was not then in existence in the British Post Office,” said Mr. G. McNamara, Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, speaking at a farewell gathering yesterday afternoon on the occasion of the retirement on superannuation of Mr. A. Marshal], Director of Accounts.

New Block of Flats. A contract has 'been let for the erection of a block of 18 flats to be known as Fountain Court Flats, in Clyde Quay. The successful tenderers are A. Trevor and Son, who will start on the building early in the New Year. The property has a frontage of approximately two chains, and is situated to the north of the new fire brigade station. The building will be of reinforced concrete framed construction, designed in accordance with present regulations to be earthquake-resisting, and all partitions and staircases are to be of fireresisting material. The architects are Messrs. Gray. Young, Morton and Young, and the consulting engineer is Mr. Peter Holgate.

Chinese Boy Is Dux. Frank Chew Lee, aged 14, a Christ-church-born Chinese lad, is dux of the Lyttelton District High School for 1937. Three years and a half ago Frank and his mother, who now keeps a fruit shop in Lyttelton, returned to New Zealand from China. As he did not know English, Frank was sent to school to learn the language by mixing with the children. As Frank could not understand the teachers one of the class boys was told oil to teach him. Signs and pictures were helpful in making Frank understand, but patience constituted the most important part. The headmaster. Mr. A. F. Batrell, declares that the boy’s ambition and the help of his classmates were the main factors in his rapid advancement, He started in Primer I, but within a, year lie passed into standard IV. Last year he still found difficulty in expressing his thought in English in his examination, but he had no difficulty this year. Frank also won the Herbert Smith Cup for the best athlete in the school under 15 years of age.