NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 281, 24 August 1944, Page 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

Access To Wharves <

Renewed representations are to s be's made by the Wellington Harbour Board, ’ through the police, for the easing of the restrictions prohibiting public entry to' the Jervois Quay breastwork on. the sec-' tion of the waterfront extending from the Star Boating Club’s sheds possibly down to the Lyttelton Ferry Wharf, or at least > Queen’s Wharf. The matter was discussed at a meeting bi' the board last night. Wellington Rate Demands. The first batch of the Wellington City Corporation rate demands for 1944-45 were issued yesterday. .The whole of- ' them will have been posted by tomorrow. Damaged Cargo. A general average has been declared on the cargo \n the steamer Korowai, portion of which was damaged by fire which broke out in the aft bold early this week, and a deposit of 4 per cent, is payable by consignees. The Auckland waterside workers were paid extra rates for handling the damaged cargo.—P.A. National War Savings.

Last week, 246 towns attained their z quotas of National War Savings, four more than in the preceding week, AU the principal centres were successful, and in each of the 18 postal'districts the full district quota was obtained. In the Blenheim, Greymouth, Oamaru, Timaru, and Westport districts all towns attained their individual quotas. Religion in Schools. The annual conference of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Association decided last night to circulate 10 graded questions on the question of religion inschools among individual teachers so that the association’s delegates to the Minister of Education’s conference in October might obtain guidance as to the attitude i to ‘be taken on behalf of the association. Control of Kindergartens.

A' report favouring assumption by the State of control of kindergartens was approved by the annual conference of tbe Secondary Schools’ Association. It was stated by speakers that only the State could' finance them ou the scale which was needed; that some kindergartens had totally unsuitable staffs; and-iliat the positions were hopelessly underpaid. Navy League War Cft'uicil. The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Navy League War Council in Wellington yesterday: Chairman, Mr. J. Sutherland Ross, CAI.G.; committee, Commander O. 11. T. Balmer (Auckland), Major T. M. Charters (Christchurch). Mr. G. J. Reid (‘Wellington) ami Mr. R. Darroch (representing the smaller branches); hon, secretary-treasurer, Air. R. Darroch.

Repertory Production. The Wellington Repertory Theatre has decided that its next production shall be Somerset Maughan's clever play, t'Lady Frederick. Wellington playgoers of 30 years ago will remember the brilliant performance of the role of Lady Frederick Berolles given here by Miss Ethel Irving, then oue of the shining ornaments of the British comedy stage. Mr. W. S. Wah-' chop .will produce “Lady Frederick.” Rationing in A’lstralia. ( Australia was in a more serious position than New Zealand in respect to certain shortages, particularly cigarettes and liquor, said the New Zealand manager of the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia, Mr. W. A. Martin, on his return from Australia. ,The ; public had to queue up for both cigarettes and beer, and hotel liars were open for only a short period daily, There was, no meat coupon system for meals in I hotels and restaurants. Butter was parti-1 cularly scarce. Japanese Prisoner, One Japanese prisoner of war travel, led to New Zealand with a draft of sol-1 diets of the Third Division which has re-' turned from service in the Pacific. Where* or how he was captured was not known. 1 Though he was only one, the arrangements made for taking him to the prisoner of war camp near Featherston were! necessarily as careful and as complete as-, any made in the past for larger drafts.; As with those, the prisoner benefited from: New Zealand's adherence to the Geneva, Convention, one of the articles.of which declares that prisoners of war are to be pro(ected from public curiosity. No Botanic Garden.

There was no such thing as 'a true! botanic garden in New Zealand, said Mrjl J. A. McPherson, curator, Botanic Gar-1 dens, Christchurch, to the Wellington’ Horticultural Society last night. There] was a vast difference between botanic: uud public gardens. He did not belittle: the valuable work of the . more progres-j sive gardens fit the latter class, but ii£‘ New Zealand they were only playing’ with the word botanic. Most British colonies early realized the value of botanic gardens, but New Zealand made a serious error in the colonization days in not establishing one. They were now, tbe poorer through that grave oversight. One must eventually De established, and he was confident that parochialism as to the site would no longer be a barrier.

Roadside Planting. National attempts to deal with roadside beautifying had been spasmodic and, haphazard, said Air. J. A. McPherson, curator, Botanic Gardens, Christchurch, in an address to the Wellington Horticultural Society last night. Certain, work had been done by vojuntary bodies enthusiastic for roadside planting, while much had been undertaken by parks departments within cities and on their boundaries. Unfortunately many voluntary bodies did not realize that it was not tree-planting but after-care which was the biggest problem. There were many examples of hopeless neglect of roadside planting. Further, New Zealand had limited herself to a few species. The big list used by the London County Council for street work showed how far this country was behind.

City Council Staffs. Now that the repair and redecoration, of the Wellington Town Hall are al-: most completed, the staffs are moving back to the Town Hall quarters. The Town Clerk's staff, which after the earthquakes of 1942 was accommodated at the Central Library, is returning to its former rooms, while the senior committee clerks arc being accommodated in the rooms formerly occupied by the. Town Clerk at the Mercer Street end, of. Ihe main corridor. Sections of the City! Treasurer’s staff have moved into the,: offices at the northern end of the maim corridor, formerly occupied by the City! Solicitor and staff. This includes the, wages staff, aud those concerned with special water rates and the cemetery. Tbe Central Library rooms ou the ground' floor vacated by the Town Clerk arc now being used by the City engineer’s’ draughting staff during the time re-’, pairs are being effected to the main office block.