LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 12 December 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The date of the big fund-collecting " drive " in aid of the Radium (Radiation) Appeal Fund—Friday, 21st December—is now near enough to make it. desirable that the collecting plan for that day should be finalised. The method on which the canvass and collection is to-be carried out will depend partly on the number of workers available. The Eadium (Radiation) Appeal Committee is therefore anxious that prompt replies be .made to the requests it has sent out to various bodies to provide workers for the purpose of this big pre-Christmas effort to advance the fund. At a meeting of the committee last evening grateful reference was made t 0 the ready response of the insurance companies, and to the offers made by certain individual volunteers. \ TTp to last night no reply had 1 been received from any of the bowling clubs, but it is hoped that with the aid of bowlers, some Government officers, and other auxiliaries (especially the ladies), the army available for the campaign on 21st December will be both numerous and competent.

'The .tourist traffic this season for this part of New Zealand will be-a record," states "The Post's" Dunedin -correspondent. AH the resorts, particularly Mr. Cook, Pembroke, Queenstown, Stewart Island, and the Milford track, are being patronised more than ever be- * j" ~> , bookings so far for the Milford Track easily constitute a record

In the past it had been the custom to publish grants made by the Education Department for schools, or grounds and alterations in connection with schools. The Department has now asked the Education Board not to publish the amounts of grants, on the ground that publication prejudicially affects tenders. The chairman (Mr. T. Forsyth) remarked to the Education Board this morning that they had had one outstanding case in Wellington, where the purchase of ground was under consideration. The Department published a grant which was considerably higher than the sum on offer to the land owner; who immediately withdrew and asked for more than was offered. The Department's request was approved.

Good progress is being made with the Kew Zealand Pavilion at Wembley (writes "The Post's" London correspondent on Ist November). Thfe concrete floorings of the main building and of the cinema hafll are completed, and considerable headway has been made with the steel frame construction. Three bays of the roof have been put up, and stanchions are in position with the girders. Carpenters are following closely the steel erections with their timber fixing. Now that the road running parallel, to the front of «he building is being formed, it is possible to get an idea of the space that will be allotted to the New Zealand garden. From the front of the pavilion to the road is a distance of approximately 100 feet, bo there will be amplo room for the display of native tries ud plants.

It has been found impossible to erect the Silverstream school in brick, and the structure is to now be erected in wood. Plans are now well forward.

Whales were recently seen near Kaipara, and Maoris who patrolled the beach looking for ambergris are reported to,have found a quantity estimated to be worth £80. ' .'

The work of the" Royal Life Saving Society was commended at the meeting of the Education Board to-day and the board made a grant of £5 ss' towards the funds of the local branch of the society.

The Port Kembla, which left Newcastle on the 11th instant for Wellington, carries a small mail for New Zealand. Advice has been received by tli° Postal authorities from Sydney that the Waiotapu ■ left Newcastle on the 12th instant for Wellington. She also carries a small mail for New Zealand.

A strange rose bush has been grown in New Plymouth by Mr. J. Down, it is of the tea-scented variety, with fairly large flowers. In addition to thu usual stamens, the centre of each flower bears a 'green growing shoot, on which are buds which presumably will come to maturity as the shoots develop. The effect is a kind of two-story flower, the stem of the firist flower pushing on through the centre and bearing other flowers above the first one (states the Taranaki ( Herald"). This is a not uncommon freak to be noticed on a single branch, but in this case it is reported that the whole bush is affected. The thing could become very interesting if the buds on the growing shoots become flowers, and behave in the same manner, allowing shoots to push through them and develop buds in their turn. How far would it go?

When Blenheim was beset by floods, Wellington sent financial help. Last week the chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board (Mr. F. Castle) went with Dr. Ewen to Blenheim to represent the Radium (Radiation) Appeal Committee at a public meeting in aid of the Radium Appeal, and the Mayor of Blenheim (Mr. Parker) took occasion to' send through Mr. Castle to the Mayor of Wellington a message of thanks for the timeliness and substance of Wellington's donation to the Marlborough people in their hour of need.- Mr. Castle stated that the tone of the Blenheim meeting was good, and that the people there would do their best to help to raise Marlborough's share of the cost of establishing the proposed Radium Department at Wellington Hospital— an institu: tion m which country dwellers will stand on the same basis as residents of Wellington.

Anticipation of seeing their favourite game played under novel conditions drew about four thousand Soccerites and others to the Kelburn Park last evening where was announced to take place a match between a Waterside team and a Bide from H.M.S. Chatham: Great was the disappointment when it was found that the beams from the warship's searchlights could not be brought low enough to light up the ground effectively, but the thought of the object, the raising of money to augment the Radium (ttadiation) Fund, evidently spurred on the promoters of the game, for they requisitioned motor-cars to direct their headlights on the ground. By this means the game was carried on, both teams giving of their best in spite of the heavy shadows, which prevented anything in the way of a brilliant ex: hibition. After a hard struggle, the Chatham men won by 2 goals to nil. The Radmm Fund- should benefit considerably as the result .of the . match , the spectators giving freely both" to the bpxbolders at the gates and,to the sailors, W-j'. dreESed in comical costume, pro: vided much amusement with, their patter. c

Comment is made (says "The Post's" London correspondent). by the "Municipal ajid Sanitary Kecord, on the annual report of the Director-General of Health in New Zealand, wherein evidently criticism has appeared of the competenecy of some engineers. The London paper remarks: "Many countries have reason to envy New Zealand s death .rate of 10.70 per 1000, and more particularly the infantile mortality rate of 41.9 per 1000 births. The population of New Zealand appears to have the greatest expectation of life of any country in the world.. Results might"be even better if the larger hospitals had competent engineers instead of being in the hands of architects or persons not qualified for such essential work. Some of the hospital boards h°ave been landed in difficulties by incompetent consultants, as mentioned in the. annual report of the Director-General of Health. . Dr. A.-G. Patterson, School Medical Officer, writes appreciatively of the propaganda work in Canada and America concerning healthy living, and he notes the utility of voluntary helpers, a class not yet conspicuous in New Zealand."

The secretary of the Board of Trade of the Union of South Africa, Mr. W. F. M'Mullan, is visiting New Zealand "Ac regards dairying generally," he remarked to a "Wanganui Chronicle" reporter, "the industry is still in its infancy in the Union, but year by year rapid strides are being made. The production of. butter and cheese, for instance, is well forward, and exhibits displayed at recent shows at Great Britain and on the Continent have met with high appreciation. In one direction, however, there would appear to "be, at the moment, an opening for one of New Zealand's products, namely, powdered milk. The Union imports condensed milk to the value of £1,000,000 per annum, and, so far as I am aware, none of this tinned milk, in any form, comes from New Zealand. The condensed milk industry has been established in a small way in the Union, and efforts are being made to increase activities in this direction. But, until this increa-sed development actually takes place, a substantial import market exists." "What is the obstacle in the way of reciprocal trade?" "The whole question, in my opinion, depends upon the possibility of direct shipping. I hope to be able to look into thison my return, and to see whether anything can be done in this direction."

A reconciliation occurred between a man and his wife in the Magistrate's Court at Hamilton last week in affecting circumstances. The husband,' who was being sued, for arrears of maintenance, stated that he had just served a sentence for a breach of the maintenanca order and had practically no money left. He had work, but could not pay his wife £2 os per week as required by the order. His wife had employment, but he was anxious to do his best for her two young children. Defendant was ordered to pay £2 per week off the arrears, £1 deposit to be paid immediately, or go to gaol for another month. The Magistrate, Mr. H. A. Young, intimated that if he wanted a reduction of maintenance he would have to apply to the Court at Auckland. The wife appeared touched by the state of her husband's financial condition and followed him into the corridor as he went to the office to pay in his last pound (states the local C? l;!', e sßpol^e"t of the "New Zealand Heri I' ll, lere a reconciliation came about, and the two returned to Lourt to announce that they would henceforth live together. The wife overcome with emotion, swooned in her husbands arms. Mr." Young rescinded his previous decision, and adjourned the case for a fortnight.

No further grants are available for school residences for the present educational, year, which ends on 31st March. This advice was received by the Education Board from the Department this morning.

In view of a large number of manual training and cookery pupils having to travel long distances to attend training centres in the city, the Education Board decided this morning to approve of the establishment of a centre for the' area beyond Mount Cook range of hills. The Department is to be asked to grant a temporary building on a site already available.

After being for thirty-nine years in the wharf at New Plymouth, a beam of kauri has been sawn up and part of the resulting timber is being used in making a gate for the harbourmaster's garden. The top of the beam, on which water would lie, yras a little decayed, but the remainder was in a perfectly sound condition. As a part of a wharf, the beam was put to a very severe test for durability.

A communication from the Education. Department this morning to the veffect that in future plans and specifications would be prepared by the Public Works Department, was received by the Education Board. The Department pointed out that fees for eisrht buildings had recently cost the Department no less a sum than £14,0C0., The Public Works Department would provide the plans much more cheaply, and would work in conjunction with educational officers.

The erection of the big mixing plant for the Hutt road surfacing is now practically completed, and it is hoped that a start with the actual paving of the road will be made on Monday or, at any rate early in the week. It may be that the new plant will not then be in full working order, but even so, the start will be made, for the first and coarser layer of material, "black base," is to be mixed at the Clyde quay yards in the converted plant which the council has been using on city streets up to date and which will be free for the time being after the completion of the length of Featherston street now beinc surfaced. - ,

To-days meeting of the Wellington Education Board being the last of the present year, the chairman (Mr. T. Forsyth) took the opportunity of extending the season's greetings to" members and staff, expressing at the same time his appreciation of the work of members of the board and the board's staff during the -past year. The board, he said, had outlined a progressive policy and had endeavoured to put it into operation during the past year. It was hoped to work even more successfully on the policy next year. On behalf of the board and staff, Mr. G. T. London expressed appreciation of the chairman's services - during the year.

( It is now possible, says the Taranaki "Daily News," to go between New Plymouth and Te Kuiti in Si hours, or, allowing an hour at the Mokau ferry, 6£ hours, over perhaps the most beautiful motor route in the whole of the Dominion. By the end of the present summer most of the metalling on the entire road will be out of hand, leaving perhaps a few miles between Tongaporutu and Mokau still to be done the following season. But now. even inSvet weather, "the journey is quite possible, though motorists would be well advised to take light chains with them if the weather shows signs of being unsettled.

By legislation, and •by certain war regulations, protection has been granted to discharged soldiers for a period' after ' their re-entiy into civil life against execution of bankruptcy or distress, by providing that no such process snould issue without the express consent of the 'Attorney-Genera]^ " This protection is now to be removed, for-in the course of a statement to the Press last .night, the Attorney-General (the Hon. Sir Francis Bell) said: "The Government consider it still necessary to preserve the protective regulations in respect of rates for past years, now in arrear, but, with respect to all rates and other liabilities to local authorities including electric power boards, which may be incurred after the first day in January next the protection, is to be abolished, and an Order-in-Council having that effect will be issued."

At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Centre, Eed Cross Society held yesterday afternoon, at which- Mr. T. A. Munt presided, it was stated that the contract for alterations to the new home for chronic cases in Hobson street was £2109, and with incidental expenses, £2312 14s Bd. Acknowledgements for gifts 4o the Trentham Hospital were made by the matron to His Excellency, the Governor-General, Lady Liverpool, Mrs. Jensen, Mrs. Copeland, Mrs. Nathan, the abattoirs, Miss Munt, Miss Nathan, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Roy, and Mrs. Adams. The grateful thanks of the staff and patients of the Hobson Street Home are due to a 5 those who assisted in the moving operations from Trentham. It was decided to officially open the home on the 20th December. The monthly report from the Pukeora Sanatorium stated that the heeds of the patients were being well attended to. A Christmas party was being arranged and was being greatly anticipated, by the inmates. A much-appreciated gift was a bowls trophy, which had been presented by Mrs. Short. -

The action of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Council in refusing to grant records to H. E. Wilson, who registered 15 seconds fox- the 120 yards hurdles last year, and G. Harvey, who put up a performance of 11 feet 4 inches in the pals vault, was criticised at last night's meeting of the Wellington. Centre of the Association. In regard to Wilson's performance, Mr. O'Sullivan said that the meeting in question had been held on sth or 6th January, and the council was informed on 23rd January that it was the intention of the centre to claim a record. In connection with Harvey's record, a record had also been 'claimed within the specified time. Mr. J. Sharp said he thought that the action of the council was very unfair. The council had gone out of its way to grant a record to visiting athletes, but had refused to grant records in the case of local athletes. The council, he thought. was casting a slur on Wilson and Har-i. vey. He moved that the centre should disagree with the council's rulings, and refer the matter back to that body. Mr. A. C. Kitto said that they could not go into the question of records granted to visiting athletes, as the papers liad been in order. Mr. O'Sullivan said the point was whether it was fair that records should be granted in one case and not in another. He suggested-that th« centre's delegates to the council should be interviewed, and that the council should be asked to reopen the matter. This course was agreed to.

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