LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 2 May 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

We should like to see more parents attending the- school on I'arents' Day, which the headmaster arranges to have at the end of each year so as to give parents an opportunity of seeing the school children at work," states the annual report of.the Eastern Hult School Committee. "Perhaps when this excellent arrangement becomes better known it will be better appreciated than seems to bo the case at the present."

There has recently been considerable activity on the Dunedin Stock Exchange (states "The Post's" correspondent) Bank shares having been dealt in oh a rising market, particularly the National bank shares having been dealt in dti a a new share issue. • There is also a tendency to speculate in city property, and figures at which some of these have been turned over signify a, considerable increase in value. This, in turn, has had t,he_ usual accompaniment of substantial increases in the rents of shops. " The Banker," official organ oE the New Zealand Bank Officers' Guild, reports that the directors' of the Bank of New Zealand " have this year been good enough to recognise again in a practical manner that the high cost of living continues to eat enormous holes in our pockets, and it has afforded us tangible relief by granting a bonus as follows:— lo all married menj £275 to £395, 12i per cent, for the year; to all single men; £275 and upwards, 10 per cent.: to all married men, £400 and over, 10 per cent.; to each woman clerk, £10. We take this opportunity of returning our best thanks to the board for its generosity.

. In maintaining the efficiency of the telephone system the officials have to combat many strange- elements; In *i °Jr ,cc of the engineering branch of the Telegraph Department at Chrustchurch, there is a small collection of pieces of telephone cable arid armouring, each of which tells a story One interesting exhibit is a piece of lead armouring, taken from an underground cable between the Post Office and the Telegraph Office, which has a hole of about three inches in length in it. This was caused by rats, which had entered the wooden trough, and had apparently found their means of-going oil further blocked by the cable, chewing a hole mit in order to proceed. Such a happening is not likely to occur again, as all the new underground cables which have been laid recently Have been encased in conduits of earthenware piping (states the 'Lyttelton Times"). Another piece of armouring, this one from an overhead cable, has a small hole ill it. This was caused by a .22 rifle bullet, which penetrated to the inside of the wires. As the cables are approximately three inches in diameter, and contain 500 pairs of wires, connecting the same number of telephones, the effects of a bullet lodging in the cable can easily be guessed. The weather" takes a heavy toll oh the overhead cables, especially where they are hung from supports. Samples of tho outer covering, showing the beginning ol the effects of the weather, form an interesting study. Almost invisible lilies appear on the outer covering, and later these develop into large cracks; whitfh let the moisture through, interfering with the telephones. Another element that is at work is known as electrolysis. This causes a hole to be burnt through the armour, which, if not found early, will throw the line out of order. There' are many other causes at. work, and the pieces of lead give an illustration of the various chemical actions that are always taking place in the air. From these an idea can be gained as to the amount of work that the officers of the Department have to put in to keep the service in working order.

On Friday, 15th May, it is proposed to .hold .1 street day in aid of the St. John Ambulance Association's building fund, and a meeting of helpers is called for Tuesday next, ,-it 3 p.m. Owing to the unavoidable, absence of the Mayoress (Mrs. E. A. Wright) through illneis the chair, will be taken by Mrs. K. Preston. l<or some years past the work of St. Johii has been carried on at a disadvantage owing to lack of suitable accommodation, and it is hoped that before long finances ■will permit of the building scheme beiii.' |>ul. in hand. On Thursday evening next the home nursing- classes will cornnicnco at St. Luke's Chilrciiroom, Wade'stown, and na the meeting pkec is within a few minutes' tram journey from LambLou o;uay, residents from Thorndnn wilt be able to avail themselves of Iho opportunity thus offered. Fuller informatien m«iy L>« übuiaed ut Uie offlco oJ t-h»

The- work of the Clyde Quay School has gone forward with its- customary smoothness and efficiency during the past year. The school committee's annual report states that the winter months brought nioro than the ordinary amount of winter sickness, and the attendance at the school was considerably affecte-d._ Nevertheless/the results of the work in the various classes were quite satisfactory, 146 children being able to claim attendance certificates at the end of the year.

Does the drapery trade exist mainly for the sale of luxuries to women ? The "New Zealand Draper" says no, and adds : "The least knowledge* q£ modern drapery' stores will show that thousands of articles of necessity to men, women, and children are on sale. Women aro the largest buyers simply because that is their position in life. Man has his work to do, and as a rule Jias not the knowledge to even buy for himself. If women folk admire pretty clothes.it.is no new trait in their character, nor is it unusual for their men folk to'be gratified when they look their best: As pointed out in a recent issue of 'The. Draper,' all writers to men stress the importance of being well dressed, and' if it is true in- regard to the nominal head of the house, surely the real head goes under the same category." '

At the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Returned Soldiers' Association, Mr. Hebenton gave a resume of the activities of the Claims Board during the year, and said that body should, be thanked for the sympathetic arid useful Work it had accomplished in'the'interests of returned men. The Patriotic As^ sociafcion had granted 431 loans, totalling £75,915, and it was gratifying to know that £40,270 had been repaid, which showed that the soldiers were playing the game by the association, and realised their indebtedness to this ■ body. ■ Cash grants to soldiers totalled £26,300. During the year the board had dealt with 413 applications for assistance. ' " The policy of the Claims Board had always been to endeavour to render permanent benefit. He had no doubt thai soldiers would continue to play the game :by the Patriotic Association, realising that-the ultimate object was to create' a fund for the assistance of permanently .disabled soldiers. ...■'...

Wireless transmitting equipment is to be installed at Stevens Island' (Cook Strait) and Puysegur Point (Foveaux Strait) Lighthouses. This is a new departure in New. Zealand. The Marine Department is making arrangements with the Post and Telegraph Department for the installation of two halfkilbwatt spark transmitting plants at the lighthouses mentioned. At present Stevens Island is connected .with, the mainland with a cable which is not satlsfactory; The Puysegur Point Lighthouse is connected with the nearest telegraph office by a telephone line 1 that runs through forty miled of bush, and breadowris are' not infrequent. The electrical plant at each station will receive power from oil engines. The' Marine Department has in the lighthouse service mcii qualified to operate the wireless stations. The radio stations will be used to report passing ships and in case of emergency.

Apparent Jack of interest displayed by parents in regard to school matters is emphasised .by the Newtown School Committee in its annual report "This is a matter not confined 16 Newtown district," states the report. "It is reflected year by year- iii the sparse attendances at the' annual householders' meetings throughout the whole .Dominion. In Newtown the scholars prbbably represent 500> or 600 households. There are also many other householders- in the district who should retain an interest, those whose children have passed the school age. and past scholars who have reached maturity. With the assistance ot the ■ householders, cohimitlfies Would be able to raise a far greater voice the welfare of the pupils is not a duty devolving on school staffs and committees only, borne committees might possibly twsume that a meaere ' attendance of householders, and little or no opposition at the election, betokens a general satisfaction with the work of the committee. In our opinion it denotes apathy and apathy never yet brought success. Ani intelligent- interest, helpful criticism, and a desire to serve on committees will bring greater results than the present method of allowing committees to K o year after year unchallenged. We believe committeenien generally would welcome a greater manifestation of interest by parents." -

Sir John Luke, who was a'delegate from New Zealand at the recent tour of South Africa of the Empire Parliamentary Association, has received the following letter from the Prime Mim lster of the Union, dated Pretoria 15th November, 1924 :-«Dear Sir ■ - John liuke.—On my return yesterday.. from a lengthy tour through South-West Africa, I had the pleasure of receiving the- letter addressed to me from Johannesburg on ■ 10th October . by Lord Burnham (Ureat Britain), Sir George Foster (Canada), Senator Givens (Australia): arid yourself. I desire to thank you very cordially for the kindly opinions ex- | pressed by you on behalf, of the Empire I Parliamentary Delegation V about the I Union and people of South Africa, It gives me great pleasure to: receive the assurance that our efforts to enable you to enjoy your visit and to gather information on local problems have met with such a large measure of success. .There is no doubt that this interchange of visits by Empire Parliamentary delegates 'does tend to make us: better acquainted, and places us in a better position to understand each other's difficulties. To.have contributed to,the achievement of this better understanding" will be a source of gratification to the people of this Union, mid in anticipation of your kind pel-mission I am taking the liberty of communicating this correpondence to the Press—X ani, yours sincerely, (Sgd.). J. B. Hertzog.'; The Natives of the Mangapeehi district, King Country, held a big hui at the settlement on Wednesday, when the new agreement between Messrs.Ellis and Burnand and the 65 owners of the Taroa-Tewhu block of 30.0C0 acres, estimated to contain 200 million feet of timber, was to have been signed. This was the result of the legislation - passed, last session enabling the agreement to be varied in response to a petition from 'Taroa Eangitana and others. Eight of the owners signed the agreement, but others refused to do so (states a Te Kiiiti correspondent). The reason was dissatisfaction over an incident on 29th January, when the chief Taroa had his lejs broken. It appears that Taroa placed an obstruction on a tramway on .his land in use by Messrs. Ellis and Burnand. because some timber he had ordered from that mill had not come to hand. Th« mill employees proceeded to remove the obstruction when they were stopped by Taron. Constable Pressing,- of Ongarue, who had been sent for, warned Taroa not to interfere, and was shovelling sohie of the obstruction away when Taroa seized the shovel and a struggle ensued, Taroa being thrown and'having his leg broken. A departmental inquiry was asked for on behalf of Turoa, but a reply was received from the Minister of Justice that it would be. better for Taroa to bejcfl to take what, action he thought fit. It is understood that civil action is being .thken by Taroa against the con- I stable. It is -anticipated, however, that the, remainder of ihc owners of the block will sign the agreement, wliich provides for royalties 150 per cent, higher than tho old one. Ttte shUlings per 100 fottt irt in br. |»aid for lotafa, and lOd for all ! -oUim timbers.. ■ i