NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Transport of Patients. In reply to a question raised at a previous meeting the Petone Borough Council last evening received a letter from the Wellington District Free Ambulance advising that the hospital fees for patients who had been transported outside the Wellington hospital district were recoverable by the Wellington Hospital Board from the.other hospital boards concerned. When the ambulance service was called upon to transport a patient who was not a resident of the Wellington hospital district, a donation sufficient;to cover at least the cost of transport was expected. "Continuous Arbor Day." Wheri 'a letter from the Wellington Horticultural Society asking if a treeplanting ceremony could be arranged in the borough was being discussed at last night's meeting of the Petone Borough Council the Mayor (Mr. A. Scholefield) said that many people did not realise the amount of tree planting that was carried out in Petone. It was practically a continuous Arbor Day The letter was referred to the reserves committee. Extermination of Rats. Complaints had been received about the number of rats seen in various parts of the business area, reported the borough, inspector (Mr. G. A. Booth) to the meeting of the Petone Borough Council last evening. The increased numbers seen might be partly due to the demolition of premises in Jackson Street, the rats having to find new places in which to breed. It was also obvious that unless the rear o£ premises were kept free of all refuse, tins and other waste matter, an ideal harbour for rats would result. An occupier of premises where rats were observed should take immediate steps to exterminate them by the use of poison or by trapping and also by the removal of all refuse in which they were likely to breed. A supply of rat poison would be issued at cost price to anyone applying for it. Recognising Long Service. , An intimation i that he was calling a public meeting on the evening of Wednesday, July 22, to take steps to recognise the services of Mr. J. W. McEwan to the Hutt Valley, and Petone in particular, was made by the Mayor (Mr. A. Scholefleld) at last night's meeting.of the Petone Council. Councillors assented to.the proposal. Mi-. McEwan was Mayor of Petone for twenty years, and is an ex-chairmani of .the Harbour Board and the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board. He has also served on other local bodies. Turning in Jackson Street. The opinion has been expressed at recent meetings of the Petone Borough Council that drivers of cars should be allowed to turn at certain widened portions of Jackson Street, and at last evening's meeting a recommendation from the bylaws committee was that turning should be allowed at the intersection of Jacksor and Buiek Streets. Councillor R. W. Toomath expressed the opinion that this recommendation was premature, and the matter should be held over until the street widening was completed. It was decided that the bylaw should remain as at present. New Gymnasium Wanted. A letter from the Petone Rugby Club was received by the Petone Borough Council last evening stating that a new gymnasium. was required. The council was asked if it would consider either leasing or selling the council land opposite General Motors' premises and adjacent to North Park, so that the new gymnasium might extend over an area of 100 ft by 86ft. The present gymnasium, which was over thirty-six years old, was somewhat small and was in a closely-settled area. The club had a membership of over 300. The request was referred to the reserves committee. Municipal Insurance. Several years ago the Lower Hult Borough Council sought to obtain support for a scheme for local bodies to carry their own fire and accident insurance. The scheme fell through owing to the four large cities showing a reluctance to disclose their financial position in the matter. The question has recently been revived with a view to getting all boroughs of less than 10,000 inhabitants to join the scheme. The Lower Hutt Council last evening approved the proposal and agreed to forward to the Municipal Association the figures which had been requested. "Children's Corner" The first "children's corner" in the Waikato Diocese was dedicated in St. George's Church, Frankton, on Sunday afternoon, states a Hamilton correspondent. The "corner" takes the form Of a small but beautiful sanctuary, and contains an. altar and reredos, prayer desk, table, chairs, books, and pictures. Most of the furniture was given in memory of past worshippers in the church. There was a very large attendance at the service, which was conducted by the vicar, the Rev. R. J. Boyt. The altar, cross and vases, prayer desk and table, and the corner were dedicated by Mr. Boyt, Mr. A. F. Broadhurst, headmaster of St. Peter's School, Cambridge, addressed the children. "Boys Getting Soft." "Things are getting soft these days," said Mr. C. T. Major, headmaster of King's School, at the reunion of King's College old boys at Auckland on Saturday night, states the "New Zealand Herald." "Do you know that boys come to school dressed first of all,in a singlet, then in a woollen shirt, then in a pullover, then a blazer, and then a top-coat. But they are good boys, all the same. They have to do what their mothers tell them, so the fault isn't theirs. The tone, the spirit of work, and the work done, however, have not been surpassed."

Light Timbers for Napier

The possibility of growing light types o£ timber in Napier for the construction of model aeroplanes is being exploited by the Napier Aero Club, states the "Daily Telegraph.". A supply of the timber known as balsamodendron is to be obtained, but it has been discovered that for the cultivation of this timber temperatures of from 75 to 90 degrees at night and from 100 to 120 degrees during the clay are necessary, and it is therefore proposed to carry out the experiment with the aid of hothouses. It has been suggested by Mr. J. R. L. Freeman, of Hastings, that cuttings should be obtained from Australia of a species of timber named cittarexylum quadrangulare, which requires for growing purposes temperatures of from 50 to 60 degrees in winter, and from CO to 80 degrees in summer. The club has accordingly written to the curator of the City of Sydney. The Government Tourist Office. "Your Government Tourist Bureau does things in a real fine way," said Miss E. Vogel, one. of the party of American teachers from Hawaii, at the official opening of the Wellington Travel Club last night. Miss Vogel added that their guide was well informed and courteous and tneir motor coach excellent. They had already enjoyed their stay wonderfully and hoped to see a lot more of New Zealand before they left on August 16. Headless Soldier. ■ Napier may not share Auckland's misfortune in possessing a nude statue, but it at least carries the questionable distinction, as far as is known, of being the only city or town in New Zealand which can boast of a headless statue, says the "Daily Telegraph." Since the earthquake brought the South African. War Memorial on tha Marine Parade crashing to the ground, the head of the figure of a soldier which the statue represents has been missing. No one knows wliere it has gone, and, while numerous clues have come forward from time to time, no trace of it has been discovered. A move has certainly been made by the Napier City Council and the returned soldiers to restore the head, but when tenders were called some time ago the matter was shelved, and since then it has been permitted to lapse. Lifting of Sanctions. As previously announced, New Zealand has fallen into line with other nations in lifting sanctions against Italy, and the Prime Minister (the- Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) stated yesterday that the formal Order in Council bringing sanctions to an end would be issued I after the next meeting of the Execu-j tive Council, probably before the end of,the week. English as Spoken. "The situation of spoken English Jn Hawaii is appalling," said Miss E. Kellogg, principal of a large school in Hawaii, during a talk last night to the Travel Club. Practically every race in the world, eastern and western, was represented in the population of the group, Miss Kellogg said. For the purposes of intercourse between these different groups, a language of "pidgin" English had been evolved, and was understood by the Orientals and native races. It was very difficult, however, for whites to get to understand it pro-perly,-and it was equally difficult to promulgate a proper knowledge of English, because as soon as the children were out of'school they spoke "pidgin" English or their own native language. / Education in Diet. ' Some interesting facts regarding the attempt of American educationists in Hawaii to widen the diet of the native races there were given by Miss E. Kellogg, a member of a party of visiting American teachers during an address to the Travel Club last night. Miss Kellogg said that, it had been found that every man, woman, and child of the native races ate on an average. 501b of rice per month. A great endeavour was being made in the schools to teach the children the value of a balanced diet, and so to educate the parents through the, children. Practically every school had a cafeteria where food : was supplied at low cost. The parents did not mind paying for special food, and generally they-were very co-operative. The Japanese;'of which there were a very ■ large number in the islands, were especially, fond of children. With education in diet, there was also the teaching of many other subjects relatingto health, such as sanitation and the care of the teeth. Health and physical development were considered of very material importance in Hawaiian schools. . . Open Fires and Cold Feet. "We do not know, in Hawaii, what it is to have cold feet, but, as the Americans say, 'We can take it,'" said Miss E. Vogel, one of. the visiting teachers from Hawaii, during an address to the Travel Club last night. Miss Vogel said that she envied those people in New Zealand who had open fireplaces. They were a great source of pleasure to the party, because open fireplaces were unknown on the lower levels of Hawaii. Miss Vogel mentioned that on Mount Egmont they had initiated one of the members of the party who had never seen snow before. Pictures for National Gallery. Pictures which are to be exhibited lat the opening of the National Art Gallery are still arriving in New Zealand. The latest lot is the Empire | Art Loan collection which the Northumberland is bringing this week. She is due in Wellington tomorrow and as soon as the cases are unpacked the work of hanging the pictures will commence. The National Gallery, from now until its opening on August 1, is going to be a scene of great activity.