NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 137, 7 December 1944, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST

Situation report: A weak but coi&r plex depression covers the central Tasman, and an anticyclone is advancing slowly from Tasmania. Forecast to 5 p.m. Friday: Light to moderate southerly winds. Weather fair to fine at first, but a few further showers probable tomorrow. Temperatures cool. Further outlook, still rather unsettled. Temperature at 9 a.m., 52 degrees. New moon, December 16. High Water.—Today, 11.4 p.m.; tomorrow, 11.19 a.m., 11.50 p.m. Sun sets today 7.42 p.m.; rises tomorrow 4.41 a.m., sets 7.44 p.m. Weather Affects Shearing. The continued wet weather in the Manawatu is causing serious delays in shearing and cropping. For some weeks now it has not been possible to get more than a day's run in the shearing sheds, states "The Post's" correspondent. The rain has been intermittent and at times accompanied by hail, which is most unusual for this time of the year. Act Says "Shall." * It came as a surprise to certain members of the Manawatu provincial executive of the Farmers' Union who are also county, councillors, to be told that under the Injurious Birds Act county councils were obliged to take action in the destruction of such birds. The Act says "shall," giving them no option, stales "The Post's" correspondent. The executive was discussing the rook menace, and members who had had experience with these birds spoke warningly against any delay -'in exterminating them. Sons' Inheritance; The view that it might be unwise to make a man of 21 years master of the sum of £1000 was taken by Mr. Justice Northcroft in Christchurch, when he was asked to approve a motion for compromise of a petition of right. By the motion two sons, now infants, would each benefit by a' grant under the petition on reaching the age of 21, but his Honour ruled that such a decision might prove injurious and varied the order to provide for the sons' inheritance at the age of 25 years, the trustees being given power to administer the fund earlier should the money be required for the boys' advanced education or some other contingency. Day in Parliament. A measure which met with approval from both sides of the House, the Wool Industry Bill, was passed in the House of Representatives last night. Before adjourning, the House also passed a formal measure, the Agricultural Emergency Regulations Confirmation Bill. ■ The debate on the Wool Industry Bill was interrupted in tho evening to permit of the introducI tion of the Emergency Regulations Amendment Bill, which extends the operation of the Emergency Regulations Act, 1939, for another year to December 31, 1945, and also validates any regulations made under the Act. An amendment making a minor adjustment to the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill at present on the Order Paper was also introduced. At the afternoon sitting the report of the Select Committee which inquired into servicemen's at the General Election last year was tabled by the chairman of the Committee (Mr Osborne). The Prime Minister indicated that the report would probably be discussed early next week. From comments across the House it was obvious that this discussion will be vigorous. Students Not Fallen Back.' "In view of the criticism of the standard of education of first-year university students we made careful comparisons between the standards of attainment of present and past students," said Mr. F. C. Lopdell, principal of the Wellington Teachers' Training College, in his address at the breaking-up ceremony yesterday. "There are no reliable criteria for exact judgments, but it is the unanimous opinion of the staff that our present students compare favourably with past students in their ability to think and express themselves in English. In their attitudes to work and in their sense of responsibility, and in initiative and self- j reliance we see no appreciable difference. Some differences because of age we have observed. If we accept percentage of passes in university subjects as a valid criterion, this year's students have the advantage over any i group for several years past." Landmark Disappears. j A pile of debris is all that remains of the old Avonhead homestead at Riccarton, which has been a landmark in Canterbury for almost a century. This week it was demolished because recently it had been infested with rats. The house, which was of cob with a thatched roof, was one of the most picturesque in Canterbury. Built in 1851 by Mr. W. B. Bray, who was consulting engineer to the old Canterbury Provincial Government, the house was! of two storeys, containing 16 rooms, six chimneys, and five staircases, and being surrounded by a wooden verandah. It had romantic associations with the early history of the province, not least of which was the incorporation of secret recesses and stairways where the occupants are reported to have"hidden when hostile Natives were in the vicinity.