Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 23350, 21 August 1939, Page 8

Few people who saw the eight tables in play at the New Zealand table tennis championships last week realised the amount of work and care that had to be taken to make them ready for play. To ensure uniformity, tables were selected from those owned by the various clubs and the surfaces removed and renewed by sanding. After all cracks had been tilled the eight were painted in the same shade of green, and the layman would suppose the matter would rest there. But the surfaces required to be fast and non-dazzling. For the latter requirement they were painted in a “flat” rather than a “ glossy ” paint, but as this does not provide a fast surface, they had to be further treated with floor polish. Gone are the days when “ping-pong” on the kitchen table was merely an amusement for the young. Loose change amounting to £lB was stolen by intruders who ransacked the office of the Railway Bus Services at Hastings in the early hours of yesterday morning. The office was left in a state of wild disorder (states a Press Association message), drawers and desks being thoroughly searched. The mono} - was taken from the drivers’ cash bags, which were contained in lockers. The male nursing attendants at Porirna Mental Hospital met recently and decided to record an emphatic protest against the efficiency examinations as outlined in the Public Service circular on the grounds that the examinations are unnecessary for practical purposes for all officers who have passed their senior State examinations; that definite hardship would bo caused to those officers of' a mature age, who comprise the majority of the male nursing staff; that the efficiency test as outlined is a misnomer, and if taken as a deciding factor for promotion beyond the rank of senior attendant would prove a retrograde step towards the efficiency of the department. It is asked that the tests be withdrawn in their present form, Wellington Association message.

The supplies of bunting for the New Zcalan-cl Centennial Exhibition necessitated the importation of G,4ooycls of the material, a little mere than three miles. There will he approximately 500 flaps Hying at the exhibition, as well ns many special banners, and hundreds of yards of bunting j\iv general decoration.

“ Australia is miles ahead of New Zealand in defence preparations,” said Mr G. W. Hutchison, district governor of Rotary, who returned from Sydney by the Monterey. He said that one Sunday during his stay in Sydney tho Australian National Roads and Motor Association transported about 900 troops to repel an imaginary attack on tho coast about 40 miles distant, and much satisfaction was expressed with tho results of the test. This was an indication of the vigilance with which the defences of the main cities were being planned.—Auckland Press Association.

Australia’s delegate to the Mandates Commission, Geneva, Mr .1. R. Halligan is a through passenger by the Monowai. He reported to the commission the conditions of New Guinea and Nauru Island. “ For the most part the deliberations were of a domestic or formal nature,” he said.—Auckland Press Association.

Notification is given in the latest ‘ Gazette ’ that tho season for the taking or killing of opossums in the Otago district has been further extended to September 1. Tho Christchurch publicans increased the price of spirits to-day by one shilling a bottle on lines selling at 12s 6d. This is said to bring the prices into line with those ruling in other metropolitan centres. —Press Association. Even at this comparatively early date, bookings for Union Airways trips for December 22 and 23 have been exceptionally heavy—in fact, those particular flights are almost fully taken up, according to inquiries made this morning. Owing to this heavy demand for passages, the indications are that there might be an extension of the service made around Christmas time. As far as the ferry service from Lyttelton to Wellington is concerned, there are no passages offering from December 20 to 26—a1l are fully booked. No information has been received as to whether there will be another ship put on the service by tho Union Company for this heavy period. Passengers returning have also made heavy bookings for about a week later.

For the past two months fishermen have been experiencing a particularly lean- time. Taieri Mouth boats have hardly been able to get out of the harbour owing to heavy seas running on the bar, and weather conditions prevailing to-day and yesterday will not alleviate the position. July and August are generally regarded as hard mouths for the fishermen, but it is some years since they have suffered such a long spell of enforced idleness. •Indications appear to be that there are fish on the grounds, but that is only small consolation.

A chimney fire in a house in Heriot Row was dealt with by the City Fire Brigade at 11.46 yesterday morning, while at C. 51 p.m. a small fire, caused bv burning soot in a range at Helena street. South Dunedin, was attended to. A chimnev fire at Dalkeith street, North-cast Valley, was attended to at 9.40 this morning.

Mr Justice Smith has granted probate in the following estates: Christina M'Liskey, spinster; John Littlejohn, builder, of Milton; Thomas Bolster Fairbairn. retired agent, of Waitati; Bridgid Cloharty, widow. Letters of administration have been granted in the estate of Margaret M Calluxu, spinster, of Waiwera. Depicting in various phases the visit of the flying boat Centaurus last year to Otago Harbour on January 4-o, a series of photographs at present exhibited in a Princes street shop window gives some idea of the craft being piloted to New Zealand by Captain J. W. Burgess, of Dunedin. She is the Aotearoa, which will inaugurate the transtasman flying service for Lmpire Airways. Six‘in all, the photographs give a good indication of the size of the airliner.

Medical officers who have examined 5.000 recruits throughout New Zealand during the last few weeks are of the opinion that the health a mil physique of men between 18 and 32 years of a"o is on as high a plane to-day as before the war. Of those offering for the Territorial Army, the percentage turned down because of physical disabilities lias been very small. From time to time views are expressed that the you Hi of the country is tending to become weedy and degenerate, hut if there is any truth in this statement the men in question have not ottered tor Territorial service. The examinations show, however, that there is still much room for improvement in the dental standard of New Zealanders. A number of excellent recruits have been forced to postpone commencing their training until their teeth have been attended to. It has also been established that the modern physical- training which is carried put by the Army, plus the regular exercise in the open, has a most beneficial effect on the health and physique of the participants. .Regular inspection of men serving in the Territorial Special Reserve shows that substantial increases in weight, height, and lung capacity are noticeable, even alter a month’s training.