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Evening Star, Issue 23553, 17 April 1940, Page 6

At this morning’s meeting of the Otago Education Board advice was received from the Education Department that it had now been decided that teachers might be granted on© day’s leave on full pay, plus up to two days’ travelling time, to farewell the following relatives who were leaving New Zealand with the forces:—Father, husband, son, brother, sister (nursing division); and also, in the case of a woman teacher, the man to whom she was engaged to be married. A tribute to the way the reporters had handled a delicate discussion at the last meeting of the Education Board was paid this morning by Mr N. Colquhoun, which'led to the chairman (Mr James Wallace) remarking, “ I always find the Press most sympathetic and fair.”

i Reporting to the Education Board to-day on having attended the meeting convened by the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association concerning Communist activities, the chairman (Mr. James Wallace) said that members could take it from him that there was no Communism in their schools.- There might be a difference of politics among members of their teaching staffs, but that was very different from the preaching of Communism in the schools. As far as the board’s knowledge went, there was no Communism in the schools.

When crane slings slipped and] dumped a crate of hulk chocolate on the wharf at Lyttelton one day recently watersiders unloading an overseas/, steamer helped themselves with relish from the scattered chocolate, and passed the word round among their mates. It was not until some time later that the samplers began to have misgivings. Inquiry provided a simple solution—it was.laxative chocolate consigned to a manufacturing chemist. Carrots packed in tins for Captain Parry’s, third expedition in search of the North-west Passage in 1824 were found to be in good condition for eating when the tins were opened recently in a London laboratory. They smelt and tasted sweet, although they had taken on a slight metallic flavour, easily understandable as a result of enclosure in tins for 116 years. The chemists making the report on the condition of' the food said that some of the meat from another century-old can was eaten with delight—but they added that the distinction of sampling the 100-year-old meal fell to the laboratory cat.

An instance of costly marketing of apples occurred recently, when a consignment was sent by the Internal Marketing Department from Hastings to Auckland via Palmerston North, and after being partly sorted at Auckland in readiness for the next day’s auction, reconsigned to Wellington, a total distance of over 800 miles (says the Napier ‘Daily Telegraph’). The transport and' handling charges on this fruit, according to - merchants, must have amounted to much more than its value. “ Surely an efficient business organisation would have been so coordinated that the apples would have been consigned to Palmerston North as a central point, to be distributed wherever needed at a minimum cost,” remarked .one representative of the fruit trade. A statement that there seemed to be no real danger of the State assuming control of the trading banks in New Zealand in the immediate or near future was made by Mr R. M. Algie in an address given on behalf of the New Zealand Freedom Association, reports the ‘ New Zealand Herald.’ He said, however, that the question was of great academic interest, and the political events of the last few days suggested that- the matter of State banking might very easily become a vital issue at a future election. “ What would help tremendously would be a clear, decisive, and unambiguous statement as to policy from the Hon. W. Nash,” Mr Algie added. “ In view of the remarks that have been made by Mr Lee and Mr Barnard, 1 think that the people are entitled to have that statement, and to have it at once. And I feel that a full and detailed declaration as to what was actually said at the recent Easter conference ought to he made public by the Minister at the earliest reasonable opportunity.” Further evidence in the claim by George Ferguson Dryden against Peter Stanley Lawson as compensation for the alleged cutting down of a hedge dividing the properties of the parties was heard by Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon. For the defence it was contended • that tho fence and not the hedge was the correct boundary, and that action had been taken throughout on this assumption. The Magistrate said he would take time to consider his decision.

Symbolic of the landing of the zacs at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, the public will be asked to purchase the Poppy of Remembrance, to be worn on Anzac Day. The late Earl Haig first instituted the sale of poppies in 1921 so as to find light work for badly disabled ex-servicemen. Since its inception it has given work to many hundreds of disabled men, and many million poppies are made throughout the British Empire. The levies to be imposed by the South Canterbury Hospital Board on local contributing bodies this year will be reduced by £5,224, or 15.4 per cent. The levies last tt year totalled £33,836, and in the estimates confirmed by the board yesterday they total £28,612. The treasurer’s statement also revealed that the board concluded its financial year with a surplus of £4,452. ' 4YA will to-night broadcast the recruiting rally in the Town Hall, and during the course of that broadcast the programme announced by 4YA on the front page of this issue will be handled by 4YO. The rally is expected to end by 9.30, at which time both stations will resume their own programmes. Mr J. Sutherland Ross, in the capacity of Swedish vice-consul, attended the meeting of the Council of the University of Otago yesterday for the purpose of presenting to Dr C. E. Hercus a medal and diploma. The presentation was made to mark the grateful recognition of the Swedish Government of Dr Hercus’s meritorious co-operation in the _ Ling Society’s Gymnastic Convention in Sweden which he had attended last year as a representative of Nevy Zealand. Dr Hercus, in expressing his gratification at the honour bestowed upon him, said that the visit had enabled him to take a peep into one of the greatest democracies of the present day, and to note with astonishment and pleasure _ not only the material, but the spiritual development of the country. . Valuable co-ordination had been achieved by the conference at the beginning of the month between the Board of Managers of the King Edward Technical College and members of the staff, said the chairman (Mr J. J. Marlow) at the board meeting yesterday afternoon. He expressed the opinion that they should become annual affairs. Good relationships were easily established by such conferences, which had features that would do much to assist the future of the college. The shortest report on record was how the chairman (Mr Crosby Morris) described that of the inspector (Mr J. J. Hinchcliffe) which was presented at the monthly meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals held yesterday. _ The report covered only one complaint receiyed 'during the month, concerning starving cows 'at Alexandra, and _ that had proved to have no foundation. In recognition of the cruiser’s part in the River Plate action against the Graf Spee, a sterling silver salver was presented to H.M.S. Achilles by the Auckland branch of,the Navy League.. The presentation was made on board by Mr C. H. T. Palmer, president of the branch, and the gift was received! by Captain W. E. Parry, commanding the cruiser, on behalf of the ship and. her company. After the presentation the salver was used for the first time while several toasts were honoured. Captain Parry expressed the deep gratitude of all those in the cruiser not only for the presentation, but also for the constant interest taken in the Navy’s welfare by the Navy League. It is reported by the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) that a young girl made several calls on residents of Maori Hill yesterday soliciting donations for patriotic purposes. His Worship stated that no minor would, under the War Purposes Regulations, be _ given authority to collect for patriotic purposes. In these circumstances he considered it only right that the public should be warned. The Otago Provincial Patriotic Council, and the Dunedin branch of the council, had authorised canvassers, and should any direct canvass he made for money for patriotic funds these people would each carry their authority, for production if necessary, he added. The executive of the Dominion Council of the Plunket Society has received advice from the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) that the Government has approved of a grant of £2,000 to the fund for the establishing of a national memorial to the late Sir Truby King,' the founder of the society.

“ People sometimes call this ‘ God’s own country.’ I consider that an extremely fatuous platitude,” said Dr G. M. L. Lester, speaking at the opening in Christchurch last evening of the National Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand Art (says the ‘Press’). “If this is ‘ God’s own country ’ man has put down on it some very ugly towns,” he added.

During March the Benevolent Committee of the Hospital Board dealt with 32 cases for casual relief involving the expenditure of £62 13s Id. The plans of the proposed new X-ray block at the Dunedin Hospital (reports the board’s Hospital Committee) have been referred to a special _ meeting for consideration with the Assistant Direc-tor-General of Health. The Hospital Committee of the Hospital Board reports that the invitation from Rev. D. C. Herron, Knox Church, for members of the hoard to attend the Hospital Day service on Sunday, May 12, has been accepted, and instructions have been given to arrange for the usual celebration of National Hospital Day. as has been done on previous occasions.

Attention is directed to the railway advertisement appearing in this issue announcing that the usual 5.40 p.m. train for Palmerston will bo delayed to leave Dunedin at 6.40 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24; also particulars of suspension of train services (with certain exceptions) on Anzao Day, 25th instant. The Railway Depr.rtment advertises in this issue that another special train at cheap excursion fares will be run from Invercargill, stopping at Balclutlia, Stirling, and Milton on Sunday, April 21, returning the same day. The Auckland Club, which caters for exresidents of that northern city, announces in our columns the opening of social activities for 1940. The Dunedin Burns Club will hold Us first concert of the season in the Town Hal! Concert Chamber to-night. The Returned Soldiers’ Choir, under the conductorship of Mr L. B. Borrow, will assist. A dance will follow the concert.