NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22817, 11 December 1948, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Meagre Population New Zealand appeared to be almost uninhabited to a traveller coming from Singapore, said Mr. R. F. Bamford to the Dunedin Evening Star. This impression, he said, was suggested by the fact that the size of the island of Singapore was approximately that of Stewart Island, and its population 1,250,000 In comparison New Zealand, with a population of 1,750,000, seemed like a deserted country. J Force Draft

The troopship Westralia, carrying New Zealand Army and Air Force men from Japan, is due at Auckland this afternoon. Arrangements have been made by the Army Department for the one Army and five R.N.Z.A.F. men from the Gisborne district aboard the vessel to travel to Gisborne by special service car. They will leave Auckland at 6 p.m. today and are due at Gisborne between 8 and 9 a.m. tomorrow. Education in New Zealand ‘The education system in this country is admittedly experimental, with concentration on social values, some times, I think, to the detriment of education itself,” said Mr. Hugh Lyon, a former headmaster of Rugby School, England, at present visiting Christchurch. “With the strong desire for the multilateral school there is the danger of a loss in scholarship and in educational quality,” he said. Radio Transmitters’ Plea

“It is hardly one of the objects of the association to support this sort of thing,” said the president of the P.B Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr. P. F. Barker, at a meeting of the general executive yesterday afternoon after an appeal for funds had been read from the Gisborne branch of the Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Association of New Zealand. Mr. R. C. Parker suggested that the request should be referred to the E.P.S. Organisation. On the motion of Mr. P. E. Barker, seconded by Mr. S. B. Monk, it was decided to take no action as an association. Counterfeit Money

American Federal Reserve Bank and United States Treasury agents called an unprecedented press conference to give a warning that New York was being flooded with the greatest amount of counterfeit money in the history of the country. On the basis of bogus money already detailed, it was estimated that the amount in the hands of the public might run into millians of dollars, far out-stripping the exploits of “Count” Victor Lustig, whose gang in 1934 flooded the Middle West with 2.500,0f10 dollars of counterfeit currency. The latest counterfeit bills are described by Treasury agents as a masterful job of imitation. Sewing Cotton Short “White sewing cotton continues to be available in only the most meagre quantities, and retailers have had a wearing time explaining to exasperated housewives that there is definitely ‘not another reel under the counter,’ ” states an article in the November issue of the “N.Z. Draper and Allied Retailer.” “All sewing cottons were in short supply during the war, and the position has not improved. White, being the shade most in demand, is naturally the one most affected. The shortage, largely due to a lack of labour in Britain, is world-wide. All countries are being supplies on an allocation basis. Inquiries indicate that the main distributors expect Ihe position to improve in the immediate future.”

Non-recognition of Polio Rare Although there have been rumours of people in this district catching poliomyelitis and not having the disease recognised for some time, the medical officer of health at Gisborne, Dr. G. A. do Lautour, advises that this is an unusual occurrence. There had been one case in the East Cape health district’s area of a woman with polio effects being asked to try and recollect any illness she had as far back as three or four months, and two or three similar cases had occurred with schoolchildren in Auckland who had been off-colour for a short time, then sent back to school, after which it had developed that the germ had been poliomyelitis. The position was. however, unusual, added Dr. de Lautour. Show Recommendations To deal with amendments to the Autumn Show schedule a sub-commit-tee comprising the sectional and chief stewards was appointed at a meeting of the general committee of the P.B. Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday. Mr. A. C. Langford suggested that Maori arts and crafts should be an addition. Much already had been done in preparation for the Royal tour and he expected that many of the articles would be shown if suitable classes were incorporated in the schedule. Mr. H. D. C. Lange drew attention to the inadequacy of the produce hall to cope with the number of exhibits at the Spring Show. lie said something further would have to be done shortly to overcome the congestion. Mr. Dickson .Jobson recommended that there be two ballots for car stands, one for each day.