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Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 120, 22 April 1936, Page 8

The “Standard” will not be published on Saturday, Anzac Day. The steamer Salvus, which became stranded on a mudbank at Whangarei at the week-end, was refloated on Monday morning. A portrait- in oils of the late Sir James Mills, the founder of the Union Steam Ship Coy., has been presented to the Nations'; Art Gallery. The Ashburton County Council has pursued a steady policy of afforesstation with the result that it now has about 4800 acres in trees—a valuable asset. When nominations for. the school committee elections closed no names had been submitted for the Whangarei School Committee, the position now being similar to that of Otaliuhu. . No New Zealand centre so far has shown anything like the growth in the past 10 years that is revealed in Lower Hutt. According to census returns issued by the Government Statistician yesterday, the , population of that borough has more than doubled itself. The increase is 7991 persons, or an average of approximately 800 each year. So far this is a New Zealand record for the 1936 census.

Two new class-rooms being added to the rear of the northern wing of the Palmerston North Girls’ High School are expected to be completed next term, when accommodation will be available for a further fifty pupils. The present roll number is 289, the school having advanced ■in grade. Owing to tlie pressure on the existing facilities, classes are being taught in the laboratory, and sometimes in the domestic science kitchen.

“With the exception of the basses procured in 1934, the instruments are in a very bad state indeed,” says the annual report of tlie Palmerston North Garrison Band. “Strenuous efforts should be made to replace them with new instruments to enable the band to do justice not onlv to itself, but to the city as well. The band hall is a fine and valuable building in a good state of repair, and the incoming committee should use every endeavour to make it self-supporting.”

The discovery of smoke and sparks issuing from the pneumatic sawdust gathering system at Messrs William Cook and Sons’ box factory in Main Street shortly after 10.30 a.m. to-day led to the Fire Brigade being called out. The system is operated by a blower and the sawdust and shavings from the various machines are drawn through pipes to be issued eventually into a bin, from which they are transferred to the furnaces. How the fire started was not known this morning, but the employees had the situation under control before the brigade arrived, the latter occupying their attention mainly with precautionary measures. A matter of considerable interest to those who assist in the control and promotion of Rugby in this district was the presentation and discussion at the meeting of the management committee of the Manawatu llugby Union, last evening, of a sub-commit-tee’s report on free passes and privileges. Drastic recommendations were made to reduce the number of free passes to assist the finances. During the discussion Mr E. Low moved that the committee’s report be held over for a week to enable the clubs and others affected by the proposals to consider it and perhaps offer suggestions for its improvement, but his motion lapsed for want of a seconder and the new list was adopted. One of the shortest clauses in the Factories Amendment Bill, now before Parliament, is that relating to dairy factories, for it merely states that no worker shall be employed in or about a dairy factory or creamery on more than six days in any week. However, this clause has to be read with Clause 7, which stipulates that no person who is employed in any factory at the commencement of the Act shall be dismissed or his wages reduced merely by reason of any reduction in, or alteration of, the working bourse caused by this legislation. If there is any reduction or dismissal, the onus is laid on the factory occupier to show that it does not constitute a breach of the provisions of this section. From time to time suggestions have been advanced for a gathering of early settlers at Palmerston North, and it will be recalled that at the time of the jubilee of the city proposals were made that an Early Settlers’ Association should be formed at this centre. Nothing eventuated, but it is interesting to learn that arrangements have been , made for a reunion to be held at Palmerston North next week for settlers who . have, resided in the district for sixty years or more. They are a rapidly thinning group of pioneers, and will be the guests at a diamond jubilee dinner which is being provided free of charge by the C.. M. Ross Co., Ltd. The organisation of this appropriate function has been in hand for some time.