NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 63, 16 March 1938, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Wanganui is to play a challenge match for tho Hawke Cup and the dates for their game with South Auckland are March 25, 26 and 28.

Because of the reductions recently made for ships using the Suez Canal the number of sailings via the canal has been greatly increased. Few vessels in future will use the Cape Horn route as it is now cheaper to pay canal dues than to lose time in rounding the Cape. Only ships bound for Monte Video and Buenos Aires will in future need to use the Cape route. 1 ‘While appreciating the lavish hospitality extended by the New Plymouth Borough Council, it would appear that this phase of the Town Clerks’ Conference is becoming overdone,” reported Mr. H. Firth, town clerk, at a meeting of the Pet-one Borough Council. He said that far too much time was spent on trips.

Owing to the very dry condition of the vegetation along the banks of the Manawatu river and the recent extensive damage caused by lire to the willow and other tree plantations, the Palmerston North River Board requests the public to exercise the utmost care in the use of matches on the river premises. An official y-arning notice to this effect appears in this issue.

The class in Maori recently instituted at the Palmerston North Technical School has proved such an attraction that there are now 34 attending it and two divisions have had to be made. Gratification at the success of tho inno vation was voiced by the Technical School Committee last night, when it was stated that the numbers attending must be a source of pleasure to Mr. J. H. Stevens, who had worked so hard to have it established.

There is a probability that the next New Zealand Rotary Convention will be held in Napier, Rotarian J. H. Edmundson told members of the Napier club at tho weekly luncheon. He has just returned from the convention in Christchurch, where he asked that the veuue of the next conference be Napier. He said that his was the only such request and he anticipated that, if the convention were held in Napier, it would bo the largest ever held in New Zealand. Included in the journey of Mr. J. E. Strachan, principal of the Rangiora High School, through the United States was a trip in a “streamliner.” Writing of his experiences, Mr. Strachan said that he made the trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles in a “streamliner,” a fast daylight express, which covered the distance of 470-odd miles at an average speed of over 50 miles an hour. There was no vibration, no dust, or smoke, and scarcely a sound, except the radio, in the car. It was a wonderful train. Occasions arise when children attending country schools travel quite long distances for the jiurpose of inter-school games, sx>orts and the like. They are generally conveyed by private cars, but it was pointed out at last evening’s meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua District School Committees’ Association in Palmerston North, that this was a liability on the car owner should an accident occur, unless ho had what is known as a V license, and even then only chil dren outside his own would be covered. The matter was brought up by Mr. A. Thomson (Oroua Downs), who urged that the Minister be approached through the School Committees’ Federation, asking that those who so x>laee their cars at the disposal of school children, be exempt from liability. The meeting approved the suggestion.