GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 15 June 1936, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Several correspondents have written endorsing the suggestion of an earlier correspondent that a parents and guardians’ association should be formed to deal with Nelson College matters. They refer to details that could come within the scope of such an association, but as all the writers appear to have the interests of the College at heart, we would suggest that these details could well be left to such an association, and if association is not formed, that direct representations be made to the College Council of Governors. A picture by an erstwhile Auckland artist who has risen to fame in England is included in the number which are to be sent out from England for the opening of the new National Gallery in Wellington on Ist August (states the "Star”). The work is called “Nothing to Do,” and the artist is F. Porter. " Porter is one of the bestknown artists in England, and his work Hangs in many galleries. He was one of the leading members of the "London group,” which, before its dissolution, included many of the best artists of the period. How many Aucklanders have heard his name? For some strange reason it is unfamiliar even among members of the artistic fraternity, and none of his work hangs in our Art Gallery. Yet Frederick Porter was born in Auckland. It is probably true to say that he is the finest painter New Zealand has yet produced—and, incidentally, the most successful, if prices are the criterion. And yet one never hears his name spoken. Apparently what someone once said about the prohpet is also true of some artists. Seven new species of carnivorous i land snails peculiar to the Nelson district, and discovered only within the last two years, were described in an address by Mr A. W. B. Powell, con--1 chologist at the Auckland War Mei morial Museum, to the Auckland In- ; stitute, states the “New Zealand Her- ' aid.” They differed, he said, from the imported garden snail, as they were 1 not vegetarians, but fed on earth : worms. Their beautiful colours varied from bright chestnut to reddish ’ brown, and their highly-polished 1 shells were banded in additional colI ours, including green. Mr Powell ; further dealt with the distribution of - snails peculiar to New Zealand, Tasmania, and Victoria, which proved the geologists’ theory that water has not : always separated these lands. He • spoke also on the extreme local distribution of many New Zealand species, and said that every new field not ’ previously studied held out possibili- : ties of other species being found. Following a comprehensive review ' of the pensions laws, the Minister of i Pensions (the Hon. W. E. Parry) is . preparing amending legislation which t will be before the House after the mid-winter, recess. In an interview, • Mr Parry, when asked by “The Stan- • dard” whether the Government in- ; tended to introduce a Civil Pensions . Bill, said: "Yes, there will be a Civil Pensions Bill all right. It will deal ! not only with those who are already ! in receipt of a pension, but will also . cover!many thousands who are not getting a pension at all. The measure will include invalids, of whom there ; are over 17.000 in this country, bei sides hundreds who are unable to . qualify owing to the provisions of the present law.” Mr Parry said that the Biil to be introduced would not realise the Government’s objective in the s first step. “But once having laid the foundation, every improvement made will be of uniform character,” he said. , Describing her impressions of the . Amsterdam Congress, attended by ' over 1000 botanists from all over the ! world, Miss L. M. Cranwell, botanist at the Auckland War Memorial Mus- ■ eum, remarked that only the English delegates were expected to know no other language but their own, and many of the lectures were therefore ' given in English, even by the Continental delegates. Most of these, she said, could speak English, German and French with equal fluency, while one Austrian scientist knew 19 languages, and could be humorous in all of them. According to a statement made by the Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (the Hon. F. Langi stone), no action is to be taken by tne [ Government in regard to a suggestion mane by Mr A. E. Smith, of Koiorua, : that the level of Lake Rotomahana should be lowered with the object of ascertaining the fate of the Pink and White Terraces, * which disappeared from view during the Mount Tarawera eruption of 10th June, 1886 (states the Rotdrua correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald”). In a letter received by Mr Smith the Minister states: "The Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, to whom the matter was referred, states that the Geological Survey Branch is of the opinion that these terraces were probably broken up and that it is not likely to unearth tnem again, particularly as it is unlikely that siliceous water would be available to preserve them in good condition and in their original colours. I feel with you that there is a very large element of doubt i as to whether the terraces were entirely destroyed or merely covered up with pumice deposits.” In view of this report Mr Langstone indicated that it is not proposed to take any further action in the matter at present. “Make no error,” said the tobacconist to a cobber, “rolling your own has made a big difference! Parties that used to smoke packet cigarettes mostly turn up their noses at them now! They find the smokes they make themselves are not only better but a lot cheaper than ready-mades. Take me, I used to sell any quantity of packet goods, now I sell far fewer packets, but a heap more cigarettetobacco- —specially Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold —the two cigarette brands chiefly wanted. And look at the saving! Why you can roll ten fullsize cigarettes of either Riverhead Gold or Desert Gold for 4d or less! And, mind you, being newly rolled they’re always fresh and moist, while the ready-mades are often dry and stale. Yes: both these brands are toasted, and there are three toasted brands for the pipe—Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, and Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog). It’s toasting that makes these brands so pure: that’s why they’re so harmless. Imitations? Oh yes! but they are fizzling out! No demand!”* Ladies’ Winter Frocks in fancy cloths and woven materials. All the season’s latest colours. Reasonably ] priced at McKay’s at 39/6.* Attractive Evening Frocks in Tin-sel-run Crepes and Cloques. Lovely \ shades of Blue, Rose, Apricot, and i Green. S.S.W.. S.W. and W„ at Me- t Kay’s, 39/6.* |l

The attitude of the executive of the Canterbury branch of the Liberal Association towards the National Party was discussed by members at a meeting, states a Press Association telegram. The following motion was 'carried: “Realising that the New Zea- ! land National Party is still the same j party that so completely lost the conI fidence of electors at the recent elec- ' tions, this executive of the Liberal Association of New Zealand (Canterbury branch;, having expressed no confidence in the administration of the former Government twelve months ago, now declines in any way to be associated with representatives of the National Party in the formation of an organised Opposition Party to the present Government.” Tutira Station, consisting of approximately 22,000 acres on the Na-pier-Wairoa road, will shortly be subdivided for closer settlement by the expiry of lease and by proposals originating from the Government. The block of land which embraces Mr H. GuthHe-Smith’s Tutira Station is to be disposed of in small holdings. The preservation of beautiful Lake Tutira as a bird sanctuary is assured. A determined effort to stamp out bidi bidi in wool is to be made by Taranaki sheep farmers, who have raised £2OO, sufficient to purchase the whole of next year’s supplies of the Chilean saw fly from the collection to be made by Dr. David Miller, of the Cawthron Institute. Reporting to the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union (states the “Daily News”) Mr W. Hardwick Smith said that he was not certain if Dr. Miller would agree to Taranaki taking up the following year’s gathering of fly, for he might wish to let other lots go elsewhere. Dr. Miller had said there was a limit to what could be done in one year and that £2OO would be all that could be used during the collecting season from October to March, and lie had promised that Taranaki would be given all the flies collected in that period if the money were found. A provision of the Pensions Act that if an old-age pensioner is convicted under the Police Offences Act his pension is permanently cancelled, is considered by the Hospital Boards’ Association to be unduly harsh. A resolution of the recent Dominion conference, which was submitted last week to the Minister of Health, Hon. P. Fraser, by Mr W. Wallace, president of the association, proposed that the Pensions Act be amended so that a pensioner so convicted should be" allowed to apply to a magistrate after three years to have his pension reinstated. Mr Wallace said subsequently that the Minister had gone further, and expressed the opinion that pensions should not be cancelled automatically in such cases, since the ordinary penalty which the .Court would inflict was entitled to be treated as adequate. He promised to consider the request. “In their quiet way the Dutch are very proud of the reclamation of the Zuyder Zee, as well they might be,” remarked Miss L. M. Cranwell, at a meeting of the Auckland Institute, when she was giving some impressions of the recent Amsterdam Congress (reports the “Star”). Miss Cranwell stated that a 26-mile dyke had been built across the entrance to the Zuyder Zee, and it has been renamed the Yselmeer, after the river Ysel, which flowed into it. The river was making the Yselmeer less and less saline, so that, in a few years, that part that was not reclaimed would form a fresh-water lake. On parts that were under the sea only years ago, crops were • already bding raised, which was a great triumph for the combined efforts of the engineers, soil experts, and botanists. Many Jewish refugees from Germany had been temporarily established by' the Dutch Government on those reclamations to learn the rudiments of agriculture before settling in Mesopotamia. The Buffer branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute wrote to to-day’s meeting of the Nelson Education Board asking for authority to close certain schools on Friday, 3rd July for the purpose of holding a meeting to discuss salaries and grading. The chairman, the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre, said it was similar to a stop-work meeting in working hours, and he did not, see why the children should lose a day’s lessons while the teachers held such a meeting. It was decided that the board reply expressing regret that it could not grant the application. It was suggested the teachers hold the meeting on a Saturday or holiday. Interesting figures covering the work of the Auckland Metropolitan Relief Committee were supplied at last week’s meeting by the honorary treasurer, Mr J. S. Brigham. Since I the committee was set up £46,092 had been received for distribution, and the payments made £44,613. A big factor .has been the contributions from art I unions, and from each of the last three art unions the committee has received over £I2OO. “I found South America a land of' striking contrasts,” said Mr Robert A. Campbell, when interviewed by a reporter of “The Press” on his return from Chile. In many parts enormous wealth and magnificence were, he added, shadowed by squalor and abject poverty. This was particularly in evidence in Buenos Aires, a city of 2,500,000 people, with one street the house numbers of which ran from one to 18,000. Human life was rated very cheaply in the Latrin republics. Murder in the cities in the back country—in the latter case by bandits —was quite common, but, strangely enough, there was no capital punishment in the Argentine republic or in Chile. Friends in Buenos Aires had informed Mr Campbell that one man, with four murders to his taffy, had served only a fortnight in gaol. Yet everywhere lie went he found good-natured, lighthearted, and very courteous people, wonderfully hospitable. Another point which impressed him was that in all the schools in Chile and the Argentine teachers were not allowed to inflict corporal punishment in any circumstances. A curious law prevailed in Santiago, under which any householder on whose premises a serious outbreak of fire occurred was summarily lodged in gaol, pending proof that the fire was purely accidental. Fortunately, added Mr Campbell, most of the buildings were constructed of stone, concrete, or 'adobe. At McKay’s! Select your Fur-trim-med Coat now. A marvellous line now showing, assorted colours and styles, at 59/6.*