GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 December 1937, Page 8

GENERAL ITEMS

Helping Willi Shopping

"Ridiculous” was the description given by several councillors at the meeting of the New Brighton Borough Council to a request of the local branch of the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement that rotational workers be permitted to cease work on 24th December at noon, in order that they might assist their wives in the Christmas shopping (slates the Christchurch “Star-Sun”). “Why should the unemployed have privileges regular worker: have not?” asked one councillor; "it would be preposterous to imagine it " The Mayor: “What about our own employee: ? At any rate these rotational workers are working under an award, and it. is a matter for their union to lake up if necessary.’ "Who is going to carry (lie parcels home?” inquired another councillor. "Will they want to borrow the council’s wheelbarrows 7 " The council decided that all it was prepared to do on its own initiative would be to allow the men oil’, if they were prepared to forgo their pay. Christmas at (hr Hospital Grants of LIS to the Nelson Public Hospital and CO to tlie Alexandra Home for Christinas festivities were made by the Nelson Hospital Board yesterday Also, the annual donation of La towards extra comforts for the patients at Christmas time was received from the estate of the late Mr C. F Martin.

Dainty' Loeknit Undies, packed in fancy boxes See large display in our Underwear section. McKay’s.* Fruitgrowers are advised by advertisement in this issue that a demonstration and display of up-to-date and lab-our-saving packing shed equipment will take place to-morrow afternoon in Mr J. Napiers Packing Shed next to 'he Bowling Green at Mapua. All growers are cordially invited to be present. Frock Week at McKay’s.—Ladies’ Afternoon Frocks in attractive Floral Silks, short sleeves only. 29/0 for It). 11.*

I’ol.ir Hears ITnin Tasmania

As a I'cMilt uf Hie decision of tlie Hobart City Council lo close the B'’;ium'U'i: /.00. the reserves depart

mejil of the Wellington City Council has been oll'crcd and has accepted a bargain lin< in polar bears, which arc

exncrlcd lo bo shipped early in the New Year. The Curator ol the Newtown 7,00, Mr .1 Lae.gridge. staled that

tors of Bio present lone hear, when they were delivered, for Die latest advice no had had was that the Hobart zoo people had had any amount of exeito-

; men!, but not much success m persuading them lo walk gratefully into the | transport cages provided or hack into ; the dens from which they could he j driven into the cage.. As full-grown | pulai' hears were i.ot to he manhandled | casually, they had come through the j first rounds on top Ragwort Destruction

An inspection of the destruction done to ragwort by the seed-fly its natural enemy was carried mil at Mr A. Riggir's property, Pularuru. on Monday by a large parly, which included the Minister of Lands ((lie lion. F. Langstone'. Dr. D. Miller, of the Cawlhron Institute. Mr A. F. Moncur. M.P. for Rotorua, and Government ollieinls. The seed-fly, which has been brought to New Zealand from Scotland, was first liberated on i\lr Riggir's farm in February, 1930. and since then large quantities have bene liberated, and the attack on ragwort lias progressed rapidly. This year the fly has been more active than ever, and Mr Riggir stated on Monday that if the present visible evidence of the manner in which the insect destroyed ragwort was any guide, there could be no doubt that the weed-menace was conquered The visitors to Mr Riggir's property on Monday saw in the open tick! exactly what they had seen in the laboratory at Nelson—the ragwort (lowers attacked and in various stages of destruction. Dr. Miller had been requested to hand a full report to the Government on the results of the experiment. Mr Riggir explained that the work was not a private concern, but was a national undertaking. Ihe funds being subscribed by anyoneinterested. II was ilended to liberate the roed-fl.v over all ragwort-infested areas as soon as possible.

Absence of Mosquitoes

Compared with previous years Auckland has been singularly free from mosquitoes this season, the pests having made their appearance in limited numbers in only a few localities (says the "Herald"!. It was stated that the absence of the insects could be attributed to the long period of dry weather that has recently been experienced. Whiter is necessary for the development of the larvae into fully-grown insects and as a result of the rain of the past lew days they will probably be in evidence in as large numbers as usual in from a fortnight lo three weeks' time, (lie normal period taken in the changing process.

Girls of To-day "It is at least one hopeful sign in a land where there is not nearly enough daughters that girls from homes where there is no spur of poverty, are being enrolled with a purpose that embraces something much more valuable than continuous days of golf and bridge.” su'd Miss E. R. Edwards, headmistress of the Diocesan High School for Girls, in a review at the school's speech day. states a Press Association message from Auckland At one time, she added, it was the exception for parents to say they wished their daughters to work towards seme profession. "Nowadays, I am glad to ray. it is only in exceptional cases that they do not do so.”

Cargo-Working Interesting comparative examples of cargo-working lie had noted in the course of liis trip by way of Java to Singapore, were mentioned by Mr R ■f Young in an interview at Mastcrton. At Samarang. the middle port of .Jav) Mr Young slated 750 tons of sugar were loaded into the steamer Van Rees. The sugar was hoisted by the ship's own winches from barges on cither side The work occupied between five and six hours and the native labourers engaged were paid half a guilder (approximately Is 6d> for a ten-hour day. In Auckland, a port fully equipped with modern laboursaving equipment, ten hours were spent in unloading the 750 tons of sugar.

Business Men Afraid

“People in New Zealand who have i interests in business are frightened to i interfere in politics because of fears ! that they might be victimised.” said [Mr W. P. Endcan, M.P. for Parnell, jat a National Party garden party in j Auckland, when he denounced the In-

dustrial Efficiency Act as the “worst kind of legislation over enacted in Now Zealand.” The Bureau of Industries, Mr Endean said, could dragoon and regiment every type of industry which could be declared subject to the Act. ! Freight 1 lirough Otira I Last; week, freight hauled through ] the Otira tunnel from the West Coast | amounted to 14.729 tons as compar- ! cd with 14.495 tons in the correspond- | ing week of 1936, and 11,449 tons in ! 1935. For the four weeks ended last j Saturday, freight hauled through the | tunnel Irom west to cast amounted jto 59.403 tons, the highest for any i monthly period since July, 1930, when the unusually high total of 01,947 tons ! was readied | Coronation Souvenirs It was reported at the monthly mect- ! ing of the Nelson Education Board that I the school Coronation Souvenirs had j not yet been received from the Depart- | mont. It was hoped that the souvenirs | would have been available before the j end of coronation year "Perhaps they will be made available by the time ol the centenary.” commented the chairman (the Hon. W. It. Mclntyre). Mrs Scantlebury wishes to acknowledge the following subscriptions towards the "Penny” Sunshine Fund” which provides Christmas cheer for the | children of the local Mental Hospital: Mrs Jacka 10s. a Friend 5s Any symj palhisers wishing to help arc asked to 1 rang 723 and their donations can be called for and acknowledged, or posted to "Kohanga,” Trafalgar street South, Nelson. Special reductions on all our Frocks. See windows and displays in our Show- | room.—McKay’s.* j In Mr Colin Campbell’s letter last | night on the Sino-Japanese situation i the words “fertile Australia” should j have read “fertile Auslral-asia.” | Good quality Loeknit Bloomers packed in cellophane. All colours. S.W. |and W. 2/11. O.S 3/o.—McKay’s.*

I Defence of Examinations I Support lor flic ex;■ iilln;if um system, though ho thought it needed reform:-', ; w;is voiced li.y the Kev. I'’allier .1. ] Dowimg, S.M.. reelor of SI. Patrick's ! College. Silver.strenm, ;il. the annual ■ pn/.c-gi ving cert molly yesterday I rej ports "The I'ost'T. "Nuniemus attacks ! are being made al Die p resell I lime on lour examinnlion system." said the'reelor. ‘Some would abolish external ex animations altogether. This, to my mind, would be a great folly. Deforms are certainly necessary, but not total abolition A well-conducted external examination at the end of the usual < - ! condary-sehool course helps to preserve a u lilorm standard ol attainment land lessens the need for inspection; it |aets as an incentive both to teachers | and taught, to strive for a worthy standard; it affords a qualifying test ! wnieh it is dillieull to replace by any [ nllcrnaliv'’'. and it affords the children ! of the poor a chance to compete against (hose who rely upon influence, whether it he of the political or of the ‘olri-school-tie' variety. Accrediting is riot a good substitute for a well-conducted j external examination. When Mr SalI ter Davies, an eminent English cducaI lionist who visited New Zealand recently, was asked what authorities in England thought of accrediting, lie replied: ‘We distrust accrediting' It is not. to be trusted, and it would place an intolerable burden upon the shoulders of headmasters.”

Education Hoard Dales ‘The Nelson Education Board yesterday approved ot the following dates for its meetings in ID3B 20th January, 21 si February. 21st March, 18th April, lGth May. 20th June, tfitli July, 15th August, 19th September. 17th October, 21st November, and J2th December.

Safety Harriers at Schools

In connection with the suggestion of the Department of Education that safety barriers be placed at school entrances, the architect to the Nelson Board if.lv A. H. Lcapcri made recommendations to the monthly meeting for such structures to be erected at 21 schools. The report was adopted, the cost of the work to he .1168.

Telegrams of Greeting

Christinas and New Year Greetings telegrams will be accepted from the Kith instant to (ith proximo, inclusive, and provision has been made for a number of alternative standard texts, thus enabling the sender to select the one most appropriate for his purpose. The charge for inland Christinas and New Year Greetings telegrams to any ofiicc in New Zealand, including those

points served by radio and to which the ordinary inland rate applies, will

be a uniform one of 6d per message, irrespective of the text chosen or the number of words in the address and signature. To ensure delivery before either Christmas Day or New Year's - Day, the telegrams should be lodged as early ns possible after the Kith instant. The date of delivery may be nominated

Use ol' Leisure "The greater use made of leisure hours in out-of-doors games, the greater will become the health and physical development of our people,’' remarked the Minister of Internal Alfairs, The Hon. W. E. Parry, when replying to a deputation from an Auckland sports body which sought the Minister's assistance in overcoming a difficulty with the reservation of an area of land It did not matter whether the game chosen for sport or recreation were tennis, golf, athletics, swimming, hiking, hockey, football or bowls, said Mr Parry, so long as the player delighted in the game.