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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 6 December 1938, Page 6

On Thursday, Bth December, at 7.3 Q p.m., the pupils of Miss Netta Ching. LT.C.L., L.R.S.M., will give a recital in the Cathedral Sunday School. All interested are cordially invited to attend.

Rainfall Records A surprising variation is revealed between the rainfall totals so far this year at Blenheim, and at Nelson (remarks the “Express”). A further seven points which fell locally during the week-end brought the figure, as far as the gauge at the Wairau Hospital is concerned, to 22.63in., while at Nelson I the year’s rain, up to Saturday morning, amounted to 43.41in., or almost i double Blenheim’s quota. | Extra Year at School ' Britain as well as New Zealand is raising the school-leaving age from 14 to 15, and in a foreword to a booklet, "The Extra Year,’ the British Min- ! ister of Education, Earl Stanhope, writes:—Boys and girls between 14 and 15 stand between childhood and youth, j Their environment is widening; new | instincts and a new outlook are appearI ing; their minds, no less than their l muscles, are developing. Simply to add another year of schooling would be to [create bored, listless pupils and disI lllusioned parents. Old subjects may be i taught in new ways; new subjects must be given fresh emphasis. The whole | curriculum must be designed, not | merely to complete and round off' the i course, but to introduce the child to I life. Broadcast Music j Mr Anderson Tvrcr, the English j composer and pianist at present visitI ing Wellington, is enthusiastic about what radio is doing for music in America. He said that one could always be assured of getting a programme of the very best music in the United States. Of course, one could often get samples of the opposite, but in the case of the National Broadcasting Service, a national hook-up from New York, he was pleased to learn that 66 1-3 per cent, of the music played or sung over the air was of the classical order, which was very satisfactory indeed. j Deteriorated Farms j So seriously did the Stratford sub- | provincial executive of the New Zea- | land Farmers’ Union view the continued deterioration of farm lands in the back (country of Taranaki that it decided last j week to call on the Government to make an immediate investigation with ! a view to national action (reports the | "News”). A remit was passed which asked that the Government set up a ! commission to take evidence and bring j down a report on deteriorated lands and abandoned farms with a view to I the promotion of land settlement and | increased production and to make available land for young farmers who had proved their capabilities. The commission should comprise practical men, it was statefj. Mr H. A .Hunt said that he felt that the matter had been allowed to drift by both the previous and present Government until the matter threatened the welfare of New Zealand. In the last seven years there had been over 1.000.000 acres of land previously occupied gone out of production, and it was still going out at the rate of 100.000 acres a year. Good houses were being ! pulled down and- outbuildings allowed to rot. Good farmers on adjoining land were being ruined and forced to abandon their farms by the spread of noxious weeds and excessive rates. They were caught in the reflex in the abandoning of adjacent farms.

i Commended by Ilis Honour I I Pleasure was expressed by Mr Jus- | tice Callan during the hearing of a case in the Supreme Court at Auckland with information conveyed by a witness that it happened occasionally that separated spouses who had cause to meet at legal offices to transact business were talked into reconciliation by solicitors (reports the “Star”). While admitting that this did happen now and again, one of the counsel engaged in the case scouted a suggestion by the witness that in such event lawyers would consider having the parties sign an agreement of reconciliation, as it would be only a useless gesture. "I have often wondered,” said his Honour, “whether the profession is sufficiently interested in bringing parties together. A written reconciliation, I think, is a good idea; I commend it. Signing an undertaking setting out that the parties would agree to exercise more patience and forbearance towards each other in the future would probably help the relations between the parties. ’ Nepia to Turn Out The well-known former New Zealand and Hawkes Bay Maori Rugby full-back, George Nepia, who has been a commanding figure in N.Z. Rugby and League football for many seasons, is planning to have a season in Auckland next winter, and to play lor the Manukau league team. As players go, Nepia is now well in the veteran stage, seeing that he was a member of the All Black Rugby team which toured Britain in 1924. He was then 19 years of age. And at 33, an age when most footballers have retired, he is still hopeful of being able to show form that will keep him in the front rank Dairy Farmers’ Kick Why does the Government have 4s deducted from farmers’ monthly cream cheques to pay for dairy instructors? asked a member of the Kerepeehi branch of the Farmers’ Union. It was a rotten principle, he said, because if 4s could be taken off arbitrarily there was no bar to £4O being taken off in the same manner. A member pointed out that formerly the 4s was taken without being itemised, so it was nothing new, but he did not know when the levy was imposed. Shortage of Employees “Staff's in hotels are very difficult to get and retain.” said Mr W. J. Mountjoy, of Wellington, in the Arbitration Court at Napier (records the "Telegraph”). “This shortage of staff is probably due to the reduction of hours to 40 and the fact that a greater number of people in New Zealand to-day are travelling,” he added. ‘There is a greater shortage in hotel staff’s than ever before."