GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 December 1940, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Accession Day To-day, 11th December, is Accession Day, marking the fourth anniversary of the date on which King George VI ascended ihe Throne. He became King on 11th December, 1936, after the abdication of King Edward VIII, and was crowned in the following May. The flags were flown from public biuldings tc-day. Boys Leaving College Reference to the number of boys who were leaving College to take up employment before they had completed their secondary education was made at this week’s meeting of the Marlborough College Board of Governors by the Principal (Mr J. Stewart), reports the “Express.” The distressing fact was that pupils were taking up positions for which they were not qualified, and consequently employers would have to give them the training which otherwise they would have received had they stayed at school. “Our prestige will probably suffer as a result of this state cf affairs, as employers expect the pupils from a secondary school to be up to a certain standard, but we consider they are not qualified for an office job with less than three years’ study at college,” added Mr Stewart. Ten Six-footers Information about the physical measurements of pupils at Wellington College is given in a report by the headmaster, Mr W. A. Armour. The number of pupils on the roll was 608. Ten pupils were more than 6ft in height; 44 under sft; 38 weighted between list and 12st; five between 12st and 13st; one between 13st and 14st; and one more than 14st: six had a chest expansion of more than 4in; the tallest boy in the school was 6ft 2in, the smallest 4ft 7in; the heaviest, 16st 41b; and the lightest, sst 21b. Approximately 30 boys were unable to swim. Early Hothouse Grapes Grown in a Mangere hothouse, the first hothouse grapes of the season r are now selling in an Auckland fruiterer’s. Although they are well developed and of good quality, it is too early in the season for grapes to come forward in appreciable quantities, and rates are likely to be high for some time (says the “Herald”). The present retail price is 7s 6d a pound. Subsidised Labour for Farms The State plan to subsidise farm labour by an extra £ 1 a week on farms where accommodation for married men is not yet available has already been made use of by a number of Canterbury farmers (states “The Press”). Under the terms of the scheme men offered such work can be forced, unless they have very strong reasons against it, to leave public works and other similar State subsidised jobs, and so that there may be the positions offering, farmers interested are invited to apply for the subsidy. The effect of the scheme is that a teamster who normally would be paid, say, £2 10s a week and his keep, would receive instead £3 10s, the extra money being designed to assist in the upkeep of his wife and family, for whom there is no accommodation on the farm. With keep, the subsidy can bring wages to an actual value which is claimed to be about on a parity with award rates in other jobs. Atkinson Observatory The Atkinson Observatory will be open to the public from 8 to 10 o’clock this evening if the sky is reasonably clear.

Season’s First Peaches The first peaches of the season made their appearance on the Auckland Markets during last week and have met with good inquiry. As yet, the average size is small and prices have varied accordingly. About 100 cases were on the market on the first day, and values ranged from 5s to 8s 6d a case. The retail prices range from Is to 2s a dozen. Ban on Rotary in Japan The ban imposed on the Rotary Club movement by the Axis Powers has now extended to Japan, according to advice received by the. Auckland Rotary Club. In its weekly bulletin it reports that all the clubs ijn Japan and Manchoukuo ; 1 have been disbanded. Since the Nazi j ban on the movement in August, 1937, ! there has been a steady restriction im- ; posed on Rotary clubs in countries as- i sociated with Germany. At the time ■ the clubs were banned in Germany the ' official Nazi newspaper stated that “Ro_ 1 tarianisna is too international and not sufficiently anti-Semitic.” In March, 1938, tbe 11 clubs functioning in Austria v«ere banned when that country j was incorporated in the German Reich. Rotary clubs have also been banned in Italy since 1939 and in September of this year a Nazi decree disbanded clubs in the Netherlands. No advice has been received, so far, as to the position j i in. France, where the Rotary movement j I was particularly strong before the war. | [ Hampden Street School Baths At a meeting of the School Committee last evening Mr H. R. Rudman was appointed caretaker of the Hampden Street School Baths. The tender of Mr H. Simpson, being the lowest, was accepted for the installation of shov/ers and other facilities in the women’s and men’s dressing sheds. Domestic Help on the Farm j Domestic help for farmers’ wives was | a question discussed at the meeting of j the Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union on Friday. It was decided to rej quest the South Canterbury Executive ! to ascertain the number of registered ; unemployed girls in the district. Mr C. G. Verity said that a good many farm- 1 -•rs wives were already overtaxed, and recently the Mayor of Waimate (Mr G. Dash) had given publicity to a proposal that women from towns should offer help in the country during their holidays. “The matter is of very great importance,” said Mr W. J. Fletcher. “I know of five farmers’ wives who are urgently in need of assistance.” Remuneration as high as 35s a week had beei offered, but no replies had been received “It seems to me to be a shocking state of affairs,” he went on. “when some members of the community can do what they call their war effort on a 40-hour week, while farmers’ wives have to work 90 to 100 hours a week and cannot get assistance, even if competitive wages are offered.” St. John Ambulance Competitions On Saturday afternoon at the Botanical Reserve the Nelson District St. John Ambulance Divisions are holding their competitions and the public are invited to witness the display of first aid and stieccher work. Teams from Motueka. Wakefield. Richmond. Blenheim and Nelson Divisions will be competing. The Motueka Nursing Division will give a demonstration with the Kelly stretcher and the Nelson Cadet Nursing Division will demonstrate the A.R.P. stretcher work. Shipping Needs That the Matson Company ships should be asked to carry goods between Australia. New Zealand and Fiji in order to ease the shipping situation in the general interests of the country was a point stressed at a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, when a letter described by members as “unsatisfactory” was received from the Minister of Marine, Dr. D. G. McMillan, in reply to representations, that had been made. The Minister said there was no legal prohibition against the company carrying cargo, though the Protection of Shipping Act, 1936, conferred the power to prohibit if necessary. Mr A. G. Lunn said there were goods lying on the Sydney wharves piling up storage costs. The chamber should insist that equal rights should be given to all companies in view of the present serious situation. He unde stood that the Minister’s use of the words “no legal prohibition” referred to the fact that Auckland watersiders had refused to load or unload cargo from the Matson boats about 10 years ago. If that position was still holding up the quick transit of goods it was time the Government took the powers that it possessed and insisted that goods should be carried. It was decided to write to various members of Parliament asking that the Government request the Matson Line to carry goods. “That will bring the matter to a showdown,” said a member. Takaka School Committee As is customary after the final meeting of the year members of the Takaka District High School Committee on Monday evening adjourned to the headmaster’s residence, where they were entertained at supper by Mr and Mrs J. A. Lockhart. Seasonal greetings were exchanged.