GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 29 July 1941, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

Leave Granted “I don’t know why you should! laugh!” said Bishop Stephenson, him-i self smiling—-when SydoC, with merry ( sympathy, granted leave of absence to I the Rev. R. C. Nicholson (Colling- ! wood) who had “a spot or two at the! week-end” (i.c.. measles). I War Economy As a war ecenomy measure the j Marlborough A. and P. Association de- j cided, on the motion of Mr L. J. Dol- i lar, to give no championship ribbons ■ at the forthcoming annual show ex-1 ce t in the cases of horses and cattle ; taking part in the grand parade. Apple Juice Making To reduce its loss on the marketing \ of commercial grade fruit purchased from growers, the Government is considering the establishment of apple j . manufacturing units in Nelson and Hawkes Bay. This was announced by the president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Mr T. C. Brash, when speaking at the Canterbury fruitgrowers’ provincial conference last week (reports “The Press”). Mr Brush emphasised, however, that the Government had not committed itself, and no decision had been made. Referring to last year’s campaign to popularise the use of apple juoice, MiBrash said it had been a great success. The Internal Marketing Department officer in charge of the campaign consid red that 300.000 gallons of juice a year could be sold throughout the Dominion. Certain negotiations were now in progress for the establishment ! of manufacturing units in Nelson and Hawkes Bay, and information was being obtained from other countries. The Government had not ommitted itself, and no decision had been made. There were difficulties in getting machinery bottles, and material for containers. Mr Brash said the units would not be used to get. rid of under-grade fruit, but to help the Government use commercial grade fruit, because it was losing on the marketing of it. It was considered that the loss would be decreased if the fruit was turned into apple juice. “There is no direct gain to producers at present, but we have everything to gain by ncouraging the establishment of the apple juice industry and the creation of a demand,” said Mr Brash.

Anil Nothing Bui the Truth

'lhe Dean had given Synod a very interesting olaborative explanation of the Missionary report, and concluded in his whimsical way. “I think I’ve told the truth!" The Rev. F. J. Haynes (Wakefield > caused much laughter when he declared that the Dean may have told the truth, but In* certainly hadn’t told the whole truth!” Now Zealanders’ Speech “If dramatic and repertory organisations did nothing else than improve our speech.” said Miss Marjorie Bassett, judge at the British Drama League Festival in Dunedin (reports the "Otago Dailv Times”), “their activities would be worth while. We are all too casual and lazy with our speech. I recently came across a name for it -the 1930 voice, in which the object seems to be to keep the teeth light together and the lips in a straight line. To get good, clear speech, we must part our teeth and round our lips to make the vowel sounds, and we must sound firmly our final consonants. Otherwise, our speech is wjolly.’ Stage work is well worth while, therefore.” Miss Bassett added. German Programme Upset “During the fighting in Crete we captured orders which gave the German programme,” states LieutenantColonel H. K. Kippcnberger in a letter received from Egypt by the Rangiora Returned Soldiers’ Association. “The programme was: May 20 and 21—Capture Crete; May 22—Reorganise: May 23 and 24 —Land in Syria. Wc at least put that well out of gear. In fact, if it had been possible to give us a bit of fighter support we would have pulled it off —damned near did as it was.” Inspecting Children's Bicycles The bicycles of children attending schools in Christchurch and Canterbury are being inspected by Mr T. Stringer, Traffic Instructor in Schools, and Mr J. Bruorton, Chief City Traffic Inspector. After lectures have been given to the children on road safety, circulars will be sent to the parents of children with defective bicycles, advising them what is lacking. Mr Bruorton told a reporter of “The Press” that the most frequent defects were lajk of a rear brake (a frontwheel brake is not sufficient) and broken mudguards, which frequently make the reflectors useless. The children are rec mmended to adopt Sir Malcolm Campbell’s three C’s—Care, Courtesy and Consideration —and their parents are warned that prosecutions may follow if their children are allowed to go on riding defective machines. Duty on Soldiers’ Cigarettes Duty is still payable on tobacco and cigarettes sent to soldiers overseas in privately-addressed parcels, according to advice received by the secretary to the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council (Mr 11. S. Feast). In response to many inquiries Mr Feast wrote to the National Patriotic Fund Board, which advised him to th : s effect. Life-Saving Society Awards Indications were that the 1940-41 season would prove to have been a record one for the number of Royal Life-Saving Society awards made in New Zealand, said the secretary (Mr J. Breward) at a meeting of the council of the New Zealand branch of the society (reports “The Press”). It was surprising that no other branch in the world seemed to have done so much in the season. The main cause was probably the interest taken in the resuscitation classes, in which the society was undertaking the training of Home Guard members. A letter from the Otago head centre of the society said that the centre was going to make an effort to "cover the whole town with instruction in resuscitation.” The council received from the society’s head office in England the results of the Sydney J. Monks Memorial Shield competition for 1940, in which Canterbury had first place with the highest percentage of bronze bars to medallions. Wellington second, and Victoria (Australia) third. A Surprised Chairman “In all my years in Synod. I have never heard such a question!” declared the Chairman of Committees (Mr C. W. Pitts-Brown) with a gasp of astonishment that would have done credit to a Commissioner of Taxes. The new act-ing-Vicar of Picton had asked why the assessment quota for his parish was “so low!’’ After the hilarity had subsided the Diocesan secretary (Mr J. N. Stephenson) explained that it was due to the vacancy of some months in the parish. Naked-eye Sunspots No fewer than three large sunspots, all exceeding 25.000 miles in diameter, are at present visible on the sun’s disc and can be seen without telescopic aid if the sun’s brilliance is reduced by co’ >ured or smoked glass. These groups are returns of the objects which were visible at the end of Juno. Near the centre ol the disc two big spots are link*-.) by a bridge of smaller objects nu nbering about a score, while closer to the limb lies another large sunspot which, as it passed the central meridian early in July, was associated with a magnificent auroral display. Church and University The hope that some day there might be a church specially designed for association with the power and purpose that were to be found in universities was expressed by Archbishop WestWatson in a sermon in St. Paul’s Church. Auckland (reports the "N.Z. Herald”). Referring to the changed functions of churches in inner city areas and the nearness of St. Paul’s to Auckland University College, the archbishop said that perhaps in future the Church would be able to undertake a new mission to students, for whom, as Dr. T. Z Koo had lately said, it did less in New Zealand than in Japan. Youth might be rebellious and impatient of the ways of its elders, but it welcomed understanding. and with right direction there was a possibility of dvnamic work in the future. Stud Slock Touching on the proceedings at the Royal Agricultural Society’s Conference at Wellington Mr W. M. Bishell, president of the Marlborough A and P. Association, staled last week that a great future for N.Z. stud stockafter the war had been predicted by the High Commissioner for Great Britain (reports “The Press”). He had stated that after th : war there would be a wonderful opportunity, and he had urged the stud breeders to cull now. “He didn’t say that the Dominion would be the stud country of the world, but he hinted that way.’ added Mr Bishell. Fixed Wages for Orchardists “If we are going to have continued interference by the State it might as well pay us a decent wage and not starve us. said Mr N. Goldsbury. of Rangiora. supporting a remit for the payment of fixed wages to fruitgrowers by the Government at the Canterbury provincial conference last week (reports “The Press”). The remit from Rangiora for consideration at the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation conference next month also suggested that the Government should take control of oacking sheds and the work of grading land packing. Mr Goldsbury found no support for the remit, growers stating J that it would mean more Government ! control than ever. I S.I.M.T. j Over 110 acres of land in the ConI way river region hav- been taken for | the South Island Main Trunk Railway an T for a road diversion in connection