General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 24 December 1945, Page 4

General News

No Paper To-morrow. “The Mail” will not be published tomorrow (Christmas Day). It will appear as usual on Boxing Day. Thei’e will be no publication on New Year’s Day. Greetings Reciprocated Seasonal greetings of a more cheerful nature than for several years past have reached “The Mail” from many sources, official and private. The good wishes are cordially reciprocated. Tree Causes Power Outage Stoke, Tahunanui and Wakapuaka were without electric power for threequarters of an hour on Saturday morning when a tree fell over the power lines at Quarantine road at about 11 o’clock. Power was restored to most of the area by 11.45 o’clock. Chair of Dentistry. The appointment of Dr. J. P. Walsh, M. 8., B.S. (Melb.), B.D.Sc., L.D.S. (Viet.), D.D.Sc., to the chair of dentistry at the University of Otago has been approved by the University council. The appointment was made necessary by the resignation of Dr. R. B. Dodds. Unusual Mineral Specimen A fine crystal of the rare mineral beryl, a beryllium aluminium silicate, has just been received by the Canterbury Museum. It was presented by Mr C. F. Schadick, engineer-clerk of the Buller County Council, and was found by him in a quarry near Charleston, on the coast road between Westport and Greymouth. The crystal of beryl occurred together with quartz and feldspar in a pagmatite (granite) dyke, which has been worked as a source of feldspar for use in the pottery industry. The crystal is about five inches in diameter, pale green in colour, and, has the typical hexagonal shape of beryl crystals. Beryl is an uncommon mineral and has been found in New Zealand only at Charleston, Dusky Sound and Stewart Island and is quite rare at these localities. According to Dr. B. H. Mason, honorary mineralogist to the museum, the present specimen is probably the finest that has yet been found in New Zealand. In recent years beryl has achieved some commercial significance as the only ore of the metal beryllium, a light metal similar to aluminium and possessing valuable properties when alloyed Jftth other metals.

Tribute to Lincoln College “Lincoln College to-day supplies a foundation for agricultural instruction second to none in the British Empire, and probably second to none in the world,” said Mr E. Beamish, speaking at the prize-giving ceremony • held at the college. “That happy combination of theory and practice, which I am glad to see is still carried on, can only be successful. In Lincoln College there are many, but not all, the amenities for agricultural instruction. We look forward to the day when all such buildings and equipment will be available. On the basis of agriculture depends the whole future of New Zealand. Agriculture is deserving of all the assistance, and all the brains, that can be given to it.” At the ceremony Mr Beamish was presented with the Bledisloe Medal for 1945, and Mr L. W. McCaskill with the medal for 1944, both presentations being made by Mr H. S. S. Kyle, chairman of the Board of Governors of the college. East Coast Wool Clip Down. General indications so far show that wool production in the Gisborne East Coast area will be down this season by about 12£ per cent on last year. This is due mainly to the exceptionally di'y weather which the area has gone through in the past year culminating in a phenomenally run of rainless days in October and November states a Press Association message. This month has brought little relief for with 22 days already passed only .50in of rein has been registered though the average for this month over the past 65 years is i.ssin. The clip generally is lacking growth and is showing other effects of the dry weather in that it is dusty and dry and shows a windswept appearance. Rump steak and oyster pudding is a specialty of the “Cheshire Cheese,” the famous old tavern in a lane just off Fleet Street. Once upon a time the ancient house was frequented by a host of celebrities including Dr Samuel Johnson, whose favourite seat is pointed out to this day. Upstairs is the quaint smoke-room, with its long table and array of “churchwarden” clay pipes. Here the wits and men of letters were wont to congregate, and much tobacco was consumed, but whether its quality approached that of some of our modern tobaccos, notably “toasted.” is very much open to question. It has been truly said that when a smoker takes to “toasted” he has no time for any other tobacco. It is so fragrant and comforting. The six (and only genuine) toasted brands. Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold, Desert Gold and Pocket Edition, have everything to recommend them. Not only are they of the first quality, but practically harmless owing to the elimination of the nicotine in them by toasting—the manufacturers’ own process.—Advt.

Remember the Pets. The S.P.C.A. reminds those who are going away from home during the holidays to have their animal and bird pets well provided for. Memorial Tablet Unveiled A tablet to the memory of Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf was unveiled by Mr H. S. S. Kyle, chairman of the Lincoln College Board of Governors, in the Memorial Hall at the college, when the prize-giving ceremony was held. Mr Kyle said that Dr. Hilgendorf had spent 40 years in the service of the college. He had first come to the college in 1899 and later was lecturer in natural history and biology. For some time he had been acting-director. After his retirement in 1936 he had been a member of the Board of Governors, and so had practically given his life to the institution. He had laboured untiringly, and his devotion to his work had been marked. Shunting Fatality. Leo Hamilton Clarke, relieving shunter, 36, whose home is at Ashhursl, was accidentally killed early on Saturday while shunting a wagon from a mixed train at the Oringi siding. He leaves a wife and four children. Industrial Disputes. Industrial disputes for the nine months of 1945 ended 30th September, totalled 125 compared with 118 for the same period last year, according to the latest Abstract of Statistics. Further details with the figures for last year in parenthesis are:—Number of firms affected, 720 (224); workers involved, 28.832 (24,755); total duration in days. 288 1 (225.1); average duration in days, 2.31 (1.91); working days lost, 46,112 (45,984); approximate loss in wages £66.979 (£63,445). The figures include cases where, following a recognised stop-work meeting, the employees did not resume work for some hours or till the next day. During this year there were 12 such cases involving 2342 workers compared with 21 and 6514 last year.