NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24633, 14 June 1941, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

A DECREASE of 148 in the total roll numbers of primary schools in Otago is revealed in the annual report of the Otago Education Board for the year 1940 compared with the total in 1939. The average roll for last year was 17.597. The average attendance was 16,161, a decrease of 67, but an increase of 0.39 per cent, on the percentage of attendance. On the other hand, the roll numbers of secondary departments of the 13 district high schools continue to increase. In 1939, when the total school attendance was 20,503, there were 411 pupils in the secondary departments, whereas in the year just passed the school attendance was 17,597, with a secondary roll of 547. The increase over 1939 was 30. The total roll in 1940 comprised 8758 girls and 9479 boys. Record “ Dug-out ” Collection A splendid effort by the staff of the T. and G, Mutual Life Society at the “Dug-out” in the Octagon yesterday resulted in a record collection from that source, the sum of over £176 being taken as a result of the sales of goods and raffles. The takings, which will be devoted to the “ Comforts for Fighters ” Fund, exceeded the previous record by about £4O. This must be regarded as an excellent effort by the employees of one company. Teacher* in Otago There were 697 teachers in the Otago district at the end of last year, according to the annual report of the Education Board, and of these 379 were women and 295 men. Although 23 teachers have joined the forces, the report adds, the war has not yet made any appreciable difference in the number of teachers available for relieving and permanent positions. The reason for this, it is stated, is that the surplus which had been created for the more generous staffing of schools has been diverted to the new need, and for the time being it is more than adequate.

Centennial Tree-planting The part played by pupils of Otago schools in the celebration of the Dominion’s centennial is referred to in the annual report of the Otago Education Board, and particular reference is made to the tree-planting activities of the schools. All schools with suitable grounds took part in centennial' treeplanting projects. In all, 55,380 trees and shrubs were planted, comprising 34,207 exotic trees, 5278 exotic shrubs. 2561 native trees, and 13,237 shrubs.

Imports of Cartridge* > Additional licences will be granted for the importation of ball cartridges, other than .22 calibre, to the extent of 50 per cent, of the value of applicants’ importations of such from all countries in 1938. This has been announced in a statement received by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce from the Customs Department. The licences will be made available for j importations from any source. It was, stated that this relaxation of the restrictions would allow imports to the same value as in }938 for rifle cartridges other than .22, the latter still being only 50 per cent, of the 1938 value.

Escape from Germans A life-or-death chance to escape from the custody of the Nazis and confinement in a concentration camp was taken successfully in Greece by Private Keith Rutledge, son of Mr and Mrs W. E. Rutledge, of Matawai. News of the prisoner’s dash for safety is contained in a letter received from the Middle East. “Rutledge was taken prisoner,” states the letter, which i? dated May 4. “He bolted after a short time and was shot in the back by the Huns. He managed to get clear, however, and back to our lines. The wound Is not serious, but he lost a lot of blood. He was very lucky, though, as the bullet just missed his lung by a fraction of an inch. I had breakfast with him the following day. and he said he was feeling all right.”

The Mercantile Marine “During the past few days,” writes a member of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, “ I have had an opportunity of judging for myself, up to a point, of course, the calibre and worth of the men of the mercantile fleet. I suppose you are still hearing the usual platitudinous encomiums of their work in maintaining communications on the world’s trade routes. Believe me. they deserve it, from the captains down to the merest cabin boys. ■They get merry hell, and the toll of life and tonnage that has been taken by submarines, and aircraft is infinitely greater than,..people in New Zealand can be expected to realise. The crews have had a rough time, and still look forward to it. Actually, they are still civilian workers, but they are right in the firing line. They can tell amazing stories, but it is about the other fellow that they seem to talk most, which is a change from the habit of the New Zealander as a type.” Prisoners of War

Dependents in New Zealand of men who are made prisoners of, war will continue to receive the same allotment money that they received while their relatives were fighting soldiers, it was explained by Army Base Records, Wellington. A New Zealand private receives 7s 6d a day while overseas, with .additional allowances of 3s a day if he has a wife, and Is 6d a day for each child. These dependents’ allowances are paid in New Zealand, and of his pay of 7s 6d a day he must allot at least 4s 6d a day within New Zealand (if he has a wife and one child, for example, at least 3s 6d of it must go to them). Some soldiers, of course, allot more than the minimum or have it paid to a Savings Bank account in New Zealand, but whatever sum it is, this allotment will continue to be paid over in New Zealand as long as they are prisoners of war. For higher ranks with higher pay the amount of the allotments varies, but the principle remains the same. Use of Brick Veneer Gratification at the lifting of the ban on the use of brick as a building material for outside walls in one-storey school buildings is expressed in the annual report of the Otago Education Board. Such buildings are actually of timber construction, the report states, and the bricks are solely for weather protection, taking the place of weather boarding. When used in this way, bricks are not a source of danger during an earthquake, while their use reduces fire hazard. The cost in most localities is not greater than that of weather boarding, nor is remodelling more expensive when the time comes. The effect of the Ministerial ban on the use of bricks, which was enforced on the department and the education, boards after the Napier earthquake, is now apparent, the report states, in the heavy expenditure on exterior painting, and this will be increasingly evident as the many large schools erected in recent years become due for painting and repair. In this district alone upwards of 15 buildings with three rooms or more have been finished in weather boarding where, hut for the ban, bricks would probably have been used.

Manchester Unity members are reminded by advertisement in this issue of meetings for the coming week. A. Frank Anderson, surgeon dentist, visits Ranfurly June 13 and 27; Middlemarch, Waipiata, and Patearoa, June 26: Oturehua, June 16. —Advt. Coffee lor breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of " Bourbon,” the coffee of quality. Instructions in i very tin. Prepared by Durle’s, coffee specialists, 32 Octagon, Dunedin.—Advt.