NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25240, 1 June 1943, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

A STRONG plea for religious instruction in the schools as a oasis for sound moral training was made by Mr W. Bell at a meeting of the Soutnland Education Board. “We call this a Christian country,” Mr Beil said, “but what reason have we for doing so? It only remains so because of what was created by our forefathers. We are living on their capital.'’ The discussion arose over a letter on the subject of child delinquency from the Wanganui Education Board, which forwarded a resolution the Minister of Education, Mr H. G. R. Mason, to call a conference of representatives of educational bodies to discuss the problem. “It is not much use having religious instruction- in the schools if it is not backed up by training in the homes,” said Mr H. E. Philp. “Parents do not take sufficient interest in their children, and the children are allowed too much freedom. They have too much pocket money and are allowed to go to the pictures too often.” It was decided to support the resolution of the Wanganui Board.

Bequest to Rationalist Press After making provision for certain bequests, the will of Mrs Maria Christina Rennie, of St. Clair, provides that the residue of her estate shall joe given to the Rationalist Press Association of Great Britain. The estate has been sworn for probate purposes’at a "value of £SOOO.

Police Mystified The Wellington police are mystified by the discovery in rubbish bins on Oriental Bay on two successive days of two parcels of women’s clothing of good quality and in excellent condition. The clothes include five frocks, two suits, two coats, a pair of Russian boots, eight pairs- of shoes, several woollen garments, and other articles. Freezing Companies’ Profits A promise had been made that information about the profits of freezing comoanies would be made available to farmers, but after being published once nothing more had been heard, said Mr George Barclay at a meeting of the South Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union. “We have a right to know what this, year's profits are; rumour says they amounted to £2,000,000,” said Mr Barclay. It was mentioned that auditors might have encountered difficulty in preparing balance sheets before the present _ time, but members agreed that if the figures were not forthcoming in the future further action should be taken to secure the information.

“An Awesome Spectacle ” At the annual meeting of the Otago Football Association last night some interesting comments were made by the president, Mr E. J. Anderson, on the standard of the Association game played by the natives of Fiji. Mr Andersor)' said that the natives, who played with bare feet, could, without apparent effort, kick the ball from one end of the field to the other, and their speed and co-ordination- in play were a revelation. The players were for the most part of very powerful physique, and Mr Aiiderson said he had seen a team composed of players none of whom was less than six feet two inches in height. Topped by masses of black fuzzy hair, these men presented an awesome spectacle on the playing field. A Nation’s Freedom

“A fuller freedom should be the keynote of our thoughts, rather than any plan by which we are going to be drafted down a race" to prosperity,” declared Mr W. W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union, when speaking to the interprovincial conference in Palmerston North. The Japanese had a drafting policy, but New Zealand, should be thinking of British freedom with a British standard of living and the accomplishing of a yet better heritage to pass on to the coming generation. “We must not limit our freedom so that we can have a few more pounds of beef to eat,” Mr Mulholland declared. “ There is a tendency to place first the need for a greater increase in materia] things and to forget those things which are spiritual and of greater importance.” No Ships at Timaru

“ We have all the facilities at Timaru for handling export trade, but we have no ships,” said the chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board (Mr F. R. Flatman) at a meeting of the board last week. “We can handle the shipping, but we don’t seem to be getting any help from those in control.” There has not been an overseas ship at Timaru since the end of la-- year, and yet meat' and wool are being railed to Lyttelton. A large quantity of wobl is being held in this district, but I do not know what will become of it. We have no complaints regarding coastal trade, but we want the overseas ships to help our revenue.” Referring to a letter the board had sent to the Prime Minister (Mr* P. Fraser) Mr Flatman said that the Timaru Board did not want Government assistance as compensation for the loss of trade through centralisation —it wanted the trade because it could handle it expeditiously. Venus and Jupiter During the autumn observers of the evening sky have remarked upon a very bright “ star ” in the north-west. This is the planet Venus, and it is now accompanied pretty closely by a rather less bright companion, which is Jupiter. This latter planet has, in the circuit ot the heavens, been gradually approaching Venus, and to-morrow they will appear in what is astronomically termed conjunction. This does not signify a collision, as Jupiter has millions of miles clearance in greater remoteness, Moreover, the planets will be separated in visible position by a distance equal to about fouF times the apparent diameter of r full moon. Jupiter -will be the higher of the two to-morrow evening, and will thereafter gradually move sunward, while Venus will continue to show brightly in the evening sky until August. Observers wishing to view Jupiter by telescope, and discern its retinue of satellites, should do so soon, as -t will be lost to observation in A fe\f weeks.