NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Music in Education "Nothing has been more remarkable," states the annual Parliamentary report on education, ‘‘than the growth in technical schools of the practice of music, both vocal and instrumental in the last few years. The movement first became noticeable in the Dunedin Technical School under the leadership of Dr Vernon Griffiths. Music has now taken hold of the life of this school to a remarkable extent, but so far from its being regarded as extraneous to the real work of a technical school, or as occupying time and consuming energy which might better be devoted to more austere studies, close observation has failed to reveal it as otherwise than a vivifying and unifying agency of great power.” Airmen from the Pacific

Originally expected yesterday, the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Wahine is now due at Auckland tomorrow. She is carrying 575 New Zealand airmen who have been on service at Bougainville, in the Solomons. A reception will be held on board and the men will then be provided with transport to their homes.

Intellectual Decline “ There has been a decline in the prestige of ideas and of the intellectual in general,” said Professor A. W. Sewell, professor of English at the Auckland University College, in an address in Auckland. “Both philosophy and art are judged too glibly by their propaganda message in these days, when our aim is to produce only atomic bombs and cheap refrigerators.” •

Standard Standards Mr A. R. Galbraith, of Christchurch, chairman of the New. Zealand Standards Council, and Mr E. H. Langford, of Wellington, consumers’ represents - tive on the council, will leave New Zealand shortly for New York to attend the United Nations’ standards co-or-dination conference. They will later proceed to London to attend a British Commonwealth conference on standards, The object of the New York conference is to form a world organisation which will standardise practice in standards. Timber for Australia

The shipment of timber from Greymouth to Australia will be recommenced as soon as suitable vessels become available. At present the shipping suitable for trade with the port is not available, it is reliably stated, and first class rimu timber is being railed to Bluff, where it is being loaded on to ships for Melbourne. Some 500,000 feet of timber is expected to be sent by rail from the West Coast each month the first cargo having left Bluff in, the Waitaki on Friday last. The supply position so far as this class of timber is concerned is stated to be most acute at the moment.

Petrol and Dollar Funds Official circles hold out little hope of the abolition of the coupon system for petrol for some little time. For the first time since the restrictions were imposed, it is not a matter of a shortage of supplies from overseas, or even so much a shortage of tankers. It merely resolves itself into a shortage of dollar funds resulting from the sudden cancellation of lend-lease. Nothing definite can be known until the present negotiations between the United States and Britain are completed. The price of petrol is still under discussion between the Government and the oil fuel companies, but no official statement is yet available

Parents and Schools Much more evidence of a genuine desire on the part of parents to obtain a better understanding of the work of the schools is recorded in the annual report of the chief inspector, Mr G. E. Overton, to Parliament. The number of parent-teacher or home and school associations shows a remarkable increase. The movement follows three main lines of activity—social gatherings. raising of funds, and discussion groups. The development of discussion groups is particularly valuable, Mr Overton says, as new aims and methods in education are frequently not understood by the parents, and they welcome the opportunity to gain the information at first hand. 50,000 Fish for Greece

Representatives of the . Egyptian Government, U.N.R.R.A., and the Greek Government recently planted 50,000 grey mullet, a fish rich in protein, in a lake near Athens. Presented by the Egyptian Government to U.N.R.R.A., who in turn presented them to the Greek Government, the fish were flown from Athens in a R.A-F. plane. Compressed oxygen was pumped into the 30 fish containers en route to keep the fry in good condition. Believed to be the first fish fry to be transported by air, the mullet will help to restock the lakes of Greece, which had been robbed of virtually all their fish, and will thus help to rehabilitate the Greek fishing industry. “ Well-behaved ” House

“I think it is a very well-behaved Chamber indeed. I am proud of it,” said the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mr F. W. Schramm), addressing members of the Wellington Rotary Club. “We don’t have any of the scenes in this country that they have in other parts of the world,” he said. “ There has not yet been a standup fight in the Chamber, and no one has used obscene language.” After describing a scene which had once occurred in the House of Commons, Mr Schramm said that so far it had not come to that here, although at times political feelings ran high and members were apt to say things. Usually, however, they would withdraw the remarks and apologise. Native Food Utensils Many people have the mistaken impression that Pacific Island natives eat simply with their fingers. A display of articles from Fiji and Santa Cruz, which is at present on view in the main hall of the Otago Museum, reveals,’however, a keen appreciation on the part of natives of the value of different materials used for the manufacture of food utensils. Wood, pearl shell and tortoise shell have been fashioned into knives, forks, and spoons of curious but appropriate designs. Although they are more uncommon than either knives or spoons, the natives of Fiji had forks of special designs carved from wood, for use at ceremonial cannibal feasts. Their long handles and four sharp prongs have an efficient and businesslike appearance. Egg Sales by Producers Poultry producers are now free to sell any quantity of eggs to whom they please.' Until the Retail Sales of Eggs by Producers Notice, 1944, was revoked two weeks ago, they were not allowed to make retail sales to anyone who was not a householder, and sales were limited to one dozen a week to any householder The control notice was issued on July 10 last year in an attempt to check the sale of eggs on the black market. Householders also were restricted in their purchases by the notice. They were not allowed to buy eggs from producers except for use in their own households, or to take delivery of more than a dozen eggs a week purchased from one or more producers. Penalties for a breach of the notice were a fine not exceeding £2OO or imprisonment for not more than three months. A Lonely Soldier

Qualifying for the title of New Zealand’s loneliest soldier at the moment is Irish-born Maurice Anthony Hogan, formerly a private in the 24th Battalion, and a former prisoner of war, who returned to Auckland on Monday. On his arrival from Wellington, Hogan, who knows no one in Auckland except a few soldier friends, watched other soldiers being met by excited relatives and friends, and was wondering where he could find lodging to spend his leave, when he was discovered by Lieutenant-colonel Swan, transit camp commandant, who found him quarters. Hogan arrived in New Zealand only a short time before the outbreak of war, and left with the Fourth Reinforcement, being captured at Sidi Rezegh. His one idea at the moment is to spend his leave to the best possible advantage. He then intends to look for a job and save enough money to bring his mother from Ireland to join him.