In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23001, 22 September 1936, Page 8

In Town And Out

“Not Interested.”

As a ratepayer the Southland Rugby Football Union will show no interest whatever in the referendum on the Southland electric power scheme. At last evening’s meeting of the union voting papers were received by letter, but it was decided to make no use of the privilege. “Not interested,” said one member. A suggestion to the chairman that the papers be “received was adopted.

Speed of Legislation. “If Mr Semple has enough power to bring in a 30-mile speed limit for motorists, it is a pity he has not enough power to enforce a speed limit on the onrush of his Government’s legislation,” said Mr C. George, a member of the Auckland executive of the National Party, at a meeting of electors at Green Lane. Mr George was speaking in support of the candidature of Mr F. W. Doidge for the Manukau seat.

Support for Mr Semple. “The Minister of Transport can depend on support being given to him in his efforts to reduce the number of road accidents,” said Mr J. F. Haigh, who presided over the annual meeting of the Automobile Association (Southland) last night. “Individual motorists can do much in this direction. Strict observance of the highways code will do much to reduce the number of accidents. One is often placed in a position of peril by a thoughtless driver.”

More Members Wanted. At last evening’s meeting of the Waihopai Tennis Club the president (Mr P. Rice) stressed the need for new members. But he only repeated what other presidents have said. Where the members have drifted to nobody seemed to know, but all were agreed that they had drifted away. The search for new members is increasing. Have the missing members been attracted to cricket, to yachting, to swimming, or have they just become lazy? Hazards of Golf.

To the normal hazards of golf there appears to have been added another, although at the same time an occurrence at the Gore Golf Club’s Croydon links served to indicate that there are other possibilities in the game. A Tapanui visitor sent away a drive down the fairway, but his long and true shot was spoiled by a bird which came into the track of the ball. If the player’s chances of securing a “birdie” at the hole were ruined, he at least had the compensation of a kill as the reward for his marksmanship. Problem of “Misfit” Youths.

“In our work, one of the most difficult problems we are up against is the disposal of ‘misfit’ boys who are below the average level of competence in any occupation,” said Mr J. W. McGechie at a meeting of the Auckland Boys’ Employment Committee. Employers could not be expected to pay them the wages that were stipulated by recent legislation and awards. Mr McGechie suggested that the Government should make provision for such cases and perhaps subsidize the wages of the individuals concerned.

Ram Attacks Child. A vicious attack on a small child by a ram occurred at Grovetown, near Blenheim, the other afternoon, when a son, aged two years, of Mr O. Gibbons, received injuries which necessitated medical attention. The child had wandered away from his mother, who was a spectator at a football match. He entered a paddock and, it is thought, commenced to play with some lambs and thus attracted the ram. The animal made three attacks on the child before it could be driven off. It inflicted injuries to the child’s head and chest.

Deadly Playthings. Unaware of their peril, a number of children at the Central School, New Plymouth, were found playing with a box of 100 detonators, and one boy had gone so far as to attempt to make a whistle from a detonator when the teacher discovered what was diverting the children’s attention and promptly secured the deadly plaything and informed the police, who took charge of the box. A small girl who attends the Central School found an innocent-looking small tin under a fence in Devon street east as she was returning to school after lunch. Although the tin bore an inscription stating the nature of its contents, the child had no idea of detonators or of their danger. She took the tin to school and showed it and its contents to other children, who were naturally keenly interested in the shining copper shells.

Rest for School Children. A Gore resident who was interested in an editorial published in The Southland Times yesterday on the subject of a questionnaire for school children, approached a reporter to quote an instance where he considered that parents did not show sufficient concern for the health of their children and the need for plenty of sleep. He said that at more than one dance held at Gore recently small children had been seen about the dance hall even later than midnight on a quest for bottles. One child, when asked why he was not in his bed, said that his father had sent him out to gather bottles. The man remarked that not only did the incident reveal a lack of parental concern for the welfare of the children, but it was a reflection on the behaviour of adults at dances, and an example that was scarcely suitable for young children.

Destruction of Motor Signs. Criticism of the action of vandals in destroying motor signs was voiced by the president of the Automobile Association (Southland), Mr J. R. Haigh, at the annual meeting last night: “It is to be regretted that certain foolish and ignorant persons still think it is a pleasure for them ruthlessly to destroy direction and other signs on the roads,” he said. “We can only pity such persons who are so lacking a sense of social responsibility. At the same time, steps are being taken to show irresponsible vandals the errors of their ways, and substantial penalties will be inflicted on any person convicted of damaging road signs. Similar wilful damage has been done in various motor camps, and it is to be hoped that such vandalism will soon become a thing of the past and that all men will show a proper respect for the property of others.”