In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24574, 24 October 1941, Page 4

In the News

Beer Strike It is understood that Denniston hotelkeepers have now decided to serve 12-ounce glasses of beer instead of 10-ounce glasses as-formerly. The extra two ounces will not be provided, however, till supplies of 12-ounce glasses are to hand. This should end the miners’ strike. The first hotel to be blacklisted by the miners was at Burnett’s Face, but it is now expected that Burnett’s Face will come into line with Denniston and Westport. In Westport 12-ounce glasses have been served ever since the custom of each third 10-ounce glass being free has been abolished. The Denniston publicans’ main objection to serving 12-ounce glasses was that freight charges to Denniston were higher and the turnover smaller. Examination Paper The jocular complaint of Mr Justice Blair in the Supremo Court, Christchurch, recently, was that counsel had set him an examination paper and expected him to answer every question, in a case in which five questions about the interpretation of a will were set out for the Court to determine. His Honour remarked that in most examination papers of his experience there were at least one or two optional questions, so that the candidate could pick the easy ones. On the Bench he was not permitted any such choice. State Housing Space Proposals for securing large areas of land in and around Christchurch as sites for State houses were discussed this week by the Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) with Housing Department officials. The need for the immediate acquisition of suitable areas was said to be urgent, as it was desired to place in hand plans for the construction of at least 1000 new homes. Mr Armstrong said it was necessary to secure large areas of land so that development work could proceed to the stage where a vast building programme could be undertaken without delay when soldiers returned from the war. The Bookmobile The bookmobile is the latest invention that impinges upon domestic life in America. Instead of people having to travel a mile or more to a library to change a book tile library, neatly contained in a much-shelved motor van, arrives at the door of the subscriber, receives the book or books borrowed on a former visit and allows him or her to make a new selection then and there. The innovation has proved, to be a particular boon to dwellers in the suburbs, within say a radius of 10 miles of a city or town. It simply means that literature is delivered to the home just as simply and economically as bread or milk. Extra Weight One of the sexagenarian pillars of Dunedin’s mercantile world was worrying about his weight. He was already on the scales outside a Princes street shop and had almost spent his penny when he remembered that he was wearing his winter-weight overcoat. So he shrugged himself out of it in a hurry, looked round for a hook, and, finding none, with great presence of mind held the garment out at arm’s length while he inserted the coin and watched the pointer spin round. Then he put on his coat and went back to the office.

Singapore’s “Brownout”

“In Singapore we call it a ‘brownout,’ ” said Mr R. Lowery, a naval architect of Singapore. He is in Auckland on furlough, and was referring to the normal darkening down of lights in Singapore, which appears to be very similar to that imposed in New Zealand. This is supplemented by frequent full “black-outs” carried out at a given signal without previous warning, and accompanied by elaborate fire-fighting and ambulance emergency exercises. Mr Lowery says the people of Singapore have become quite hardened to sudden alarms now, and have settled down to face philosophically whatever may come. Maori for Victory The Maori equivalent of the word victory was given by Mr W. E. Fitzgerald at the weekly meeting of the Rotorua Rugby Sub-Union. He was speaking of the shield for third grade competition in Rotorua, which he had presented. Several prominent Maori leaders had been approached to see if they knew the Maori equivalent of the word, but, strange to say, they knew of no word applicable. He had then communicated with Sil’ Apirana Ngata, an authority on the Maori language, who said the nearest approach he could get to it was “wikitoria,” which, however, was only a Maori adaptation of the English word. Building By-Laws An alteration of the Christchurch City by-law that requires plans for buildings valued at £4OOO or more to be prepared by a qualified architect or engineer is likely to be made in the near future. The Christchurch architects have urged that the by-law be brought into line with the Auckland City Council’s by-law, which fixes the limit at £2OOO. “Angling Hogs” Claiming that anglers should restrici themselves to a reasonable bag and not try to break records, Mr C. H. Lawrence told the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatization Society that some fishermen were making “angling hogs” of themselves. He would not call them sportsmen. He said he had read in the newspaper that two anglers went out on two nights, filling their bags each night and taking in all 40 fish. He was sorry to say that he doubted whether sportsmanship did prevail. Complaints had been made about juniors taking undersized fish, but if conservation was to prevail then the older men should restrict themselves to a reasonable bag. Presbyterian Assembly The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will open its annual sessions, lasting for about a week, in Timaru on November 4. This is the first occasion on which the assembly has been convened to meet in Timaru. The retiring moderator is the Right Rev. G. H. Jupp, of Anderson’s Bay, and he will hand over office to the Right Rev. John Davie, of Masterton, who will preside at all the business sessions. Two subjects which are expected to give rise to considerable discussion are the possibility of union with the Methodist and Congregational Churches and the stipends of ministers and home missionaries, which will be the subject of a report. The assembly will be attended by about 300 delegates from nearly every parish in New Zealand. Solving a Mystery Housewives and all consumers of sausages will learn with interest that these much-slandered, but unfailingly popular delicacies will, when investigational work by the Standards Institute is completed, have all their elements of alleged mystery cleared up by being brought within standards of quality and description. This is but one of the 100 or so projects, ranging from the drafting of specifications for electrodes in metallic arc welding to the determination of retail meat grades, which have been, initiated or are now in progress by the New Zealand Standards Institute. Considerable headway has been made in establishing commodity specifications, and it is reported that trade and business interests concerned are co-operating. The establishment of definite meat grades, which is one line of inquiry, should, it is claimed, end any confusion existing about quality.