Conference Brevities

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 6

Conference Brevities

An enthusiast concerning the work done by the Main Highways Board, Mr. H. L. Henderson, Horsham Downs, again praised the board for its efforts this morning. “The board is finding Its feet and is doing good work,” he said. * * * "‘All these yahoos think that all you need to do is to turn the crank-handle and you get consolidated schools. I turned the handle, and all I got was a kick-back.” —Mr. H. K. Hatrick, who described himself as the thorn in the side of his local school committee. “Whatever you you might say of the late Government, you must admit that we "in New Zealand have an education system that will do credit to any young country, anil among the best in the world.” —A farmer-delegate’s tribute to the'education system of the Reform Government. Evidently with a view to training the young in the elements of high finance. Mr. S. Petrie, Marohemo, got a remit through recommending the Education Department to train childleu in calculating interest tables to give them “a fighting chance against the exploiters of the time-payment system.” Original wording caused amusement when a remit from Waiuku came forward. The branch suggested that the Main Highways Board should be divorced from the Public Works Department. No opposition was raised against the proposal. Council efficiency cannot be regarded favourably by farmers, if an indication of their attitude at the conference this morning can be taken as true. “Are all of you of the opinion that your*council is the most efficient in New Zealand?” asked Mr. R. H- Feisst of the representatives of many counties. “No,” came the emphatic chorus. “One disability of daylight sa+ing when we had the hour was that our telephone was cut off at eight o'clock. This is a very bad thing.”—Mr. S. Petrie. A surprise was sprung on the conference when Mr. C. E. Macmillan, M.P., announced that it was actually a fact that it was an offence against New Zealand law to destroy a weasel. He said that he had made a statement on the question in the House of Parliament and even the Minister of Internal Affairs had been surprised to hear of the law.

Mr. MacMillan said it was desirable to have the protection on weasels lifted. 1