LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 72, Issue 6243, 17 June 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Library Statistics The following are the latest statistics of the Te Awamutu Public Library. New borrowers, town and ecu retry 5; total new borrowers, town 909; country 232; total 1141. Number cf books issued: non-fiction, 767; fiction, 2276; total 3043; requests 22. Freak Duck Egg

An unusual exhibit was on view in Moriinsville recently—a jet black duck egg. Mr H. Haines, who owns a fair number of ducks, stated that it was laid by either a Khaki Campbell or an Indian Runner. In size it is between that of a duck and a hen. The freak egg has been sent to the curator of the Auckland Museum for examination.

Durability of Paint That paint is becoming an important consideration in assessing the value of residential properties was shown at a sitting of the Christchurch Urban Land Sales Committee. Questioned by Mr T. W. West, a valuer said a coat of paint should last seven years. “I wish I could make the paint on my house last that long,” said Mr West. “I think five years would be nearer the mark.” The valuer agreed that the tendency toward poorer quality in the paints available had to be taken into account when transfers of houses were being affected. Economists on Economics

There are many types of persons vvhr are described as economists,” Mr D. L. M. Martin, economic re<arch officer of Federated Farmers, told delegates to the inter-provincial conference in Wanganui recently. “Some are professors of economics at universities, others are politicians like Dr. Dalton and Professor Laski, and amateurs like Mr Nash and Mr Fraser. I remember an extremely severe depression which happened because, or in spite of, economists. 7 should prefer, therefore, not to be called an economist, although, having a commerce degree, I have a reasonable practical knowledge of econ* omics.”

Conference Date Unsuitable “It is a waste of time to convene a conference in Hamilton on that date, for members of Parliament will be in Wellington,” said Mr E. D. White (chairman) at a meeting of the Matamata County Council, When advice was received that a meeting of local body members was being convened for Tuesday, June 25th, to consider what action should be taken to protest against the sharp increase in levies on local bodies for hospital capital costs and maintenance. The council decided to ask the convening local body if it was possible to alter the date to Monday, July Bth, when members of Parliament could attend and take to Parliament the recommendations of the meeting.

Fewer Shorthand Typists The suggestion that young girls were not now taking shorthand typing courses at schools because they considered the starting salary when they leave school was not sufficient recompense for years of hard work, was offered by the principal of the Christchurch Technical College (Dr. D. E. Hansen) at a meeting of the board of governors as an explanation of a falling off, this year, in the enrolments for shorthand and typewriting classes. “They probably think that, after three years’ hard work at school, their starting salary as a shorthand typist is only 30s, whereas they can earn £2 a week in a factory after very little training,” he said. “However, the problem is under the consideration of city business firms now, and we can hope for a report soon.” Rumanian Riches “To hear the Rumanians talk, you would imagine that they are the only people in Europe to have suffered in this war, writes Philip Jordan, whereas the truth, I suppose, and I judge from a pretty wide knowledge of post-war Europe, is that, with the possible exception of the Bulgarians, they have suffered less than anyone else. They lost a lot of men in the war, of course, 400,000 fighting against the Russians, and 200,000 fighting for us after King Michael’s coup d’etat of August, 1944, brought Rumania into the war on the side of the Allies. Indeed, it is only fair to remember that all of the Allied l countries who fought in Europe, Rumania had the fourth largest casualty list cn the Allied side. But because the Germans were their allies, Rumania was not pillaged, and to-day it is almost as rich as it ever was, which is saying a good deal.”