GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18832, 21 March 1931, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Car and motor cycle number plates for 1931 will have orange figures on a background of black. In place of the two dots to separate the groups of figures, there will be an orange triangle. This is designed to prevent last year’s plates being painted over and used afresh.

Speaking to a representative of the "Herald” last evening, Flight Lieutenant Owen of Melbourne, stated that conditions are bad in Australia. He expressed the opinion that blodshed is probable before the Commonwealth will get rid of the crowd of politicians who have done so much harm in Australia’s credit. These people, he said, are only a small portion of the people of Australia.

The Education Department has advised the Canterbury Education Board of tlie following steps in the direction of economyNo grants for school and class libraries. No further conveyance proposals to be approved. Relieving teachers not to be sent to schools of Grade VI and VII, unless required for more than a month, Grade II schools lor more than a week, and Grade I schools for more than a fortnight.

Despite the fact that there is no accommodation house at the Maruia Hot Springs, on the West Coast, says the Westport' “Times,” and that nothing has been done to the baths, which arc in urgent need of attention, it is reported that people arc now to be charged 9d for a single bath, 2s for three baths, and 6s for twelve baths. A recent visitor to the springs said that people there are indignant at the charge that lias been made, especially when there are no facilities. They consider that much needed improvements should be carried out before there is any thought of charge.

The directors of the Bank of Australasia have decided to pay the halfyearly dividend now due, in sterling, and will issue dividend warrants on London. The warrants will be payable in New Zealand at any branch of the Bank of Australia at the current rate of exchange quoted by banks for buying demand drafts on London, namely, £IOB 10s per £IOO, London. Thus shareholders will receive the benefit of the premium of the bank’s buying rate of £8 10s per cent. The directors of the Union Bank of Australia have made a like decision in respect of the dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, declared in January.

Exceptionally heavy supplies of tomatoes are coming forward to the city markets at present, and prices are on the lowest levels for many years. Even at from 1/- to 21- a case, auctioneers are meeting with difficulty in finding buyers for the total offering. The season has been a particularly good one for tomato growing and, in addition to heavy crops from commercial growers, back garden crops of the average household have also been heavy. In normal seasons the canning factories can be relied on to absorb all supplies under a certain price, but this year the surplus has well exceeded the requirements of the factories.

A motion protesting against the present administration of the Unemployment Act was carried at a meeting of the Auckland Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers* Union. It was complained by Mr J. H. Furness that although many farmers were in desperate need they were not allowed to obtain employment on relief works. Partly-employed industrial workers should be provided with sufficient relief work to give them a living wage, but farmers should protest, he said, against discrimination on the part of the Unemployment Board. Onlv permanent productive works, such as the breaking-in of virgin land, should be undertaken as relief undertakings. It was argued by Mr W. Boyd that before the winter was over many farmers would “not have a crust of bread.” It was unjust that farmers who paid the unemployment levy were not able to benefit under relief schemes.

There are 158 teachers in the Canterbury Education Board’s district who are not in permanent employment. Of these 101 are unemployed, and 57 are in temporary work. It is usual at this time of the year for a, number of teachers to be out of jobs. “But the position is now worse than usual, largely through the Education Department not being so liberal as usual in allowing the appointment of assistant teachers,” Mr C. R. Kirk, secretary told the Board yesterday. In most years by the time the last term of the year comes round, most teachers have been absorbed in one way or another, and given work for at least portion of the year. This year some doubt is held in some quarters as to whether all the unemployed teachers will be able to get appointments. Of the Canterbury teachers out of positions at present 26 are men and 85 women. Twelve of them are teachers who have passed through the Training College five years ago or more, six were students in 1927, and eight were under-going training in 1928. Of students who left the College in 1929 23 are now unemployed, and there are 62 last year’s students out of work. Twenty others of last year’s releases are in only temporary positions. Of those in work that is not permanent four were 1926 students, nine 1927. six 1928, 18 1929, and 20 1930.

Prominent analytical chemists maintain that aluminium is present in practically all the foods we eat and the water we drink. Eggs, flour, rice, beans, peas, rhubarb, cherries, apples, milk and other foods contain considerable amounts of it. The fact that aluminium is a oart of the normal healthy diet, and that this metal cannot possibly form any harmful compound in combination foods of any kind, is one of the strongest recommendations of aluminium cooking utensils. England, McRae’s therefore strongly recommend aluminium ware for kitchen use. They offer exceptional value in sets of aluminium saucepans at 15/6 and 16/6. The sets each contain four saucepans of heavy aluminium, and are excellent value at the money. England, Mcßae’s also have full stocks of aluminium kettles, teapots, preserving pans, plates and milk boilers, and cordially invite you to inspect their display