GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19302, 1 October 1932, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

The Nelson City Council has voted £IOO to the earthquake sufferers at Wairoa, and £SO to Gisborne. An official wireless message from Rugby announces that a bulletin reports that Mr Winston Churchill had a good night, and his condition is satisfactory. A saving of £3375 annually is recommended by the National Expenditure Commission by the cutting out of special subsidies to hospital boards in respect of services carried out in bacteriological laboratories.

The National Expenditure Commission recommends a reversion to the contract system of carrying out public works, as this would have immediate and far-reaching results, in so far as the present organisation of the Department was concerned.

The report of the National Expenditure Commission, which was presented to Parliament yesterday, recommended a reduction in the number of Ministers secretaries by five, and that, with few exceptions, one secretary should suffice for each Minister. The saving was estimated at £2OOO.

Under the will of Mrs Lucy Mary Julien. who died in Christchurch this week. £IOOO is bequeathed to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch for the purposes of a seminary fund. The residue of the estate, after providing for several private bequests, is left equally to Mount Magdala Asylum, and Nazareth House, each of which will receive approximately £2500. — (Press Association).

A larger attendance than usual was present at yesterday’s community sing at the Regent Theatre, the sum of £2 17s 5d being collected at the door. A guessing competition for a cake realised £1 3s 4d, and as the cake was not won, it was sold by auction, the highest bidder being Mr H. Lister at 17s 6d. The singing was again led by Mr A. Shrimpton, Mr E. Sinclair being at the piano.

Dealing with the Department of Lands and Survey, the final report of the National Expenditure Commission states:—“The Department has become a financial institution which demands more rigid control than that provided under the present system. We are of the opinion that local land boards, as such, should be abolished, but as it is necessary to maintain contact with settlers, we recommend the setting up of a committee of three persons in each land district for the purpose of controlling routine administration and acting as an advisory body to a central Board in Wellington.”

At a meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, the secretary reported on the steps being taken by the Lands Department to meet the position With regard to Crown rentals. As a result of representations made for some time past, the Minister had agreed to substantial concessions and postpone - ments of rent in those cases where conditions warranted this step being taken. It was generally agreed that the Government had met the position fairly having due regard to its responsibilities to other taxpayers, and it was resolved that a letter of thanks be sent to the Minister for Lands for the assistance rendered to sheepowners by the Department in this connection.

Some Pukekohe grown onions, that had been in cool stores in Wellington, and had been taken out for three weeks in the fresh air, were on exhibit at the City Markets. An auctioneer stated that he had been offered £42 per ton for a line of them, and that he could realise £46 per ton for them in sugar bags. This he considers, opens up a likelihood of a new industry to grow onions at about £6 per ton, and by keeping them in the chambers and putting them on the market just when required, they could at least double their value. Arrangements had been made for cool storage next season and one lady was growing 12 acres of nothing but onions. This emphasised the importance to farmers and unemployed of looking into this question, as the whole of the Dominion and Australia could be served with New Zealand grown onions right through the year. Some of the stored onions are said to be in a beautiful state of preservation.

The committee of the Orchestral Society have decided to form a junior orchestra. It is hoped to make this a separate performing unit, from which the ranks of the senior orchestra may be strengthened. The idea is to encourage young players who have been receiving tuition for a year or two, and who would in the or : unary course of events, practise for years to become sufficiently efficient to join the senior organisation. The experience in reading and combination gained in playing in an orchestra would be invaluable and would be a healthy stimulant to practice and study. A programme will be chosen and the players taught their parts by the present leaders, and later to combine under the baton of the conductor of the Society, and present a concert at the close of next season. This is a genuine effort on the part of the Society’s committee to make the senior orchestra the finest in the Dominion, and they feel this can be done by training the younger players in orchestral work.

As a result of a successful sale of work organised yesterday by the Timaru Women Citizens’ Association, in conjunction with the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the funds of the Boys’ Welfare League will benefit to the extent of £ls Is 3d. The many stalls were attractively laid out with an abundance of cakes, fruit, vegetables and farm produce, which met with a ready sale, a willing band of assistants being kept busy all day. A particularly attractive stand was laden with spring flowers for which there was a satisfactory demand. Stallholders who worked under the supervision of the president of the Women Citizens’ Association (Mrs J. McCann) were as follows:—Flowers and vegetables, Mrs W. T. Tayler, Mrs A. J. Pottinger, Miss D. Rhodes and Miss J. McCann; cakes, Mrs B. Evans, Mrs B. Gillies, Mrs J. Hart and Mrs J. Harvey; produce, Mrs J. McCann and Mrs A. J. Sweeney. Competitions were won as follows: — Sheep (491bs), Mr F. Smith (50Jlbs); Christmas cake. Miss Janet Miller; monkey, Mrs W. Hill. The Association wish to extend their thanks to all who assisted, particularly to members of the Geraldine branch and to Mrs B. Evans, Johnnie would a-fishing go, Whether his wifey would let him or no, So down to the river he did hie With a new cane rod and a gaudy fly. He had, I’ll say, an exciting day, For he’d bought his tackle from England, Mcßae; And as in the breeze his rod he waved, He joyously thought of the money he’d saved. For the rod and flies he’d bought that day, Cost half of what he’d expected to pay. J_JOTEL Stonehurst, Auckland. ‘“The only unlicensed hotel-de-Luxe.” Manageress: Mrs E. Churton. 100 rooms. Telegraphic address: “Stonehurst.”