CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19944, 31 October 1934, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

ITEMS FROM THE CITY CHRISTCHURCH. October 30. Personal: Mr J. R. McKenzie returned to Christchurch from Wellington by the Rangatira to-day. The Rev. D. Gardner Miller, who has been spending a holiday in Napier, will return to Christchurch on Thursday. Captain W. Hartman, Marine Superintendent at Wellington for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, was a passenger from the north by the Rangatira to-day Dr H. G. Denham and Professors P. H. Powell, J. Shelley and L. G. Pocoek are visiting Wellington to attend a meeting of the Academic Board of the university. Mr A. E. G. Lyttle, a member of the council of the New Zealand Institute of Secretaries, is representing the Christchurch branch at the third annual conference, which was held today. Returned Men and Sustenance: An emergency committee appointed by the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers Association will watch the position of the returned men at New Brighton who have been declared unfit to go to the Ashley Camp, and have been placed on sustenance. Mr B. O. Priddis said at a meeting of the association’s executive that several members of the New Brighton subbranch of the association at Kaiapoi had expressed strong feelings against being placed on sustenance, as they were quite fit to do ordinary work. Memorial to Professor: The Canterbury University College Council has decided to accept with grateful appreciation a portrait of the late Professor R. J. Scott—painted by Mr A. P. Nicoll —which is presented by old students of the School of Engineering, in accordance with the wish of the donors, the portrait is to be hung in the School of Engineering as a memorial to Professor Scott. Riccarton’s Unemployed: It was stated by Cr. H. W. Wise, at a meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council, that the Unemployment Board was making it impossible, by its attitude, for the council to provide j work for the unemployed in the borough. He said the board had objected to the work provided by the council, on the ground that it was maintenance. The council was keeping machinery idle in its yards in order to provide more work for the men. If the objections were persisted in, the council would have no alternative but to employ, possibly, one extra man and use the machinery. This would mean that a great deal of work would be lost to the unemployed. The council was sympathetic toward the men, and was doing its best to help them. South Island Main Trunk: The opinion that the council should give its wholehearted support to the movement to have the South Island Main Trunk railway proceeded with, was expressed at a meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council by Cr. S. B. Kershaw. A letter was received from the Marlborough Progress League, which has played a big part in the agitation to have the line completed, asking the council to postpone consideration of the proposal until a further report was received from it. “If the men were put on that job it would be more beneficial than chipping weed,” said Cr. Kershaw. Cr. H. W. Wise was of the opinion that the council should not interfere. The Government was doing its best for the country, and, in view of the tremendous competition from road transport, it was wise in curtailing the work. Rabbits: A man who has just returned from working in the Mid-Canterbury b~ck country told a reporter to-day that 15 men in a couple of months poisoned and collected nearly 50,000 rabbits. He said that the kill gave a clear indication of the extent to which rabbits were multiplying in the back country. The men used poisoned carrot for the busy work of exterminating the pest. Conference at Hanmer: The annual conference of the New Zealand Glass, Oil and Colour Merchants Federation opened at Hanmer to-day, there being a large attendance of delegates from the principal towns of New Zealand. The Canterbury Association is being represented by the president (Mr H. C. Hurst) and the secretary (Mr D. I. Macdonald) though representatives of practically every Christchurch firm are also present. The conference will end on Friday. Assembly Hall: The Christchurch High School Old Boys Association it at present in the throes of a campaign by which it hopes to raise the sum of £2500 for the building of an assembly hall at the High School. Mr Rex Abernthy, president of th. association, waited on a meeting of the Canterbury University College Council and explained to members the steps being taken by the association. Old Boys and present pupils weie raising money by functions arranged at the school and in the suburbs. Old boys throughout the country were-be-ing approached and several contributions had already been received, including one of £2O and two others of £lO. A big fete was to be held in the King Edward Barracks. It was hoped to raise £2500. Mr C. T. Aschman congratulated the old boys on their efforts. He assured the association of the interest and support of the council. Sustenance? It is understood that important changes are pending regarding the supervision of the relief workers m New Brighton. Inquiries made in the borough by a reporter go to show that one if not two clerks have been appointed by the Unemployment Board to assist the local certifying officer. These men will be paid by the Unemployment Board and not by the Borough Council. There are also very persistent rumours that all the New Brighton relief workers will soon be placed on sustenance. When the Mayor (Mr E. A. M. Leaver) was asked if he had any news of the proposed changes, he refused to make any comment at all. Tasman Air Race? The Deputy-Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer) is calling a public meeting, to be held in the City Council Chambers on Thursday afternoon, with a view to securing public support for the proposal of the Canterbury Aero Club .o organise an air race from Melbourne to Christchurch. It is proposed to form a committee of citizens, of which the committee of the club wil lbe the nucleus, the hope of the organisers being that by this means it will be possible to raise for prize-money the sum of at least £2OOO. The Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) has advised the club of the telephonic communication he had last evening from Melbourne with the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes): and

the Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) in Wellington. TJle Aero Club has also written to i + F * rime Minister, setting out in some detail the outline of the proposal, and asking if it is possible to count on any assistance or support from the Government. The Prime Minister and the Mayor have meantime had their telephonic conversations on the subject, and the Prime Minister had announced that he is sympathetic to the idea of a race, or at any rate a visit by some of the pilots with their machines, and is prepared to take action with a view to enlisting the support of other aero clubs. The Aero Club believes that £2OOO in prize-money would be sufficient to attract several entries. So far no canvass for contributions to the prize of or prizes has been attempted, though the club officers have received several encouraging reports of likely support if such a campaign is launched. Charges for Electricity: Government charges for bulk supply of electricity to power boards and other supply authorities are likely to remain at the present low level for some time to come, in the opinion of a man qualified to speak with authority on the economic aspect of hydroelectric supply schemes. “The Waitaki scheme has involved the country in such a capital outlay that to justify it, every supply authority will have to co-operate in building up the load,” he remarked. "It is unlikely therefore, that there will be any increases in the price of power, for some time to come at least. Power will be kept cheap, to encourage the use of it.” Rural power boards have been agitating for some time for a reduction, or readjustment, of prices for bulk supply of electricity. The contention has been that the present charges are either too high for rural boards, or else unfairly discriminative between rural and municipal supply authorities. The power boards have maintained that they could sell more power if it were cheaper. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener) did not hold out any hope in his recent statement to the House of Representatives of any alteration in charges in the near future, largely because of the maintenance and capital charges which had to be met on existing undertakings. “Waitaki has not made the likelihood of lower charges any greater, but it has possibly postponed anything in the nature of increases.” it was remarked to-day. "The Waitaki scheme cost £2,000.000, and to pay interest and sinking fund charges the price of power must be kept up. On the other hand, the present price can hardly ae raised, even though it is quite low, because that would discourage increased consumption. Greater use of electricity is above all other things wanted to make justifiable the huge expenditure which has been undertaken.” Party Politics: It is likely that, as a result of a meeting convened by the Christchurch Citizens Association last evening, the association will become definitely a party organisation in the politics of this city with a definite platform, it was stated to-day. The meeting was taken in committee, but from inquiries made to-day, it is gathered that some frank chiticism was levelled at the Labour Party's administration of civic affairs, particularly on the financial side, and that those present were alarmed at statements made about the growth of administration costs in the city, it being felt that sayings in the ratepayers' money could obviously be made. The meeting, it is said, was one of the largest and most representative of its kind ever held, members of the Citizens Association being particularly pleased that it attracted men of a calibre who have not hitherto shown, much interest in civic affairs. Some of the allegations made at the meeting are understood to have been rather sensational. There was a feeling in some quarters that the meeting should have been open to the Press, and it is said that, had it been known beforehand what warm support would be given to the proposals, reporters would have been admitted. It was stated in one quarter to-day that some of the things alleged at the meeting would have to be publicly ventilated before long. It was necessary that the public should understand the true position.