CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20095, 30 April 1935, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

ITEMS FROM THE CITY CHRISTCHURCH, April 29. Persona!: Mr H. D. Acland, who underwent a serious operation recently, has returned to his home in Park Terrace and is making a good recovery. Mr J. A. McPherson, curator of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, who recently underwent an operation, has returned to his home and is progressing satisfactorily. The Rev. David K. Boyd, Presbyterian minister in charge of the Malvern circuit, has received a call to Queenstown. He will conduct his last service in the district on Sunday next. Mr W. Bromley, chairman of the Unemployment Board, is visiting Christchurch. Mr J. Morris Scobie, of Canterbury University College, has been appointed to the staff of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland. He will leave Christchurch about the middle of May to take up his duties. New School?: The question of providing a new building for the East Christchurch School is one that will be given favourable consideration by the Minister of Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith) at the earliest possible opportun ty. This assurance was made to members of the school committee and of the Canterbury Education Board this morning, after the Minister had visited the school and inspected every room in the building. The morning was a good one for the demonstration of the sixty-year-old building’s shortcomings, which, in cold and draughty weather, make themselves apparent despite the best efforts at heating. Increased Revenue:

1 An increase of £98,155 is shown in the railway revenue for the Canterbury and Westland traffic district for the 12 months ended Match 31 last, when compared with the returns for the previous year. The total revenue for the year just ended was £1,027,221 and for the year before £929,066. In view of the fact that this improvement represents a third of the increase shown in the revenue for I the whole Dominion as disclosed in i the preliminary figures published jon Frrday, the result of the year's ! operations is regarded as highly sat- ! isfactory in official circles here.

Easing Unemployment: A claim that he had evolved a scheme for the substantial relief of unemployment in Christchurch was made by" Mr E. H. Andrews, a Christchurch Citizens Association candidate for the City Council in addressing electors.

“Our policy is standard rates of pay for the unemployed, but we would expect them to do the work, and we would find the work,” he said. “Treeplanting, tar-sealing of roads, and so on. are useful means of using the labour which is offering. I have worked out a scheme, as a matter of fact, by which, I am satisfied, we could employ from 500 to 700 men at standard rates on useful work, without costing the city a penny more than at present. I believe we could do that and show a reduction in the general rate too.”

Critically Injured: Severe head injuries were suffered by Mr William Thomas Barnes, fortyeight years of age, of Wilson’s Road, who was knocked down in Tuam Street by a motor-car driven by Mr D. S. Turner, of Lonsdale Street, New Brighton, at 7.45 o’clock on Saturday evening. Mr Barnes was crossing the road when the accident occurred. He was taken to the Christchurch Public Hospital, where he was operated on yesterday afternoon. This morning he was semi-conscious and in a critical condition. Deaths From Tuberculosis: Seven deaths from tuberculosis were reported in the Canterbury and West Coast districts during the week-end ended at noon to-day. Of these, five were in Canterbury. In the same period there was twelve notifications of infectious diseases. Two further cases of diphtheria were recorded, the other Canterbury cases being as follows: Scarlet fever 3, tuberculosis 1, septic abortion 2 and erysipelas 2. On the West Coast, there were two notifications of tuberculosis cases, two deaths from tuberculosis, and one death from hydatids. United Effort Suggested: A deputation representing the unemployed waited on the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) this morning and proposed that a meeting should be called of representatives of a wide range of organisations, including all churches and social organisations interested m the unemployed, local bodies, trade unions, tradesmen and prominent public men for the purpose of forming a united effort on behalf of the whole community to bring pressure to bear on the Government to induce it to give an increase of 10/- a week in the wages of the unemployed. Mr Sullivan, in reply, said he was in sympathy with the proposal and would endeavour to create the organisation suggested. Pensions Appeals: After an adjournment of a few days for the holidays, the War Pensions Appeal Board resumed its sessions today and it is expected that all cases will have been disposed of by the end of' this week. Sessions began on Monday, March 25, sittings have been held on all week-days except Saturday, and five cases have been considered each day. Sir Walter Stringer is chairman. Dr P. A. Ardagh appears for the Government, Dr A. J. Orchard for the Returned Soldiers Association, and Mr E. F. Willcox, secretary to the Christchurch branch of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers Association, is acting as advocate for the applicants.

Status of School: . A request that the West Christchurch District High School should oe raised to the status of a secondary school is to be submitted to the Minister for Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith) during his present visit by members of the school committee and local members of Parliament. A statement of the case had already been drawn up and sent to the Minister. The statement quotes figures to show that Christchurch is poorly served with secondary schools in comparison with Auckland. Wellington and Dunedin and argues that there is a definite need for another secondary school in the city. At present 554 children are receiving secondary education at West Christchurch. Only six secondary schools in the Dominion have a larger attendance; yet schools with fewer pupils have larger staffs. The matter is one which had been urged for some time, and the Canterbury Education Board has made previous anplications to the Minister for Education.

Relief Pay: , ... „ An Immediate increase of 10/- n week in relief pay. and the placing of unemployed girls upon the same basis as single unemployed men as far as wages are concerned, were the principal requests made by a deputation representing the Canterbury Unem.ployed Workers’ Association, which

waited upon the Minister of Employment (the Hon. S. G. Smith) tills morning. Speakers also asked that the Unemployment Board should issue shoes to the wives of relief workers and boots to their children, and also blankets to those who required them. It was also suggested that the Government should issue milk rations this winter. The Minister, who gave the deputation a sympathetic hearing, promised that he would make a personal investigation of all complaints. He pointed out, however, that if the request for a general increase of 10 - a week was granted, the Unemployment Board's funds would be washed out in six months. An assurance was given by the Minister that unemployed men would have the right of appeal against decisions made by the certifying officer, and also that they would be given a week’s spell on sustenance occasionally to allow them to find regular emplo - ment. “I am not going to take dictation from anybody in regard to my work as Minister of Employment and chairman of the Unemployment Board,” added the Minister. “By that I mean I’m not going to shelter behind the board.”