ITEMS OF INTEREST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20784, 20 July 1937, Page 14

ITEMS OF INTEREST

The fact that for every 24 men in skilled trades in the Dominion only 12 youths were ready to join them was described by Mr W. G. Aldridge, principal of the King Edward Technical College, in an address on “The Practical Choice of a Career,'’ to the Dunedin centre of the Faculty of Insurance, as constituting a very serious position in industry in New Zealand. Tradesmen would have to be imported if more labour was not trained. Mr Aldridge said, and then they would find their own boys working as labourers. It seemed as if they were heading towards the American system, where a small, highly-trained staff of technicians controlled a large number of unskilled workers. After two years’ work, a committee of the medical faculty at the University of Melbourne has arranged a scheme by which the whole work of the medical course will be altered in the hope of giving students an even better training than they at present receive. The recommendations of the faculty’ of medicine have been accepted by the University Council (says the ‘Melbourne Age”) and will come into force immediately. There are changes in all sections of the curriculum, and examinations for final students will be at the end of the sixth year instead of at the beginning. Special subjects will be und»'r the control of the lecturers in surgery and medicine, whose department they affect, and the teaching of the whole course will be corelated. At the end of the third year an introductry course of clinical tutorials will be given for students about to euter hospitals. The work in

materia medica and pharmacy has been reduced, and the number of lectures on anaesthetics has been raised

from three to eight. Power is also given to the faculty to require the attendance of students during any part of the vacation it sees fit.

This year’s Health stamp (one penny pastage and one penny health! will be issued on October 1. and will be withdrawn from sale not later than the last day of February. 1938. The format is vertical, the stamp being similar in shape and size to the Anzac stamps. The design depicts a youthful tramper standing on a rocky promontory, and the high lights and shadow give a very pleasing effect. The words “New Zealand” are boldly shown at the top of the stamp, and the value—ld postage lld health—is superimposed upon the j design below the figure. The design was prepared by Messrs G. Bull and J. Berry, both of Wellington, and the stamps are being produced by the Note Printing Branch. Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Melbourne.

In its desire to assist the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) in his road safety campaign, the South Island Motor Union has evolved a slogan which it hopes all motorists will adopt. The union calls it the slogan of the Five I’s,” directed principally at the behaviour of the driver. The five I’s are Impatience, Intolerance. Ignorance, Inexperience, and Intemperance. Last

night the Automobile Association, Canterbury, expressed the hope that motorists would overcome the third and fourth listed faults, and avoid being classed under any of the other three headings.

A pointed illustration of the meaning of devaluation of the currency as it happened in Austria after the war was given, not without a touch of humour, by Dr. Paul Dengler during an address in Auckland. He related how before the war a wealthy and bene-

volent aunt had planned to give him a year’s first-class travel about the world. For this purpose he had calculated that 8000 kronen would be necessary, and she had put aside that amount for him. The trip was delayed, however, and then the war came. “I never got that money,” Dr. Dengler said, “because the street

car fare to the office where it was deposited was 16,000 kronen. It is still there.”

Tlie Wellington Diocesan Synod passed a resolution expressing the opinion that all moneys expended in presentations to individuals should be raised by special subscriptions for the purpose and not contributed from the ordinary parochial revenue. Bishop Holland said that, owing to certain facts which had come to the knowledge of the committee on parochial returns, it was felt that the position should be known by all the vestries. The Rev. N. F. E. Robertshawe, in supporting the motion, said that church moneys raised in church were raised for church work and not for a presentation to. say, a churchman who had done good service and was leaving the parish. For anything of that kind there should be a spontaneous offering from the parishioners in the parish The question was raised as to how the resolution would affect the honorarium given, for example, to a church organist. Bishop Holland suggested that the wording of the resolution would exclude honoraria. He did not think an honest vestry would have any difficulty in the matter. The motion was carried with a few dissentients. A distinguished scholar and preacher, and an accomplished architect and musician, the Very Rev. Father W. J. Schaefer, S.M., has been nominated as the representative of the SuperiorGeneral of the Society of Mary, qjpre commonly known as the Marist Fathers, at the Roman Catholic Centenary celebrations next year, according to an announcement made last week. Father Schaefer came to New Zealand 30 years ago from the diocese of Cologne, Germany, ar.d after a distinguished career in this country was appointed two years ago to the General Council of the Marist Fathers in Rome. After

completing his ecclesiastical studies at the Marist Fathers’ seminary at Meeanee, Hawkes Bay, Father Schaefer was for some years on the teaching staff of St. Patrick”’ College. Wellington. He was r*rocurator at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary. Greenmeadows, Hawke's Bay, for a term, and was later Superior of the Marist Novitiate, Highden, Palmerston North. He was an authority, both as a player and designer, of church organs, and has also designed several stained glass windows for churches.