LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20784, 20 July 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Sniping at Trucks

Bullet holes were found in a number of tip trucks used on the duplication of the railway line at Drury, just beyond the south overhead bridge yesterday morning. Several empty .303 cartridge cases were found on the railway line by workmen. An Idle Rumour A few days ago a rumour was circulated that the incidental allowances for primary schools were to be cut off. The Minister of Education (the Hon. p. Fraser), in reply to an inquiry by Mr G. Benstead, a member of the • Canterbury Education Board, advised that the rumour was without foundation as he had never contemplated a reduction. Brewing an Art Brewing, according to Mr C. M. Lagan, who was the speaker at yesterday’s weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club, was to-day an art. Home brewers, he said, claimed that they could make beer, but they were inclined to think it was good because they produced it themselves. They drank it themselves and suffered afterwards. Actually they knew nothing about making beer. An Essential Difference An appeal to pressmen to be careful in reporting a statement regarding the early history of brewing was made by Mr C. M. Lagan, who was the speaker at yesterday's weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club. “The source of primitive brewing is enshrouded in the dense mists of antiquity,” said Mr Lagan. “I ask the reporters not to make it 'the dense mists of iniquity.’” (Laughter.) £lOOO a Year Five pounds a school day was the tender submitted to the Hawke's Bay Education Board by an omnibus proprietor for the conveyance of children from Blackburn to the Onga Onga School. The number of children requiring conveyance is 10. “That works out at about £lOOO a year—more than the board chairman gets,” was the smiling observation of the chairman, Mr G. A. Maddison. “He might just as well have asked for £2OOO. It cannot be entertained, of course,” he added.

Money for Cancer Research

“I hear people say ‘the cancer society has got plenty of money.’ Well, it hasn’t got plenty of money,” said Sir James Elliott at the annual meeting of the Wellington . division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. “We are embarked upon a very expensive business, and there is need for money because we have anxiety about our commitments.” Sir James ’announced with pleasure that two patients had made donations to the society’s fund of £25 and £5/5/- respectively. Shortage of Domestics The view that avenues should be explored with a view to overcoming the current shortage of domestic servants in country districts was expressed in a remit passed by the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr G. Hamilton (Southland) said that domestic servants were not numerous because they were treated as menial workers. A domestic’s duty should be one of the highest and the domestics should be treated accordingly. Mr H. O. Montgomerie (Wanganui) said any investigation they could make which would relieve the present position would be well worth while. The Worth of Labour “I would far sooner be condemned to imprisonment with hard labour than to imprisonment with unlimited leisure,” said the Rev. G. V. Gerard, when addressing a luncheon of the League of Nations Union, Auckland, on the subject of labour and leisure. Mr Gerard had been pointing out that there was still a strong tendency to regard labour as something very undesirable and to be avoided, as Instanced in the sentence passed on offenders. He added that a good deal was said about the dignity of labour, but too often that came from those whose labours, at least from a physical point of view, were not the hardest and most onerous in the community.

Washdyke Crown Tenants

Tire monthly meeting of the Washdyke branch of the Crown Tenants’ Association was held at the residence of Mr J. Harris. Mr P. R. Applegarth presided over a good attendance. Correspondence from the Commissioner of Crown Lands regarding the rentals of the Meadows Settlement was dealt with, and It was decided to inquire from the Minister of Lands the cause of the continued delay in granting reduction. It was reported that motorists were complaining of the difficulty and danger in negotiating Dawes comer on account of the irrigation embankments encroaching on the road. It was decided to make representations with a view to having the road widened. It was decided to invite Mr A. S. Ayrcy to address members at the next meeting, which is to be held to the residence of Mr S. Brown.