General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 81, 6 April 1934, Page 4

General News

Books for the Blind. Tho number of volumes in the fret library of the New Zealand Blind Institute is 5834, comprising 4110 in Braille and 1724 in Moon typo, according to a report presented at the annual meeting of contributors, says the Now Zealand Herald. Groups of books of a minimum of 40 volumes are also maintained by the institute in the three principal southern libraries. Last year 48 Braille and 76 Moon volumes were purchased, these figures being considerably below those for previous years. The number of regular readers was 331 and contact was maintained with 900 blind persons. Egg Laying Competition Success. In the single bird test in the Auckland egg laying competition just concluded a Black Orpington hen owned by Air. C. Wheeler, of New Plymouth, gained third place with a total of 259 eggs in 50 weeks. The average weight was 25j ounces per dozen. Mr. W. Wadsworth, who recently left Waitara to reside in Auckland gained first place in the foui bird team with sisters and half-sistcri of Air. Wheeler’s hen. The four birdi laid 1960 eggs in 50 weeks, an average of 265—a remarkably good performance and particularly so when it ii stated that the last seven weeks of the competition were finished with three hens, one of the quartette having died. A Relic of Edgar Wallace. Easti'r visitors to Stewart Island met an interesting personality in Prosper Ralston, who is already well-known to readers of the Wide World Magazine as “The Alan with the Harp.” Apart from his harp, Air. Ralston’s most treasured possession is the dictaphone into which the late Edgar Wallace dictated his thrillers. This was obtained from Air. Curtis, Air. Wallace’s secretary, and Air. Ralston values it highly as a link with the great novelist. Many of the visitors bad the pleasure of speaking into this dictaphone, which once used to share with Air. Wallace the secret of who really did commit the crime. Together with his harp Mr. Ralston was quite the centre of attraction at the Island and those fortunate enough to meet this interesting man will never forget his powers as a musician and raconteur. An Undignified Return. An amusing experience that befell him in New Zealand in the early days was related to a reporter by Captain A. W. Pearse, representative in Australia and New Zealand of the Port of London Authority, says tho Otago Daily Times. “As an apprentice boy, M he said, “I camo to Otago in 1878 iu the sailing ship Cardigan Castle, which had as passengers, 300 emigrants, most of whom were girls. During the voyage 1 fell in love with one of these girls, and when the Mhip reached port we ran away together into the country. It was not Jong, however, before th-e police found us, and I had tho humiliating experience of being taken down the Lyttelton wharf handcuffed on the back of a trooper’s horse, with everyone laughing at me. And, as though that were not enough,” he added with a smilo, “I had to pay a fine of £5 into the bargain.” Uniformity of Road Signs. The Alain Highways Board was criticised by members of the executive of the South Island Motor Union for alleged vacillation in its efforts to secure uniformity of road signs. A circular was received from the board setting out recommendations to bo embodied in tho erection of future signs. Mr. J. 8 Hawkes said that the board had stipulated one colour last year and another this year. Yellow had been suggested for use in signs, but there were dozens of shades of yellow, and most of them had been adopted by the different associations. It was decided to bring the board’s attention to certain decisions which were arrived at when the need for uniformity of signs in use throughout New Zealand was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the union held at Nelson recently. Shorts on the Centre Court. “Shorts” made their first appearance on the centre court at Wilding Park on Tuesday afternoon, when this much-discussed mode of dress was adopted by one of the finalists in the New Zealand University men’s singles championship, says the Christchurch Press. One or two local players have worn shorts at Wilding Park previously in ranking and inter-club matches, but not until yesterday had any player ventured to wear them on so public an occasion as a tournament final. Whethel the trousers were responsible is open to doubt, but the player concerned played cne of the best games of his career, and was emphatic in his declaratioi that they were extremely pleasant to wear and gave a great deal mors freedom of movement. Trade With United States. Prospects of a better reciprocal tradl with the United States of America were indicated in a letter from th< Hon. R. Alasters, Minister for Industries and Commerce, received by the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce at its last meeting. Mr. Alasters said that during his visit to Washington last year, he had discussed reciprocal trade between New Zealand and Amerca with Air. Roosevelt, who said that he was distinctly favourable toward facilitating trade between the two countries. Mr. Alasters had gathered that negotiations were then in progress with a number of countries with a view to making reciprocal trade treaties, and he was convinced that Air. Roosevelt and those associated with him leant towards reciprocal trade. “J think tho letter is one of the most useful we have had from a Alinister foi a long time,” said tho president of ths chamber, Air. A. G. Lunn. “It indicates that the Government has been taking active steps to open up now markets. ” Tlw Islands Trade. Government ventures into Islands shipping, resulting in the withdrawal of old-established private lines, arc a principal factor in tho loss of Pacific Islands trade to Auckland and Now Zealand, accordug to a report made to the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce by its exporters’ section committee. The committee sa.’d that the artificial attempt to divert the Tacflc Islands trade to the southern ports of Now Zealand and <tho elminetion of Auckland as a port of call had meant a total loss to the Dominion of a substantial proportion of the former export trade to the Islands and its diversion to Sydney, because Auckland alone of the New Zealand ports had come to understand tho needs of the Islands trade. “The position is really sorious,” the report went on. “Islands trade is so depressed that traders do not care to order stocks in advance of their immediate needs, and a monthly service is essential. The present ship sailing monthly to Samoa is valueless io most respects to Auckland shippers because of the additional freight vig Wellington.”