General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 242, 12 October 1937, Page 6

General News

More Playing Areas. “I am glad that you have taken to heart the defeat of the All Blacks, and are seeking more playing fields to train the young people,” said Mr. G. Galbraith at a meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council, Auckland, when a deputation asked for the development of an area of borough land at Belmont as a recreation ground. It was decided to ask the borough engineer to bring down at the next meeting a scheme for the development of the land.

Compulsory Life-saving. “I think the Government could help life-saving by making it compulsory for all children passing from the sixth standard to high schools to obtain a knowledge of life-saving,” said the president (Mr. H. H. Henderson) at a meeting of the Otago branch of the Royal Life-saving Society. Mr. Henderson said that if the Government passed the proposal on to the education board it would be doing more service to life-saving than by making a grant to the society. It was decided to bring a remit before the annual/ conference that instruction in lifesaving and resuscitation be made com-1 pulsory in secondary schools. Vandalism in Rotorua.

A serious case of wanton destruc*. tion is reported by the secretary of the Rotorua Racing Club, who stated that approximately 50 young acacia viciliata trees, planted as a hedge along the Marguerita Street frontage of the racecourse, had been cut down with a slasher or an axe. The irresponsible person or persons who destroyed the two-year-old trees cut them down at ground level and left the saplings where they fell. The trees, which had just taken root and were showing signs of progressing, are now useless, and will be replaced by the racing club. Yachting as a Sport.

“The association has followed closely the progress of negotiations for the National Sports Council, and has made representations to the I nister in charge, the Hon. W. E. Parry, that yachting is not a sport that lends itself to regimentation, and has asked that boating activities be excluded from the proposed enacW meats,” states the annual report of the Auckland Yacht and Motor-boat Association. The report also refers to its views put before the Fisheries Commission, and its proposal that all trawling should be held to limits well clear of the islands of the gulf, and the recognised spawning grounds. “Matron Luder Anaesthetic.” Slips sometimes occur in the recording of evidence during Supreme Court proceedings, and occasionally they introduce a touch of humour. “On page two we have got the matron under the anaesthetic,” said Mr. North, as he perused the notes of evidence given by a medical witness in Auckland. “I have corrected that,” replied Mr. Justice Callan. “I have put the patient under the anaesthetic.” Speech-training Class. Authority for an additional class to be formed in Christchurch for the training of primary school children hampered by defects in speech has been received by the secretary to the Canterbury Education Board (Mr. E. Rowley) from the Department Education (states the Press). There had been such a demand for admission to the class at the Normal School that congestion has occurred, Mr. Rowley said yesterday, and authority has been sought to start a fresh class. The new class will be formed at the Waltham School when the services of a qualified teacher have been secured. The class is not one for sub-normal children but soleiy for those suffering from impediments in speech, and applications from teachers with special qualifications to deal with these ar® shortly to be called.

New Zealand Sighted. Last Thursday was one of the most important anniversaries in the history of New Zealand; in fact, it was the anniversary of the event which may be regarded as the dawn of the nation’s history as a civilised community. It was on October 7, 1769, that the great navigator, Captain Cook, first sighted New Zealand. Cook’s first glimpse of New Zealand was of high mountains. Was this the long-sought southern continent? Such was thy general opinion on board. It was Poverty Bay, where Captain Cook made his first landing on New Zea« land shores.