NEWS IN BRIEF

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 71, 10 January 1947, Page 7

NEWS IN BRIEF

|§ Triumph Over Disability « At the beginning of the school g year the Auckland Grammar School i| enrolled two boys from the Blind g| Institute as an experiment. Recently ly, at the school’s prize-giving cere|j mony, the success of the experiment g was convincingly, demonstrated. One g] of the two blinds boys, E. H. G. H Mutimer, who had come top of Sg Form 5c in languages, led a group a of other prize winners on to the H stage and received his prize from the Minister of Education, Mr Mason, is With such confidence did he move jj| forward, mount the dais, shake hands with the Minister and return to his seat, that few members of the audience were aware of his disI ability. __ Increased Settlement Rate I “After the first world war it took 11 years to settle 4000 men on the land under development, and there were 16,000 applicants,” said Mr E. L. Cullen, M.P., speaking at the last quarterly meeting of the Rehabilitation Council. On this occasion after only three and a half years 3300 men had been settled out of 11,000 applicants. Land could actu- • ally be purchased more quickly than I settlement could take place, due in I large measures to shortages of maI terials; but he would sooner see I men waiting for settlement than go I on to uneconomic holdings. I Lighthouse-Keepers Needed I Lighthouse-keeping today is no I longer just a matter of keeping the | wicks trimmed and indulging in “a . I spot of fishing.” The scientific adI vances of*the war have changed all that. The lighthouse-keeper today is a skilled worker; he must know something of radio beacons, wireless telephone, and even radar. With a view to the recruitment of men | I who could operate such equipment the Public Service Commission, at its last regrading, granted a fairly substantial increase to lighthousekeepers, said Mr W. C. Smith, secretary of the New Zealand Institute of Marine and Power Engineers in Wellington. “Already,” said Mr Smith, “the improved status of the lighthouse-keeper has had good results.” Self Help At Barber’s Seeing a hairdresser’s shop open in Lyttelton one evening recently, two overseas seamen entered with the idea of having their hair cut. There was nobody in the saloon or shop, and they awaited the return of the hairdresser. In the meantime, one or two other would-be customers entered the shop in quest of cigarettes, but, finding nobody to - serve/ them, left again. After waiting a long time, the two seamen decided that they would cut each other’s hair. It was while one was in the chair, with his mate making quite a good job with the machines, that a police sergeant and constable entered. The explanation of the men as to the position was accepted. The police waited until the amateur hairdresser had completed his task and then ushered them out. Road Toll in U.S.A. “Great concern at the high death rate from motor accidents is being expressed in the United States; and with some reason too,” said Mr W. H. Hindle, president of Associated Chambers of Commerce, Wellington, who has just returned from a visit. It was hoped that this year the fatalities would be under the average, but up to the end of October they numbered 38,000, and at that point were 4000 over the average, he said. There was tremendous congestion in the cities, with cars four abreast. “As soon as the green light appears, , away they flash and the pedestrian / often has to jump for it. Believe [ me, I watched my step crossing an \ intersection.” Deerstalkers Active Deerstalkers were particularly active in the Rotoehu district over the holiday period, a visitor remarking on the number of cars he had seen with riflemen in them moving slowly along the roads, and the number of shots he had heard coming from the bush and fern-clad hills near the lake. Although this is not the time of year for many-pointed heads as I stag’s antlers are still “in the velvet stage,” it is reported that several fine skins have been secured as well as supplies of venison for household larders. Caravan Service The growing volume of holiday caravan traffic on the roads prompted a discussion by the council of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, as to the wisdom of extending the association’s road service to caravans as well as cars. Members mentioned the many instances of tyre trouble and collapsed wheels "" through overloading, and it was de~ cided that as far as male drivers were concerned the extended service would not include tyres or wheels. Women drivers would be given the xor full assistance for both car and cara- cou van.