General News

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21417, 8 March 1935, Page 10

General News

"Gretna Greens" in India Old tradition dies hard among the peoples of India, according to Miss Jean Begg, national secretary of the Young Women's Christian Association for India, Burma and Ceylon, who is spending part of a year's furlough in Christchurch. Miss Begg said that efforts had to be made to rouse interest in the abolition of the institution of child marriage in those states which were outside British India, where the Child Marriage Restraint Act could not be enforced. "There are kinds of 'Gretna Greens'," she said, "in that people go over the border for child marriages." Trophies and Sport "Do we need trophies? Look at the fun the English girls get out of their games and they don't play for trophies," remarked Miss C. Taylor, of the Technical Club, at the meeting of the Canterbury Ladies' Cricket Association last night when the matter of trophies for the knockout competition to be commenced next Saturday was under discussion. "Is a trophy really necessary?" she asked. "Half the arguments over games would never occur if a trophy were not at stake." "It would be hard for some clubs to get a full team if they had not something to play for," stated another member. It was decided that it was necessary to award a trophy for the knockout competition. Sale of Bibles Although it was said that the sales of Bibles had never been higher than at present, he did not think that the sales amongst Englishspeaking peoples were nearly as high as they had been years ago, said the Rev. Raymond Simpson in an address to the Congregational Union of New Zealand yesterday. The opening up of new foreign mission fields had provided the market for many more Bibles, and it was to these fields and not to Englishspeaking races that the most sales were being made to-day. Many people had lost the habit of reading the Bible and from this followed the ! loss of the use of prayer by many Christians. White Butterflies in City What can the now notorious white butterfly find to eat and destroy in the heart of the city? There seems no answer to the question, yet yesterday several pedestrians in Victoria street watched the erratic flight of a fine specimen across the road and over a fence. The butterflies are now frequently seen in many city and suburban gardens and home gardeners are finding their work frequently enlivened by a fierce hunt after one or more of them. In the meantime officers of the Agriculture Department at Christchurch, armed with test-tubes of the parasite which is alleged to kill the white butterfly, are waging war in the country districts. Poisoning of Rabbits Although a number of farmers in the Ashburton county have made successful efforts to destroy rabbits, the pest is still prevalent in many districts. A Westerfield farmer told a representative of "The Press" yesterday that three rabbiters were engaged destroying rabbits on his farm of about 300 acres this week. After' feeding the rabbits on oats for three nights grain poisoned with strychnine was laid for two nights following and 700 rabbits were killed. It was estimated thri a fur- ' ther 500 rabbits would be poisoned before the work of the rabbiters on his farm was completed. Bad Spelling The teaching of spelling is not as a rule continued beyond the primary schools, but that is no guarantee that all of those, who pass through the secondary schools and proceed to the university are able to spell correctly. Proof of this was given yesterday by Dr. J. Might, rector of Canterbury College, who said that he had received quite a number of letters from intending students asking him to "enroll" them. Some students wished to study for a "Batchelor of Arts" degree. The Professorial Board had been described as the "Professional Board." Dr. Hight was relieved to find that no one had so far spelt "college" with a "d." Members of the college staff said that the spelling of students was, on the whole, quite accurate, in their experience, although there certainly were occasional amusing lapses. Record Crop of Fruit Up to the present, the quantity of fruit, mostly stone fruit, sent by railway from Alexandra (Central Otago) to Dunedin, shows an increase of 400 tons over the quantity sent from there in the record year of 1933. The main apple crop has yet to be dealt with, so when the complete figures are available it can be understood that there will be a record carriage of fruit this year from Alexandra. Large quantities of fruit are also being forwarded to the Dunedin market from other places in Central Otago.—"The Press" Special Service. New Dunedin Post Office The riveting work on the steel structure of the new Dunedin Post Office was concluded on Wednesday morning, the last six rivets being driven by Mr T. M. Ball, district engineer of the Public Works Department, and Mr E. R. Rout, supervisor for the department. They ascended to the top of the structure by means of one of the cranes, and the ceremony was completed in a few minutes. Mr Rout had the privilege of driving the first and the last rivets used in the undertaking. Approximately 340,000 I rivets, weighing 100 tons, were used in carrying out the contract. BRIDAL CARS of the verv latest and with no trade marks are those of the Gold Band Taxis. They are also the most popular and largest fleet with a record of 21 weddings in one day, and are being booked up full ahead ior Raster Weddings, so let us book up yours now. Our charges are also the lowest, so why pay more? 'Phone 33-477. Thank you. —2 For Weddings, Dances, and all social functions, THE BLUE STAR TAXIS are at your service both day and night. Efficient and courteous drivers, whose fares are the cheapest in the Dominion, are always available. Ring 35-228 or 35-229 for prompt attention. BLUE STAR r j.AXI SERVICE.