General News

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 10

General News

Poverty «f School Committees "The school committee is a very ancient institution," remarked Mr Cr. W. Armitage, .president of the Canterbury School Committees Association, at the opening of the Dominion conference of school committees last evening. "School committees may even have been mentioned in the New Testament, where it says: 'The poor you have with you always, he said. "You know how wretchedly poor the committees have been kept by the apathy of governments." s £90,000 in Pennies About £90,000 is collected in pennies each year by the Post and Telegraph Department from its stamp-vending machines and slot telephones. If this quantity of pennies was not returned to the banks for circulation without delay, a shortage of copper coins could easily develop. Such is the public patronage of these services that more than £50,000 is spent in pennies each vear in the many hundreds of street telephone cabinets throughout the Dominion, and stamps to a value of nearly £40,000 are sold during the year by automatic stampselling machines. Mine Road Blocked by Slip A big slip on the Coal Company's rope road at Fly Creek, has prevented any output of coal from the mine since Monday. It is expected that it will take until the end of the week to clear the debfis. In the meantime no work has been done in the mine. The stoppage has proved inconvenient in many ways, especially with the rush of shipping at Westport.—"The Press" Special Service. Interesting: Exhibits The new arrangement of exhibits illustrating Pacific cultures in the Canterbury Museum which was carried out recently has been further improved by the addition of printed,matter and photographs, which give considerably greater educational value to the displays. New cases have also been arranged, one showing the implements associated with betel nut chewing, and another the articles pertaining to disposing of the dead in Melanesia. A third new display shows •xamples of the primitive weaving without a loom in Polynesia, cloaks of hibiscus fibre, and mats edged with rare red feathers, which were so difficult to make that they took the place of currency. There is also a fresh display in the case for new accessions, including adzes from New Guinea, presented by Mr B. W. Collins, a stone fish-hook shank of unique design from Sumner, ancient Egyptian figures, presented by Mrs D. W. Bevan, and a stone adze from Coalgate, presented by Mr J. McKie. Chamber of Commerce Conference Advice has been received by the secretary of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. Roy Smith) that the date of the annual Dominion conference of chambers of commerce has been altered from October 20 and 21 to November 3 and 4, as the earlier date was too near that of the General Election. Contented Scandinavians "The Scandinavians are the people who are calmest through all the strain in Europe," said Miss Gwladys Byrne, the representative of a New York firm, who was in Christchurch yesterday, and who was in Europe at the time of the German putsch in Austria. "Scandinavians are interested in what is going on but they have no wish to be involved. They are maintaining a progressive and industrious regime, and are taking from outside only what can be good for themselves. They have found the solution to contentment." The Dutchman is very heavily taxed * though, according to Miss Byrne. Queen Wilhelmina was a very good queen, but she drove a hard bargain with her subjects. However, she had succeeded in making Holland self-supporting. Measles Epidemic on the Wane A distinct improvement in the measles position in Auckland is reported by the Health Department. Returns from eight city firms employing 3787 employees showed that on Monday there were 62 absences, or 1.63 per cent., compared with 78 absences, or 2.06 per cent., in the previous week. At the Auckland Hospital on Monday there were 20 cases of measles, of these 14 being German measles, and only six of the more serious type. In two cases complications had occurred. Last week a boy aged 14 died from pneumonia after measles. The department states that there are still some school children being affected; but here, too, the position has greatly improved. Adults are also continuing to be affected; but it is considered that the epidemic is definitely on the wane.—Press Association. Holmlea Reaches Fort The motor vessel Holmlea arrived at Wanganui safely yesterday morning. Her steering gear, which had given way, was temporarily repaired at sea, and she came in under her own power.—Press Association. ~ Bishop Patteson's Martyrdom The sixty-seventh anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Patteson was commemorated yesterday by a gathering of Associates and' Friends of Melanesia, and the Rev. C. L. Mountfort (late of Melanesia) gave an address on the life and work of Bishop Patteson. "It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the work of Bishop Patteson, and of the traditions which, are kept alive by the observance of this anniversary," Mr Mountfort said. There was a strong "lingai," or tradition, among the island missions which had existed ever since the Bishop's death, and which, for as long as it lived, would inspire the missionaries to give their fullest to the cause. An unpleasant thought, however, was that Bishop Patteson had met his death not through any unprovoked treachery on the part of the .natives, but because of the sins of his own people, who had been untrue in their dealings with the Melanesians. • "Good Old Paddy" Shouting "Good old Paddy," a member of the qudience at a meeting addressed by the Hon. P. C Webbo Minister for Mines, at Hokitika last night, stepped to the front of the theatre during the Minister's address, and insisted on a prolonged handshake. The Minister delighted the audience by cleverly removing a bottle of whisky protruding from his admirer's hippocket, and told the audience that he was then prepared to finish his address, which he did. The man whose pocket the Minister "picked later threw a 10s note on to the platform, and said he had come from Bruce Bay. He reluctantly accepted the return of the whisky from the Minister after the meeting. "Began Life in Prison" A humorous remark, which brought a humorous reply, was made by the Rev. A. C. Watson when introducing Dr. Ralph S. Harlow, of Massachusetts, at the Christchurch Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday. Speaking of Dr. Harlow's qualifications, Mr Watson said that the visitor's best qualification was, that he had begun his career as a minister of the Presbyterian Church. (Laughter.) "I began my life in prison," replied Dr. Harlow, amid laughter. "My grandfather was warden of a large prison, and I was born in the warden's house." State Housing at Westport When the Government sought recently to. have additional buildings erected at Westport under the State housing scheme no tenders were received from Westport carpenters. They considered that the conditions were too severe, and complaints were made of slowness in payments for work done. However, the Under-Secretary in charge of Housing (Mr J. A. Lee) suggested that Westport builders co-operate in carrying out the contracts or the contracts would be let to outside firms, which might use out-side men and material. This was considered by the builders and the Westnort Construction Company was formed, and has been eranted a contract for the erection of five State houses in LoweT- Palmerston street, opposite the West-port-Stockton Coal ! Company's office.— The Press" Special Service. Clerks' Union Offices The decision of the executive.of the Canterbury Clerks' and Cashiers' Union to remove the office from the Trades Hall will be made effective to-day. The executives decision was challenged at one stage; but it was affirmed by a majority of eight votes.at a special general meeting of members.