General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24914, 29 June 1946, Page 6

General News

Cabled News of Earthquake News of Thursday’s earthquake apparently reached Britain quickly, and in an exaggerated form. A Christchurch businessmen now in England yesterday sent a cable message to his office in Christchurch asking whether the office had been damaged, and requesting that his family be communicated with. Tunnel Road Scheme It was the duty of the council to see that the proposed tunnel rosd scheme was kept in view, said the chairman (Mr F. W. Freeman), at the monthly meeting of the Heathcote County Council last evening. He suggested that the council write to the North Canterbury Regional Planning Council asking that the scheme receive the first priority under the 10year development plan recently announced by the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple). The council decided to send a letter to the Minister congratulating him on the way the development plan had been handled. Mobile Plunket Unit A mobile unit being used for Plunket Society work in North Canterbury was probably one of those units that had been used during the war as an optical unit that the Government had agreed to make available to the Plunket Society by meeting half the cost, said the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) yesterday. Mr Nordmeyer was referring to a Press Association report from Christchurch that a mobile unit had been given by the Canterbury Licensed Victuallers’ Association and the North Canterbury Provincial Council of the Licensed Trade for Plunket work in the area. He said the Government had agreed, last March, that a vote of £5OO for each of these units (four of which were available) should be made to the Plunket Society. He thought it only right that it should be known that the Government had made a substantial contribution towards these units.—(F.O.P.R.) No Bankruptcies in June During June no bankruptcy cases were dealt with by the Official Assignee (Mr G. W; Brown). There was only one case for the quarter, April 1 to June 28. The figures for the corresponding periods last year were one in June and one for the quarter. Frigate to Visit Oamaru The frigate Whitesand Bay will visit Oamaru from July 13 to 15 on completion of a refit at the New Zealand naval dockyard at Auckland. The ship will also visit Nelson and Wellington before returning to Hong Kong. She is of 2400 tons and has a complement of 160. Her main armament is four 4in guns.— (F.0.P.R.) Political Development of United States “The United States is in the process of tremendously exciting political development.” said Professor Linden A. Mander, former director of the Workers’ Educational Association in Auckland and now Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington, at r Seattle, who is a through passenger by the Monterey, which arrived at Auckland from San Francisco yesterday morning. “Great efforts are being made in the United States to adapt the nation’s political institutions to the new world,” he said There was an awakening of the consumer public, and political groups were trying to approach problems from a public viewpoint. One of the most interesting things in American politics had been the stand by scientists on use of atomic energy. They had done a fine iob in informing the public of the implications of the new discoveries. (P.A.) Land for Light Industries The Heathcote County Council, at its monthly meeting last evening, received ? letter from the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee advising thar-- the Interim Control Committee had received two applications to establish light industrial businesses on a block of land in the area bounded by Breeze's. Page’s. Ottawa, and Wainoni roads. The committee considered that the land was most suitable for light industrial use. The council agreed that it raise no objection to the proposal, the chairman (Mr F. W. Freeman) remarking that the proposed sites were eminently suitable for light industries. Extended Gratuities Sought Mr E. P. Aderman (Opposition, New Plymouth) gave notice in the House of Representatives yesterday to ask the Minister of Defence to arrange for the extension of gratuity, payments to next-of-kin. particularly to wives and mothers of members of the Merchant Navy whose lives were lost through enemy action. Mr Aderman said some Merchant Navy personnel lost their lives after a relatively short period of service and their next-of-kin received little compensation. ’ because of the higher pay (compared with servicemen’s rates) and because of the monthly bonus paid during war service to Merchant Navy personnel.—(P.A.) Earthquake Stops Clock The brief stoppage of the clock over the Chief Post Office in Cathedral square was for many persons in the city last evening their first indicetion that the city had had another earth tremor. Accustomed to basing their personal timing for shopping by the clock, many people noticed within a minute or two that the hands had stopped. After a few minutes the clock was in ection again, after its second aberration within two days—both due to earthquakes, beyond the control of the Christchurch City Council, its regulating authority. Rotary and Peace

Because of its international character. the Rotary movement could ably assist the United Nations Organisation in the promotion of world peace, said Mr Percy J. Allen: of Brisbane, governor of the 56th District of Rotary, Queensland, who, with another Rotary governor, Sir Herbert Hart, of Masterton. arrived on the Monterey after attending the 1946 convention of Rotary International in Atlantic City Mr' Allen said Rotary was wi’lmg to help in every way the promotion of neace. Rotary had been consulted at San Francisco when the United NaCharter was formulated. Sir Herbert Hart strongly endorsed Mr Alien’s views.—(P.A.) Flight Stewardesses

From hundreds of applications, six girls have been selected for training as flight stewardesses on the new fly-ing-boats of Tasman Empire Airways trans-Tasman service. It was stated that three of the girls were in the services during the war, and the remainder were in reserved occupations. They will be trained in flight experience, care of passengers, and catering. (P.A.) Farmers and Race Meetings The attendance of farmers at race meetings, mentioned In the course of correspondence between the secretary (Mr C. C. Gillies) and the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, M.P., caused some amusement at yesterday’s meeting of the North Otago Executive of Federated Farmers. When informing Mr Nordmeyer of a pledge to produce to maximum, which was made at the previous meeting. Mr Gillies added that the farming community was prepared to make a supreme effort, but the sacrifice must be spread throughout all sections of the community. “As expressed recently.” continued Mr Gillies, “the farmer resents being made a beast of burden while the totalisator figures soar each Saturday while he stays on his farm. Primary producers do not wish to bargain where death and starvation are at stake, but it is considered that considerable good would result by taking farmers’ organisations into the confidence of the Government and entrusting to them some responsibility for the drive for increased production. In reply, Mr Nordmeyer said he had informed the Prime Minister of the pledge to increase production, and added: “I think, however, you will agree, on reflection, that one sentence in your letter may be open to misconstruction. While I, personally, do not frequent the racecourse. I am informed it is hardly correct to suggest that farmers as a class refrain from attending race meetings; indeed, there is much criticism, quite unjustified of course, in the other direction.” (Laughter.)