Local & General

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1948, Page 4

Local & General

A.A. Membeyship • The annual membership of automobile associations throughout the North Island has reached the highest total yet— -98,886. Auckland is the largest with 49,302 meipbers, and thi§ is followed in turp by Wellington ' (15,737), Hawke's Bay (10,039), Wanganui (6127), Manawatu (4817), South Taranaki (4795) , Taranaki (4109) , and Wairarapa (3960) . " , Work of Red Crpss Society-. The monthly nieeting of -• the Levin branch of the' Red Oross Society was held ^recently, Mrs. Wilson • presiding "over a goqd attepdance. It -wa,s jeported that good work was still. being ^ done by the sewing cjrcle>-..A fine array of garments had been. received and last month 183 had been packed and sent to heafiquarters. In addition several fopd parcejs " had been despatched , tOj- needy families in Britain. , . ... "N.Z. — Most Wonderful Place" "If New Zealand :is h'alf as goo'd as I believe it to bb, it is the most wonderful place in the world to1day," said Mr. Sidney K. Bennett, an American te.acher, .writer and psychologist, whd arrived at Whenuapai by air. "My studies of sociology and the wofld's systems of Government have made me want to com6. tp New Zealand -for 11 years," said Mr. Bennett, who intends to settle 'here with his Wife. "You people don't all appreciate hQW remarkabje this country is," he added. Mr. Bennett was teacher of phycholagy and sociology at Los Afigeles, trniversity. District Bands Meei The quarterly meeting of the Manawatu and Djstricts Band Association was held in Palmerston North recently, . Exeeutive mem.bers were present from Feilding, Marton,. .Leviri-,.; Fq'xtoii,. .Masterton' '• and' Palmerston North City . Arrang^entS/dre/y^Jl: ;;hdfid; for the hOldin^ idf ia. cohtest in Marton a successful contesfc, Mr. R. JEstall (Christchurch) , of ' Woolston fame, has accepted the position of adjudicator. An added attraetion will be the appearance of thq Dunedin Women's Band, which, at that time, will be making a tour of the North Island. All Blacks' Tour Tentative arrangements for broa'dcasting cornmentaries on tlm All Blacks' matches in South Africa next' year are being made by the National Broadcasting Service.- The service's "shortwave station at Makara is experiment^ ing with direct reception from the Union to determine the most favourable tinies and wavelengths for receiving the cofnnfentaries, Though an attempt may be made to. relay direct cornmentaries on each mateh, it is possible, because Of the djfferences in South African and New Zealand times, that the cornmentaries will be recorded by the service and broadcast at the most convenient times for the' listening public in New Zealand. PamirV. Steamer Although it is generally conceded that the sailing shjp has had her day she can, under favourable circumstances, still .give the steamer a. "good go* for" her money" When the ha^ue- Totnt'ded the Cape of " Gopd jlopje her radlo picked up a po'sitiori message from the, Whiteshell Park, a' moderh qargo vessel, placing her in the Pamir's lon'gitude and also headed across the . Ifidlan Ocean, Day by day the §teame?'& reports were picked up — at times she was a fqw thiles ' ahead, • at tinies behifid. After 27 days of gales the Pamir had covered the 4000-odd miles and had crosged the Indian Ocean —and the WMteshell Park beat her' by only 300 miletft