Local And General

Chronicle (Levin), 12 November 1949, Page 4

Local And General

Bequest For Concert Hall. Mrs. Ann Burgess, M.B.E., who died last month, aged 87, left £5000 to the New Plymouth City Council toward the cost of building a public concert c'hamber or concert hall either as part of the town hall or separately. This is one of a numtoer of public foequests provided in her wili, for which probate has been granted. Mrs. Burgess also left £500 to the St. Mary's Paroc'hial Trust Board of New Plymouth. Household Wizards. "British housewives are more than just housewives now — they are magicians. Their ingenuity, and their Invention, would do credit to anyone who had been lucky enough to train under both Mrs. Beeton and Thomas Edison. Professional magicians saw a woman in half and get* a ' lot of applause. British housewives take half of one person's ration and make it into a full meal for four people and therp's never so much as a single handclap." — Jon Cleary, an Australian novelist, speaking on housewives' difficulties, in the BBC programme, "Calling Australia." First "Automat" In New Zealand. It should be possible to walk into a Christchurch restaurant toward the en'd of next week, put a coin in a slot, and get a pie, a sandwich, -cakes, savouries, or a luncheon or supper packet. Machines of this type, the "automat," are common in cities in Europe and America, but the machine now being installed in Christchurch is the first in Australia and New Zealand. It is similar in design to overseas machines, though adapted to New Zealand conditions, and has been made in Christchurch. There are slots for threepences, sixpences, and shillings. Feathers And Hats. The Royal Australian Ornithologists' Union Conference last week 'decided to ask police in all{ Australian States to take action against women who wore feathers from protected birds in their hats. Delegates said the use of feathers to adorn hats was increasing. One , woman delegate said Sydney • police had recently warned two women that they could be fined £100 for having bird of paradise plumes in their hats. Another woman delegate, - who had a feather in her hait, explained that it was from the species "gallus domesticus"— a "dyed feather from a domestic hen.