NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 17, 15 October 1943, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Religion In Schools

After a debate the Anglican Synod in Dunedin, dropped a resolution presented bj’ the sessional committee pressing for right of entry into schools to teach Anglican children the faith. An amendment was carried that as the national education system would be recast shortly the Church should then press for entry, but ultimately the Synod adopted a suggestion by Dean Cruickshank that the whole resolution be dropped.—P.A. Poop Fishing Prospects. All the rivers and streams in the AA’ellington Acclimatization Society’s district are in heavy spate and it is improbable that they will be fishable at the weekend.

Long-Stemmed Daffodil. A daffodil with a stalk about three times the normal length has been grown by Mrs. Tyley, of Alacandrew Bay, Dunedin. Measurement showed the stalk, long and healthy, to be 34in. long. Shorter Ties.

Shorter ties are among the latest effects of the war on men’s attire, and some using the new neckwear for the first time have experienced an unexpected sense of brevity. The loss, however, is more imaginary than real, as the visible part of the tie is unaffected.

Heads the Empire. For the third year running Hie Canterbury branch of the Royal Life-saving Society has won the Empire-wide competition for the Sydney J. Monks Memorial Shield. The shield is awarded annually on a percentage of bronze bars to bronze medallions, and Canterbury’- win was recorded with a percentage of 41.76, the previous percentages being 45.5 and 33.1.

English Pronunciation. An amusing instance of the confusion resulting from a difference in pronunciation of the English language was provided the other day. An American serviceman drove a truck to an Auckland scoria pit intending to get a load, 'but he was informed by the man in charge that he would have to see the clerk. “Clark, dark,” said the puzzled serviceman. “The only dark I know is the one that goes tick-tark!” Unlawfully on Premises.

For having been found without lawful excuse in a washhouse on premises in Abel Smith .Street on M’ednesday night. Thomas Greenwood 'Schofield, fitter, aged 51. was sentenced to 34 days’ imprisonment bv Mr. Stout. S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, AVellingtou, yesterday. .Accused said he was waiting for a friend to get him some beer with which to welcome home some soldier friends when the police walked in. Auckland Gas Emiployees.

At a well-attended meeting of the Auckland Gas AVorkers’ Union on Tuesday night it was decided, after discussion of the whole of the gas situation as it affected members, to ask the Government immediately to investigate the grievances of the men. Recently the Manpower Appeal Committee in Auckland had to consider the case of men who wished to leave gas work to work on the wharves and who absented themselves for odd days for the purpose. Direction Indicators.

His Majesty’s Forces (Motor Vehicles) Suspension Order, gazetted last night, exempts left-hand drive trucks owned by the armed forces from having direction indicators and from needing a blue front light at night when drawing a trailer or a load of excessive length. The measure is a wartime emergency one resulting from the shortage of indicators and lights, and it is stated that every effort is being made to comply with the normal regulations. Immigration Policy.

The Government is to be asked for a clearly-dcfinedsnmmigration .policy and also to appoint a Minister of Immigration. It was pointed out at the conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in Napier that the population of the Dominion could not exceed 1,800,000 on the present trend of the birth-rate. 2\.fter discussion the conference decided to make the requests stated. —P.A.

Hon. AAL Nash’s Position. The Temuka branch of the Social Credit Movement passed the following resolution at its monthly- meeting: “That we desire to register our definite objection to the projected departure of the Hon. AV. Nash for Washington, claiming that as Minister of Finance'his duty is certainly in New Zealand, and that this important office should not be relegated to anyone else during the present crisis; further, that if it 'be necessary’ for Mr. Nash to go to AA’ashington, another Minister be appointed permanently to the position of Minister of Finance.” The Young Idea Learning.

There was an unusually large and picturesque “gallery” at the Dunedin City Council meeting on Monday night, the visitors being boy scouts, all in uniform. They had, the mayor. Mr. A. H. Allen, explained, attended for the purpose of gaining knowledge of the methods of civic administration, and in expressing pleasure at their presence, he remarked that he wished that other sections of the community, specially the younger ones, would come along and see for themselves how the business ot the city was conducted. Ducks on Increase.

Because ducks are much less susceptible to weather vagaries than are hens, some commercial poultrykeepers who have been faced with an acute housing problem for their stock concentrated on ducks in adding to their flocks this year. Housewives have remarked on the fact that duck eggs have been a good deal more plentiful than usual, but in spite of their greater size they have never found wide favour. A poultryman comments that it might become necessary in the peak .production period to make a greater differentiation in price between the two varieties than the present penny a dozen for standard grades. A Debt of Honour. There were ■ three of them, sheltering under a tree in Crete to evade the German stukas and paratroops with which the air above was thronged. It was one of these situations from which they could only have been extricated by some miraculous power, and the end, which might very well be death, seemed ominously near. New Zealand, their homeland. seemed very remote, and very desirable. Said one: “Well, if we get out of this lot I’ll give a fiver to a good cause.” The miracle happened. They escaped. And now a lady in Wellington has received £5 with a request that it should be given, at her owu discretion, to a worthy cause. The debt of honour has been paid. Nurses’ Wages. The Auckland Hospital Boardi at its meeting this week, resolved to appeal to the Arbitration Court against the refusal of the wages commissioner at Auckland to approve a joint application by the board and its nurses for permission to increase nurses’ wages by £l3 a year. Members stated that the increase had been due long before the date of wage stabilization and that the appeal was fully justified. A notification was received from the Arbitration Court that it had approved an increase of 2/6 a week in the wages of adult female laundry workers employed by the board, retrospective to December 21. 1942. The Court stated that in its opinion the conditions under which the women worked warranted such a margin above the Court's usual rate for female factory workers. Retrospective payment bad been agreed to by the parties.