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Evening Star, Issue 20053, 19 December 1928, Page 6

Despite the large number of men taken on by the City Council last week, the number of unemployed on the books of the Government Labour Bureau shows no appreciable decrease (telegraphs our Christchurch correspondent). There were 182 fresh applications for work during the week, and this brought the total number of men on the books up to 342, as against 350 at the end of the previous week.

“Wo still feel .the cramping influence of the matriculation examination which, instead of being the entrance to university life only, is used as the entrance to almost all occupations,” said Miss Clark, principal of the Christchurch Girls' High School, at the annual prize-giving last evening. “ The institution of a leaving certificate that would allow for wider differentiation of curricula seems the only solution of the difficulty. .Perhaps, with the establishment of the junior high schools, the institution of such a leaving certificate will soon be recognised as a necessity.” Christchurch correspondent.

There is a hitch iu the acceptance of the Government’s subsidy of £2,000 for the unemployed in Wellington. This involves the City Council raising a loan of equal amount, and the mayor has informed Sir Joseph Ward that the council had already made provision for £IO,OOO during tho past month, and a further loan is impossible. The mayor states that tho council has already raised £35,000 for unemployment works this year, which is more tnan any other centre has done, and ho does not feel that he can call on the council to raise a further sura.— Press Association.

From tho Hon. E. A. Hansom, Minister of Public Works, Mr J. W. Munro, M.P.. has received the following message in reply to representations by him: —“Tho Main Highways Board has authorised work on the Green islandTawri Mouth road, in order that forty relict workers who are finishing up on the Blueskin-Port Chalmers road may be provided with further employment.”

The Finance Committee will recommend to the Otago Hospital Board that the agreement with the Southland. Hospital Board be renewed for a period of twelvo months as from October 1, 1928, subject to a reduction of payment from the Southland Hospital Board to the rate of £4OO per annum, the agreement to now cover all the main and country Hospitals, including the infectious Diseases Hospital, and that the application of Mr H. Kennett for transfer of contract for the supply of bread to Pleasant Valley Sanatorium and Palmerston Hospital to Messrs Cnpstick and Cossgrovo be approved.

Before tho Reform Government resigned it authorised a grant of £IO,OOO to the Auckland Hospital Jifiard to recompense that body for the money it had spent on tho extraordinary relief of unemployment. The late Cabinet’s decision was convoyed to tho uuard yesterday by the Director-General of Healtii. The chairman (Mr W. Wallace) said the grant was made in accordance with a promise given by Air Coates, and reflected credit on Air Coates. He had played tho man and kept his promise to the board.—Auckland correspondent. Tho old Hebrew synagogue on tho Terrace, Wellington, is being demolished to make way for a new brick and concrete structure costing £II,(XX). Tho synagogue was built about 1874. Tho foundation stone of the new building will be laid about the middle of next month.—Press Association telegram.

At the break-up of the Macandrew Road .School to-day George Henry .Deans was presented with a gold medal for his wonderful attendance, which is said to constitute an Otago record. Ho was entered on this school roll when five years and six months old, is now 13f years of age, and has never missed a day in the eight years. This month ho took his proficiency certificate. Good progress is being made with the long drive to get to the bottom of the shaft of the old cinnabar mine at Waitahuna Heights, Mr Joseph Undenv., , who came from the West Coast to do tho job, was in town today to see Mr W. E. C. Reid, secretary to tho syndicate, and reported that of tho 300 ft cut 94ft is m>w finished. No unforeseen difficulty has been met with. From Sir James and Lady Parr the mayor (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) has received a unique Christmas card containing a photograph of tho High Commissioner signing on behalf of New Zealand tho Peace Pact in the famous Salle do I’Hoiloge, Paris, on August 27, 1928. A five-scater Velio sedan oar, the property of Mr H. Divers, was completely destroyed by fire at Wingatui about 9.30 yesterday morning, Mr Divers was endeavouring to start the car when a tongue of flame leapt from the engine and rapidly increased in size until it enveloped the whole raachone, which was entirely burnt. The car was covered by a policy of £SOO in the A.P.A. Office.

An individual who obviously is not fond of motor cars once remarked ironically that Dunedin should 1 demolished and completely rebuilt according to plans which would suit motorists. Whatever justification there may be for this outburst .. is clear that a large section of the legal fraternity and practically every defendant who appears in the Police Court considers that a clean sweep should be made of many of the existing motor traffic regulations. There were no fewer than twenty-five cases set down for hearing in the court this morning, the charge against one and all being that of dangerous driving across intersections. Some of the defendants were represented by solicitors, who, after some discussion and the ventilation of criticism at the expense of the regulations, unanimously pressed for an adjournment. Mr H. E. Barrowclough, who appeared for the City Corporation, stated that the traffic inspectors were having some difficulty in carrying out their work under the present regulations, After several adjournments had been requested a lull came, and the magistrate (Mr J. E. Bartholomew, S.M.) raised a laugh by asking: “ Wnat about adjournments for the other cases ? Do you wish to spoil Christmas for these motorists? ” “ The regulations are difficult. They are not intelligible— not even grammatical,” declared Mr B. S. Irwin, carrying on the attack. Later it was indicated that the object was to get a ruling from a test case which would act as a guide in the matter of speed at intersections; and proceedings were adjourned until January 23. The City Brigade was called out at 4.58 p.m. yesterday to extinguish an outbreak of fire in a rubbish tip in Ward street. No damage was done.

Tbo Christie Unit organ installed at, the New Empire Theatre has 136 stops and 12,kcy pistons, the largest number of stops' on any organ in New Zealand. Our descriptive article last night credited the instrument with only 61 stops, A Christchurch Association telegram states that judgment in tho case of the Dominion Motors, Ltd., v. John Fleming and Sarah Jane Fleming, a claim of £2,000, was delivered by Mi Justice Adams in the Supreme Court this morning. The action was dismissed. Only between £BS and £9O will be received by the Now Zealand hospitals as a result of tho sales of the Southern Cross flags, which were reported at today’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board to have been largely *a failure. The Finance Committee reported: “ With regard to the Southern Cross souvenir hospital fund raffle, it is to be regretted that this was to a great extent a failure. The approximate profit shown by the board’s efforts was £416, whilst, taking all the charges into account. Auckland shows a profit of £145, Wellington about £2B, and Dunedin £O7. After deducting onehalf of the amount payable to the Sydney Hospital, this will leave from £BS to £9O for each of the main New Zealand hospitals.” Christchurch Press Association telegram.

Fisher bus and car service daily to Brighton ; available for picnics, excursions.— Booking office, 77 Castle street; phone 11-234.—[Advt.] Go to Todd’s " White House,” George street, the dollies' hospital and children’s real toy shop, for all Christmas gifts.— fAdvt.] Touring parties require field glasses. The Octagon optician, Mr W. Y. Stunner, invites inspection of tho 11 Little Gem,” £4 10s; worth £l2 10s.—[Advt.j Christmas greetings received, and heartily reciprocated, from the ‘Oamaru Mail’ Company, tho New Zealand staff of the Canadian National Steamships and the Candian National Railways, and the Gollin and Co. Proprietary.

Tho Railway .Department advertises in this issue the running of additional relief express trains between Christchurch and Dunedin on Saturday, December 22; also other train alterations in connection therewith.