NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20065, 11 October 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Education Department Grants Advice has been received by Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., from the Hon. P. Eraser, Minister of Education, oi approval having been given to grants lor a new school at the Public Works Department’s camp at Piripaua, near Tuai, and for ground improvements at To Hapara School Greyhounds in Form A successful series of trials was staged on the Victoria Domain, recently by the Gisborne Greyhound Owners’ Association, in conjunction with the Gisborne Sports Club, and 20 new dogs were seen oh the track. Both hurdle and fiat events were run of! and it was noted that some of the greyhounds making their first appearance displayed creditable form. Next Saturday further trials will be held on the Domain. tVairoa Hospital Patients In ail, 143 patients were treated in the Wairoa Hospital during September. The number of patients remaining in hospital on August 31 was 59, while patients admitted during September totalled 84. Eightyfour patients were discharged last month, three died, while the number remaining in hospital on September 30 was 56. Twenty operations were performed during Septembei and (the ‘average number of occupied beds was 56.5.--Special. A Popular Sport Reference to the recent death in England while on active service of Pilot Officer, B. Harker, a son of the Mayor and Mayoress of Wairoa, was made by the chairman, Mr. R. M. McDonald, at the annual meeting of the Wairoa Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club. The chairman stated that Pilot Officer Harker had taken a keen interest in sport in Wairoa, having represented the district both at football and rowing, and he had proved himself to be a very populai sport. Members stood in silence os a mark of respect.—Special. Esk River Bridge A tender of £10,700 3s 3d has been accepted by the Public Works Department for the reconstruction of the Esk River bridge, which was destroyed in the April floods of last year. The successful tenderer was the Rope Construction Company. The bridge is to be rebuilt in reinforced concrete, of seven or eight spans. It will be 24ft. wide and 450 ft. long. The site of the new bridge will be a short distance upstream from the temporary bridge now coping with the traffic between Napier and Gisborne. Eclipse of Sun There will be an eclipse of the sun to-morrow. The eclipse will be seen as a partial one only in New Zealand, the area of totality being in the vicinity of the South Pole. The sun to-morrow will rise at 5.42 a.m. At 6.54 a.m. the moon will begin to insert itself between the earth and the sun. The maximum phase of the eclipse will be reached at 7.51 a.m., at which time .65 of the sun’s disc will be obscured. The partial eclipse will continue until 8.54 a.m. The obscuration of nearly two-thirds of the sun will make a perceptible difference to the amount of sunlight. Holidays as Usual “Don’t mind Hitler; have your holidays,” proclaimed the British booking agencies at the height of the summer season last July. Whether or not the public did as it was advised cannot be ascertained at the moment, but to all appearances the fact that war hasbeen declared is not going to make the New Zealander in general, forego his annual holiday away from the hubbub of the cities. Indications at the Government Tourist Bureau at the moment are for a Christmas and New Year equally as busy as last year’s—New Zealanders at least are ready to prove that depression or “war nerves” are not going to get the better of them. Liberty or Efficiency All the ideals of freedom associated with democracy are being assailed today because it is realised that where political freedom reigns a good deal is lost in the way of efficiency. This opinion was expressed by Mr. J. E. Strachan at a meeting of the Canterbury Progress League during a discussion on the question of introducing the conscription of man-power in New Zealand. Personal experience had convinced him that under democracy people lacked the enthusiasm that was apparent in totalitarian countries, said Mr. Strachan. It seemed that if democracy was to survive, inspired leadership was necessary. “It seems we are faced with choosing between liberty and efficiency,” he concluded. Behaviour of School Children The behaviour of some of the school children attending the sports meetings last season, was the subject of comment by Mr. C. M. Piikingion at the annual meeting of the Wairoa Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club. Mr. Pilkington stated that on several occasions last season spectators were unable to hear the announcer owing to-the noise created by some of the school children on the stand. He was of the opinion that if that state of affairs was allowed to continue during the coming season it would have an adverse affect on the attendance at the meetings. He moved a recommendation to the incoming executive that the children be seated in the front of the stand under the care of a member of the teaching staff. The recommendation was carried. Special.