LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 209, 20 September 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Revue Company Arrives. The full company of tlie West End Londoji revue, "The Montague Sliow", arrived on the mid-day traiu to-day for their four nights' season at the Municipal Theatre, Hastings, commencing to-night. Citizens" Band Concert. Another fine programme of music was provided by the Hastings Citizens' Band at Cornwall Park yipsterday afternoon. There was a large crowd piesent, and the varied programme of marclies, hymns, selections and popular airs was fully appreciated. A collection in aid of the band's funds realised £3 3/4. Rugby Accidents. The hard grounds at Nelson Park, Hastings, on Saturday were not appreciated by the Rugby players, who made very frequent calls upon members of the St. John Ambu|ance Brigade. Two serious mishaps were rocorded, O, Gadd (Hastings H.S.O.B.) aufiered a badly spraiiied ankle while playing in the junior grade game, and F. Clark (Havelock North) received a broken coilarbonc I11 tiae tliird grado ;nritch. Garden Competition. Though the time of entry expires tMs evening, the response to date to the Hastings and District Progress League's competition for the best-kept residential garden in Hastings, has not been as great as anticipated. To date only a few of the 50 reqiured cntries have been reqeived, but it is not ku own yet exactly how many entries there are, as all the sced-merchants are receiving depots A Quiet Week-end. "A very quiet week-end" was the Police ieport this mornjng regarding accidents jn Hastings. The only motor accident reported was early on Saturday evening, wlien a ear, driven by Mr Raymond Kennedy, collided with a stationary lorry drive.. by Mr John McCann, opposite Mrs Iloberts' store in St. Aubyn street east. Botli vehicles were fairly extensively damagcd, especially the car, and a verandali post was damaged. No-one was injured. Spottjng Fish By Air. With a view to obtaining the widest possible information with regard to the migration of fish, and for the purpose of locating fishing grounds outside the areas at present worked, the Commonwealth Government has been conducting an areal survey of the Queensland coast and of the waters within 20 miles of the coastline. As a result, many new fishing grounds have been located, and with other investigations which tho Government purposes to complete in the near future it is hoped to he able to commence a fish canning industry. Where Women Predominate. Although the last census showed that for every 1000 European males in New Zealand there were only 9/2 females, it also revealed that some cities and towns had a substantial majority of l'emalo inhabitants. For many years Nelson used to be a target for jokes about its "one eligible young man," but the census figures show that other centres have a greater preponderance of women. Dunedin lieads tlie list witb 115 females to every 100 males, and others in order are; Christchurch, 114; New Plymouth, 112 , Auckland and Timaru, 111 ; Palmerston North and Nelson, 110; Wanganui, Invercargill and Hamilton, 109: Gisborne, Hastings and Wellington, 106 ; Napier, 105. Spell-Binding Telephones. Each year at the Brisbane c>how one of the most original exliibits is that of the Postmaster-General's Department. This year it took the form of a Parliameutary debate by telephones weariug i'aces and diessed np to represent livmg Parliamentarians. The bill before tlie House sought to make it compulsory for every liouseliolder to install a telephone. The figures rose to address the Speaker. their inouths opening and shutting as they spoke. They turned towards their fellow-members to emphasise each point, and tlie debate was interrupted with the usual Parliamentary interjections. The whole of the display was designed and constructed by the Department's employees in Brisbane, and was controlled by electrical recordings. Froebel Centenary. Christchurch City Council officers, and some city councillors themselves, looked blankly at one another. They liad received an invitation from tho Christchurch Free Kindergarten Association to attend a social afternoon on September 23 next. So far so good. Tliey were grateful for the invitation. Some of them, no doubt, would be .pleased to accept; but tliere was a mystery. Tho invitation included the cryptic words, "Frobel Centenary." Who or what, tliey wanted to know, was Froebel? A little research answered the question. Friedrich Froebel, who was born in Genmany, was a teacher and educationaj reformer. He established the first institution for the education of little children at the viliage of Blankenburg. Froebel was tlie father of tlie kindergarten movement, and the opening of his first such school is to be celebrated throughout the world. In Christchurch tho Free Kindergarten Association is observing tlie occasion with due ceremony.

R.S.A. Membership. In a Tist distrihuted by New Zealand lieadquarters at Wellington on July 31 tlie Christchurch branoh of the New Zealand lleturned Soldiers' Association. with 2006 members, was at tlm head of tlie membership ladder for tlie Doininion, with Dunedin next by virtue oJ' 1859 members. How quickly tlie figures change might be exemplified by tlie fact that last week -tlie Christchurch membership liad risen to 223P, compared with 1843 on September 15 last year. Tlie returns are made periodically to lieadquarters, and generally the Auckland branch heads the list, but in July the Auckland returns up to date liad not been received when. the list was •published. At the moment the Auckland membership stands at 2800, and at the end of the financial year it is expected to reach 4000^