NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1938, Page 8

NEWS AND NOTES

VARIOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST. City’s Biggest Drink. Christchurch’s biggest drink for a long time was recorded at Lancaster Park at the primary schools' annual athletic sports. Christchurch and suburban schools closed down for the day, but that did not mean that the children missed their daily milk ration; set out on the park oval in front of the pavilion were crates containing two thousand pint bottles of milk and three thousand straws were supplied. At lunch time the children lined up and marched past the milk depot, each of the two thousand present receiving an issue of a bottle and a straw. N.Z. Dog in Films. Considerable interest has been taken in New Zealand in the appearance in an American film, made by the famous sports commentator, Grantland Rice, of a New Zealand dog. In response to several requests, the Paramount Film Service (N.Z.), Ltd., has announced that the dog in the film was Boy V, owned by Mr N. Whyte, Colenso Avenue, Napier. Boy V has been placed first, second, or third in 117 sheep-dog competitions in New Zealand so far, including 57 firsts and has won £625 in cash. New Half-pennies. A small shipment of new half-pen-nies, struck in England, arrived in the Dominion recently. They are gradually making their appearance. On one side is the uncrowned head of King George VI, while on the reverse side is depicted an old sailing vessel, whose presence the bank authorities are unable to explain. It was suggested that the ship, which looks most like a Spanish galleon, might represent a historic event, such as the discovery of New Zealand by Tasman, or Captain Cook’s landing, but there are no clues to suggest this, and as the coins are also being circulated in England, the suggestion is unlikely.

Stewart Island Flounders. That the flounders of Stewart Island are deservedly noted for their firmness and delicacy of flavour is borne out by a letter from Rear-Ad-miral the Hon. E. R. Drummond, received by Mr F. H. W. Traill at Stewart Island (states a correspondent of the “Southland News.”). The admiral stated that “it was quite the finest fish I have eaten in New Zealand.” Among the curios shown to him by Mr Traill while the Achilles was at Stewart Island was a sample of the Maori weather glass, a natural bubble formed occasionally in the bull kelp which responds in some way to atmospheric pressure and foretells. climatic changes. This greatly interested the visitor and a small sample has since been posted to Admiral Drummond. Better Known Overseas?

That the New Zealand DX Radio Association, Incorporated, was perhaps better known overseas than in the Dominion is a conjecture expressed in the association’s annual report. Publicity has been dispatched regularly to England and the United States of America, the report states, and numerous articles and photographs have been forwarded dealing with New Zealand broadcasting and general radio to supplement the publicity. Attention to publicity over the international short-wave broadcasters in

Europe and the United States of America will be attended to during the coming financial year, the report concludes. Power of School Committees.

Greater power for school committees was urged by the Hon A. Burns, M.L.C., at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board recently, when members were expressing views which they desired the chairman, Mr T. U. Wells, to put forward when he addressed the Education Committee now sitting in Wellington to discuss the Education Amendment Bill. “An attempt should be made to get greater power for school committees, which are the direct representatives of the parents,” said Mr Burns. “They should have a greater voice in the management of their grounds and should have more funds to control.” Asked by the chairman to give specific instances where greater authority could be given, Mr Burns said that boards should be allowed to say whether male or female teachers should be appointed, and reiterated that the committees should be given more funds to control. A Favourite Dog.

A figure well known in Wanganui to pedestrians and motorists alike is a large sheep dog named Max, who rides on the front of a local firm’s lorry. The enjoyment which the canine derives from his rapid locomotion is obvious, as he barks into the wind with head erect and flying mane. Several ■ years ago Max came to the city from a farm, but after a taste of city life decided to make his home there. Rain or shine, the dog is always at his post between radiator cowling and mudguard, and he is a very crestfallen animal when his master forbids his accompanying him. The thousands of miles Max has travelled in his capacity of mascot are reflected in the mirror-like surfaces of the metal parts which have been in contact with his coat.