NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 49, 28 February 1939, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Refugee Church Workers. It was stated at the Methodi Church conference that early arriva in New Zealand would include tv. refugees from Czechoslovakia hopir to enter the service of the churci One is a minister from the Methods Church in that country, who hopes t enter the New Zealand University and the other a fully-qualified docto who will seek to serve the church c a medical missionary in the Solomo Islands. Gentlewomen. A Palmerston North lady who ceiitly returned from Australia sa> that individual members of women organisations there invite 10 woine pensioners to afternoon tea cac month, giving them light entertain ment, opportunity lor iriendly talk and comparing handicrafts. Pictur parties or Iccturettes also give plea sure to hundreds of old people in th way. Rugb> and Defence. The management committee of th Auckland Rugby Union has decide to give its whole-hearted support tthe territorial movement. In a reso lution passed last week it requestei •all affiliated clubs to give earnes consideration to the appeal of recruit ing officers for recruits from Rugby players, as it was impressed with th< representations made by the defenc authorities as to the urgent necessity for increased strength in the Tern torial Forces. Women in Methodist Ministry. By a resolution of its conference the Methodist Church of New Zealam decided that its board of studic; should consider the establishment o an ordained ministry of women simi ]ar to that m the Methodist Churci ol Great Britain. The president (lh( Rev. Angus Mcßean) said a star would be the acceptance of mon women local preachers. Seven womci leaders in the church were added U the board of studies to consider tin question. Alan Ixneday Commended. Mr. Maurice Clare, the British violinist touring New Zealand for broad casting, heard Alan Loveday, the New Zealand prodigy of his own instrument, play in Wellington, and sail that the boy was definitely talented “It is high time, though,” said Mr Clare, “if he is to appear as a prodigy that he was taken in hand and helpec to study. He could appear at the age of 13, and that would give him three years before he would have to retire to study again before appearing as a mature artist. He could accumulate a big eno’igh repertoire and acquire enough technique to play for three years as a prodigy, and after that he could study abroad for his reappearance.” Nation of “Land Grabbers?” Expressing his conviction that Great Britain would be delivered from her laments by Divine intervention, Mr. T. N. Foster, British-Israel lecturer, v*hen speaking in the Auckland Town iTall on Sunday night, dismissed the suggestion that the British Empire hau been built up by “land grabbing.” He added, however, that he felt that he must tell the story of the Mohammedan and the missionary The missionary told his Mohammedan congregation that if they acted rightly they would ascend on death to a beautiful place called heaven, a land of utter contentment. “Where is this heaven?” asked the Mohammedan. The missionary told him. “No, there’** no such place,” came the native’s reply. “If there was such a heaven, the British would have crabbed it long ago.”

i Effect of Import Quotas. it Among the diverse effects of imE | port licensing control is an apparent o i tendency for merchants to place g [ orders for overseas goods up to the •- full extent of the quotas fixed by the •t ■ Customs Department. Although at 3 | the beginning of the year the amount s permitted to be imported, in some instances, exceeded the estimated re--s quirements of business firms for the n current six months, it is expected that the authority given will be used to the limit set by -the Department, except in most unusual circumstances. There are, according to Auckland im- ° porters, several reasons for ordering ; full quotas. One, it is stated, is the P possibility that the amount imported 11 this half-year may be made the basis ‘ for the corresponding period of next ~ year, and another is uncertainly ‘ ; whether the quotas will be reduced or ’ i increased in the second half of this ’ year. ' “Prices Too High.” i “A man is better on £3 a week in i England than on £5 a week in New 1 i Zealand. The prices for everything I i here are exorbitant.” This view was ’ | expressed to a Southland Times reI I porter by Mr. G. Sewell, retired chief 1 i engineer of a big iron and brass fit- ' ! ting firm in Doncaster, England. Mr. i Sewell has been in New Zealand for I more than 12 months on a leisurely J tour of the country. Prices in New :Zealand, he said, were twice as high as they were in* England. Clothing, ’cars, lent, fuel and foodstuffs were all high in price. He mentioned one make of car that cost an Englishman ’ J £lOO. In New Zealand, he said, the . I same car cost more than £2OO. Motort ing was dearer in all ways. Petrol was Is 4ld a gallon in England, and . was 2s 2d and more in New Zealand. , he said. “If it was not for the rate of L exchange. English people could not > come to the Dominion. The prices of ’ everything would be too much for , them,” Mr. Sewell added. ■ That Keep Fit Week Craze. 1 The vision of a pyjama-clad man swinging his arms and body about vigorously was plainly discernible . through the front window of a Hast- , ings house on Friday night. With the . blinds full up, and the light burning brightly passersby could not help but notice the display. Was his motive m tarrying out his exercises before the window just his way of stirring further interest in the Keep Fit Week, or was he unconscious of the fact • that he was performing before the public gaze? “Smooth as Butter.” An amusing description of an , euphonium solo he had once heard at a concert in Sydney was related by Captain H. R. Shugg in Christchurch, at the conclusion of the euphonium solo in the New Zealand bands contest. When the Sydney player had finished his piece a visiting violoncellist congratulated him on his performance, saying that he had made the music flow out “as smooth as butter.” Captain Shugg added that he thought the description typified the desirable qualities to be aimed at. in a euphonium solo. “The Singing Conductor.” Lieutenant W. H. Osborne, who conducted the Ashburton Silver Band to victory in the hymn test at the Dominion brass bands’ contest at . Christchurch, is known as the “Singing Conductor.” When leading his band, he invariably sings the air of : the selection being played. This is ' not his first victory in the hymn 1 test, for he was also successful on sev- c eral occasions when conductor of the t ITimaru Municipal Band. 4