LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20255, 26 July 1937, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

British War Loan. —British xvar loan 3$ per cent, was quoted In London on Saturday at £IOO, compared with £99 15s on Friday.

Infantile Paralysis In Melbourne.— Three more cases of suspected infantile paralysis were reported in Melbourne at the week-end.

Huge Damage by Rabbits. —lt is estimated, that depredations by wild rabbits in Great Britain cost farmers and landowners £50,000,000 a year.

Fruit In Good Demand. —A cable message from London states that the fruit position remains strong and there should be a steady market for the remainder of the season.

Cancer Institute. —The United States Congress has created a National Cancer Institute for research and has voted 750,000 dollars for a building and an annual appropriation of 700,000 dollars.

Gold From Peru. —The Lima correspondent of the New York Times states that Peruvian gold production in 1936 totalled 4740 kilograms valued at 3,334,000 dollars—the highest in the Republican era, and an increase of 1293 kilograms over last year.

Car-parking Problem. —A company with a nominal capital of £IOO,OOO has been registered in Melbourne with the ODject of erecting a steel reinforced building as a car park. The situation selected Is in the heart of the city.

Rise In Price of Carpets. —An Increase of about 10 per cent, in carpet prices, to take effect on June 30, has been announced by the Carpet Manufacturers’ Association in England. This represents a return to the level obtaining in September, 1928.

British Treasury Bills. —The total amount applied for last week in tenders for £40,000,000 worth of British Treasury bills was £89,805,000. The average rate per cent, for bills at three months was 10s 4.30 d, against 10s 0.99 d a week ago.

Body Recovered. —A body believed to be that of Olga Valerie Bentley (20), who has been missing since June 4 was found near Victoria wharf Dunedin yesterday morning. Miss Bentley left her home on the morning stated, to go to her work, since when all trace of her was lost.

Modern China. —Dr. A. Taylor, of the China Inland Mission in his address at St. Andrew’s Church, Hamilton, paid warm tribute to .the Chinese generalissimo, whom he stated was accomplishing great things. The immensity of his task was not generally recognised. Few in this country realised that China was a larger territory than the whole of- Europe, and when this fact was grasped it would be admitted that the progress of reform during the last 20 years could only be described as amazing.

Who Listens to Broadcasts? —A question which might be raised in New Zealand or other countries by broadcasting officials was: “Who is listening?" remarked Sir Percy Meadon, Director of Education, Lancashire, in an interview recently in Christchurch. It was difficult for a director of broadcasting to know how many people he was pleasing, he added, but the question had been answered in one interesting case In England. Some time after 11 o’clock at night, at the conclusion of a serious programme, the announcer, as a finish to the day, read some poem—a subject which would not be regarded usually as a highly popular one. In the course of reading the announcer asked if the listeners realised how difficult it was to choose poems, and then asked for suggestions to be sent in. In spite of the subject and the lateness 13,000 replies were received.

China’s Bane. —Superstition and ignorance are the bane of China stated Dr. A. Taylor, during ills address at St. Andrew’s Church, Hamilton yesterday morning. With a civilisation antedating that of Europe, it nevertheless is sunk deeply in the throes of superstition and all untoward circumstances and events are laid lo the charge of evil spirits and ignorance was supreme in many areas. Schools had been established for centuries, hut these did not touch the masses, and upwards of 75 per cent of the people could neither read nor write. There had been a great awakening in this regard in recent years due largely to the operations of Mission Schools and the Chinese authorities were being aroused to the necessity for educating the people as a whole. The. slaughter of girls as infants was still largely practised. It is an economic problem with Chinese, who regard the birth of a daughter as a domestic disgrace.

With stocktaking very clcce at hand Hooker & Kingston Limited, have* made further reductions in many lines that must be cleared, for we do not carry over seasonable merchandise from one season to another. Ladies’ Coats clearing at 59/6, usually 84/-; Tweed Costumes, at 35/-, usually 55/-; Worsted Costumes, most suitable for early spring wear, at 69/6, usually 99/G. Ladies’ Handbags, at 7/11, usually 14/6 and 16/6. Triple weight Molleton, 36in. wide, at 3/11. usually 4/11. Blind Holland, 42in. wide, at L 9 yard, usually 2 11; Cottage Weave, 46in. wide al 1/6, usually 2/3 yard, are only a few of this week's sensational bargains at Hooker A Kingston Limited —The Store for Better Value Always.* *

Atlantic Air Malle. —The transCanada link of the Atlantic air mall service has been postponed until the spring. Winnipeg Is to he the temporary terminus.

Automobile Association Members.— Sixty new members were elected at the last meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Wanganui), making the total membership more than 2700.

Salutary Fine. —At Tauranga on Saturday Raffle Edwards was fined £25 plus expenses, in default one month’s imprisonment, with cancellation of license for two years for driving a motor-cycle while in a state of Intoxication.

Still Serious. —The little girl, Earlie Elkington (6), who was admitted to the Waikato Hospital on Saturday suffering from severe head injuries, is still In a very serious condition. She was involved in a motor collision on the Great South Road Just north of Huntly.

Landing Competition. —-The competition for the Runnymede Challenge Cup, for landing performance, which was to have been beld yesterday under the auspices of the Waikato brancli of the Auckland Aero Club was postponed on account of bad weather, and will be held on Sunday week, August »• i.xsart

Malicious False Alarm. —The Hamilton Fire Brigade received a call from the alarm box at the corner of Pembroke and Clarence Streets at 5.30 last evening, but it was discovered to be a malicious false alarm. This is the first call of the kind received by the brigade for three years. The law provides a fine of £SO or one month’s imprisonment for such offences.

Fast Flight. —-What is claimed to be a record flight (between Auckland and Wellington for a light aeroplane was made yesterday by Wing-Commander the Hon. R. A. Cochrane, Chief of the New Zealand Air Force, in the Public Works Department’s Whitney Straight. The journey of approximately 280 miles was covered in 2 hours 9 minutes.

A Growing Army. — T hope that the number of public ■servants, which seems to be increasing, is not likely to deprive our juries of the proper persons," said his Honour, Mr Justice Reed, at the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, Wellington, the other day, when several persons applied for exemption from Jury service on the ground that they were public servants.

China’s Wealth. —In his address at St. Andrew’s Church, Hamilton, yesterday morning, Dr. A. Taylor, secretary of Scotland for the China Inland Mission, stated that China was immensely rich in minerals. In one province alone there was coal sufficient to meet the world's demands for fully 300 years. All metals, with the exception of platinum, were there awaiting exploitation.

Imported Pheasants. — thirty-nine pheasants destined for the Wellington Acclimatisation Society's game' farm at Paraparaumu are included in the cargo of the motor-liner Rangitane, which sailed from London on Thursday, and is due at Wellington on August 25. The pheasants are the gift of Mr. Eric Riddiford and are being brought out by courtesy of the New Zealand Shipping Company.

Heavy Rail and Road Traffic.—An exceptionally busy time was experienced by railway officials at Frankton Junction during the week-end in coping with the heavy rail traffic to and from Auckland. The limited express was crowded last evening, and the New Plymouth train was also packed. A continuous stream of cars passed along the Main South Road on Saturday evening and all day on Sunday.

Minister of Education. —“ We have in charge of education to-day a Minister who has a true conception of what school education should be," said the president, addressing the annual meeting of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Educationalist Institute. “ Mr. Fraser is quite conversaut with the deplorable state of many of our schools and the lack of appliances needed to give our children the best possible education. A Minister’s policy, however, must in general be one acceptable to the public, and I believe our policy as an institute should be one of cultivating enlightened public opinion."

His Mlstak®. —Doubtless there are many stories of the Springbok football match in Auckland on Saturday but one' of the best Is told of a suburban garage attendant. A customer drove into the petrol station shortly after the game and immediately opened conversation on what appears to have been the' sole topic of tho day. Various aspects of the match were discussed and the garage attendant, although regretting that he had not been able to see the' encounter, said he had heard that the Auckland fullback was below his usual form. Surprise struck him speechless when the customer remarked as he drove off, “ Yes, I wasn’t much good." The' motorist was the Auckland fullback.

New Zealand Lamb. —Nearly every town and village in Britain organised a oarnival procession as part of its coronation celebrations. Anticipating a great demand for fancy dresses, the London office of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board circularised the whole of the retail meat trade in Britain offering to supply red, while and blue crepe paper on which was printed In gold the phrase "New Zealand Lamb." Sketch designs were also made available to show how this material could he effectively made up into costumes and also turned to good ac-

count for the decoration of trade vehicles and delivery cycles. The response was so ovorwhelmifig that extra staff had to l)c engaged to meet the demand, which cante from nil over the country. Nearly 4000 fancy costumes as well as 334 designs for delivery vans and cars, and 390 designs for decorating trade cycles were distributed. and must have reminded hundreds of thousands of people of New Zealand's choice product. Many of the costumes won prizes.