NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 222, 18 September 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Assets of Rotorua. "Whatever else may be affected by changing world conditions, the assets of Rotorua remain permanent," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, in an interview in Rotorua. The war had deterred hundreds of overseas visitors who would otherwise have come to Rotorua, he said, but these would come later. Distressing Duty. "It is distressing to have to make reference at each meeting to former members of the club who have given their lives for the Empire, and I can assure you that their loss is felt among the members of the club," stated Mr. H. W. Lightband at the meeting of the committee of the Xew Plymouth Aero Club last night. "The New Plymouth club appears to have been unlucky in the number of its pilots who have lost their lives," he added.

About Political Prisoners. "Don't ask me to get excited about them," declared Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P., when asked at his Palmerston North meeting what he was prepared to do to secure a revision of gaol sentences on "political prisoners." "I am not going to be concerned over the plight of a man who has been sent to gaol for telling a soldier not to go to the war. The best trench is worse than the worst gaol. My concern is for those thousands of young men going overseas. They are going to have a tough time, too, and worse than the man in gaol." Saving £5216. By doing the work itself instead of accepting the lowest tender for a stone embankment at Okahu Bay, Orakei, the Auckland Harbour Board saved £5216. This was revealed at yesterday's meeting of the board, when the chairman, Mr. H. Luke, said that the work had been completed. He explained that the lowest tender was £12,198, and the work had cost £6982. He thought the superintendent and engineer, Mr. D. Holderness, should be congratulated, because it was on his recommendation that the board had carried out the work. No Bullfighters. Groups of One Tree Hill residents waiting for an early bus this morning were startled in turn by the appearance of a large and apparently ferocious bull trotting along the road and inspecting each bus-stop group with a bloodshot eye, which seemed to grow more ominous as he proceeded. It was a battle of nerves. Strong men maintained their prestige and their ground only with difficulty, and with many an anxious glance at nearby fences and trees, which promised shelter should the worst come to the worst. From the comparative safety of the bus, however, the matter took on a different aspect, and passengers viewed the beast continuing on his way with merely a superior smile.

Producer Cos Buses. Producer gas is being used on one of the service cars of the Railways Department's road motor services between Rotorua and Auckland, and another car is being converted and will be on the road within a few days. Experiments were first embarked upon over 12 months ago, when it was obvious petrol would be rationed and its price would increase. A plant was evolved specially suited to service car work, and was installed on a large vehicle at Napier. As a result of further tests, the Department has decided to instal approximately 40 gas producing plants on vehicles in the North Island. They will be manufactured at Woburn. The plant weighs 6cwt when fully loaded with fuel and water for a journey. On the first run to Auckland, the 21passenger service car on which the first plant was installed returned a saying of two-thirds of the petrol, the vehicle consuming five gallons on the trip instead of 15. On the return trip only four gallons of petrol were used, and it is anticipated the amount will further decrease. "Something About Them."

"Once a New Zealander always a New Zealander" is the tone of a letter recently received from a member of the First Echelon in Egypt. He speaks of the new hat issue as follows: "We had an issue of topees recently, mainly because the Old felt hats were getting too old. Some of them were definitely disreputable after 11 months' wear. For all that they are typically the Tommies' headgear, you can always pick an Enzedder in spite of the disguise and without looking for any identification marks. Maybe it's just the tilt of his hat or the way he walks, but there's an unidentifiable something about him." Referring to a cinema show he had visited recently, the same writer says, "It was rather spoilt, however, by the fact that the open-air picture theatre was back to back with another, with only a fence between. You actually hear rather more of the second picture than you do of the one you go to see." Finally, the letter expresses something of the spirit of all the troops wherever they may be: "We know, of course, that there may be a sticky time ahead, but when it does come we'll be ready. The sooner it starts the sooner it will be finished. We've got a job to do, and we want to get it finished and go home." Farm Hands and Housing. The problem of providing casual farm labour in an effort to assist farmers to increase production was discussed at a meeting of local bodies and the Farmers' Union at Te Aroha. Mr. E. W. Nicolaus, placement officer at Paeroa, addressed the meeting. Mr. H. H. Dorr said when the Government first made an appeal for increased production farmers generally responded, entertaining hopes that out&ide labour would be available if required. As time went on, not only did the casual labour question become acute, but many workers who were permanently employed had offered their services in the forces. . While many had promised to increase production, the difficulty might be to, maintain it at its present standard. Mr. Nicolaus said if suitable accommodation could be arranged there should be ho trouble in securing married men. While the majority of farmers provided suitable accommodation for farm hands, others were more careless in this respect. It was not the farm work the average man feared; it was the conditions and treatment. Because of isolated instances of farmers not giving fair treatment to workers, the industry as a whole had been and still was branded with an unjustified stigma. A motion was carried: "That this meeting urges the Government to erect suitable married men's hutments for the use of casual farm labourers for the Te Aroha district,"