Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 121, 9 February 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Military Enlistments. On Monday next the following who have enlisted for the Special Military Force, will proceed to camp from Bay of Plenty districts: D. Laurient, Whakatane; J. J. Murtoch Taneatua; G. W. Clark, E. D. Tregoweth, E, G. Drake, M. Wilkinson, R. W. Pearce and F. C. Farley, Tauranga. Whakatane's Fire Alarms. Informing its readers that a new fire alarm system has been installed in Whakatane, an exchange adds comment. '"The system is similar to that which has been in operation in —— for several years. For a borough the size of Whakatane the boxes at present installed appears to be rather inadequate.'* Maori Next of Kin. A recruiting officer in a district with a large native population has remarked the curious fact that Maori recruits enlisting for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force almost invariably give the names of their fathers as the next of kin. Pakehas, on the other hand, usually give their mothers' names when asked for next of kin. The military officer has been unable to obtain an explanation of the Maori preference for the father, since the recruits Kvhom he has questioned on the point usually smile shyly and say that it is the right thing to do. "Blackout" Car. There can be no pleasure in motoring during England's blackouts, as is demonstrated by a motor car

brought lo New Zealand this week by an English visitor. All lamps— head and rear—are treated with a special black paint,, leaving in the headlamps only a bare two-inch square of white for the light to filter through. No reflectors whatsoever are allowed. In fact, the only effective lighting on the English car after its treatment appear to come from the bumper-bars and strips of metal along the running boards. These are treated with luminous paint. Civilian to Soldier! We have heard about the sentry at Narrow Neck who dropped his rifle and raised his hat when the inspecting officer came round, but he was a raw recruit. This one, vouched for by some of the men who saw it. concerns a returned soldier who was on guard duty at a point on the North Shore. He had just renewed his acquaintance with khaki and was on sentry duty for the fircl time—in this Avar. The inspecting officer came round the corner unexpectedly and saluted. Taken by surprise, the sentry's civilian soul— and not his military soul —responded. Forgetting present or any other form of salute, the sentry merely said . . . "How do you do!"