General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23968, 8 June 1943, Page 4

General News

Lone Scouts At the annual conference of South Island scouters in Dunedin yesterday, the Dominion Chief Commissioner. Mr Hector Christie, made special mention of the valuable work of the lone scout department. This work, he said, was a marvellous boon to boys in remote districts, lighthouses, and similar places. Through scouting, these boys could be given training which would be a great asset to them in facing the period of post-war reconstruction. Mr Christie also emphasised the importance of the work of the handicapped scouts department, which had establishments in most large hospitals, and gave great assistance in training the character of boys physically disabled.— (P.A.) Railway Waggon Derailed During shunting in the Sockburn railway yards last evening, a goods waggon was derailed. Because of the derailment, the rail-car from the West Coast, which usually arrives in Christchurch at 10.23 p.m.. was held up for about an hour. Goods trains were also delayed while the obstruction on the line was removed. Deer-Culling Operations A total of 11,656 deer were destroyed in the official culling operations, and 5432 skins were saved for the year to March 31, according to the annual report of the Department of Internal Affairs. Private hunters sold 3395 skins to the department and 1508 were sent in by the Army bush and mountain warfare parties, these being resold with departmental skins. The total sold for export was 12.109. The departmental operations figure of 11,656 included 4042 in Marlborough, Nelson, and North Canterbury, and 4133 in North Otago, Otago, and South Westland, where 458 thar and 59 chamois were also destroyed. The total of deer destroyed in the year June 1, 1941, to May 31, 1942, was 15.173. The report stated that operations had been reduced somewhat this year through manpower difficulties. The Liquor Trade Support for the proposal made recently suggesting that a Royal Commission should be set up to investigate the liquor trade in the Dominion was expressed at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Auxiliary of the Baptist Union, which was held in Christchurch at the week-end. The following resolution was carried unanimously: "Realising that the liquor traffic in New Zealand is seriously out of hand and damaging the whole life of the community in such a way as to threaten the future of the nation, the Canterbury auxiliary of the Baptist Union of New Zealand urges that the Government be requested to set up a Royal Commission under the presidency of a Supreme Court Judge to make a complete investigation into all aspects of the liquor traffic, with particular reference to the war effort, national health, social security, and post-war reconstruction, and bring down recommendations for the elimination of the evils connected with the traffic, the findings of the Commission to be given the widest publicity and to be followed by a referendum based on the findings.” Bishop’s Cross A photograph published in New Zealand last week of the Bishop of Waiapu, the Rt. Rev. G. V. Gerard, M.C., after his repatriation to England from Italy, shows that,when he was taken prisoner in North Africa his captors did not appropriate his gold pectoral cross, which appears in the picture (says the "New Zealand Herald”), The cross was presented to him at his consecration in 1938 by old boys of Christ’s College, Christchurch, who were In holy orders and were serving within the ecclesiastical province of New Zealand. It contains the gold of the episcopal ring of the Rt. Rev. W. G. Cowie, Bishop of Auckland from 1869 to 1902, and previously an army chaplain in the Indian Mutiny. Cheap Fruit Hard to Sell It will surprise many persons to learn that "it is difficult at the present time to sell cheap fruit." That is the experience of the official organ of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Further, “with plenty of money circulating, the public were freely buying the higher-priced lines.” Delicious apples quoted at 8s a case were popular,' but while the people coul l get the best quality fruit at this price they were not interested in Stunners and other varieties at 3s and 4s a box, The retailer had no difficulty in getting 4d per lb for apples, and consumers were simply not interested in the 2d per lb varieties. Theatre and Pupils “I do not know anything about this and I think we should reject it," said the chairman. Mr W. J. Campbell, at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board, when the Children’s Theatre Society sought the board’s co-opera-tion in order that senior pupils of primary schools might be approached in connexion with works to be produced by the society. The co-operation was refused. Appeals For Bakers The extent to which the demands of the armed forces had increased the strain on the bread-making industry in Auckland was emphasised by the secretary of the Auckland Master Bakers and Pastrycooks’ Association, Mr R. S. Harrop, when more than 60 appeals for men in the trade were reviewed by the No. 1 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board recently. The bread trade in Auckland had increased considerably because of larger supplies being required by the armed forces and the excessive retail demand brought about by the presence of visiting military forces, said Mr Harrop. The rationing of sugar and other goods had resulted in less home cooking and a greater strain on the industry. In addition, overseas ships had to be sup. plied with bread. Launch Lost Putting to sea on Saturday night with a sick man aboard, the 26-foot launch Mermaid failed to arrive at Waikokopu, from Portland Island. The harbour lights were left burning and a search next morning revealed the boat anchored off the Waikokopu bluff. A relief boat was sent out to bring in the seven passengers, mails, and luggage. The Mermaid was anchored and left. Since then she has not been seen, and it is thought that she dragged the anchor and drifted. It is unlikely that the sea was rough enough to sink Ihe boat. The launch was owned by Mr W. Neville and was the only means of access from Portland Island to the mainland, the usual mail boat being under repair. Plenty of Money "When we hear of an egg boater worth 2s 6d being sold for 25s and of an aluminium kettle being sold for £4 10s it is evident that the people of this country, or at least some of them, have plenty of money to spend. The objective is to divert the surplus to finance the war and to avert the danger of inflation,” said Mr J. N. Armour, president of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, at a meeting of the Southland War Loans Committee. •‘Would Choose Prison” “The appellant feels so strongly about this, and has such a horror of the associations, that if she had to choose between going to prison and going there, she would rather go to prison,’’ said counsel when the objection of a 21-year-old girl to being directed to the Porirua Mental Hospital was being heard by the Wellington Industrial Manpower Committee recently. Placed in a similar position, added counsel, he would make the same choice. Sunday Afternoon Pictures The action of the authorities in opening two picture theatres in Auckland to servicemen and their friends for a Sunday afternoon session has not met with the support expected, says the "New Zealand Herald.'' Attendances on the first Sunday were far below those at the night sessions, ,and in one theatre the stalls only were opened and easily accommodated all patrons. The afternoon sessions have given no appreciable relief to the crowding at the evening sessions, when many servicemen are turned away each week by the "house full” sign. Long queues may be seen every Sunday night outside the theatres at least half an hour before the doors open.