CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24895, 7 June 1946, Page 7

CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF

Health of War Brides’ Babies.—\A United States Army Board has recommended to the War Department that no babies under one year old should in future be embarked from Europe. Health authorities testified that a great deal of scabies, tuberculosis, and head lice had been found among war brides arriving in the United States. The board reported that mothers’ lax sanitary habits had contributed to the deaths of eight infants aboard the ship Zebulon Vance, which brought the wives of American servicemen from Europe. The report added that there had been no misconduct or neglect by the ship’s medical staff, nor were the doctors intoxicated, as alleged by passengers Several infants suffered from diarrhoea before embarkation, and the mothers failed to notify the authorities. —Washington, June 5.

Canterbury Pilot in Victory FlightPiloting a Meteor 111, Flight Lieutenant W. J. J. Warwick, of Hawarden. North Canterbury, will take part in the Victory Day flight of Royal Air Force machines over London.—London. June 6.

German Party Branch Outlawed.— “The American Military Government has outlawed the Wurzburg branch of the Christian Social Union, the strongest political party in the American zone of Germany, for its alleged proNazi trend,” says the Frankfurt correspondent of the Associated Press. “The authorities acted because the branch elected a chairman who was debarred from political activity. An American spokesman said the infiltration of Nazi sympathisers into the Christian Social Union‘was growing.— London, June 5.

Cold Snap in New South Wales.— Wednesday was the coldest day experienced in Sydney since September 6. 1945. the lowest temperature recorded being 42.99 degrees. In more than 40 inland towns the temperature dropped below freezing point. There was heavy snow in some districts.— Sydney, June 6.

U.S. Selective Service Act.—The United States Senate passed by 69 votes to eight a bill extending the Selective Service Act to May 15. 1947. and rejected an amendment proposing that inductions should be* stopped while the volunteer system was further tried out on the basis of increased pay for the Army and Navy.—New York. June 6.

Portrait of N.Z. Soldier.—A portrait of a New Zealand soldier by the Australian artist, Henry Rayner, has been accepted by the New Zealand Government, and will be brought to the Dominion by the Deputy-Prime Minister (Mr Nash). Mr Rayner said the soldier was a farm worker. “I did not ask his name,” he added. “He will always be regarded as symbolic of the colonial pioneer stock who helped to win the war.”—London, June 5. In Custody for 111 Days.—The Act-ing-Minister of Air’ (Mr N. J. Makin) has ordered an immediate inquiry into the allegation that, an airmnn v • bn'H in close custody for 111 s’• i - being brought before a Royal Australian Air'Force court-martial on a charge of absence withbut leave. Mr Makin ordered the inquiry after reading a report of the proceedings. The defendant, who pleaded guilty, was released into open arrest pending promulgation of the court’s decision.—Sydney. June 6.

Increased Sugar Crop in Australia.— The Australian sugar crop for 1946 la expected to yield 660,000 tons, compared with 640,000 tons for 1945 and 645,000 tons for 1944. These figures were given by the chairman (Mr E R. Knox) at the annual meeting of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. Ltd. Australian refineries had been producing in recent years about 30 per cent, more than they had before the war. but the increase had been largely absorbed by service needs, he said.—Sydney. June 6.

Turkish Earthquake Casualties.—“lt is announced that casualties in the earthquake in eastern Turkey on June 1 are increasing daily. The latest figure is 1200 killed and 300 injured,” says Reuter’s Istanbul correspondent “Thirty-five villages were almost destroyed and 1800 houses collapsed. Aeroplanes are being used to send aid to the homeless and injured.”—London. June 5. Softwood Timber in Victoria.-In the next 10 years 100,000 acres in Victoria will be planted with softwood timber under the supervision of the Forests Commission. The cost will be about £5,300,000 and employment will be provided for about 1500 men every year. All Victorian requirements of softwood timber are to be produced within the state. Before the war, 400,000,000 superficial feet of softwoods were imported into Australia, and Victoria received more than a third of that quantity.— Melbourne, June 6.

Hijh Price, for lUbbtt BUnfe-A rabbit trapper received £236 in the market at Singleton, New South Wales, for rabbit skins obtained in leu than three weeks' trapping. This is a record for the season. Last week a man received £l5l for a catch made in 21 nights. Many schoolboys are making more than a man’s average wage. The top price obtained this week was 14s 8d a pound for a small parcel of skins. Many trappen are also making money out of the carcases, which have a ready sale.—Sydney, June 6. Labour Wins British By-election.— The by-election for the Ogmerc seat was won by Mr John Evans (Labour). l 3 ’?? 2 votes - Mr Trevor Morgan (Welsh Party) gained 5685 votas. The vacancy was caused by the appointment of Mr E. J. Williams as United Kingdom High Commissioner in Australia.—London. June 5.

Burmese Anti-Fascist League.—“ The executive committee of Burma’s AntiFascist League has called for volunteers willing ‘to face arrest and lathi charges’ to support its programme to direct attention against the Government,” says Reuter’s Rangoon correspondent “The committee, which de,to 3 oin the Governor’s Council of Ministers, declared that the Govern-ment-had not yet withdrawn the Defence of Burma Rules which ‘restricted the people’s freedom.’ The Insein district, where several thousand participated in demonstrations last month, lias been chosen as the scene for future action.’—London. June 5. Dutch Boys Load Shipg.—Dutch boys attending schools in Melbourne responded to a call by the Dutch author?P esand loaded stores and luggage into the Dutch vessel. Tasman. The Tagman. a former hospital ship, has not been worked by Australian waterside workers since December, but it has made three trips to the Netherlands Esst Indies, using the crew and Dutch nationals to load cargoes.—Melbourne,

( , Au ? tr l ill * n . Afr Speed Record—ln the fipt official test of a jet-propelled aeroplane in Australia a Gloster Meteor fighter established a record Australian air speed at Laverton of 490 miles an hour. The previous record was 410 miles an hour, established by a Mustang Mark IV last year. The Meteor is one of four which have been handed over to fhe Royal Australian Air Force for testing under tropical conditions.—Melbourne. June 6.