General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24909, 24 June 1946, Page 4

General News

Achilles Due at Lyttelton H.M.S. Achilles is expected to arrive at Lyttelton this morning from Nelson. The ship will remain here until Friday when she will leave for Timaru. Tne Christchurch Navy League has arranged entertainment for the officers and men, who have also been invited to a “welcome home” function in the Wentworth Hall on Tuesday. Official calls will be made to the ship this afternoon. Survivor of Polar Expedition

Memories of the long months of waiting in the Antarctic for the return of Captain R. R Scott from his ill-fated expedition to the South Pole are retained by Mr Thomas Manning, of Auckland, one of the four New Zealanders who were included in the crew of the Terra Nova when it sailed south from Lyttelton on November 26, 1910. He was 80 years of age recently. Mr Manning, who was blacksmith in the expedition, had sailed previously in the same ship on whaling and sealing expeditions from Scotland to Greenland and Newfoundland. He was employed at Lyttelton when the Terra Nova was refitted there and he was accepted for the crew. Since his return from the Aritarctic in 1913 Mr Manning has worked at his trade of blacksmith, mostly in Auckland and Wellington. Wellington Taxi Licences

The chairman of the Wellington Metropolitan Licensing Authority (Mr M. Luckie) has announced to about 90 applicants that the Authority had unanimously decided to grant an additional 20 taxi licences in Wellington. The secretary of the Wellington Taxi Drivers’ Federation (Mr J. F. Knight) said an appeal would almost certainly be lodged against the decision. He said work for existing taxis would be diminished by rail restrictions. Successful applicants for licences were announced in 19 cases, one being held in reserve. It was agreed that the unsuccessful applicants should be recorded as having lodged formal protests with the right of appeal.—(P.A.) White Bread for Sick Prisoners Black markets had flourished in prisoner of war camps in Germany, and had done much to assist the prisoners, said Colonel W. H. Bull in a broadcast address last evening. One of the schemes employed had been of benefit to prisoners in lhe hospitals. From the small ration or black bread issued by the Germans it was possible every month or so to save about 30 loaves. These were traded for a sack of flour, which disappeared, and miraculously reappeared as several dozen small white loaves, which were of great benefit to bedridden patients. Sometimes eggs and chickens had been procured, ana these had been issued to the patients on a strict roster. Produce for Gisborne

A representative meeting of members of the Chamber of Commerce, merchants, bakers, shipping interests, and the Agriculture Department at Gisborne sent to the Shipping Controller a message suggesting that in view of the urgency for fodder requirements and other merchandise, it was necessary to direct a special ship to Gisborne. It was agreed that the following were necessary in equal priority with fodder for the next four weeks:—flour, bran, and pollard, 800 tons; fodder. 500 tons: seed potatoes, 200 tons; table potatoes, 600 tons; general merchandise, 250 tons.—(P.A.) Partial Return to Pre-War Trading The American State Departments asked foreign Governments which are still maintaining their war-time purchasing missions in the United States to terminate or curtail them as much as possible by June 30, except for the purchasing of food and raw materials in critically short supply, says the June issue of “New Zealand Commerce.” Negotiations are already proceeding between the United Statesand Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and the Scandinavian countries, and talks with Russia are expected to commence soon. The United States hopes to clear the way for at least a partial return to prewar methods of handling commerce through private channels. Increase in Herd Testing

“Present indications all over New Zealand show a greater increase in the numbe'r of cows to be tested under the group system during the coming season, and as far as the South Island is concerned expansion of the work is limited only by the supply of testing equipment, which has to be imported from overseas,” said Mr <. C. Carbines, manager of the South Island Herd Improvement Association, at the annual meeting of the South Canterbury group held at Temuka. Mr Carbines reported an increase ip the number of herds arid cows under group herd test in lhe South Island. The number of herds under test last season was 735, he said, comprising approximately 27.000 cows, against 660 herds and 24,000 cows for the previous season.—F.O.O.R. Lord Haw-Haw’s Usefulness Describing in a broadcast address last evening how news broadcasts from Britain were received regularly in prisoner of war camps in Germany, Colonel W. H. Bull. 0.8. E., E.D., F.R.C.S., Assistant-Director of Medical Services of the New Zealand Division, said that at one time the “late, unlamented” Lord Haw-Haw had been a good friend to him. Lord Haw-Haw had broadcast in English at 9 o’clock every night on a wave-length almost identical with that used by the 8.8. C. The Germans were delighted that he should listen to the broadcast, Colonel Bull said. They did not realise that the slightest movement of the dial gave him the privilege of hearing the news from England. On another occasion, however, when he had been listening to the broadcast given by Brigadier Hargest immediately after the brigadier’s escape to England, he had almost been caught. He had been listening to the broadcast in a room adjoining one in which some Germens were playing cards, and he had become so interested in Brigadier Hargest’s remarks that he had forgotten that in all probability Lord HawHaw’s broadcast had ended some time previously. A remark by a German officer that the news seemed to be very long that night had reminded him of his situation.

Future of Libraries* “It appears that all libraries such as the Temuka Library will have to be municipally owned in the future. The position to-day throughout New Zealand is that people are patronising the book clubs, which provide a more up-to-date selection of books, and our libraries must be modernised to meet this competition,” said the Mayor (Mr G. A. Harris) at the monthly meeting of the Temuka Borough Council when application was received for an increased grant to the public readingroom.