NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF

Waste Paper Salvage

Waste paper collection in Wellington is weeks behind the notifications received by the waste paper depot, an official of the depot stated yesterday. Transport shortage through tyre and petrol limitation is responsible for this, he said. The system of house-to-house collection by schoolboys is working well, and the returns from it are good. The concentration of the paper at the schools reduces the mileage necessary for transfer to the depot.

Fatal Wound. John William Grant, a blacksmith, aged 62, of Berwick, was found dead on Sunday with a chest wound and a shotgun near the body.—P.A.

Safe Blown. The door of the Henderson railway station was forced last night. The sa'fe was blown -.open with gelignite and cash amounting to about £lO was stolen. —P.A. Soldier Found Dead. Private Keith Owen Alexander McEldowney, aged 18, was found dead in his bed at 'a battle station near Auckland on Saturday morning. Death was believed to be due to suffocation. —P.A.

Blenheim Fire. One of the largest stores at Blenheim s riverside wharves was totally destroyed by fire at 9.30 yesterday morning, together with a small quantity of baled wool, hay and straw. The building was constructed of corrugated iron and was owned by the Wairau Harbour Board. It was insured for £l4OO. —P.A, Consumption of Potatoes. For the last six years the average annual consumption of potatoes in New Zealand has been one hundredweight a head, or 21b. 2Joz. a week. Taking those of tender years as non-users, the average would be nearer 211 b., and the Army ration of lib. a day, which ruled till this week, was greatly in excess of civilian consumption.

Escapee For Sentence. Clifford Douglas Keane, who escaped from a warder while being placed in a prison van at the rear of the Supreme Court, Auckland, on August 13, after having been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court, Auckland, yesterday to a charge of escaping from lawful custody and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. —P.A.

Crippled Children Society Membership. The total membership of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society on March 31 of this year was 6275. This figure is given in the annual report of the executive ■ council of the society. Manawatu, with 971, has the highest branch membership, while the Canterbury and Westland branch is next with 936 members. New Plymouth has 820, Wanganui; 071, Wellington 383, Nelson 240, Gisborne 171 Wairarapa 143, and Hawkes Bay 100.

Business Driving Only. William Henry James Simpson, who had a head-on collision with a bus in Jackson Street, Petone, on Saturday night, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates Court, Petone, yesterday, to being intoxicated in charge of a car. He was fined £25 by Mr. Goulding, S.M. Senior-Ser-geant H. C. Wade stated that defendant was required to drive a motor-vehicle for essential service. On this ground he was allowed to retain his licence for the vehicle, for business purposes only.

Crumbling Parapets. The Willis Street end of Villeston Street,. Wellington, has been barricaded off to prevent that section of the latter thoroughfare being used by wheeled traffic during the carrying out of repairs to King’s Chambers, which is considered to be one of the major dismantling jobs to be done in the city. Further down Customhouse Quay split parapets are being removed from T. and W. Young s warehouse, and Levin and Co. s big block. Some repairs are also being made to the harbour board’s shed (brick-built) No- 15. Family in One Room. An example of the shortage of houses was brought before the No. 2 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board when an appellrpit outlined her domestic diflicuities. The woman, who was appealing against overseas service by her husband, said sh-5 had found it impossible to get a house. She and her husband, whose military duties permitted him to live at home, and four children, were living in one subdivided room. The board reserved its decision.

Women in Battledress. Members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps wearing battledress appeared for the first time in public as members of an anti-aircraft unit at the recruiting exhibition at the Auckland Town Hall on Friday. It was also their first experience of wearing battledress, and the Army boots—-many times heavier than the light shoes customary among women—caused a good deal of discomfort before the day was over. It was noticeable that battledress on women was not so well-fitting or sightly as the khaki drill uniforms in which they had been seen previously. Police Assaulted. . Wiremu Huuia Hiroki, aged Jo, a Maori soldier, was sentenced, to one month’s imprisonment m the Magistrate s Court Auckland, yesterday, tor assaulting Constable Vincent while m the execution of his duty. The police stated that the constable was speaking to a group of Maori soldiers in Queen Street on Saturday evening. Hiroki rushed in and hit Vincent in the mouth, causing ’ tooth to go through his cheek. He then assaulted another constable and knocked his helmet off. The scene became ujy and a baton had to be used to arrest Hiroki. —P.A. Education of Crippled Children. Thanks to the interest and tion of the Canterbury . and Westland branch an excellent thesis dealing with the educational needs of the crippled cm d has been prepared by Mrs. D. Oxnam, Christchurch, states the annual report of the New Zealand executive council ot the New Zealand Crippled Children Society. This thesis is a study of a group of physically handicapped children witn respect to their educational needs and tne extent to which these are being met. Mrs. Oxnam has been thauked by the council for the thought and care taken in tue preparation of this study.

More Women Police. It was proposed to increase the number of women police, stated the Minister .u Charge of Police, Mr. Webb, in a letter received by the mayor ot Auckland, Mr. J. A. C. Allum. The Minister stated that candidates were now being selected for a course of training, upon the conclusion of which the strength at Aucklaut. would be increased. The question ol placing women police in uniform "as under consideration. The Ministers letter was a reply to one which Mr. Allum wrote to the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in June, urging that uniformed women police should be appointed to Auckland to deal with certain conditions regarding which complaints had been made to him. Damaged Municipal Buildings. It was stated yesterday by the Wellington city engineer, Mr. Luke, that it was not possible at present wholly to demolish all the buildings so damaged by the earthquakes that they would have to be removed. The reason for that was that some of them were still occupied by tenants who could not secure offices elsewhere. To meet the immediate situation as far as municipally-owned buildings were concerned, he had let contracts in the cases of the old education board building and the traffic office block for the removal of the top-hamper and to elimination of at least the most imminent element of danger to the public. Timepieces Immobilized. Hundreds of clocks and watebe sot al; makes and ages are lying in the workrooms of jewellers awaiting the attention of a dwindling number of craftsmen. Since the importation of timepieces tell almost to nothing over a year ago, the demand for the repair of clocks and watches has increased considerably, at the same time as workrooms were becomiib’ short-handed and spare parts scarce? Jewellers of whom iiiiiniries were made stated that they could ilu-niseli iiii'iiiil’iK'tnre a great ninny parts, but n.jl iu.iin.-priug. hairsprings, ji-wels or wind ing-buttons. Thus many tiiiii-pi<-‘.’i-> were laid aside for a month or three months awaiting the uncertain arrival of parts. 'l’he public were strongly advised not to overwind or drop their watches.