NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 13, 11 October 1943, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Not Passed By Censor

A copy of the manifesto published recently in furtherance of the Campaign for Christian Order, and posted by a Waimate clergyman to a friend in the United Kingdom, has been returned to him marked “Not passed by censor.” Bookmakers’ Phones, The Postmaster-General, Mr. Webb, has authorized the disconnexion of telephones used by persons convicted of bookmaking, and instructions have been issued for their removal, according to a statement by the Post and Telegraph Department. Christchurch. The action is taken under Telephone Regulation No. 73, which authorizes the Minister to disconnect any telephone used for any illegal, immora., or improper purpose.

Aeroplane Crash. , During flying training from a South Island air station on Friday, Flying Officer John Herbert Garland Cooke and Leading Aircraftman John Charles MeKenzie were seriously injured when the machine crashed. They were admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital. . The next-of-kin of Flying Officer Cooke is his wife Mrs. B. J. Cooke, 28 Fendalton Road, Christchurch, and the, next-of-kin of Leading Aircraftman McKenzie is his father, Mr. R. McKenzie, Kaitaia.

A Grade Men in Essential Industry, The question of grade A. men at present employed in essential industries was discussed at some length at a recenj meeting of the council of the Wellington R.S.A., and it was unanimously resolved to recommend to the Dominion executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. that representations be made to the defence authorities requesting an immediate investigation ot the position of all grade A men who have not yet been drafted to the army. The Worst City?

“An experienced police court magistrate, sitting in the largest city in New Zealand, and, in my opinion, the worst city, has thought fit to impose this sentence of imprisonment because, no doubt, of what he sees going on in this city, and I am not going to alter it, said Mr. Justice Callan in the Supreme Court in Auckland at the conclusion of an appeal by a man who was appealing against a sentence of six months’ imprisonment imposed by Mr. Luxford, S.M., on a charge of receiving two pairs of stolen sheets. Fire Engine in Difficulties. Called to a gorse fire in an almost inaccessible place in Newton, Auckland a fire engine became bogged when being backed up a narrow track on a steep incline. Efforts to haul it to the top with a heavy truck failed, and while members of the crew were discussing what, to do tbe nine-ton engine broke away with no one on it and crashed into the fence of a house at the bottom of the hill, coming to rest against a concrete retaining wall. It was not till three hours later that it was extricated.

Strongman Mine Idle. Because of a dispute over the employment of an extra shot firer in the mine, the Strongman State colliery was idle on Thursday. On Wednesday the miners contended that they were short of a shot-firer, and when they assembled for work the following morning the management advised them that an extra man would be put on to shot firing.for the day, while the trouble was being investigated. The men considered that another shotfirer should be employed permanently, and when this was not agreed to they returned home.

Anzac Day Dawn Parades. Because of the difficulty of arranging suitable transport facilities from the suburbs for returned servicemen and their relatives to take part in a combined ceremony at. the cenotaph, the council of the Wellington R.S.A. at a recent meeting decided to ask the various R.S.A. branches to arrange' dawn parades in their own districts next Anzac Day. It is expected that in the case of some of the smaller branches they will arrange a combined parade in one of their districts. The central branch will hold a dawn parade at the cenotaph and the public will be invited to attend as in the past. Commonplace Luxuries. A British prisoner-of-war in Oflag VII B wrote home recently to say that for accurate late news they had to depend on the latest prisoners to arrive from the fighting fronts. They had all been thrilled to hear about the great victory in Tunis, related to them by three American officers, taken in northern Africa. “Those things which three years ago one took for granted now seem to be the essence of luxury, such' as hot water running out of a tap or gazing into a shop window,”' he wrote. “This experience seems almost worth it all, just for the thrill it will be when it comes to an end and we return home.”

Post-war America. “It is my impression after seeing a fair portion of the United States of America that a lot of people, who for the first time in their lives have earned sufficient money to fill their stomachs, and give them at least some amusement, are going to raise Cain if a similar standard of living is not provided for them when the war is over,” states Mr.. Trevor Hawkes in a letter from Washington, where he is attached to the New Zealand Supply Mission. Some way would have to be found, stated Mr. Hawkes, of absorbing the millions of men and women who, at the moment, were willy-nilly making the business of war their means of livelihood. Strawberries in Auckland.

Two chips of the first of the new season’s strawberries were offered at the Auckland City Markets on Thursday .and realized 6/- each. Grown at Mount Roskill, the berries, which were of the Captain Cook variety, were well coloured and of good size. Supplies will be spasmodic till the beginning of November. It is expected in Auckland that the crop will not be heavy this year as a much smaller area was planted and the shortage of labour has also had an effect on their production. Though the plants were favoured with good weather- in the .beginning of the season, rain throughout the winter and September retarded their growth. When offered for the first time last year strawberries were selling at 3/2 a chip. John Citizen’s Responsibility. When the war was over people’s troubles would not be over, said Mr. O. N. Hadrup, Auckland, one of the speakers on behalf of the Danish Association in New Zealand, during the ceremony yesterday at which the association’s gift ambulance was presented to the Air Force. Statesmanship and inspired leadership would not be enough. Much rested with John Citizen, and on his spirit.would depend the new order. If people could approach their fellow men iu a spirit of Christian tolerance there would be created a better world, if not a new order. He hoped that the world that would be created after the war would not bo one iu which mothers would be burned up by the fear that when their sons reached manhood they would be swallowed by war. More than £2OOO for Whitebait.

■Whitebait in large quantities is being caught in the Buller and Orowhaiti Rivers. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there were exceptional runs, and it has been estimated that so far this season more than £2OOO has been paid by buyers to fishermen for their catches. Three hundred tins were sent to the 'Wellington market on Wednesday by steamer, and buyers for other markets have also forwarded large consignments. The ruling price a pint, at Westport is now 2/-. Big catches of -whitebait arc also being secured in South Westlaud, and large consignments are being sent from Ross and Hokitika to Christchurch. The price in South West-land for local consumption dropped to ns low as 1/u a pint, on Wednesday. The price of 3/was maintained at Greymouth. Radio Diction.

Many recordings beard over the air were giving children a wrong idea of diction, said the Mayor of Dunedin, Mr. A. 11. Allen, in an address as the twentyfirst anniversary dinner of the Otago Radio Association. Those in charge of broadeasting stations should make certain that the material they used for broadcasting was entirely suitable and was expressed in good British terms. Undesirable accents were heard all to frequently over the air. The radio could be a big factor in education, and as.such it sliould be guarded from foreign influences. At a later stage Mr. Bulliva.nt speaking on behalf of the commercial service, said he believed that within lhe next few years programmes more suitable for Now Zealand audiences would be developed.