NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 226, 21 June 1944, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Petrol Ration For July

The Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr. Sullivan, announced last night that War Cabinet had decided to continue the petrol ration for private motorists during July at the half-coupon rate and accordingly Coupon No. 1 in the new series would be available at half its face value. National War Savings. Last week, 214 towns attained their quotas of National War Savings—five more than in the preceding week. All the principal centres were successful, and in all of the 18 postal districts the full district quota was recorded. Shortest Day. The winter solstice will occur today, when the sun reaches its most northerly point. Its maximum altitude above the horizon will be 29J degrees, compared with 76} degrees at the summer solstice, and the hours of sunshine will be at a minimum. From now on as the sun comes south again the days will lengthen, but winter's coldest months are still ahead. Reopened to the Press. Though the Press had always been invited to attend meetings of the Wellington Metropolitan and Provincial Patriotic Committees since the inception of those bodies, it was some six months ago excluded without any given reason. Mr. Appleton, the present mayor of Wellington, is by virtue of his office chairman of both these committees, and has decided that the meetings be once more open to the Press. Police Want Information. On Monday afternoon an elderly man, Mr. Robert Arthur Palmer, who was em. ployed in Base Records, collapsed and was taken to the public hospital, where he died later. The police have ascertained that he ‘ was probably a native ox Australia. They would be grateful if any one having knowledge of deceased or his relatives, would communicate either with” Wellington South or other poli-e stations.

Captain Bligh’s Boat. A model of the open boat in which Captain Bligh with several other members of his crew sailed 12,000 leagues in 47 days from Tofua to Timor, after ,the mutiny of the Bounty in 1789, has been lent for exhibition by its builder to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The miniature of the boat was constructed plank by plank from New Zealand woods by an American officer, Captain Luther M. Strayer.

Jumped Off Wharf. A wager between two United States marines on the Auckland ferry wharf recently caused amusement and astonishment among onlookers. The marines were arguing as to how cold the water would be, and one of them bet the other £5 that he would not jump into the water there and then, in his uniform. The other took the bet —and jumped off the wharf. He came straight up again, took the £5 from his friend and boarded the boat, dripping wet! Canned Stew Contract. For the next six months a canning factory at Bluff will be engaged in fulfilling a large contract for canned army rations. The rations to be canned will be stew consisting of beef, potatoes, carrots, peas and onions. The contract calls for up to 3,000,0001 b. The factory, which has been closed since Christmas, will absorb about 300 tons of potatoes, 120 tons of carrots, 80 tons of peas, in addition to boned beef to be prepared at the Makarewa and Mataura freezing works.

Probation for Theft. Douglas James Dickson, labourer, aged 25, who had pleaded guilty at Wellington on June 16 to -the theft of £4/15/11, was admitted to probation for one year by Mr. Justice .Smith in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. His Honour said accused had been employed delivering coal and had failed to account for amounts he had collected for the firm. However, as the probation officer’s report was favourable and restitution had been made, he would be admitted: to probation, on payment of £l/1/- costs. Allied Nations Appeal. The.honorary secretary of the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, Mr. Ward, stated last night that the total so far received for the Allied Nations appeal last week in the district was £2248. Sums were still coming in, but it Was hoped that final figures would be reached by the end of the week. The street-day collections on .Friday were! Wellington City, £1230/9/5; Lower Hutt City. £271/11/4; Petone, £53/9/9; and Eastbourne, £B/16/3.

Still No Sign of Rags. Rags, the fox terrier mascot of the Wellington Central* fire station, is still missing. It is a fortnight today since his mysterious departure. Reports of his appearance have been received from places as far afield as Dunedin, but these have proved to be cases of mistaken identity. The firemen fear that Rags has been kidnapped, but they think it unlikely that such a redoubtable “fire-eater” could be kept prisoner for long. They hope soon to see Rags return and once more take up his position on the foremost engine. Licensed Buildings. The annual report of the Wellington city engineer stated that during the year 1943-44 buildings licensed for use for public meetings were as follows: — Theatres, 22; public halls, 24; shooting galleries, two; amusemeilt parks, two; sports grounds, one; billiard rooms, seven. The report states that during 'this period the Regent, King’s and Empire Theatres were closed owing to damage caused by the 19412 earthquakes. Lesser repairs were carried out to a number of other theatres without the necessity of closing down.

Employers’ Building Fund. (Reference was made at the annual meeting of the Wellington Employers’ Association to the splendid service rendered the employers of New Zealand by Mr. B. Sutherland, who in 1940 canvassed business people in the main centres of New Zealand, at his own expense, for subscriptions toward the liquidation of the debt on the employers’ building at No. 8 The Terrace, Wellington. In Wellington city and suburbs, Mr. Sutherland was able to obtain promises of £5505. AU these promises were met and the money was now fully paid up.

Winter Flowers. Flowers are not too plentiful in Wellington at this time of the year, and market prices are correspondingly high. Poppies, the long-stemmed sort, always bring good money. Other flowers avail; able are violets (mostly from the Otaki district), a few-roses, wattle and jonquils —yellow, white and “bacon and eggs.” These harbingers of mid-winter are in special favour with the public. For a dozen small bunches yesterday between 12/- and 16/- was paid by Chinese buyers, who know their market as they do the hands on the clock. The first of the daffodils are not expected to arrive at the markets till about the middle of next month, though there may be an occasional crop from sheltered corners before that time.

Petone Fire Chairman. The mayor of Petone, Mr. 11. Green, told his council at Monday night’s meeting that he had heard, on good authority, that it was the intention of the Government to replace Mr. J. Kerr as the Government representative on the Petone Fire Board, and said that he intended to move a resolution dealing with the matter at the next meeting of the council. Mr. Kerr, who had been appointed by the Hon. W. Nash, was an extremely capable member of the board. He had been appointed. as an independent member, to the chairmanship, and the proposal to supersede him was very much to be regretted. Councillor A. G. Steffensen moved that the Internal Affairs Department be advised to this effect and this was passed unanimously.

“Restitution Business.” “This restitution business is in danger of developing into, indeed, it has developed into, what is colloquially called a ramp,” said Mr. Justice Callan when hearing a petition for restitution of conjugal rights in the Auckland Supreme Court. “This brings the whole conduct of the law courts into disrepute, and the Court is bound to try and set its face against it if it can. But the Court is pretty powerless, because people come here and swear that they want the other party back, and then in a few months they are back again for a divorce a 1 the earliest possible moment.” Commenting later in the day on the number of similar cases, his Honour said: The thing is becoming a public scandal. Something ought to be done about it.”