NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume c, Issue 82, 3 October 1940, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

, Books for Soldiers. ' As the result of a collection organ- " ised by the recently-formed Northland : Patriotic Committee over 1000 books t and a large number of magazines and ' periodicals were collected in the ' suburb last Saturday and were delivered at the central depot today for distribution among the military camps, troopships, etc. Although some of the I books collected were not suitable for the purpose, and others required repairs to the binding, most of them were in good condition. On the average more than two books were collected from each house in the suburb. Son Identifies Clothes. 1 The skeleton found on Sunday even--1 ing in a clump of tea-tree on the slopes I overlooking Duck Bay, on the Onehunga side of Blockhouse Bay, is be- : lieved to be that of Mr. Jeffrey Cope, aged 49, a labourer, formerly of 46 Kitchener Road, Sandringham, who has 1 been missing from his home since September 23, 1939, states the "New Zealand Herald." The Newton, police ; found the initials J.C. on a hatband, ■ and this gave them a clue, while a son has recognised clothing found on the skeleton. A post-mortem examination has been ordered by the Coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt. Work for Choir Boys. "There is very useful work that you choir boys can do when you have finished being choristers," said Dean Julius when addressing Christchurch Cathedral choir boys who entertained him at tea on Tuesday, states the "Press." "I have always had a great ambition about this. You know there are many small parishes with small choirs. Now these choirs do suffer seriously from the lack of someone well qualified to train and encourage them. I feel that many of you might find work to do among them later. Leaders of these choirs say to me as Igo my rounds, 'You can't imagine how difficult it is,' and I reply, 'Oh, but I can. I've had to listen to them.'" Wider Study of Navigation. As a pre-requisite for entry into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve many yachtsmen are studying to obtain their yachtmaster's certificate, and schools of navigation in Wellington and Auckland are coaching a number of pupils in the art, including present and prospective members of the Air Force, in which navigation is also required. Until the war few yachtsmen in the Dominion thought it worthwhile obtaining a yachtmaster's certificate, but now that it has become necessary for certain classes of R.N.V.R. candidates many amateur sailors are polishing up their knowledge of navigation and associated subjects to obtain the certificate. Godwits and Cuckoos. An interesting illustrated lecture on "Migratory Birds" was given by Mr. R. A. Scobie at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the speaker discussing many little-known facts concerning the travels of birds which spend part of their time in New Zealand, states the "New Zealand Herald." From the b life history of the godwit, the knot, and ! the Pacific golden plover, all of which ■ migrated to Siberia, Mr. Scobie mdi,- , eated that the controlling purpose in their great flight was to breed in the \ north. In similar fashion the long--1 tailed cuckoo came from Tahiti and Fiji, and the shining cuckoo from the Solomon Islands, to nest in New Zea- ( land. Modern research suggested that the stimulus to the movement of the birds was the result of varying light ' intensity. The older and experienced : birds left before the fledglings, and science had yet to discover how the young birds knew the route to their destinations. Equipping the Forces. Arrangements made by the Stores Control Board, acting in close co- ' operation with the Department of In- : dustries and Commerce, resulted in production of essential requirements being commenced prior to the outbreak ; of hostilities, according to the review of the war activities of the board in ! its annual report, which was presented in the House of Representatives by its chairman, the Hon. R. Semple. Stocks; were also on hand to equip forces mobilised by the Army and Air Departments, On the outbreak of war production was speeded up to meet war needs, and contracts were arranged for ' the manufacture of cloth into uniform garments. The value of the purchases of reserve stocks of clothing and boot ■ requirements arranged by the board 1 amounted to over £200,000. Letters to Soldiers. The censorship of letters was dis- . cussed at a meeting of the executive and finance sub-committee of the ! Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, when it was decided to request the Government to issue "honour" envelopes to the next-of-kin of members of the Forces serving overseas, in 1 order that letters referring to purely ■ private and personal matters might not be censored, states the "New Zealand , Herald." The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. • Allum, said each member of the Forces was entitled to one "honour" envelope 1 each week, and if the declaration was , signed the letter might not be cen- . sored. It was obvious that there were many matters of an intimate nature which should not be read by any third party. So far as he could ascertain, "honour" envelopes were not censored. "While censorship is essential, surely the mother of a soldier could send a letter from New Zealand with some endorsement which would cause the censorship authorities to pause," added Mr. Allum. "The scheme works with letters sent to New Zealand, and I see 1 no reason why it should not apply to ■ letters sent by next-of-kin here."