NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 54, 1 September 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST

Fresh to strong north-westerly winds, moderating tomorrow. A few brief showers likely tonight, but fair weather otherwise. Temperatures rather cooler tomorrow. The further outlook is for mainly fair westerly weather.

The Moon.—Full .moon, September 14 High Water.—Today, 6.3 p.m.; tomorrow, 6.30 a.-m.j 6.54 p.m. Politics and Prayers. The saying of prayers before the discussion of politics proved an unusual feature of a National Party meeting at Te Kuiti. The meeting'was of delegates from all parts of the Waitomo electorate, and, prayers were offered by the Rev. J. Russell Shaw. There was a large attendance and good progress in preparing for the election was reported. National War Savings. Last week 189 towns attained or exceeded their National War Savings quotas. All but one of the eighteen principal centres were successful, and in sixteen out of the eighteen postal districts the full district quota was obtained. Twenty-five towns now have 90 or more quota successes to their credit, while nine towns each win 98 successes share the distinction of m unbroken record since the inception of the quota scheme in October, 1941. Public and Private. The effect of bigamy cases upon the i community arose in the Supreme Court yesterday when Mr. J. Meltzer, appearing for a prisoner who had pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy, said that so far as the public interest was concerned only the three persons concerned in the case suffered. Mr. Justice Smith: "That is a private interest. The public interest is the maintenance of the principle that a man should have only one wife." Mr. Meltzer: "I readily recognise that it is a matter of public morals." Reciprocal Benefits. A proclamation signed yesterday by the Governor-General, Sir Cyril, Newall, brought into effect as from today reciprocal age and invalids benefits between New Zealand and Australia. In making this announcement last night, the Minister of Social Security (Mr. Parry) said that many people of both countries were qualified under an agreement ratified by recent legislation to draw either the age or invalids' benefit. The completion of formalities that day had made a further advance in the social services of New Zealand and Australia. A Wet and Cold August. Although August, the last of the three winter months, finished up with a welcome burst of genial spring weather, the month in Wellington was otherwise unpleasantly cold and wet, much more so than usual. The month's mean temperature was 45-3. degrees, as much as two degrees below normal, and the rainfall, as measured at Kelburn, was 6.81 "inches, compared with the August mean of 4.18 inches. There was rather less wind than usual, but southerly winds were very persistent and were instrumental in keeping down the temperature. The hours of bright sunshine totalled 147.1, which is a little more than is usually experienced in August. In the Middle East. In his latest report the Commissioner of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Reel Cross Society in the Middle East tells of his activities, and as a large number of sick and wounded were evacuated during the period under review his work was somewhat varied. Before the men went on board the hospital ship they were personally interviewed and presented with the Joint Council gift bag. The hospital ship was again visited on the day of her -departure, and contact made with as many of the cot cases as possible. The needs of the men were also provided for. Hospital visiting was carried out with the usual efficiency, and no fewer than 7200 visits were made during the period under review. The Commissioner took part in discussions bearing on pre-armis-tice relief, and with Colonel Waite assisted in arrangements for the erection of a verandah round the swimming baths at the Sick and Wounded Club adjacent to the New Zealand Hospital at Helwan. This building was opened by the Egyptian Minister of Education, and bears an inscription indicating that it is a gift from the people of New Zealand. Seed of the Pinus Insignis. Discussing pinus insignis seed in his annual report submitted to a meeting of the Selwyn Plantation Board the superintendent (Mr. E. A. Cooney) said that this seed had been taken from the cones of specially-selected trees which were recognised as the best strain of that species, reports the Christchurch "Press." But there was no guarantee, he said, that the seed from these selected trees would throw true to type, because of the possibility of fertilisation from inferior trees. Provided care was taken each year, there would eventually be established stands of first-grade insignis, but it would take several rotations to accomplish this. Mr. Cooney said that 121b of seed had been extracted ,from the insignis cones, and this seed had been drillsown last November. There had been very good germination, and it had not been necessary to employ bird patrols, for apparently the birds had not discovered the seed till it had passed the critical stage. Hampering Regulations. The Government was asking for increased production from dairy farmers, said Mr. W. McDonald, chairman of directors of the Edendale Dairy Factory Company, at the annual meeting, but the' attitude of the farm dairy inspectors was not helping the Government's plea, reports an Invercargill correspondent. With the regulations stating that a man with 40 cows had to milk them with a three-cow plant being strictly enforced, then it was no wonder so many cows were being sold. Mr. McDonald said the output at the Morton Mains factory would be cut in half this year because of farmers; going out of dairying. They could not put up with the manner in which the dairy regulations were being enforced. Mr. J. Johnston said that one of the difficulties of the new season would be the ever-increasing regulations which the dairy farmer found hard to live up to. If he had to milk 40 cows with a three-cow plant and do all his other work besides, he had no option but tQ reduce his herd. In the case of some of the bigger herds, these had been disposed of altogether.