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Evening Star, Issue 23680, 13 September 1940, Page 6

The District Officer for Health for the Otago and Southland area reports that for the week’ ended to-day, there were five notifiable' diseases in the district. They were: scarlet fever, Otago 2, Southland 1; tuberculosis, Otago 2, Southland 0.

As far as Otago waters are concerned, whitebait this year has mainly been conspicuous by its absence. Last week-end the little fish showed up at Balclutha and on the Taieri, but rough weather, with attendant muddy water, has made it disappear again. The local, market, however, has been kept going by fair supplies from Southland, and these have been selling at 6d a glass in the shops—a low price at this time of the season. Southland has experienced the best catch for many years.

His Honour 'Mr Justice Kennedy sat in divorce this morning, when a decree absolute was granted in the matter of Edward Allon Richardson v. Doreen Margaret Christina Richardson. Mr Frapwell appeared in support of the application.

At the revue in His Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday night by the Queen Carnival Executive, one officer and 26 ratings of the Navy League Sea Cadet Corps towed the Navy Queen (Miss Jessie M‘Lenuan) on to the stage in a car. Owing to a mistake in the wording of the programme this part of the performance was credited to the R.N.V.R., the members of which are at present on active service. The Navy League Sea Cadet Corps is a smart and efficient unit, its members being keen and enthusiastic in their work.

“ A senseless and idiotic sort of joke,” was the comment made by the secretary of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association (Mr E. P. Willcox) on the action of some person in fixing a pineapple to the scales held hy the bronze figure representing Justice on the War Memorial in the Cathedral grounds, states the ‘Press.’ Mr Willcox’s attention was drawn to the pineapple by a returned soldier about the middle of Monday afternoon, and he immediately gave instructions for its removal. The pineapple was easily removed about 4 p.m. by a returned soldier who arrived with a small stepladder. He showed it to the verger of the Cathedral and to a reporter who happened to he in the Cathedral grounds. It was found to he half rotten, and the verger took it away to put in his rubbish tin. “ People surely have something better to do than to disfigure a memol , ial_ to the men who died, especially in time of war when men are likely to die again,” said Mr Willcox.

His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy has granted probate in the following estates:—William Graham Mac Master Fullarton, Dunedin, traveller; Emma Hall, Oamaru, spinster; Moses Brown, Naseby, retired miner; Walter Reginald Crepser, Dunedin, eaptain in His Majesty’s forces; Alexander Macpherson, Dunedin, agriculturist; Elizabeth Mitchell, Dunedin, widow; Robert Thomas Hughson, Dunedin, retired painter; John Gordon Diack Dempster, Dunedin, retired accountant.

Conveniently parked at the Oval, with the coats of the workmen on the permanent way seen draping the windows, a City Corporation bus has been seen this week serving as a dressing shed-cum-dining room for these employees of the transport department. It served prior to the recommendations of the City Council’s Transport Committee to conserve fuel—and is still preserving its identity, apparently acting as a transport between jobs.

“ I do not know a single soul in Moffat or anywhere else who is not absolutely determined that this war is going to be fought till victory is won.” This is an ex-tract from a letter received in Auckland from a resident of a town in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, who is engaged as an air raid warden. “ I do not think that this country has ever been so unanimous about everything.” he continues. “ The duke’s son thinks exactly the same as the cook’s son. I was having a chat last night with our parish minister, and he agreed with me that the morale of the country is absolutely unshaken. . . . You folks in New Zealand have every reason to feel proud of the. men you have sent, and are still sending to help us; it is impossible to read of the exploitsof'some of your New Zealand pilots without feeling thrilled.”-

Reference was made at last night’s meeting of the Otago Swimming Centro to proposals which had been placed before the City Council a considerable time ago for the construction of openair swimming pools at Mornington and Anderson’s Bay. One speaker stilted that he thought the construction of the pool at Mornington had been provided for in the estimates, and it was decided to approach the City Council to ascertain if the work was being undertaken. Coloured pedestrian crossings arc to be tried by the traffic department of the Christchurch City Council, and the first of two such experimental crossings was laid across Armagh street at the intersection of Colombo street. This one consists of reinforced concrete slabs of a bright salmon colour which contrasts very satisfactorily with the dark grey of the road paving. The other crossing will be at the intersection of Gloucester and Colombo sti'eets, and will be consfructed of coloured concrete mixed and poured on the spot. A farm worker, Mr Thomas Timed, employed by Mr W. Brough at Taoroa, near Taihape, was admitted to hospital suffering from injuries received through being attacked by a wild pig which he and Mr W. Findlay were hunting on Mr Brough’s property. The party came up with the pig in the bush and fired a shot, which dropped the animal. Mr Theed approached the boar, which suddenly regained its feet and rushed him, and severely gashed his leg and also inflicted other, injuries. The pig was killed by a second shot. Mr Theed’s condition is not serious.

The Otago Swimming Centre decided at its meeting last night to forward a remit to the annual conference at Wellington next month, suggesting that the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association should approach the Government and offer to place at its disposal the services of honorary instructors in the various districts to conduct swimming classes for men who,, having been called up for military service by ballot, were waiting to enter camp. It was pointed out by the secretary (Mr E. O. Isaacs), who brought the proposal forward, that the military authorities would probably be able to arrange for non-swimmers among those called up to attend classes in the various centres at convenient times. The importance of all members of the forces being afforded the opportunity of learning to swim was evident, its value already being proved, and the time intervening between the ballot and entry into camp could well be utilised by obtaining honorary instructors from the clubs to conduct classes throughout the Dominion.

To celebrate his sixty-second birthday by climbing Mount Ruapehu (9,140 feet) was the aim of Mr Angus Russell, a member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. He carried out this feat recently from the Chateau Tongariro in perfect weather. It was a coincidence that, while making the trip, he met another member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club also on a climbing expedition to the top of the Whakapapa Glacier. “ Notwithstanding repeated approaches to the University of New Zealand by the Survey Board, your council regrets to inform members that no progress has been made with regard to the training of survey cadets in the university,” stated the annual report of the New Zealand Institute of Sijrveyors, presented at the annual meeting of the institute in Christchurch yesterday. “It is possible that as a result of the proposed conference in Australia a satisfactory system may be devised, but under the present constitution of the University of New Zealand any progress must- of necessity bo extremely slow.”

New Zealand’s large and handsome -moth, the puriri, is now making its seasonal appearance, and several' have been sent to the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the past few days (says the Auckland ‘ Herald ’). The moth measures over Sin across, and its colour is remarkably beautiful, being chiefly a light green with silver veining on the wings. As-it is a night-flying creature, those seen by day are generally fluttering about in an exhausted condition after the night’s flying. The caterpillar lives in the puriri tree, where it bores rather complicated tunnels. News of an encounter with bandits is contained in a letter received at the Missions Office from Miss Ogilvie, in China, records the ‘ Outlook.’ Miss Ogilvie says that Mr Jansen .and the party he was escorting from Kong Chuen to Sai Kwaan had a most disquieting encounter with a band-of robbers. With Mr Jansen were Mrs Moore and her little daughter, Margaret (the Rev. and Mrs George M'Neur’s daughter and granddaughter), and also a nurse belonging to the Methodist Mission. They were only a few hours from Kong Chuen Hospital, and still in country supposed to be under Japanese control, when a band- of robbers appeared and robbed them of all their most valuable possessions—money, watches, glasses, fountain pens —but, fortunately, did them no physical harm. Later messages received at the hospital from Mr Jansen, from a place still in Chinese hands, relieved the fears of the staff as to their welfare. Miss Ogilvie also said that, after repeated applications to the British authorities in Hongkong, she had at last received permission to remain at her post in Shatin, Hongkong, where the ShungKei Bible Traiping School for women is situated Previously orders had been received by her that she must be evacuated from Hongkong territory. Income tax assessments and demands are rightly regarded as the private business of the persons concerned. The partment, in fact, so thoroughly agrees with this view that its envelopes in which assessments come through the post have the word “ confidential ” printed both on the back and front in large, plain letters. Despite this, however, several assessments have reached Dunedin recently with the envelopes open, making it possible for anyone to pry into the contents before they reach the owner. Nor is this occurrence the result of any war time economy, for on the flap of each envelope was gum which had not been moistened. The establishment of a Royal Australian Air Force nursing service has been announced by the Minister for Air for the Commonwealth. The new unit is modelled on the lines of Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service and the Australian Army Nursing Service, and will be an integral part of the R.A.A.F. Special living quarters will b 3 provided for the nurses, who will be posted at existing Air Force hospitals and other establishments. Members of the R.A.A.F. Nursing Service are being chosen from suitable candidates on the reserve of the Australian Army Nursing Service. Nurses will bo posted at major Air Force centres in New South Wales and Victoria during the early stages of the plan, and in other areas later, as required.