CALCULATED LYING.

Evening Star, Issue 23691, 26 September 1940, Page 8

CALCULATED LYING.

Ix would be a rash conclusion,- from a cable message which we publish in another column, that Hitler is still learning in the art of falsehood, of which he is an acknowledged master. Calculated lying has been always a chief weapon in the Nazis' war armoury, and the principle on which they have used it has been normally that the greater the lie the more‘effective it is likely to be. Now it is suggested that the German rulers are finding that even lying can be overdone, causing it to defeat its own ends. It is noted that for the first time on Friday their communiques admitted that the German plane losses were greater than the British, and that this deviation towards truthfulness has occurred twice. It is to be feared that the new frankness has only been adopted temporarily to make the next lie seem more convincing to Germany’s flyers, who must have been considerably discouraged by their own impressions of the ratio of their losses to those of their British opponents. Pointing in that direction is the fact that a Nazi official report which we published yesterday claimed for a day’s encounters a proportion of six to twenty-five losses of planes in Germany’s favour, for which no support can bo found in the British messages. The real facts have more need to be suppressed, from the Nazi standpoint, since the disparity in favour of Great Britain has grown steadily since experience Vis been gained. It is understood that German raiding squadrons are drawn from places as far opart as possible, and are not allowed to meet, with the risk of comparing notes, when they return from grim adventures, but the fiction of their small losses must be increasingly hard for rulers to maintain. Hitler has been recalled as saying, in ‘ Alein Kampf,’ that it was a mistake in the last war to ridicule the worth of the enemy. “ Once the German soldier came to realise what a tough enemy he had to light he felt ho had hern deceived by the manufacturers of the information given to him. He therefore lost heart.” It would bo strange if he is not losing heart to-day.

The postponement of the Auckland centennial celebrations until after the war was decided upon at a meeting of the metropolitan executive of the Auckland Provincial Centennial Council. The stop was taken owing to the great difficulties arising out of the war in arranging celebrations that wouid worthily represent the occasion.

A meeting of 120 employees of the motor trade in the Manawatu district passed a resolution last night asking the Government to grant an increased petrol ration to prevent an increase of unemployment in the industry. While a'Treeing that some measure of conservation of supplies was necessary, the meeting expressed the view that the existing restrictions were unwarranted.

Words uttered by the Doan of St. Paul's form the inspiration of a poster displayed in Britain. A copy has been received in Auckland. It is headed, It all depends on me.” under this are the words: “If we each and all ot ns think this, and each and all ot us do our utmost, our very utmost, on whatever work we are on, and do it with determination and cheerfulness, then wc shall win this war.”

A recent 1 Punch ’ picture entitled “ Tho Warrior’s Return,” showing an officer entering his home to mid his entire household in uniform, had somewhat of a parallel on Saturday morning when a family was seen parading Queen street (says tho Auckland ‘Herald ). Father was in khaki, mother was wearing the uniform of the Women s Service Corps, and with them were a young son in scout dress and a small 'daughter in the garb of a brownie, or junior Girl Guide.

The British public is now eating less meat and sugar that before the war, according to Dr E. B. Gunson, who has returned to Auckland from England. Rationing, ho said yesterday, provided everyone with quite enough food to sustain health. The restrictions wore not duo to any difficulty in obtaining supplies even although foodstuffs could no longer be imported from Europe. The purpose was to conserve shipping tonnage and to bring no more ships than necessary into tho danger zone. A movement was being made toward “ standard bread,” which would probably bo brought into use gradually. It wo ill d have none of the defects of the bread sold under the same name in the last war.

Depredations of birds, mainly chaffinches, have caused serious losses to orchardists in the Marlborough district in recent weeks. In some areas stone fruits, particularly peaches and nectarines, will bo in very short Supply. Birds have been eating away buds. and in many instances trees which should be a mass of blooms carry only one or two buds. The number of birds this year seems to have increased remarkably. “ Damage by birds is much more severe than I have ever known it in any part of New Zealand,” said Mr D. J. Hogg, orchard instructor in Blenheim. He has been round most of the district in the past few days inspecting orchards. In two cases losses are almost 98 per cent, of .the total crop of peaches and nectarines. One orchard, which usually has an output of between 700 and 800 cases of these fruits, now contained a block of trees among which it was almost impossible to find any buds. Mr, Hogg remarked that on one of the biggest orchards in the district the bird? had been attacking apple buds and had caused serious loss.

The city organist, Dr V. E. Galway, will give an after-church recital in the Town Hall on Sunday night, for which ho has arranged a programme full of interest and featuring two items which are being played for the first time at these recitals—viz., ‘ Ave Maria ’ (Brahms) and ‘ Oanzona ’ (Wolstenholme). Special mention should be made of the opening item. Bach's brilliant ‘ Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major ’ and ‘ Piece Heroique ’ (Cesar Frauds), a request item, as well us ‘ Allegro ’ from ‘ Symphony No. 6 ’ (Widor). Other pieces to be performed are Chopin’s ‘ Nocturne in G Minor ’ and ‘ Crown Imperial ’ (Walton). Dr Galway will be assisted by Miss Marion Gubb, who will sing ‘ The Bell Song ’ (Delibes), and Mr Raymond Wentworth. who will contribute ‘O lsis and Osiris ’ (Mozart) and ‘ For England ’ (Murray). There will be no charge for admissionThe fat cattle sale at Burnside yesterday opened with values for prime heavy bullocks easier by about 20s a head, and all other grades sold on a par with last week’s rates. Prices remained at this level. Extra prime heavy bullocks made to £25 17s 6d; prime heavy, £2O 7s 6d to £22 2s 6d; medium, £ls 12s 6d to £l9 2s 6d; light, from £l2 2s 6d; extra prime cows and heifers made to £lB 2s 6d; prime, £l3 12s 6d to £l6 2s 6d; medium, £lO 7s 6d to £l2 2s 6d; and light, from £7 7s 6d. The fat sheep sale opened with keen competition for all grades, and values showed an appreciation of 2s to 3s a head. Towards the close there was a slight easing tendency. Hoggets met a good sale. Extra prime heavy wethers made to 54s 3d; prime, 46s to 49s 6d; medium, 38s 6d to 42s 9cl ; light, from 255; extra prime owes made to 46 9d ; prime, heavy, 3Ss 9d to 44s 3d; medium, 35s to 37s 6d; light, down to 29s 6d.

The Minister of Customs (Hon. W. Nash) has advised the Associated Chambers of Commerce that he will be willing to consider any particular case in which it is represented that extreme hardship has been caused through the Government’s decision not to allow the importation of goods from the United States of America by a steamer under the second period import license.

The Chamber of Commerce met yesterday afternoon to consider the latest pronouncement by the Minister of Customs (Hon. W. Nash) concerning the fifth period import selection schedule. The chamber expressed satisfaction that the full 12 months’ licensing period for which the Associated Chambers had been pressing had been granted. With regard to the clause making it compulsory for the third and fourth period licenses to be in by December 31. it was thought that the Minister might possibly give sympathetic consideration to cases whore delay in shipping had prevented goods arriving in time. It was considered probable also that the Minister would be glad to consider cases of hardship caused by the further reduction in quantities of certain articles in the schedule.

How a small boy in an English school turned to good account<a piece of fabric from a wrecked German aeroplane is related in a letter received by an Auckland resident. The fabric was sent to the boy as a raid souvenir from his parents. Back came a letter of thanks and a statement that the sum of about four shillings had been raised by letting schoolmates spit on it at one penny a time.

Great interest has been aroused by the map of Berlin published under the caiption ‘ The Capital of Nazidom ’ in the ‘ Evening Star ’ last Saturday. Such has been the demand for inspection of this print at the Public Library’s reference section that it has been found necessary to mount the map upon a cardboard backing to ensure its remaining intact for future reference.

A complete settlement was reached at a sitting of the Conciliation Council this morning in connection with the Wellington and Dunedin felt hat employees’ industrial dispute. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) presided, and the employees’ assessors were Messrs 0. Hughes, E. H. M'Farlane, and W. C. M'Donnell. For the employers the assessors were Messrs J. Wilson, J. Haig, and J. Nicol. The settlement made provision for an annual holiday of one. week for all male employees in the industry, bringing them into line with the existing practice of granting a week’s holiday for females. The rate of wages agreed upon for females ranges from 17s a week to £2 J2s 6d. this embodying a rise during the third and fourth year of employment, amounting to 2s 6d in the last period. The wage for journeymen is 2s 9d per hour. All employees will receive in addition the benefit of the 5 per cent, cost of living bonus granted recently by tbe Court of Arbitration. The settlement is to be for one year from October 1.

Mrs Orpah Jones-Neilson. president and organiser of the British Immigrants’ Club, Dunedin, yesterday sent the following telegram to the Prime Minister: “We urge you to call Parliament together to discuss the possibility of accepting 5,000,000 families from Home, with the British Government’s evacuee grant.’’ A copy was sent to the Hon. Adam .Hamilton, Leader of the Opposition, and a member of the War Cabinet. Mr Fraser replied as follows: “I have received your telegram and noted for consideration the representations submitted.’’ A unanimous agreement of operation of*the bureau system and acceptance of the amended bureau rules was come to at the meeting of the Dunedin branch of tbe Waterside Workers’ Union yesterday. An emphatic protest, it was decided.'should be lodged against the non-payment of the guaranteed weekly wage as contained in the order of the Waterfront Control Commission. Hothouse tomatoes are early this year. The first shipment is advised, and will ho marketed towards the end of the week. Island tomatoes have been arriving, but the last shipment is out of the 'wholesalers’ hands. Further supplies of these are due shortly. Also on the market this week were the first locally-grown new potatoes. The consignment, from a Peninsula grower, was of the Jersey Bennes variety. The value obtained, Is 2|d a lb. was on a par with that obtained for similar quality potatoes marketed at the same period last year.

The drawing of the “ Lucky Scoop ” art union is to take place at the Masonic Hall, Wellington.' to-morrow morning, commencing at 0.15. The Railwavs Department advertises in (his issue particulars of altered running of 9.0 a.m. Dnnedin-Oamaru (rain on Monday, 301 h September.